<p>My son is entering his junior year at AU and he loves it. Before elaborating I must confess that my wife got her BA, MA and JD from George Washington and was not high on AU when my son was considering it. She felt AU was for students who could afford lat GW but couldn’t get into GW…but that was a few decades ago ( She now openly admits she’s happy our son is enjoying AU so much and is doing so well there.</p>
<p>My son carried a 3.9+ GPA and scored 1540 on his SATs and was invited to join the Honors program at various schools in the NE, including GW. He said AU’s honors students were the only ones he felt were truly smarter than him. (That may sound pompous but rightly or wrongly he didn’t want to be the smartest kid in the class any more.)</p>
<p>My son landed a great internship in DC this summer, gets around the city like a pro (expert on the Metro although that’s not that challenging) and plans to live abroad his spring semester. AU’s career center helped with the former; his honors mentors are helping with the latter.</p>
<p>Regarding the dorms, he was rarely in his so it really didn’t matter. What he did love was the floor lounge where students from all around the country and from other nations congregated often to debate philosophy, debate politics and discuss movies, as well as just bust on one another! </p>
<p>He loves the political atmosphere at AU. it is considered the most politically active university in America, although it’s considerably more liberal and than conservative. That said, it was not uncommon to get a call or text from him about attending a lecture by a major political leader, an internationally-renowned speakere or major media figure.</p>
<p>As one last aside, I accompanied my son to most of the schools he visited (PA, NY, MD, DC) and felt the AU faculty and honors program leaders were the ones that made him feel most welcome. However, I’m a Jesuit school grad (not GWTN) and feel the Jesuits are fantastic academically. But many GWT grads I knew when I lived in DC I found to be a tad arrogant and very preppie. And while my wife loved going to GW she no longer has any personal connection to it. 12 years at one school and no real connection. makes you wonder…</p>
<p>Thanks to all of you for the insight regarding these exciting schools. S was there a few weeks ago and like some of you, preferred GW. My question goes to interviewing: What was your experience, good or bad and how, if at all, do you think it figures into the admission process? S could only interview at American, no July interviews at GW. For the record, GT would be a reach for him, but he seems not to be interested mostly because of his lack of regard for religious institutions. Preppy, not a problem! If you saw him on the street, that’s probably how he would be described!</p>
<p>American has a lot of new buildings and is in a beautiful part of Washington, D.C. GW is very close to the White House and the World Bank - which is very cool, unless their is a security issue. GWU has had a lot of physical plant upgrades (which were needed) and is very nice, if you like urban. Georgetown is the nicest of the three, but that really depends on what you like personally. American has a very high percentage of women undergrads - that is not a bad thing, unless you have some issue with that.</p>
<p>Just thought I’d add the thoughts of someone who has sent a child to each school. S (who attended GW six years ago) transferred after his freshman year. The transfer rate was very high in those days–I don’t know what it is now. He really wasn’t suited for a big-city school without a real campus, and felt very alienated. He also felt the affluent student body was too much into designer clothes and clubbing every night–not his style at all. He spent the first month in an all-freshman dorm that had ambulances picking up drunken kids every night, then transferred to another, quieter dorm (formerly a motel across from the Watergate) that was quite a few blocks from the rest of the buildings and had no nearby cafeteria–he and his dorm mates mostly ate street food. Totally a mismatch for him. D is a sophomore at AU and happy there. One thing I will point out about AU is that the faculty and administration have been incredibly proactive and attentive in supporting her through several complicated situations. I also think AU is quite generous with its merit aid. Lastly, the academic support center, which serves students with ADHD and learning disabilities, is very strong.</p>
She now openly admits she’s happy our son is enjoying AU so much and is doing so well there.</p>