Alum open for questions again (and still)

pswillia
Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:00:19 +0000

To caddis’s questions:

Why AU? - I applied to 5 schools, but my choice came down to AU and University of Illinois, which would have been absolutely free for me. I ended up choosing AU because I thought it would be better to study politics in DC instead of in the middle of a corn field.

Did AU prepare you well for grad school? - AU prepared me for grad school very well. To the extent that GRE scores are comparable to SAT scores, I improved significantly while at AU–and I like to think that reflects the knowledge I gained there.

The best preparation for business school is work after college, but I do think AU helped me. After all, I was surrounded by a lot of smart kids and professors who were striving for excellence. And the international flavor of AU (my first roommate was from Sweden) introduced me to ideas I may not have encountered elsewhere.

How has your AU degree been received outside of DC? - My AU degree has been received well, but frankly, because of the work I do, my MBA is more important. However, as time passes, all degrees lose significance and your work history becomes paramount.

Is there an alumni network? - There is an alumni network. As you can expect, it is strongest in DC and on the east coast. But we do have a group that meets here in Dallas–there are actually hundreds of AU grads in the area. I am somewhat active, and I offer my professional network to my AU colleagues when they need it.