Tell us more about American University...please :-)

Colleges and Universities A-Z American University
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<p>D is in the process of applying to colleges, and American in on the short list. She is looking for someplace, not too big, not too small and near an exciting city. She wants diversity, and to be able to take a variety of classes. American does seem to check those boxes!
She is not into a party (as in drinking and drugs) school, or a rah rah (big football, big Greek) school, and prefers small classes, but having a few larger classes wouldn’t be a deal breaker.
She is more a shop at Target, Kohl’s and Penny’s girl, not at all into designer labels or being preppy. If preppy is in the mix, that’s fine, as long as it isn’t the general theme of the campus.
She’d like a collaborative/supportive environment.
Her current planned major is anthropology (cultural), and hopes for chances for internships and perhaps travel abroad.<br>
I have read some great things about American. the location is fantastic (we even have family in the area), but some things were concerning…
Some have said that the school is really only strong in International Service, but weak in other areas (Where would anthropology fit in?), and that there are issues with people from one of the frats acting as a gang on campus?? Are these things really big problems at the school? </p>

<p>Does American seem to fit what she is looking for?</p>

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<p>shoboeman - I found this review at CAPPEX in case you are not familiar with the site: <a href=“American University - Washington, DC | Cappex”>College Search Database: Find Your College Match | Cappex;
“The social aspect is a little rough. People here aren’t afraid to step on others to get to the top. Most of the people are from the east coast and aren’t afraid to dominate the social scene with their fashion and strong personalities. Greek life runs the social atmosphere on weekends. Most of the social interactions between people are because of networking. Clawing your way to the top like an Eagle. Should probably be the school’s motto.”</p>

<p>I’m from the DC Metro area and find the above comment to be pretty accurate. The young women who dominate the social scene can be quite scary in terms of their ambition and competitiveness wrt designer clothes/accessories, vacation plans, and other measures of material wealth. Preppy is big among wealthy white East Coast folks. Then you have NY/NJ types (many of whom are Jewish - statement of fact) who like to add bling for good measure. haha. I’m sure there are some down-to-earth folks that your daughter could relate to, but American U doesn’t jump out as an obvious good fit. </p>

<p>Can’t speak to anthropology study at AU, but recommend you research best colleges for that academic area. Maybe call the Smithsonian and ask for recommendations among their staff in the Museum of natural history?</p>

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<p>Thank you @navytennis. That surprises me. I had read things like that about GWU, and Georgetown, but had heard that American wasn’t quite like that. Good thought on the Smithsonian :slight_smile: Are there any colleges in the area that seem like they might be a better fit?</p>

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<p>Wow. My D graduated from AU in 2012, and that Cappex description sounds like total fantasy written by a bitter kitten who didn’t get admitted. I will also point out that @navytennis’s opinion as someone who merely grew up in the metro DC area, but did not attend the school, is worth little. (The dose of anti-Semitism gratuitously tossed into the post is also an eye-opener. Jewish “race”?)</p>

<p>Where to begin? D is a Kohls/Target kind if girl, and never felt out of place at AU. Her friends were also unspoiled non-fashionistas, non-preppies of varying backgrounds, none wealthy. I visited the campus numerous times and never noticed anyone who didn’t look like they could fit in fine at any state u. My S attended GW, and I agree that it’s a whole different scene, with lots of conspicuous consumption on campus.</p>

<p>As for Greek life, D attended one frat party, hated it, and never had anything to do with that aspect of social life again. She joined the co-ed service fraternity, which has no relation to regular Greek organizations, and enjoyed their volunteering work and occasional low key gatherings at members’ apartments. She never complained about Greek life dominating the social scene, and it’s hard to imagine it could, since the percentage of student participation is low and no houses are allowed on campus. Sure, kids are free to spend their weekends drunk at frat parties, but that’s a personal choice that can apply at any school.</p>

<p>I would guess that if there’s any serious competitiveness among AU students, it might be found among the SIS and pol sci types, but within the school of arts and sciences, where my D got her degree and where OP’s kid would study, I’ve never heard of any such issues.</p>

<p>OP, if I can answer any specific questions about AU, feel free to PM me. And please don’t buy what @navy tennis is selling.</p>

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<p>Double wow! I agree, Shoboemom, that that description of AU from Cappex seems far from the School I’ve seen so far, tho D is only a freshman there. My D does happen to love clothes but her favorite shops are Gap, H&M and Forever 21, no bling. She’s posted lots of pictures of her dorm and kids are wearing sweatshirts and jeans, pretty casual. Yes, it’s DC and it may attract a more sophisticated kid than some rural state school but the kids she’s met so far seem just to be a mix, like anywhere. It’s also as you’ve probably noticed a very expensive school so you may find some kids with money so perhaps they may have a wardrobe from more high end places, but D’s 2 roommates are both on scholarships with work study so there are all kinds of kids there. So far the kids seems really nice (per my daughter) and she couldn’t be happier. She too isn’t a partier at all and while there is plenty of that going on there- and at every college so I’m hearing- there are multiple things to do for those who don’t. Probably more than at a more isolated campus. D is in the city a lot. </p>

<p>By the way, D is a psychology major! I’d love her to partake of some of the courses for which AU is noted but she is enjoying her psych classes so far and has made it clear to me that at this point in time she has no intentions of switching. I will say that some courses, like anthropology and psychology, will probably have far smaller selection available for our kids at AU then they would at many other schools and not sure of the internship opportunities per se, but DH and I have pretty much resigned ourselves to the fact that a psych major anywhere pretty much needs graduate school to get a job in the field- AND knowing that many if not most kids change their majors at least once- felt it was more important that D felt the overall school and location was a good fit, rather than focusing on the major. But I know many others would see that differently, which I totally understand.</p>

<p>I too was a bit concerned about this underground frat you mentioned prior to D starting school but to be honest I’ve forgot about it till now, and D has certainly not mentioned it so sure there isn’t a gang-like presence on campus. The administration makes it clear the frat isn’t welcome on campus. Freshman are discouraged from checking out Greek life till spring semester and to my great surprise my D is actually interested in learning more about soriorities, (did you know they don’t have frat houses at AU?) so I’ll be able to share about that area at that time, but I’m suspecting kids would have to seek out that frat rather than run into them enmasse on campus, but as mentioned, Ill probably know more later. </p>

<p>Good luck with your D- it’s a challenging process and no place is perfect but you are smart to reach out for different perspectives.</p>

<p>Lastly, very offensive comment and totally unnecessary comment about the “jewish race”, Navytennis. Way to stereotype!! And really makes one question the objectivity of- and reason for- your entire post…</p>

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<p>@mommaj, and @myjanda, Thank you so much for your perspectives on American University! It is a school that we just can’t seem to get a feel for without visiting. Where other for some other schools we pick up on distinctive personalities. We do plan to visit next month. Any advice on things to be sure to see or notice would be appreciated. D loves the idea of going to school in the DC area. Having the Smithsonian as her playground would be amazing! She wants the big excitement that DC can offer, but also wants the small discussion classes and a bit of the nurturing environment that small LACs typically offer. Do you think American can offer that?</p>

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<p>@shoboemom, to be very honest, we were not originally impressed with the AU campus when we first did our rounds of college visits. My daughter really liked a city campus and American is neither smack dab in the middle of the city like GW or Pitt, nor a traditionally beautiful campus -in our opinion- like Tulane or Barnard (all other schools she was considering). However, she did get into most of her other choices, we actually got the best package from AU and she decided it made sense to go there. The funny thing is that every time we go back there now we wonder why we didn’t love it from the start! It has completely grown on us and D is totally thrilled - she loves that it is a relatively small campus built around a quad in a suburb, but a short metro or bus ride away from downtown. She now thinks it is the best of all worlds and is so glad she made this choice. And the kids she is meeting are very diverse - international, midwesterner, new englanders, all religions and definitely different income groups and she is meeting really nice and smart and motivated kids.
D is participating in University College, and I recommend checking into that - it is a great way for students to make friends from the get-go in a small group, and also get to know a unique side to DC.
Another thing we like is the classes overall are not big lectures - don’t think she has any right now and as students in the less “popular” majors, our Ds may see few if any large lecture halls.<br>
I can’t speak to how nurturing AU is - the few kids I know who go there tend to be somewhat independent and as this is my oldest child don’t have any other schools to compare with, but I know D has both an RA and a PA (who runs the small University College group she’s part of) and has meet with them as well as her advisor multiple times so far so there are apparently plenty of people to go to for help and questions.
BTW, I looked at Cappex reviews on AU, thanks to our friend @navytennis, and while most are a few years old, he/she has apparently managed to find one of the few negative reviews of the school. I prefer college prowler anyway for more up to date info.
My D would be happy to meet with you when you come to visit and share a freshman’s (and fellow social science major) perspective with you so feel free to pm me if you want more info.</p>

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<p>@shoboemom, I am the mother of a senior at American University. I cannot comment on the Anthropology Department, or prospects for internships and jobs in that field, as my daughter is a CLEG major. I can tell you about my daughter, her friends, and some of the social aspects of American University. </p>

<p>First what my daughter is not. My daughter does not party, she does not participate in Greek Life (although she has some friends that do and they are nice people), she does not wear designer clothing (but if she finds designer clothing at TJ Maxx and likes it, she is not opposed to wearing it). She really is pretty frugal and shops at the Gap outlet, H&M, etc. </p>

<p>She came to AU because of the merit scholarship they gave her, the course offerings, and the internship opportunities, and has found a home there. She is a member of several organizations (and holds leadership positions in some), attends lots of lectures (AU does get a lot of guest speakers), has had successful internships, has studied abroad, and likes to take advantage of DC’s cultural offerings. </p>

<p>This summer she rented an off-campus apartment near campus and, when we came to visit, I was amazed at the number of girls all dressed in similar very short black dresses waiting in front of the building to be picked up for a frat party. When I mentioned the girls to my daughter she told me that they get picked up for frat parties but they do not get driven home! So there are definitely partiers at AU, but I think you will find them at any university - even in a quiet town in Somewhere USA. </p>

<p>Like @myjanda, we did not love AU when we toured years ago but just like @myjanda I now cannot understand why since my daughter loves the school and so do we. I do think your daughter should tour the school if she can and speak to people in the anthropology department. You and your daughter should make your choice based on facts, not based off the clearly prejudiced views of @navytennis. </p>

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<p>Thank you @NewJerseyMom, I had to look up CLEG…that sounds interesting too! My D would be hoping for a merit scholarship as well. I think that is the only way that American would be affordable for us.<br>
It’s great to hear positive reviews from seniors and freshmen and graduates!<br>
@myjanda, It would be nice for my D to be able to talk with a current student. It can be very awkward walking up to students while on campus, and of course those on the tour have a sort of script they’ve been taught. lol</p>

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<p>Hi @shoboemom, I sent you a PM, </p>

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<p>@shoboemom: I am sending you a PM also.</p>

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<p>I could not disagree with that Cappex description more. My D (a sophomore) visited many schools. Shoboemom, your list of your D’s priorities could have been written by my D. She loves AU. She has friends who can be described as “preppy”, “nerdy”, “jappy”, “crunchy” and even “jocky”. It is that kind of eclectic and accepting student body that she finds so terrific. She loves having access to all that a city like DC offers and also the campus that is usually found at a more rural or suburban school. She joined a sorority but two of her roommates did not. They are all very close and Greek does not dominate. Many of the students (probably most) are values oriented with a strong social conscience, Many of the students are also politically aware. SIS is the biggest school in the University but from what I have seen, many of the departments are strong but do not have the same national reputation. All of D’s classes have been very small with the exception of a couple of the gen ed requirements. But even those had professors who were accessible and helpful. Check out the reviews on ratemyprofessors.com. AU has a one of the highest percentages of students who do internships (many do multiple) and study abroad. The university does a great job of supporting students to make this possible. All of this is so subjective that without visiting its impossible to know for sure how your D will react. But from your post, I would bet that she will like American over the other DC schools and find a lot of what she is looking for. PM me if you have more questions. </p>

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<p>@shoboemom, I thought I would weigh in as well, since my junior D is Theater Performance and Public Communications double major- 2 departments that have not been mentioned so far in the discussion. My D is currently studying abroad in London and having an amazing experience. Her best friend, her boyfriend and several other of their AU friends are also studying abroad…all in different cities. She had a week break recently and basically spent the time traveling from one fabulous European city to another staying with other AU students along the way. Hard to beat that kind of opportunity and representative I think of the myriad of opportunities available at AU. She and these same friends, most juniors, have all had internships in the city, some more than one. She did a communications internship at Fords Theater last summer, a great combination of her 2 majors. </p>

<p>She is not in a sorority, but spends a lot of time with one of the frats of which her boyfriend is a member. It is misleading to say that the frats don’t have houses. They do not have houses on campus, but most have a house where they hold parties off campus. It is not a big deal one way or another to choose the Greek scene, it is a small percentage of the student body. Fun for some, not a big deal for those not interested. </p>

<p>She has found her classes and professors to be good- most very small with plenty of access to her teachers. The theater department is a close-knit family and those artsy kids are her people. She is a bit of a bohemian, hippie type so she has her own style in terms of clothing. She jokes that the guys have more pressure to dress well/ expensive labels than the girls do. </p>

<p>The student body is proud of their diversity. In terms of @navytennis‌ comment that everyone found offensive about Jewish students, you should know that the kids jokingly call AU “Gay Jew” because of the active and involved Jewish community on campus and the widespread acceptance and support for the LGBQT community on campus. It is a very well informed, bright, politically active student body…my D jokes that every single change that happens on campus results in another group organizing a protest. I personally love the energy and passion, but I would guess that there would be some students who would find some of it a bit exhausting. </p>

<p>The location in Washington, D.C. is American’s greatest strength, in my opinion. The access to internships is probably unparalleled. I would also recommend University College to incoming freshman, if for no other reason that it as a great way to get acclimated to living in DC. After exploring DC for 2 years, my D had no issue traveling all over Europe this semester, sometimes all by herself. We have been amazed at her independence and confidence. She is now a global citizen in a way that I would love to be. I think this comes from being part of the AU community.</p>

<p>I am happy to answer any questions anyone might have. AU is not a perfect school, but a great choice for the right kid. We couldn’t be more pleased.</p>

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Reviving this thread…
These posts were so helpful!

When I first posted, we hadn’t visited yet. We did visit in November… during a cold snap. She loved it! It was a day long visit. She met with a student and sat in on a class and ate lunch with her, and got to see her dorm. Then she went to the usual info session and tour. My H and I were there, but did the earlier info session and tour, then just hung out on campus. As the day was ending, D texted telling us “This place is fantastic!” And she bought a sweat shirt! :wink:

Fast forward to today…D has made it to the 2nd round for the honors program, and will be writing her essays this week. She is so excited. We are planning another visit during D’s spring break.

Her interest is still in Anthropology, but now with more interest in the physical anthropology side, which would involve more science/labs.

I mentioned in the original post that my D would prefer a supportive environment. To me that means that the students are more interested in collaborating than competing with one another, and that the professors are accessible and willing to work with students if they need help. In your experience, does AU fit that description?

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@shoboemom - I am so happy and excited for your daughter! As far as s supportive environment, I think that really depends on your daughter’s classes and the group of students your daughter becomes friendly with. My daughter is in the honors program, the original program since she is currently a senior. She has never mentioned a competitive atmosphere within her classes or group of friends. If anything, she puts the pressure on herself to excel. The professors are definitely accessible. She went to office hours regularly, especially for classes that she found difficult. I can think of two advanced classes that my daughter found very difficult that she ended up with As due to help from the professors. If you seek out their help, they will be there. For her senior capstone, she had several professors offer to be her adviser without her asking.

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@shoboemom I am just wondering if your D is attending AU? Mine applied as a last minute thought and got into SIS. After being wait listed at one of her top choices (Lehigh) and denied the other (NYU), she is now excited about the prospect of AU. We haven’t even visited, so will be going down Easter weekend. I want to thank all the respondents to this thread because it has answered a lot of questions we have had and helps us to believe AU is a good fit for our down to earth, Target / Kohls shopping girl! Best of luck where ever your D winds up.

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Very helpful information, everyone.

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@thequeenmum, AU is still tops on her list, but the financial aid isn’t what we’d hoped it would be, so we have a lot of thinking to do.

I worry about stretching and getting student loans…just in general, but I am concerned about American getting more expensive over the 4 years, as they told us that their FA does not increase as their costs do.

Maybe others can answer these questions: She is very excited about the idea of maybe seeing some shows and events while in DC. Do students often get discount tickets?

Also, she loves the idea of interning at the Smithsonian. Is that fairly common? I imagine internships being during the summer, can students live on campus for those? Can an internship pay enough to cover that?

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Wash, D.C. is an amazing place for students with a limited budget. There is a free show at the Kennedy Center every night at 6 PM. The museums are all free entry. The Smithsonian Folk Life Festival in June is an international event of very high caliber that students can volunteer at to meet fascinating people from all over the world. Every year there is a different theme. You can go listen to decisions being made at the Supreme Court. All you have to do is stand in line. There are discount tickets for students under 30 at many theaters in the area. Sometimes you can get tickets at the last minute for a song. You can get very spoiled with free access to top cultural, historic, and artistic events while living in DC.

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Thank you @windbehindwings‌! That all sounds wonderful. And it occurs to me, the school would be more affordable if we sold our house and moved into her dorm with her. Hmmmm. Lol lol