Uni in the USA: A British Guide to American Universities and Colleges > All New: Colleges and Universities Added in 2009 > American University (new review!)
Washington, DC
Undergrads: 6000
Grads: 2,300
How many AU students does it take to change a light bulb?
101 –one hundred to pass the bill through Congress and one to change it.
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Don’t be confused by the immodest name; just because it calls itself American doesn’t mean it’s going to give you an experience typical of the US. In fact, if there’s anything characteristically American about this liberal, multi-national political hotbed, it’s that it doesn’t conform to the stereotypes that the name connotes – just like the country itself. One of the big three DC schools (alongside Georgetown and George Washington), American University provides its students with fantastic educational opportunities not just for the politically minded (though it was ranked the most political by the Princeton Review), but for everyone who wants to participate and take advantage of the super-charged capital of the world’s most important country.
The Campus
AU’s campus is centred around a large main quad, with lush lawns and impressive architecture. The quad is normally bustling with happy students, and there are always activities or interesting things going on to take part in or watch. The university is eco-friendly, and is an arboretum.
The least central of the DC colleges, AU reaps benefits from, on the one hand, being secluded in a northwest backwater of the city, and, on the other, being a short bus or metro ride away from the epicentre of world politics and power.
Although some sources will tell you that AU has a poor library, students don’t complain about any campus facilities, except perhaps the cafeteria, which is apparently not the height of culinary excellence. Dorm blocks seem up to scratch, if a little expensive, though most students move off by their junior year if not before.
The AU student
Students are happy and engaged at AU. For better or for worse, the college is extremely political, so even if you have no idea how American politics works, you’ll soon find yourself captivated by things like primary elections, Iranian diplomacy and Supreme Court nominations. Free-time political conversations are common, and don’t be surprised if you go out partying and find the night dominated by an argument over the best way to reform health care. “I didn’t care about politics until I got here,” said one international affairs major, “but now it’s my favourite subject.”
Still, students insist that you can have fun here even if your tendencies are more apathetic (or anarchistic). The large range of personalities and backgrounds means that you can always find people on the same wavelength as yourself, while in general everyone is strikingly well-balanced in regards to work and play. A healthy Greek life guarantees that you’ll find all the unhealthy activities you could want, while the energised atmosphere means that the student body’s active nature is extended to non-political realms, in particular theatre and the arts. “We’re busy people, but we’re social,” said one junior.
Perhaps the best thing about the students at AU is that so many of them (1,100) are international. The joke is that when someone from another country wants to study in the States, they type “American university” into Google, and pick the first one that comes up. Whatever the reason, the international atmosphere is a big draw for US citizens and non-citizens alike, and everyone loves it. The international students coming to AU are complemented by the large numbers (close to 70%) of students who leave to go overseas with the study abroad program, another big draw.
Hitting the Books
Though academics are rigorous and challenging, “it’s not cutthroat like George Washington, [and] you can probably pass if you just coast your classes.” The work ethic is alive and well here, but it doesn’t feel forced – people work hard at subjects they enjoy because of genuine interest.
As well as politics, public affairs, and the best international studies department in the world, AU excels in the arts and has famously good business and law schools too. While it has the capacity to offer a top-notch range and quality of courses, the college is still small enough to foster a close relationship between pupils and profs. Students report an excellent out-of-class contact with their accessible teachers, which greatly enhances the learning experience.
The other great thing about the professors at AU is that they mostly have come to teaching from “the real world”, that is to say, they have incredible first-hand experience of what they’re teaching. This brings not only an extra depth to classes but some great contacts for graduating seniors who want a leg up in some of the most competitive industries in the country. In fact, you don’t even have wait till you graduate. AU students are famous for securing internships with congressmen or lobbyists, helping run election campaigns, or leading protests – and generally gaining plenty of experience of their own while they’re at college.
Social Life
“The great thing about AU is you’ve got your campus life, plus you’ve got your DC life,” said one contented student. You can feel like you’re at college when you’re in the relative seclusion of the campus, but the glory of the nation’s capital is always there at your feet. It’s hard to tell whether the campus or the city life is the more vibrant.
On campus you’ll find all the activities – student organisations, student media, student government (particularly strong here, as you might imagine), and student performances. There’s almost any group available that you might want, and if doesn’t exist, you can always start it. A number of famous speakers (mostly politicians) regularly come to speak. The university is also known for its fantastic community service program which attracts many students, as does the Peace Corps.
In town meanwhile, there’re even bigger fish to tackle. As one AU student put it: “it’s DC, man, it’s the most powerful city in the world.” And indeed it is, but it’s also one of the most fun. Whether you fancy a spin round the incredible Air and Space museum, a gig at the famous 9:30 Club or Black Cat, or just the legendary ‘midnight monument tour’, it’s all there for the taking. DC is full of cool little (and not so little!) bars and clubs of every description, not to mention great restaurants and a budding music scene.
Getting In
The admissions process is relatively straight forward, especially if you set up the online “prospective student portal”. On average slightly over half of applicants are accepted, but be warned that a fair chunk of the competition will have strong political resumes even by the time they leave high school.
The college is fairly good value for money (certainly a lot cheaper than its DC rivals), with the per-annum basic cost of tuition currently at $17,000. Despite branding itself as a multi-national university, AU does not provide any needs-based aid to international students, but it does have some juicy merit scholarships, awarded “based on a combination of outstanding academic achievement, leadership and community service.”