<p>This is my 3rd annual post at this time of year, offering input on AU from an alum’s experienced perspective. </p>
<p>I graduated from AU in 1995, so I have 14 years of post-AU experience under my belt.<br>
I’m not very good at estimating students’ chances of getting accepted because things have changed so much over the years. And I can’t tell you much about professors because many of my professors have moved on. But I can tell you what AU meant to me, whether/how it has affected me since, things I’d do differently, and things I wouldn’t change.</p>
<p>Basic background: I came to AU in 1991 from suburban Chicago. I intended to study political science, but after taking one economics class I decided to major in both political science and economics. I was an honors student and am a member of AU’s first group of Phi Beta Kappa graduates.</p>
<p>I’ve been in the business world since leaving AU. I earned an MBA from another university and have been employed in the telecommunications and commercial real estate (current career) fields.</p>
<p>Let me know what questions you have. Feel free to post a message or contact me privately.</p>
<p>I'm planning on double majoring in International relations and Econ
do you think that would be difficult? </p>
<p>and what are the chances of getting picked up right after undergrad?</p>
<p>It won't be difficult to double major in IR and economics. There are three keys to this:
1. Work closely with your academic advisors to make sure you're taking the right classes.
2. Make sure that you choose general education courses (a series of 10 courses--with lots of options--generally taken during freshman and sophomore years) that also meet your IR and/or econ requirements.
3. Take IR courses that meet econ requirements and vice versa.</p>
<p>Re: chances of getting "picked up" after graduation--I assume you mean getting a job. You will be the major determining factor in that. Study hard, get good grades, get to know your professors, network with peers, have internships, and leverage the serious resources of AU's career center. Bottom line is that AU and DC offer many, many opportunities and it is up to you to take advantage of them.</p>
<p>Do online universities accept transfer credits?</p>
<p>To Stiftree,</p>
<p>I am an IR and Econ double major, and did this by taking 17 credits every semester until my senior year, knocking out all of my GenEds by Sophomore year, and by checking in with my advisor before every semester to be sure I was on the right track.</p>
<p>I also, however, found the room to take a few electives, take a 5 credit Chinese language class for two years, and study abroad. </p>
<p>As for being "picked up"....The two majors really opened a lot of doors for internships, I have been working at my current internship at a consulting firm for over a year now and will be starting full time in Sept :)</p>
<p>Best of luck! PM me if you have any other specific questions.</p>
<p>ooh thanks thats great to hear.</p>
<p>Britty512
i was wondering what kind of work do you do at a consulting firm if you dont mind me asking</p>
<p>and also what kind of internships and career might one expect if they were to major in IR and Econ?</p>
<p>Stiftree,</p>
<p>I initially thought the two majors would really help me focus my future career choice, but in fact it opened far more doors than I thought. With both majors you can do everything from non-profit work, government consulting, private sector work, think tanks, etc. etc. </p>
<p>While in school I worked for two development non-profits, the Treasury, and finally where I am now at a strategic consulting firm. I do new business development at the firm I currently work for, and despite it having not much to do with what I studied and school, I love it! I will eventually go back to the IR thing, but for now I'm happy where I am.</p>
<p>hey i have a few questions.</p>
<p>1) i'm really interested in studying international relations but i'm also interested in other disciplines. does american feel like it has an overwhelmingly political/government/law oriented student body?</p>
<p>2) does american offer an undergrad international law program or can you take classes at the graduate school? i heard you could but that could easily have been a rumor....</p>
<p>3) does american give a fair amount of merit aid? </p>
<p>thanks for the help! :)</p>
<p>Awkturtle,</p>
<p>There's no doubt that AU is predominantly political/government/law related. My major was economics/political science, but of my 10 closest friends, majors were business, literature, physics, biology (2), political science (3), and international relations (2).</p>
<p>As for merit aid, I don't know what "fair" is. When I started at AU (1991), I could not have done so without a scholarship that covered about 75% of tuition. These things change over time, so you need to hear from people with more recent experience.</p>