<p>Hi Zuitar! I was an RA at AU last year (I just graduated), and I was also a 1st-gen college student. I was sort of an international student also, although my family lives in the US I spend my last year of high school abroad.</p>
<p>The first thing I can tell you is that you will get most of your questions answered at the International Student Orientation. AU has a great International Student Support Services office, which you may have already talked to, and you can call their office at any time if you have questions. Especially if you have work study as an international student, there may be visa issues to get straightened out.</p>
<p>As to the bank account, most AU students get Chevy Chase. There’s a bank on campus and lots of ATMs for Chevy Chase all over DC, it’s one of the most popular banks.</p>
<p>As to work-study, there is a section of the AU Human Resources page that lists work-study jobs and tells you how to apply for them. There may not be listings for next semester yet, but check back every once in a while. AU also lets you do community service for work-study, they have a partnership with a tutoring program in DC to help schoolchildren. You generally get paid every two weeks. The amount of your work-study grant (listed on your financial aid page) is the amount of money you’ll receive over the course of the semester. How many hours per week you work will depend on your grant amount and how much your job pays.</p>
<p>I, too, took 14 credits my first semester. It was good to have a little extra time to get involved in clubs, learn about DC, and get used to American culture again. I would discourage you from taking 18 credits in your first semester because culture shock can be very tiring! When I came back to the States I slept about 10 hours a day for the first month or two. Even if you’ve been to the US before, living here is very different than being a tourist (as I’m sure you know). My suggestion is to take it easier in the first semester, then later you can take more credits.</p>
<p>Finally, AU offers some Saturday classes, but not regular ones. Most are weekend seminars at an advanced level. So most of your classes will be Monday-Thursday or Tuesday-Friday, with Wednesday classes being once a week or additional lab periods for your other classes.</p>
<p>I know my answers are long, but I hope they help you out! Good luck at AU!</p>