OP has already said GW is eliminated. Interesting that your daughter had that opinion. Mine was opposite - liked AU a lot but hated GW so much we left mid tour.
So it’s good that OP already knows that GW doesn’t meet their need of self contained and urban or suburban feel.
That is more AU than GW and I suppose why they picked Northeastern as opposed to BU.
But GW is the outlier of the DC schools for sure - some really love it and find American - sort of run down and ugly.
And others, like my daughter are opposite - she knew the AU aesthetic wasn’t great but liked the school whereas GW was too much / urban intensity for her.
Sounds like your daughter and mine are opposite in that regard and OP’s student is more similar to my daughter.
Goucher and Drew would be safeties, Dickinson a nice target. If she’s not against women’s colleges, perhaps Mount Holyoke? It’s not near a city but it’s near a college town with 50,000 students.
American for IR is highly selective (SIS) but there are several ways to get there and their language+business or language+area studies majors can work too (or make an internal transfer?), especially with one day a week dedicated to externships/work experience from Sophomore year on.
IF it turns out that OP’s D decides AU is a clear first choice, chances of admission will rise greatly with an ED application. But this should only be if it’s a no-regrets (vs other colleges and from a finances perspectives) decision. ED has something like an 85% admit rate there.
But note - as a major, International Studies isn’t…hmmmm…strong.
And in fact at the AU SIS session during the visit day, I challenged the presenter (in front of all) on - what do students do with an IS degree - and the professor uncomfortably acknowledged that a second major would be wise to cover bases, that the IS major itself wasn’t career prepping. Once I saw the curriculum, I sort of knew - as I also came from a major that didn’t really lead to a job path. That’s exactly what the SIS curriculum is.
All that said, it was that day, that session that cemented my daughter’s interest in - drum roll please - International Studies. And that’s what she studied elsewhere (with a second major).
My point being - going to AU thinking it’s a leader in IR - is very risky. You can say that with any school - but AU’s rep is - sort of overplayed vs. others (in my opinion), especially given the large cost. And AU’s own reporting shows well over half earn less than $60K out of school.
Your daughter doesn’t want strong Greek life, but she also does not want Catholic schools. You may want to explain to her that Greek life is most often absent at Catholic schools. Doesn’t mean they are not party schools, each has its own feel.
But Greek life can be avoided at most any school…even at those with the most robust Greek life schools (think SEC). Other than Syracuse which I suggested because of Maxwell (frankly it puts NU and most others to shame in social science), no school listed is over the top nor is greek life over the top there. And SU is strong in learning assistance resources for those needing help.
That’s not because AU’s SIS isn’t strong - that’s because IR intrinsically needs a second major or area of emphasis at the undergraduate level - Just like Data Science requires an application major/equivalent or International Business requires (or should) a culture-based foreign language major/equivalent.
Some earnings aren’t high because lots work as staffers and that’s (relatively) poorly paid, but once they get a Master’s degree (which is a must - and with a specialization) it improves dramatically.
Agree on the two majors, or what my kids did, two degrees.
My eldest went to American and got an IS degree and a BS in Economics (and a minor in French). My other two kids went/go elsewhere, but also have done the two degrees (not just majors). Each kid has one degree that they wanted, but knew they couldn’t eat with that degree. All three kids got (or are about to get) a second degree that is a BS.
Just keep in mind, when earning two degrees, rather than two majors, more credit hours are typically required. Both American and the other school (where middle and youngest went) required 150 credit hours. Once your major requirements are satisfied, those additional credit hours can be in anything, though that is about 30 credit hours over and above the requirement for one degree.
All that being said, my eldest had some great internships during her undergrad years, and going to American made that possible (though would be possible with other DC area colleges).
OP, your daughter sounds so much like my D26! Similar GPA, 1300+ SAT, ADHD, wants a self-contained, suburban or city campus in the northeast/mid-Atlantic, not Catholic or too Greek. Also IR major. Not sure if this helps, but given the similar profiles, here’s her list so far (fully approved by her college counselor):
American - her favorite, considering ED at this point
Brandeis
Lafayette (probably too Greek, though)
Franklin and Marshall
Clark
Marist
U Delaware
SUNY New Paltz
Ithaca
She eliminated GWU (no real campus), Conn College (too far from a town), and Skidmore (for completely idiosyncratic reasons; I thought it would be a good fit).
F&M eliminated here already. Ithaca considered too rural (I actually think they’d like some of these places if they could be blindfolded getting there!). Lafayette is “not the vibe.” Brandeis is definitely going on her list, too!
Would she consider the right business college which has a heavy dose of liberal arts and with a major in international business with courses in public international law, economic and business integration in the EU, business and economic policy in developing countries, international finance, etc., supplemented by electives in IR from a neighboring liberal arts college via cross registration?
