I’m 95% sure I’m going to AU and I’m trying to calculate the basic costs for attending. Before I can choose a meal plan, I want to know how is the dining quality. I hear reviews of how it’s nice yet gets boring after a while.
You want to choose the smallest plan you can. The main dining hall is mediocre at best. They require you to get so many meal swipes a semester as a freshman. My son had so many meal swipes left over. This year as a sophomore, he was required to get 100 meal swipes and that seems to have been a good number. Pick the lowest you can because you can always add more if needed.
I’m in the same position as you but to add to @NESeattleMom post, the freshman required dining plan is 175 meals (10-11 meals per week).
There was a student my son’s freshman year who used all of his unused meal swipes to buy Subway sandwiches for a homeless shelter. Don’t get anymore than the required 175.
This parent also agrees with the posts above- get the minimum of 175. With that 175 plan, you also get $200 each in Dining Dollars and Eagle Bucks. It’s very easy for students and parents to add any amount of Dining Dollars and Eagle Bucks to the account, as needed.
During his high school years, my son was always an early riser who never missed breakfast, but I think he’s only been to breakfast at the dining hall once or twice all year.
If you have any swipes left over from any size plan that at the end of the Fall semester, they will roll over to Spring, but ONLY IF you buy the same size meal plan or larger for the Spring semester. All swipes expire on the last day of the spring semester. Use 'em or lose 'em. I believe that Dining Dollars and Eagle Bucks will roll over from one year to the next.
@BlackCrow3 @NESeattleMom @HeyItsNick thank you so much! I’m not understanding the difference between meal swipes and dining dollars though. Also, what is the quality like for food at American?
Meal swipes are used in the main dining hall also known as TDR. Some people like the food okay and others can’t stand it. You can also use meal swipes at other on campus places like Subway. They also give you Dining Dollars which can be used at more locations. The last thing is Eagle Bucks which can be used for food at restaurants in Tenleytown, printing and laundry. Students tend to use up all their Dining Dollars and Eagle Bucks but are left with tons of meal swipes. I always tell my son, use meal swipes first if you can, then Dining Dollars and lastly Eagle Bucks.
@NESeattleMom Thank you, I’ll make sure to remember that.
I just have a question. Do Dining Dollars and Eagle Bucks renew each semester, or is that $400 total value for the whole year? Also, what are the other expenses you use Eagle Bucks for? Can you use them for groceries?
@cornellaspirant They roll over each semester until graduation. Eagle Bucks can be used on or off campus at select vendors. Whole Foods is one of the vendors for groceries. https://issuu.com/auhousinganddining/docs/freshmen_pamphlet_2015-2016
Okay, amazing. Thanks so much! 
Eagle Bucks can also be used for laundry in the residence halls.
Meal Plans come with $200 each Eagle Bucks and Dining Dollars each semester.