<p>Dear CC Parents,
I write to you bc I need a parents realistic perspective who has gone through this process with someone wanting to be an IR major. I am looking at American University as my first choice. I'd like to know my chances for admission, what I can do to improve, and importantly my chances at merit aid. I want to major in IR and probably minor in Arabic and I would like to go on to work for the State Department or CIA. I am determined to achieve this and I hope I can get some real answers rather than some of the student pandering that occurs so much in the other forums. Suggestions on other schools are also appreciated. Thanks.</p>
<p>-Student at a competitive Jesuit hs in Philadelphia
-3.64 GPA (My school does not weight or rank students)
- 26 ACT (35/24/23/21) Will take a third time but I think I may be reachin my testing limits
- Courses: By graduation will have- 4 yrs German, Religion, Eng, Math, 2yrs Latin, 3 yrs Science, and 5 yrs History, Semester of Economics - Will have taken AP US (5), Eng Lang, US Govt, Euro Hist
-ECs: Memeber and Pres of school Model UN (4yrs), School Drama Society (3yrs), History Club (2yrs), 80 hrs community service
-Awards: NHS, Silver medal and honorable mention on Nat'l Latin Exams, Gold metal and honorable mention on Nat'l German Exam
-Other: Will participate in a 3 wk. study abroad program in Germany this summer,
-Essays will be solid and recs. will be excellent</p>
<p>** I have an extreme interest in US foreign policy and I am absolutely determined to succeed in this field. I think that my deep interest in this field and my knowledge of these issues is one of the things that should make me very different in admissions, but I have no idea how to properly represent this. This is probably the toughest question I have had to wrestle with in this process. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>Well my opinion is ***************** yeah, worthless. But don't be discouraged by this. If your Guidance Office lacks a working relationship with AU you're still close enough that you can go in person. After all, it's your first choice school. Good luck.</p>
<p>I think that you are in very good shape for American; but to answer your questions specifically, it is best for you to visit their Office of Admissions and/or website and see what information you can obtain from them esp. considering merit aid.</p>
<p>Additionally, visiting in person will allow you to fully assess the campus and location. You can also ask questions of the Career Center staff re: recruiting by gov/mt agencies and the CIA. That's really your best road at finding your answers.</p>
<p>I don't want to be the bearer of the merit aid bad news, but I don't think that you will receive merit aid. I think that if your standardized testing score were higher, you would have a chance at merit aid. I think that your gpa is in the running for merit aid at American. This is just my opinion based upon personal research.</p>
<p>When we were there 2 summers ago, a student asked his chances because he was worried about his test scores (similar to yours). The response was that he was in the average range, and to apply, and see, that the school didn't look at just one thing, and the test scores were their least counted category. That said, the Dean of Admisions said that if someone with a 1400 (old) SAT applied, they would move to the top of the pile. That gives you an idea of what they consider their average student, and what they consider their stellar candidate. D was offered Presidential (4-yr. tuition) scholarship with 1550 SAT, sal, and state winner (2X and one time second place finish) of competition in social studies. Now, granted this is their highest merit award, and there are others, but they don't give many according to what they told us then.</p>
<p>My son also received the Presidential scholarship last year (he chose not to attend American) with an SAT of 1510. He was not val or sal nor was he the recipient of any state/national awards. He did, however, take the most difficult course load available. Personally, I think the merit awards are numbers driven in spite of what the Dean of Admisions said. Just my opinion tho. His GPA was 4.0.</p>
<p>Maybe the Dean meant that 1400's and up are top of the pile for ACCEPTANCE decision only. Merit awards could be another additional reveiw of 1400's and above with only the strongest amg them getting merit offers.</p>
<p>It is my understanding that the strongest applicants get the merit awards at AU and they typically have a 3.5uw, and 1300+ (old sat). I have seen some applicants with lower stats saying that they received a merit award (on cc), but they were from the west coast (perhaps geographic diversity helped).</p>