<p>I was accepted to AU, but I was wondering what the social life is like there.
Also, do you enjoy being in a sorority?</p>
<p>luv SDT 2 death.... my girls are all amazing... <3</p>
<p>social life = amazing. I have the best friends and the best times at AU...</p>
<p>,,,my motto work hard... play harder... i get good grades... yet i know how to have fun :)</p>
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You have to think of it this way: When employers look for potential employees they don't primarily look towards AU because it has a mediocre reputation. GW and Gtown are both more difficult to get into and they definitely have much better national reputations - ask any person in academia or for that matter, any major corporation.</p>
<p>I'm sure that many of those people at AU went to AU because they received more money than the other aforementioned schools. I have nothing against AU and I think its a fine academic institution, but it can certainly not be compared to the prestige of Georgetown or GW.</p>
<p>You're defending your school, and I think that's great and all but when you provide antecdotal information (e.g. "my friend got into yale but chose AU.") it means nothing. College shouldn't be all about experience and fun, it should be about making it in the real world and finding the best possible job that will support you.
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<p>Im not sure why you believe GW is that great of a school. The stats for entering students are not that high and the international focus of politics is not that strong. The professors for Foreign Affairs are much better at AU and the school offers the same basic internships as GW. </p>
<p>If you are talking about American politics, then I agree with you; however, outside of the slightly higher stats of incoming freshman at GWU and their American politics focus, they are not stronger than AU. </p>
<p>In fact GW may be one of the most overrated schools in the country. Paying 53K a year for an undergrad political science degree will leave you in debt for a long time. Unless you do extremely well, you will not earn that much money. A 4.0 from American in their School of International Service(with honors courses) is the same, if not better than a 4.0 at GW. </p>
<p>Employers will distinguish based on GRE scores, not the "prestige" of the university. </p>
<p>The only argument you have here is with Georgetown.</p>
<p>Do you guys get free copies of NYT/Washington Post delivered to your dorms? When I visited GW I think they mentioned that.</p>
<p>AU has free newspapers... def NYT/ Washington post... i think a few others... and of course we have the eagle :)</p>
<p>Academically GW is about the same as AU, if not a bit better. But, in terms of prestige, GW certainly has more headway. And prestige is important when applying to graduate school, just as it is when you're applying to college.</p>
<p>This is where my philosophy differs from yours. I believe levels of prestige operate in "tiers". While Georgetown is a top tier poly sci/ia school, GW and American are both second tier. GW's name recognition is slightly higher to the average man in another part of the country, but to most employers that you will be speaking to(in the DC area), the schools are not that much different. It really depends on what you do with your time outside of the classroom. You have the city at your hands and if you dont take advantage of it, I don't care where you go you are not going to get into a good grad school(or get a great job). </p>
<p>In adittion when we talk about grad school, the AU student with good SFS recs and a higher quantitative score on the GRE will always beat out the good GW student with a lower quantitative score(assuming they took the same internships). </p>
<p>Unless you get into Georgetown, you should go with the more reasonable financial alternative(AU).</p>
<p>I still think AU isn't worth the steep price tag (close to 40,000, if not more this year). Why not just attend your state school, which is probably just as good academically and probably costs 1/3 as much?</p>
<p>I agree with you. AU at full price is not worth it. However, with the amount of merit aid they give out, many kids get 15 - 25K a year plus subsidized loans and sometimes even grants. This is a lot more than what GW gives you. If you are priveledged enough to have a good cheap state school(Umich, Wisc, Cal-Berk, UCLA), than I would take it over both AU and GW. However, most of us are not priveledged with that alternative. For example, Umich would cost me 40 K a year if I went there OOS. My state schools(UGA and Tech) while good for many majors, are not for mine.</p>
<p>doublelayer009-</p>
<p>What is the student body like at AU? Are people pretty alternative, or is there a good mix of jocks/intellectuals/preps etc. I'm coming from a pretty one-dimentional hs and I'm looking for a good mix of people. </p>
<p>Also, when I visited about a year ago, everyone I saw was smoking. Does everyone on campus smoke, is their pressure to, etc?</p>
<p>I think that it all depends upon the major. For instance, Im interested in studying journalism and or film, so a journalism degree from GWU or a journalism/film degree from American is the best I can get in D.C., as Georgetown doesnt even have film or journalism as a major.</p>
<p>i don't smoke... some people do... w/e...</p>
<p>student body = divserse... we're in DC... and at a pretty liberal campus... yes the animal rights groups give out flyers like every week protesting something each week...like we are diverse. We actually have a whole international dorm if that is what your into... learning about other peopel's cultures and meeting others from your orginal backgrounds...</p>
<p>hey alyssa,
I have a question about dorms. I got in but i'm still waiting to see if i get accepted to vanderbilt and georgetown so i'm not putting down a deposit yet. do people who put down their deposits now get preference in what dorm they get? or is it like everyone who gets their deposit in by may 1st gets the same preference?</p>
<p>Also, is it really competitive to get into a sorority at american, or if you want to do it can you usually get into one? and when is rush? fall or spring?</p>
<p>Hey Alyssa,
I have a question about dorms. if you live on the North side of campus (im thinking either mcdowell or hughes) does it really "kill" ure social life? Im not anti social or anything i just prefer my sleeping and studying area to be calm and quiet and party or go out elsewhere. But ive heard that if u live on that side of campus u have no social life and people look down on u. Is that true?</p>
<p>yes... if you live on north side... social life is killed... (ie: when i person says i live on north side... the popular question is "why?")</p>
<p>...also unless your a "loser" with like no where 2 go... then u party in the dorms... ie: MOST PEOPLE DON'T PARTY IN THE DORMS... so it really isn't that loud. For instance it is 1:30 on a sat night... and what do i hear? silance. My roomie is asleep and i just got back from super secreat soroirty stuff. </p>
<p>AU is filled w/ poly sci geeks... aka the greek system is not the same as like a big state school like university of AZ.... ie: if you want to get into a sororiety... unless your ugly or if you GPA is lower then a 2.0... then you'll get in.</p>
<p>Ahhh, my eyes!! </p>
<p>(learn 2 spell, kthx)</p>
<p>any of you know the average transfer gpa or how many they accept each year?</p>
<p>"unless your (sic) ugly"</p>
<p>Well, isn't that a nice sentiment. How shallow.</p>
<p>Hi Alyssa,
Thanks for answering our questions. </p>
<p>How does American fare with grad schools? Is it easy to get into a good grad school after going to American? And what about jobs, Im assuming that since American stresses internships and work experience that this will give American students an edge? Is this true?</p>
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AU is filled w/ poly sci geeks... aka the greek system is not the same as like a big state school like university of AZ.... ie: if you want to get into a sororiety... unless your ugly or if you GPA is lower then a 2.0... then you'll get in.
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<p>Wouldnt that prevent all AU girls from joining sororities? Haha, kidding.</p>