The Philosophy

Medium (8,200) private university in a very large city
Founded 1893, founded by congress to give back to the community
Most politically active school, just beat out Georgetown
Innovative academics
Distinguished faculty
Washington is the classroom

The Classes

Average class size - 23
Taught by faculty, not students
5 foundation classes for understanding the AU Experience
5 Habits of Mind classes
4 Integrative classes, including Capstone

The Path

ED Nov 15, notified Dec 31
ED II Jan 15, notified Feb 15
RD Jan 15, notified April 1
Financial Aid Priority Nov 15
Financial Aid Jan 15, notified April 1
Priority deadline Dec 15th for specific programs

Test optional
Superscore SAT, not ACT
ACT 27-32 regular, 33-35 honors
Outside, non-educational, recommendations allowed
Spring admits can take classes in Bath England during fall with internship
Declare major at end of sophomore year, double major, minor or take classes across schools. Apply to university not schools
14 core courses (including: Ethical Reasoning, Creative Aesthetic Inquiry, Cultural Inquiry, and Written Communication & Information Literacy)
71 majors
Capstone project
Research and individualized curriculum
92% working or grad school
Education degree includes teaching certificate

The People

Active, involved, motivated, inclusive students
Students from all 50 states and 123 countries
44% students of color
34% faculty of color
52% female faculty

The Aid

Cover 100% financial need
30% offered a merit scholarship, if you want greater support, look at need based scholarships 
116% increase in science funding programs, because of nobel prize for measuring gravitational pull
5 distinguished scholars receive full ride annually

78 students to 1 advisor
Internships - 90%, average of 3 internships
Study abroad - 70%, financial aid follows, any major, semester, year
Strong volunteer programs
International Services - largest school, 8 themes in 6 regions, must choose language
Accelerated programs, getting a masters in 5 yrs

Therapy dogs
3 + 2 for engineering
Full radio and film studios
Near embassies, vice president house, homeland security, hospital .5 miles away
Phone app for campus wide security notifications
Bluelight 60-90 sec response, located 5-10 seconds apart

Nonmajors can participate in arts
NCAA Div 1 Women’s and Men’s Sports

On campus dining $ can be used off campus places
Coffee shop in library

If the odds are against you at Georgetown and you can’t see yourself on GW’s ultra-urban campus, welcome to American University. The allure of AU is simple: Washington, D.C. American has a nice campus in a nice neighborhood with easy access to the Metro and endless internship opportunities. American is smaller-and now more selective-than GW.

Located just a few miles from our country’s seat of power, American University has been a breeding ground for the next generation of reporters, diplomats, lobbyists, political leaders, and policy makers since it opened its doors in 1914. Alongside these eager buzzhounds is a host of students who take advantage of AU’s strong programs in the arts, sciences, and business, and who recognize that Boston and New York City are not the only good urban destinations for college students. “American University is a diverse, pulsing, and dynamic school driven by some of the best faculty, staff, scholars, and students in the world,” a senior says. Thanks to phenomenal internships, a comfortable location, and a strong international focus, AU continues to attract students from around the world.

AU’s 84-acre residential campus is located in the northwest corner of Washington, D.C., in an upscale (and safe) area that’s just minutes from downtown; free shuttle buses transport students to the nearby Metro (subway) station. There’s a mix of classical and modern architecture. Flower gardens line the parking lots, and the quad has numerous sitting areas for reflection and study. The 70,000-square-foot, environmentally friendly School of International Service building is LEED Gold–certified. In 2018 AU became the first university in the United States to achieve carbon neutrality. AU has been boosting research efforts in the sciences in recent years and opened the 125,000-square-foot Hall of Science, housing four life sciences departments, in 2020.

AU’s core curriculum aims to develop students into “effective citizens” and lifelong learners. First-years begin by taking Complex Problems, a small-group seminar focused on analyzing a special topic, and a yearlong AU Experience sequence that acclimates them to university life. In addition to coursework in writing, math or statistics, and diversity, students fulfill Habits of Mind requirements that cover five areas, ranging from ethical reasoning to creativity and aesthetics. Finally, all students complete a capstone course or project in their major. The core still leaves plenty of time for students to study abroad-choosing from more than 150 programs in over 40 nations-or participate in an internship or co-op facilitated by the school’s relationships with hundreds of private, nonprofit, and government institutions. The school also uses these connections in its Washington Semester program, which combines academic seminars with internships and career guidance, attracting a wide range of majors. Sixty-two percent of AU students study abroad and 91 percent complete internships.

In the classroom, says a public health major, the atmosphere is supportive: “AU is more of an academic community, rather than a pressure cooker.” AU has outstanding programs in political science and government, international studies, business, communication studies, journalism, public relations, and environmental studies. In all, students may choose from more than 70 programs and have the option to design their own interdisciplinary major. Three-year bachelor’s degree programs are available in international studies; public health; and politics, policy, and law. Fifty-five percent of all classes taken by undergraduates have fewer than 20 students, and teaching assistants do not teach classes. “Almost every professor I’ve interacted with has previous experience in the field,” notes a communication studies and computer science major. A four-year honors program offers a select group of about 25 entering students small seminars, special sections of many courses, and designated floors in the residence halls, plus specialized research or creative work in their major.

“Students at AU are smart, compassionate, politically aware, and driven to make the world a better place,” a senior says. AU prides itself on drawing students from every state and more than 120 foreign countries: 80 percent of undergrads are from states outside D.C. and another 11 percent hail from outside the U.S. “AU is a very international campus,” observes one senior. Seven percent of undergraduates are African American, 13 percent are Hispanic, 6 percent are Asian American, and 5 percent are multiracial. A relatively high proportion-nearly two-thirds-are women. Not surprisingly, AU is politically active-after all, this is Washington, D.C. “If you aren’t into politics in the slightest, it can be a bit frustrating to navigate the school socially,” cautions a senior. The university offers hundreds of merit scholarships averaging $12,900 and has reallocated much of its financial aid to assist more financially needy students; 160 athletic scholarships are available as well.

More than two-thirds of AU students live in campus housing, which is guaranteed for the first two years. AU offers traditional, suite-style, and apartment-style options; students report that the quality varies. Living/learning options are available for first-years and come highly recommended, including the two-year Community-Based Research Scholars program, which involves opportunities for service-oriented research. Campus dining receives mixed reviews. A junior says, “AU is an open campus and feels very safe,” and educational programming on personal wellness and preventing sexual assault is extensive.

On-campus social life can be limited, students report, and tends to revolve around club activities and functions organized by the student government. Fourteen percent of the men and 16 percent of the women go Greek, and a psychology major says, “Greek organizations are the only source of parties.” The AU campus is officially dry, and with no on-campus Greek housing, parties take place off campus. The immediate area around AU has restaurants and shops, but you need to get a bit farther away for true nightlife over in Dupont Circle or Georgetown. D.C. offers ample entertainment, much of it free-the art house movie theaters, gallery openings, pro soccer games, museums and monuments, and funky live music. “You just jump on the Metro to get anywhere in the city,” says a communication studies major. Each year, Family Weekend brings games, rides, and popular bands to campus, along with a carnival on the quad. Another annual favorite is Founder’s Week, featuring late-night drag queen bingo and the Founder’s Day Ball, a formal dance held at a museum or other location in downtown D.C. Popular road trips include Baltimore, Williamsburg, Richmond, and the Ocean City shore.

Although there’s no football, the American University Eagles compete in the Division I Patriot League. Students are most enthusiastic about men’s basketball, which has been among the most successful teams, along with women’s basketball and volleyball. Games against Bucknell, Holy Cross, and the Naval Academy highlight the schedule. Students also take part in 22 intramural and 28 club sports, ranging from flag football and badminton to cycling and sailing, which are divided into different levels of competitiveness.

AU is heaven on earth for C-SPAN junkies. But even if you are not addicted to following current events, AU and Washington, D.C., are still a top combo for a rich college life. The opportunities for real-world experience-in fields ranging from business to international studies to political science-are outstanding. But AU is small enough to keep students from feeling lost in the fast-paced world inside the Beltway. As a junior explains, “We are a small campus, which gives the feeling of being out of the city, yet the city is at our fingertips.”

-Fiske Guide