<p>if i can be of any help for parents or students interested in AU from a parent’s perspective, i’d be happy to try to help.</p>
<p>We visited AU in August, so didn't get much of a sense of what AU was all about. The students in the tour group did not seem all that academically-engaged. Can you describe the students at AU? Are they academically serious? </p>
<p>My daughter was really turned off by some of the physical spaces, especially the dorms. How are the classrooms and dorm? Thanks!</p>
<p>i can only share my own experiences, but i'll try to be helpful. AU by its history has gone from a party school for the diplomatic "rich and famous" to a heavy-hitting academic instituiton that is very competitve, and getting increasingly so. its DC location as well as its comfortable location in the residential, embassy-row area make it desirable. my d and her friends are highly academically oriented; at this point she is trilingual, is completing second internship and is studying abroad.
interestingly, my friends have thought AU to be TOO serious and pre-professional! so i guess it's all about perception. most kids at AU have a passion for their varied interests and if they don't know where they are headed, find out soon enough! it is internationally known for IR, but offers many other programs. it has a highly international flavor, unlike many other schools. it scores high on its career and counseling center as well, which gets kids off to a good start with resumes and internships.
i think the classrooms and dorms are par. better than some, tho not the "hotel" accomodations with maid service of GWU! :) my d got into an apartment setting by second year, and many do so , as the cost is not so different from dorm prices, with a lot more for your money. my d has always loved the "green" of AU yet in a city location.
hope i've helped. feel free to PM me! best to you and your d.</p>
<p>EconProf, I'm a 1995 grad of AU so I won't bother to tell you how things were back in the old days. However, I will point you this as an example of an AU student: American</a> Today - President Award - Patrick Sullivan</p>
<p>I remember reading about this kid back in the spring and was so impressed/amazed that I made my wife (who has no connection to or interest in AU) read the story. Now, this is an exceptional student, but the story shows three things: (a) students who are academically serious do choose AU, (b) opportunities for growth, learning and enrichment abound both at AU and in the surrounding area, and (c) it's up to individual students to take on what they can/want to do--that's true at AU and everywhere else.</p>
<p>Is there any social life on campus or do kids just hang out in the city, Are students engaged with their professors, anything else you can tell me? Thanks</p>
<p>This is a tough question. As an underclassmen, I spent the bulk of my time hanging out on campus, and heading off campus to parties on the weekends. I am in my last year now, and have been living off campus since the summer before my junior year. The only time I spend on campus is studying in the library, and going to class. This isn't to say, however, that I am not hanging out with other AU students. For example, this summer I was downtown for events every other day, and every Friday met up in the sculpture gardens for free Jazz and Sangria...There is so much going on in DC that most students eventually venture off once they feel comfortable with the area.</p>
<p>As for professors, I established excellent relationships with the professors I really clicked with in class. I email and stop by office hours of professors I had in other semester for help in current classes, and for post-graduation advice. Many professors will host additional lectures or events if enough students are interested, and since most are truly committed to teaching at AU, very few distance themselves from cultivating relationships with their students as well...</p>
<p>shelross~ i will second what Britty has said about professors. if you reach out to them, they are very willing to be involved with students. my d. even met up with one of her language professors while abroad!</p>
<p>Hoe does AU compare to GW for a student interested in majoring in International Economics?</p>
<p>How selective is AU nowadays? I know the acceptance rate is getting lower and lower each year. Would it be good if I took the US History SAT II's if I plan on major in iR? Importantly, what does AU focus in on when looking at an application? How important are SAT/ACTs? How much aid can I get if I am not eligible for financial aid?</p>
<p>i'll try to answer both of you...
dmla: AU is one of the oldest, if not THE oldest school in the nation for IR and international topics. AU is like a sibling of it's city-slicker GW. both are high on things international, with basically identical admission requirements. AU is,tho still in DC, in the wealthy suburbs.
sushi: AU like most schools, especially competitive ones, becomes more selective every year. AU focuses on numbers, ie GPA,SATs it would look good to show excellence in anything...SATIIs, etc. but those are more for placement, not admission.
yes, standardized testing is seriously looked at to level the playing field amongst a wide range of high school offerings.( some overinflated, others not.) merit aid is what i think you mean, and it is strictly determined by the class within which you apply and your numerical cut-offs, found in their guidelines.</p>