Tell me about American University

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been teaching at AU for some time now so here is my personal pro/con list from the inside:

Pros: Strong teaching and research, compact campus (some might say too small), close to DC if you can't get into GW or Georgetown, small classes

Cons: Not the most diverse student population, heavily liberal (if you worry about that kind of thing), the students are....average, administration is not as responsive to student needs at it should be (in my view and dealings with them on my students' behalf), hit or miss depending on major (SPA, SIS is very strong; Comm, business is not)

Good luck to your DC!

Curious where else you have taught to compare the level of students.

Taught at an Ivy before moving to DC with spouse. AU is a fine employer and I’m not grinding axes but facts are facts- the students are average

But what’s wrong with that? Average students need colleges, too. Why is everyone so obsessed with rankings and Ivies? Not everyone is cut out for T25 or wants that. I have a kid who had the stats for t25 and opted out because it’s too competitive and they just love learning. They wanted somewhere that focused more on learning for the joy of learning and exploring, not getting an A.

The question was where I taught before hand. I taught at an Ivy. The kids are smarter.

*beforehand* no before hand

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been teaching at AU for some time now so here is my personal pro/con list from the inside:

Pros: Strong teaching and research, compact campus (some might say too small), close to DC if you can't get into GW or Georgetown, small classes

Cons: Not the most diverse student population, heavily liberal (if you worry about that kind of thing), the students are....average, administration is not as responsive to student needs at it should be (in my view and dealings with them on my students' behalf), hit or miss depending on major (SPA, SIS is very strong; Comm, business is not)

Good luck to your DC!

Curious where else you have taught to compare the level of students.

Taught at an Ivy before moving to DC with spouse. AU is a fine employer and I’m not grinding axes but facts are facts- the students are average

Average in what context? Their test scores are certainly not average. Other posters here have said they like their work habits on the job better than those of Georgetown and GW. Maybe they're not as strong as your Ivy students, but they're not average.

[Anonymous]

I attended law school there but was a TA for undergraduate SPA course. The students are very political (volunteer on campaigns, attend the political conventions, intern on the Hill) but there was political diversity and discussions were respectful. Happy students too - many seemed to come from UMC backgrounds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I attended law school there but was a TA for undergraduate SPA course. The students are very political (volunteer on campaigns, attend the political conventions, intern on the Hill) but there was political diversity and discussions were respectful. Happy students too - many seemed to come from UMC backgrounds.

What exactly is UMC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attended law school there but was a TA for undergraduate SPA course. The students are very political (volunteer on campaigns, attend the political conventions, intern on the Hill) but there was political diversity and discussions were respectful. Happy students too - many seemed to come from UMC backgrounds.

What exactly is UMC?

upper middle class

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Its not comparable to Georgetown which is fiercely competitive and recruits from all over. AU is moderately competitive and recruits mainly from the DMV and NE

This doesn’t seem scientific. Why would it be better to recruit from “all over.” DC has population density and a lot of good students. That’s why colleges have DC-based recruiters…AU is already in DC, which is where other colleges place recruiters to get students…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been teaching at AU for some time now so here is my personal pro/con list from the inside:

Pros: Strong teaching and research, compact campus (some might say too small), close to DC if you can't get into GW or Georgetown, small classes

Cons: Not the most diverse student population, heavily liberal (if you worry about that kind of thing), the students are....average, administration is not as responsive to student needs at it should be (in my view and dealings with them on my students' behalf), hit or miss depending on major (SPA, SIS is very strong; Comm, business is not)

Good luck to your DC!

Curious where else you have taught to compare the level of students.

Taught at an Ivy before moving to DC with spouse. AU is a fine employer and I’m not grinding axes but facts are facts- the students are average

Thanks I can imagine they do not compare to the ivy crowd.

I have a business in which I help individuals with a certain something. I went to public school. Many of my clients went to Ivies. In the long run, none of this matters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its not comparable to Georgetown which is fiercely competitive and recruits from all over. AU is moderately competitive and recruits mainly from the DMV and NE

This doesn’t seem scientific. Why would it be better to recruit from “all over.” DC has population density and a lot of good students. That’s why colleges have DC-based recruiters…AU is already in DC, which is where other colleges place recruiters to get students…

Where they come from is irrelevant as you say, but how smart they are and what they can contribute is going to be wildly different.

The professor up thread who taught at an Ivy and then at AU said the kids are smarter at the Ivy. Of course they are. AU by comparison is "average" and the poster questioning how they're average - they're an "average thinker" like you PP. Grasp that and you're onto a winning streak.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been teaching at AU for some time now so here is my personal pro/con list from the inside:

Pros: Strong teaching and research, compact campus (some might say too small), close to DC if you can't get into GW or Georgetown, small classes

Cons: Not the most diverse student population, heavily liberal (if you worry about that kind of thing), the students are....average, administration is not as responsive to student needs at it should be (in my view and dealings with them on my students' behalf), hit or miss depending on major (SPA, SIS is very strong; Comm, business is not)

Good luck to your DC!

Curious where else you have taught to compare the level of students.

Taught at an Ivy before moving to DC with spouse. AU is a fine employer and I’m not grinding axes but facts are facts- the students are average

Thanks I can imagine they do not compare to the ivy crowd.

I have a business in which I help individuals with a certain something. I went to public school. Many of my clients went to Ivies. In the long run, none of this matters.

You don't say what business you're in. Sure, none of it matters if you're hocking cars or tires or similar. Sales is sales is sales.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its not comparable to Georgetown which is fiercely competitive and recruits from all over. AU is moderately competitive and recruits mainly from the DMV and NE

This doesn’t seem scientific. Why would it be better to recruit from “all over.” DC has population density and a lot of good students. That’s why colleges have DC-based recruiters…AU is already in DC, which is where other colleges place recruiters to get students…

Where they come from is irrelevant as you say, but how smart they are and what they can contribute is going to be wildly different.

The professor up thread who taught at an Ivy and then at AU said the kids are smarter at the Ivy. Of course they are. AU by comparison is "average" and the poster questioning how they're average - they're an "average thinker" like you PP. Grasp that and you're onto a winning streak.

Wow, your condescension sure isn't average. Well done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been teaching at AU for some time now so here is my personal pro/con list from the inside:

Pros: Strong teaching and research, compact campus (some might say too small), close to DC if you can't get into GW or Georgetown, small classes

Cons: Not the most diverse student population, heavily liberal (if you worry about that kind of thing), the students are....average, administration is not as responsive to student needs at it should be (in my view and dealings with them on my students' behalf), hit or miss depending on major (SPA, SIS is very strong; Comm, business is not)

Good luck to your DC!

Curious where else you have taught to compare the level of students.

Taught at an Ivy before moving to DC with spouse. AU is a fine employer and I’m not grinding axes but facts are facts- the students are average

But what’s wrong with that? Average students need colleges, too. Why is everyone so obsessed with rankings and Ivies? Not everyone is cut out for T25 or wants that. I have a kid who had the stats for t25 and opted out because it’s too competitive and they just love learning. They wanted somewhere that focused more on learning for the joy of learning and exploring, not getting an A.

The question was where I taught before hand. I taught at an Ivy. The kids are smarter.

*beforehand* no before hand

Yikes. Downgrade for you. Must be an average professor, I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been teaching at AU for some time now so here is my personal pro/con list from the inside:

Pros: Strong teaching and research, compact campus (some might say too small), close to DC if you can't get into GW or Georgetown, small classes

Cons: Not the most diverse student population, heavily liberal (if you worry about that kind of thing), the students are....average, administration is not as responsive to student needs at it should be (in my view and dealings with them on my students' behalf), hit or miss depending on major (SPA, SIS is very strong; Comm, business is not)

Good luck to your DC!

Curious where else you have taught to compare the level of students.

Taught at an Ivy before moving to DC with spouse. AU is a fine employer and I’m not grinding axes but facts are facts- the students are average

But what’s wrong with that? Average students need colleges, too. Why is everyone so obsessed with rankings and Ivies? Not everyone is cut out for T25 or wants that. I have a kid who had the stats for t25 and opted out because it’s too competitive and they just love learning. They wanted somewhere that focused more on learning for the joy of learning and exploring, not getting an A.

The question was where I taught before hand. I taught at an Ivy. The kids are smarter.

*beforehand* no before hand

Did you not get tenure at the Ivy school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Pros: Strong teaching and research, compact campus (some might say too small), close to DC if you can't get into GW or Georgetown, small classes

Thanks for the insights!
I am wondering about the comparison to GW. I can see why people would choose Georgetown over GW and American, but as an outsider, I am not convinced GW is better than American. (My senior is awaiting decisions from all 3). American does a better job of at least indicating that they want to provide mentoring and some personal attention than GW, from what I've been able to tell on tours and in brief interactions. The stats on outcomes after graduation seem about the same at AU and GW. GW seems better located for internships, but is it a better school? American has smaller classes than GW and multiple "school within a school" opportunities to build connections between kids and professors.
We'll let our kid make the choice if the acceptances come in but I'm genuinely not sure whether GW or AU would be better.

I went to GW and I'd say that this is accurate. GW has more delusions of grandeur in its advertising and a more happening location, but all that said, I'd say the schools are equally yoked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been teaching at AU for some time now so here is my personal pro/con list from the inside:

Pros: Strong teaching and research, compact campus (some might say too small), close to DC if you can't get into GW or Georgetown, small classes

Cons: Not the most diverse student population, heavily liberal (if you worry about that kind of thing), the students are....average, administration is not as responsive to student needs at it should be (in my view and dealings with them on my students' behalf), hit or miss depending on major (SPA, SIS is very strong; Comm, business is not)

Good luck to your DC!

Curious where else you have taught to compare the level of students.

Taught at an Ivy before moving to DC with spouse. AU is a fine employer and I’m not grinding axes but facts are facts- the students are average

Thanks I can imagine they do not compare to the ivy crowd.

I have a business in which I help individuals with a certain something. I went to public school. Many of my clients went to Ivies. In the long run, none of this matters.

You don't say what business you're in. Sure, none of it matters if you're hocking cars or tires or similar. Sales is sales is sales.

I’m not a salesperson. No, I don’t sell tires. It’s consultative work in which I help with something related to a skill they would have learned in college. Their schools include Yale, Harvard, Vassar, and others. They hire me for my brain and thinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been teaching at AU for some time now so here is my personal pro/con list from the inside:

Pros: Strong teaching and research, compact campus (some might say too small), close to DC if you can't get into GW or Georgetown, small classes

Cons: Not the most diverse student population, heavily liberal (if you worry about that kind of thing), the students are....average, administration is not as responsive to student needs at it should be (in my view and dealings with them on my students' behalf), hit or miss depending on major (SPA, SIS is very strong; Comm, business is not)

Good luck to your DC!

Curious where else you have taught to compare the level of students.

Taught at an Ivy before moving to DC with spouse. AU is a fine employer and I’m not grinding axes but facts are facts- the students are average

Thanks I can imagine they do not compare to the ivy crowd.

I have a business in which I help individuals with a certain something. I went to public school. Many of my clients went to Ivies. In the long run, none of this matters.

You don't say what business you're in. Sure, none of it matters if you're hocking cars or tires or similar. Sales is sales is sales.

I’m not a salesperson. No, I don’t sell tires. It’s consultative work in which I help with something related to a skill they would have learned in college. Their schools include Yale, Harvard, Vassar, and others. They hire me for my brain and thinking.

But definitely not for your writing skills.