<p>I have been accepted to AU and am seriously considering attending, but I have become really apprehensive lately because I realized something.</p>
<p>When talking to most people, or reading posts online-this site and others-I find the main reason people go to AU is because it is in DC and the opportunities that the city has.</p>
<p>I understand that there are great opportunities here-I am also a probable PoliSci major, but I wonder is the location really the best reason to choose a school? Do people go here because they didn’t get into Georgetown or GW and still want to be in DC? (I didn’t apply to either of those two because I didn’t like the schools themselves)</p>
<p>I’m just worried that people who go to AU are more focused on DC and won’t actually care about the college itself or having a good social life.</p>
<p>Interesting observation. My D has been accepted to AU too. She is excited about the school, but to be honest with you, I believe a lot of her excitement is due to the offerings the city has. This being said, AU is located so perfectly in DC that what the city has to offer IS part of the school. Speakers, internships, etc. are high profile and exciting, and readily available to the school because of the location. So, I would question why this aspect of the school might not carry as much respect as straight up academics.</p>
<p>Clearly, AU is a fabulous school for a PoliSci major. Also, AU isn’t exactly a school for slackers (acknowledge it’s not Duke,etc.), and it’s expensive. I hope to believe the students will respect the amount of $$$ tuition and will perform accordingly.</p>
<p>That being said, my D has also been accepted at University of Richmond,with enough grant $$$ to make it very attainable, yet she is hesitating because AU is more exciting to her. If she went to AU, we would have to pay out of pocket $130k over 4 years. She knows I won’t pay this seeing as she has such a good deal at UR, so she is actually contemplating taking out loans to get herself there. There is some kind of magical draw to AU that is felt by many. (D doesn’t know it yet, but there is no way I’ll allow her to borrow that kind of money for AU…not with the UR deal she has in hand).</p>
<p>I hope this insight was helpful to you. I wish you the best with your decision. I’m curious if you have other school options, and if so…what are they?</p>
<p>You are not unique. Plenty of people choose AU without considering other schools in the area. I was one of them…GW and Georgetown never crossed my radar screen as college possibilities.</p>
<p>I think ksabbo makes a good point about AU being intertwined with the city. I think you will find that AU is generally recognized at the DC university that makes the most of the opportunities the city has to offer, and leverages the resources of the university to make those opportunities available to students who actively seek them.</p>
<p>Here’s another observation re: AU academics. There are several contributors to these AU message boards who have noted that AU is a “safety school” for them; so far, at least one has had the courage to report that AU denied her enrollment. AU is not second-tier in DC, and this message is finally beginning to get out.</p>
<p>Finally, re: ksabbo’s daughter’s financial dilemma: NO REPUTABLE COLLEGE is $130,000 better than another reputable college. I am a big supporter of AU, but you just can’t justify that cost difference. Hope your daughter enjoys Richmond!</p>
<p>Although I like American and George Washington, American is not the “safety” for me. Yes, I have a better chance of getting into AU, but I like it for its own reasons. I like them both and there are many similarities, but I would not consider AU my “safety”. I love AU because it is a campus inside a city. I love AU because with a campus, it has more of a college-y feel. I love AU because its grad school and its undergrad school are almost equal in terms of size. I love AU because I have read numerous stories about patriotism AND school spirit. I love AU because they give out a lot of need-based aid AND merit-based aid, so they are no doubt socioeconomically diverse. I could go on. I think there are a lot of people who apply to AU and not to GWU, as well as vice versa.</p>
<p>My D. chose AU over GWU, and didn’t even apply to Georgetown. AU’s undergraduate business program ranks 28th according to Business Week, (Georgetown is 24th, GW 65th). More than that, AU’s career services/job placement ranks well higher than Georgetown’s and GW. (The paid internship opportunities my d. has found as a first year student have been extraordinary. More than that, AU’s business school is far more integrative, and international, with 1/3 of the faculty from abroad. It is far easily to articulate a joint degree (or major/minor) of business with international service at AU than at either of the other two schools. (Also check out the BLC program). And, of course, it has a campus.</p>
<p>And, no, it is not worth $130k more than URichmond, unless you have it.</p>
<p>I’m a freshman at AU. And I’ll be honest. I chose the school for the city, but i totally love it here. There are a few things I wish were different, but who doesn’t wish that about their schools. </p>
<p>Although I came to the school for the city, I don’t think that there is a lack of social life on campus. There are still parties, greek life, basketball games, movies, speakers, and concerts (T-Pain and Girl Talk are coming this semester!). The only thing about living in the city is that yeah, there are some people who don’t do anything with the school. They choose to go to clubs or plays or movies in the city. Some let the city be the only thing that they care about here at AU, but they aren’t everyone. Lots of people came for the city, but they stay for everything else the school has to offer. And the social scene on campus is alive and kicking!</p>
<p>tortoe -
D and I are going to visit AU (as well as GWU and Catholic) a week from today! I very much appreciate the comments posted here. Any suggestions for things we should see or do on the AU campus while we’re there? Any on-campus events next week to look forward to? Would love any thoughts you might be able to share!</p>
<p>My daughter, who is a freshman at AU, had to decide last year between AU and a small college that cost half as much. I wanted her to attend the small college. But she and my wife wouldn’t hear of it. I was really reluctant to get a massive loan. At this time I am glad she didn’t listen to me. AU and DC go hand in hand. If you don’t plan on leaving campus, don’t attend AU. My D is a pro at the Metro, she spends a lot of time in DC with classmates. The college experience is not just the classroom, it’s also the dorms and the surrounding community. AU and DC have so much to offer, for example, my D went trick or treating at the embassies, even got invited into the Indian embassy for lunch, she took the metro and taxi to Baltimore for a haunted house, she attended the Obama inauguration, watched her basketball team play in the NCAA tournament, attended concerts, took a school sponsored trip to NYC, attended the speaker series, is considering going overseas for the summer for a class. She has a diverse group of very good friends, . Another advantage to DC (and AU) is transportation, you can go anywhere in the country by train or plane, some colleges are stuck in the middle of nowhere. I know I am rambling here, but as a parent who had serious doubts about AU am totally sold on the school (and of course DC!) now.</p>
<p>Maybe I’m looking at this from the wrong perspective. I currently live about 30 minutes outside of DC and I guess that’s why it’s not as new and exciting as it is for most people.</p>
<p>I think I was trying to find somewhere that had a big on-campus life, but I guess I should embrace the city.</p>
<p>and tortoe, I would like to know what you would change if you could.</p>
<p>My child is also a freshman at AU and I could have written the same post as 2ncollege word for word. Son loves AU and would not be anywhere else. Good luck. We also received a large scholarship so that sealed the deal.</p>
<p>I was admitted to AU but for the Spring semester. It was my top choice, though. Is it worth it to take classes in-state for one semester and transfer?</p>
<p>2ncollege - THANKS! Great post. As a parent of a D deciding between AU and BU (really!!) yours was very very helpful. We like that the city has so much to offer as well as the school…and while there are several schools there, Boston has WAY too many in a way.</p>
<p>Hmmm… I was rejected by Harvard, Princeton and Yale… sniff :…( now its most likely looking like AU for me nyone who can make me feel better??? lol?</p>
<p>^ the same for my D !! waitlisted at Georgetown, JHU, Chicago… and rejected at Princeton and Columbia!! she can’t feel better right now! the shock was severe! and we are all in a chaos! the only choices are Emory and AU!! what a waste, she deserved so much better,( like 1000 of others kids like her!!) i feel your pain, but need to move on…to be stronger… i guess!</p>
<p>^ the location is a big yes for AU and the fact that there are tons of possibilities in internships ( CNN, Fox news,the Ambassies,the Senate, ect…) We are going to visit both places in 2 weeks, maybe after visiting my D is going to change her view. I’ll let you know.</p>
<p>^ I just enrolled!!! I believe that everything happens for a reason ( no I really do, not using it as a cliche ) AU is ideal for me, the others were over the top dreams which would have been surreal if it happened, yet, this is reality, and you know in this case for once, it isn’t harsh! AU here I come… intended major - Lit… hope you all make the correct choice too… :D</p>
nyone who can make me feel better??? lol?</p>
) AU is ideal for me, the others were over the top dreams which would have been surreal if it happened, yet, this is reality, and you know in this case for once, it isn’t harsh!