eh…depends on what you mean by “few”
I wouldn’t put it in the top-20. It is in DC- by the hair on it’s chinny chin chin. It is not easy to do internships during term. Yes, there are cool DC events to go to- but you have to get there first. It’s the guts of an hour by bus + metro to get to the capital (and a car is not a viable option in the city). Note that AU itself offers a “DC Semester” (same as UIUC) for internships, including housing closer to the Hill area.
I am not nay-saying AU’s PoliSci program- it is a good program. But it has an extra mystique b/c of it’s address. The Political Science dept is strong- but so are many, many others, including UIUC.
IMO, it comes down to the $$: if you can afford it w/o debt, and still be able to help him a bit in the early working years- go for it. But if there is debt, it’s not worth it.