<p>“Is this a selective school… could i get in with a 3.0 uw gpa?”</p>
<p>AU is moderately selective, they accept 51% of their applicants. The average entering freshman has a GPA of 3.54 (AU says this has be recalculated based on course rigor so i assume this is a weighted GPA). So I think it is possible to get into AU with a 3.0, but definitely have some safties</p>
<p>actually the 3.54 is not weighted.</p>
<p>AU takes your 4 core classes w/out any weight and makes them out of a 4.0/</p>
<p>so eng, math, science, and history.</p>
<p>it doesn’t matter what types they are ap or reg. etc.</p>
<p>then they do each one as a 4=a 3=b and so on, and calculate gpa that way.</p>
<p>when i went to a preview day they said the gpa is not weighted… so if it were weighted i would say you would have to have a high 3.0 or even in the 4.0’s and unweighted def try to have it at a 3.5 atleast.</p>
<p>and then looking at sats, etc. they look at that. and they look at ec’s a lot too from what i have heard.</p>
<p>On a total different subject, does anyone have any experience with AU’s Math or Education departments? I know that they are known for many other outstanding majors, but my D is considering a career in either the math or teaching fields or both (for now). She loves AU for all that it offers and has made it her first choice over several more techie schools. Any insight into those departments is appreciated.</p>
<p>Does the choice of major on the app have any bearing on the decision process? I’m sure that AU gets many more applicants to the International Studies and Gov programs, so other majors may not be as competitive, right? Or are all applicants weighed equally, regardless of major choice? She submitted back in Nov and is sweating until that Apr letter arrives. I think that she has the right mix of grades/SATs/ECs to get in, but then again I’m her Dad, so I’m probably biased. :-)</p>
<p>“Does the choice of major on the app have any bearing on the decision process? I’m sure that AU gets many more applicants to the International Studies and Gov programs, so other majors may not be as competitive, right? Or are all applicants weighed equally, regardless of major choice?”</p>
<p>According to their website, all majors are treated equally and have no bearing on the decision process. Not sure if that is entirely true, but it is what their website says. I wouldn’t think it would have any effect though, because most students change their major.</p>
<p>Hi everyone. I am just going to chime into this discussion briefly. I am currently a sophomore at AU and do not agree with everything that doublelayer had said earlier in the thread. She makes the school out to have no flaws and perfect, which is impossible. No school is perfect. I will post some negative things I have seen the past two years at AU, as well as some positives.</p>
<p>-Yes, it is 67% female, which is a huge percent. And there is a LARGE gay population at the school, making the guy availability a little constrained. (Ever head of the nickname GayJew for the school?)</p>
<p>-The shuttles overcrowd frequently and you must squish on top of each other to get to Tenley. And also, the Metro is in Tenley, but it can be quite time-consuming to get anywhere.</p>
<p>-South sides seems to differ year-to-year. Last year, I lived in Anderson and it could be very loud at times. We also had something like 30 fire alarms last year at all hours of the night. This year, I live in Letts and there have been 2 fire alarms. It is pretty quiet and have not been woken up once this year.</p>
<p>-The study abroad program has impressive programs all over the world. Most of my friends are taking advantage of this.</p>
<p>-The job and internship availability in DC is stellar. I have a friend who interned with CNN last semester and I currently have a job in DC to offset my college expenses.</p>
<p>-You may have one or two bigger lectures your freshman year, otherwise the classes aren’t large. This allows you to develop a relationship with your professor.</p>
<p>-The wall units are pretty nice and you have plenty of storage in the regular dorms. You can also bring under bed bins and fit even more things. The Centennial dorms are pretty roomy and allow you to have a private bathroom.</p>
<p>-SIS, SPA, and SOC are pretty reputable schools at AU. Most of my friends are in one of these three. AU tends to lean away from sciences and maths, but I also do not know much about these programs.</p>
<p>Finally, AU swings very far to the left. (There was cheering and running in the halls the night of Congress/Senate elections.) But I hear you can also find pretty die-hard republicans.</p>
<p>I am just summarizing some points I could think of that may interest prospective students. Please, don’t take these literally. They are my opinions of my experience here and everyone’s will differ. Come see the school, ask questions, and decide for yourself. Overall, AU has great opportunites if you pursue them.</p>
<p>As an AU guy, I feel the need to stand up for our gender. Yeah the girls have slim pickings quantity wise, but as a guy, it think it’s tougher to find quality girls. So, it probably all evens out. </p>
<p>And there are definitely some of us Republicans here - although greatly outnumbered. I’ve found that I’ve probably become more conservative after a year at AU - there’s something about listening to your Macro prof arguing in favor of a 95 percentile tax bracket that just makes you go, “uh-no.” </p>
<p>I am constantly amazed at the quality of the profs and the education here. My Writing for Mass Communication class (15 students max) is taught by an adjunct who writes for the Bush Administration (and it’s normal to take classes that cool as a frosh, too). </p>
<p>A degree from AU means a lot in this city too. I’d say that probably half of the people at my job who have college degrees got them from AU. So the alumni network is very extensive. I was especially surprised to find out that the former mayor of my home town (Sparks, Nevada) actually got his law degree from AU, but truth of the matter is, there are thousands of grads of AU across the country who will help you on your career path.</p>
<p>Oh, and about my job. I’m a Freshman at AU, and I currently have a job (yes it pays; well too) for the Department of Interior: Division of Legislative affairs. Essentially, we write testimony for congressional hearings. (Where else in the world would I be able to do that?) And although Internships are more common for underclassmen, my situation isn’t that unique - a friend of mine is working a JOB at the pentagon. (P.S. Neither of us used any connections or anything - just applied, and tauted our AU educations). </p>
<p>My primary dislike of the university lies in the student body; not the school itself. A more accurate nickname for the school would be AU: Awkward University. There’s just something about the students here. Maybe I’m stereotyping, but it seems like we have a lot of the kids who were shy and studious in high school, and are out on their own for the first time - if that’s not you (and I’m pretty sure it’s not me either) take heed in the fact that you’ll find some cool kids you’ll enjoying hanging out with too. Just expect to catch yourself asking, “WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? WHAT’S WRONG WITH THEM? WHY DO I GO TO SCHOOL HERE?” </p>
<p>Why do I go to school here? Because I love DC, the professors here are amazing, and American is on the rise.</p>
<p>Yeah, I think it definitely plays a major part - even what major you pick, and what gender you are may make a difference. I saw the numbers a while back, but from what I remember, SOC had the highest female % (so if you’re a guy, it might be wise to apply there) and SPA had the most equal % (if you’re a girl, it may make sense to pick CLEG or Poli Sci). The science department is always low in applicants, but because it falls under the CAS (the largest of the schools) I don’t think it’ll help much to apply as a Bio major, especially, if none of your extracurriculars match a prospective Bio major’s (ie. you worked on a political campaign instead of a summer research project.) </p>
<p>…</p>
<p>I have a few questions for anyone who knows the answers/</p>
<p>How there hott guys at AU?
<p>Is this a selective school… could i get in with a 3.0 uw gpa?
<p>I want to major in psychology or something in liberal arts…so would AU be a good choice with those majors?
<p>Are there a lot of internships positions there and is there a study aboard program?
-This is where AU blows other colleges out of the water. This city has incredible job and internship opportunities - you’ll be talking with someone on your floor and just be amazed at the kind of positions they’ve held. Secondly, yes, AU has an incredible study abroad program. Most schools just have some sort of massive partnership with random schools across the world, but AU will send you to their counterparts in different countries. So, you’ll be studying in AU-Cairo, or AU-Paris, AU-London, you get the idea. </p>
<p>How is the campus appearance and social life.
The campus doesn’t really look like a traditional campus. I mean it has the quad and stuff, but it doesn’t have the brick buildings or the ivy. Instead the buildings look very much like many of the federal buildings that you see around DC. It’s also a very beautiful campus with lots of floors and trees - rumor has it that we’re actually recognized as an official botanical garden.</p>
<p>what kinds of shops are near by?
AU is serviced by the AU/Tennley Town Metro stop - which, quite frankly, is perhaps the worst stop on the entire Red line. Tennely is kinda… pathetic. It has a Bestbuy, a Container Store, Safeway, Whole Foods, Blockbuster, and a couple good restaurants. Thankfully, great shops aren’t far away - one stop north is Friendship Heights with has a couple malls and real upscale shops - the same’s true with the Georgetown area. I also really like the whole area down by Chinatown, lots of diverse stores (not really chinese though).</p>
<p>How was/is the on-campus housing situation this year? At this time, are there still Freshmen living in triples (in a double room) or any other type of “supplemental housing”? (ex., study lounges converted to bedrooms) On average, if Freshmen are in this type of housing, or in triples, how long is it before they are moved to a “regular” double-occupancy room? Thanks.</p>
<p>As far as I know, any one who was in a triple or other temporary housing and wanted to move has been moved by the beginning of this semester. The situation this year was really an odd one - the admissions office was expecting very few students to accept (our President had just resigned amid scandal) and they thought numbers would be down. Instead, numbers were higher than ever, and this surplus lead to more triples than expected. I was in a triple and had the option to move out in early november. So, it really isn’t that bad, and it won’t nearly be as bad next year.</p>
<p>Ok, thanks for the info.</p>
<p>I really just have to disagree with the guy that said our alumni network is extensive. Actually one of the worst things about AU is it’s **** poor alumni network. Sure, this school has had a substantial number of graduates, but most of them wind up with low paying government jobs. If you ever wonder why our endowment is so low at this school(and thereby why our ranking is so low) its because our graduates don’t give any money back(and thats because they simply do not make any money). I think this is the case because an AU education doesn’t really teach you any skills. It’s fun to sit in class and talk politics all day but how much does it really teach you? The school’s lack of emphasis on math and its excessively liberal approach really sets it back in terms of what types of jobs people get coming out of college. In addition, if you ever want to do anything outside of DC, not only will you have a hard time finding people that have ever heard of this school but there will just be very few people that are actually alumni of the school in important places. This lack of alumni hurts the school on many different levels. </p>
<p>I agree that the student body is pretty horrible. Usually in college you expect the less gifted students to at least be socially suave. It’s not the case at all here. People are awkward; not very intelligent; and sometimes just incredibly shady. It’s also pretty discouraging that classroom discussions center around questions such as “why can’t we improve everyone’s standard of living AND keep prices low”. People just do not logically understand basic concepts about the world. I’m not saying that everyone is like this, but the intelligent are few and far between. </p>
<p>How there hott guys at AU?</p>
<p>I don’t know. I would agree with the previous poster that the guys are probably of much more quality than the girls at AU(that is if you can find a straight guy). The girls here are pretty horrible. Don’t let the statistics fool you - most girls are not very social and for the ones that are its like talking to a brick. In addition, this school has to have some of the ugliest people(both guys and girls) in the United States. It really makes me miss the south.</p>
<p>Is this a selective school… could i get in with a 3.0 uw gpa?
This school is hardly selective. As long as you have the money and over a 1200 SAT you should be fine. Basically AU will accept you if you are willing to foot the bill. </p>
<p>I want to major in psychology or something in liberal arts…so would AU be a good choice with those majors?</p>
<p>AU is a liberal arts school. You will find yourself taking a bunch of Gen Eds that you don’t want to take. As long as you are not into Math or Science you should like what you find here. </p>
<p>Are there a lot of internships positions there and is there a study aboard program?</p>
<p>OK. First of all, AU only may be better than other schools with internships because of its location. GW, GU, or even Maryland students have the same if not better opportunities for internships in the city. It simply has nothing to do with the school. I will say though that if you are looking to work for the government, this school definitely wouldnt be a bad option. </p>
<p>How is the campus appearance and social life.</p>
<p>In comparison with other schools, the campus is pretty dull and ugly. AU has a bunch of 60’s style concrete buildings that are not very aesthetically pleasing. In addition the only quad we have has a building facing the other direction(how weird is that!). Our facilities are also incredibly terrible. The workout facility is too small, we have no outdoor stadium, and my high school had a larger basketball facility than this college. </p>
<p>The social life is what you make of it. People seem to get into established cliques early on and do not feel comfortable breaking out of them. One thing that is great about this city is the night life. Very good clubs and pretty decent party scene. I think if you like to dance and dont mind spending some money, this place would be more of a fit for you. </p>
<p>Oh right, this school is also built on top of a chemical weapons testing ground from WWI.</p>
<p>Problems: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>Expect to be forced to pay high prices for mandatory meal plans(complete rip offs) for 2 full years now.</p></li>
<li><p>Don’t expect to be able to bring a car</p></li>
<li><p>Expect to take joke classes. I know a kid who didn’t turn in one assignment and never went to class but still ended up passing a required pass/fail course.</p></li>
<li><p>Dry Campus(could be an advantage for some)</p></li>
<li><p>Bad, expensive food</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Advantages:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Easy to get a job</p></li>
<li><p>Professors are approachable</p></li>
<li><p>Small Classes</p></li>
<li><p>Freshman dorms are pretty nice </p></li>
<li><p>School is in a nice area</p></li>
</ul>
<p>actually ryan, i looked at a 2006 endowment numbers list and american’s increased 12% from 2005-2006, quite higher than most colleges, like uva, etc.</p>
<p>just thought i’d let u know.</p>
<p>p.s. i also got an 1160 sat and got in ed.
the campus is actually beautiful for a “city school.”</p>
<p>and if you don’t like it so much, why don’t you transfer or something?</p>
<p>I am transferring. And our endowment is still really low(in other words, its easy to have a high percentage endowment increase when you start from nothing). </p>
<p>But even if you think our endowment is not keeping us down, then something else is. We are ranked 86th in the country, whereas the College of William and Mary(with a lower endowment than us) is ranked 31st. Our school is not improving, it fell down a spot last year. We are below powerhouses like Clark, Clemson, and Stevens Institute of Technology. </p>
<p>You and your 1160 SAT will fit in perfectly here. Unfortunately, for the competitive applicant, there are better options. </p>
<p>Have you ever been to Upenn? It’s a city school in a terrible area, but the campus buildings/facilities make this school look like a community college. </p>
<p>I go to different colleges every weekend with our team and we constantly see other, better things that this school simply cannot match up with.</p>
<p>Another thing id like to mention. Our freshman retention rate at this school is around 90%. That means about 10 percent of the student body leaves after one year. Why do you think that is?</p>
<p>Im just tired of the unrealistic posting in this thread. I feel there needs to be some level of accuracy so you all consider everything before you come here. I got sucked in originally by people like alyssa and it really hurts now. Many students at this university have serious doubts about the school, some always are trying to find ways to defend it.</p>
<p>I agree to an extent. Moving to a new area, to a new school, and to a new lifestyle is taxing. I’ve considered transferring myself, but (like 90% of students here) I’ve decided the pros outweight the cons. I’m really sorry that you haven’t had a good enough experience to stay - that’s a shame. I hope you find a school that’s a much better fit for you. There’s no doubt about it, AU like other schools, has disadvantages, but I suggest you don’t take someone who’s bashing AU (Ryan) or someone who’s promoting it (Me) opinions. Instead, come check out the school and get a feel for it on your own. If you can’t do that, message us (yes Ryan, myself, or anybody else) and ask us your pressing questions and make up your own mind.</p>
<p>Well this was my “safety” school coming in and i came here in part because of the money. I know a lot of people here who came because this was the best school they could get in to. There are many schools that are much worse than AU, but yes it has for the most part been disappointing. Whether you like it or not, a 90% retention rate is still very bad, and im sure others would leave as well if it wasn’t such a pain in the ass. I honestly don’t think students care that much about academics here to go through the work of transferring.</p>