American University

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s expensive and not highly ranked so its really difficult to justify paying full price (no idea how generous they are with merit).

They just installed the former JMU president as the new president so I take that as a good sign as JMU upped their game over the last decade.

The campus is very quiet and word is most kids go to downtown DC for excitement as not much is happening on campus. The commercial area of Tenley about a mile from campus is fine for some restaurants, Whole Foods and Target.

New president is a big plus. Swarthmore-educated, warm, and actually knows something about higher education. Burwell was a disaster, widely disliked.

NP and I’ve heard general remarks that Burwell was bad, but rarely (maybe never) any specifics. What was so bad about her?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s expensive and not highly ranked so its really difficult to justify paying full price (no idea how generous they are with merit).

They just installed the former JMU president as the new president so I take that as a good sign as JMU upped their game over the last decade.

The campus is very quiet and word is most kids go to downtown DC for excitement as not much is happening on campus. The commercial area of Tenley about a mile from campus is fine for some restaurants, Whole Foods and Target.

New president is a big plus. Swarthmore-educated, warm, and actually knows something about higher education. Burwell was a disaster, widely disliked.

NP and I’ve heard general remarks that Burwell was bad, but rarely (maybe never) any specifics. What was so bad about her?

Did they hire her to lead AU through the pandemic? She's still around at AU in a role as a lecturer at AU's Sine Institute of Policy & Politics. Before she held government roles HHS and Director of OMB and as president of the Walmart Foundation and leading programs at the Bill & Melinda Gates Found

[Anonymous]

I was so impressed with AU career services when I worked there in the early 2000s. Each school had a dedicated counselor and internship coordinator — and we had ongoing relationships with so many well known employers in DC and NYC. We routinely took students on site visits and then posted internships and jobs at these employers for our students. We also hosted alumni networking events where alums were eager to make connections and share opportunities. Highly motivated, smart kids can have amazing outcomes given AU’s location and its dedication to students.

[Anonymous]

While GW embraces its location and the opportunities in DC, my opinion is that AU is a lesser step-sibling. From the Tenleytown campus, it's a 15 minute walk just to get to metro to access the city. The school is having major enrollment and financial issues and has a reputation as a school where full pay kids that didn't get into GW (let alone Georgetown) but want to be in DC attend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s expensive and not highly ranked so its really difficult to justify paying full price (no idea how generous they are with merit).

They just installed the former JMU president as the new president so I take that as a good sign as JMU upped their game over the last decade.

The campus is very quiet and word is most kids go to downtown DC for excitement as not much is happening on campus. The commercial area of Tenley about a mile from campus is fine for some restaurants, Whole Foods and Target.

New president is a big plus. Swarthmore-educated, warm, and actually knows something about higher education. Burwell was a disaster, widely disliked.

NP and I’ve heard general remarks that Burwell was bad, but rarely (maybe never) any specifics. What was so bad about her?

Zero background in higher education, horrible manager.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While GW embraces its location and the opportunities in DC, my opinion is that AU is a lesser step-sibling. From the Tenleytown campus, it's a 15 minute walk just to get to metro to access the city. The school is having major enrollment and financial issues and has a reputation as a school where full pay kids that didn't get into GW (let alone Georgetown) but want to be in DC attend.

This is all so true. I would not call it accessible at all. Used to be a good school but no more. If you want poli sci you’ll have to go to GWU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's $90k a year and ranked 91. You can do
better

It costs in the high 70sk. Not cheap but not 90k, like Georgetown.

it's $81,344

Nope, $85,928 and that doesn’t include travel expenses. https://www.american.edu/student-affairs/isss/undergraduateprogramcostguides.cfm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While GW embraces its location and the opportunities in DC, my opinion is that AU is a lesser step-sibling. From the Tenleytown campus, it's a 15 minute walk just to get to metro to access the city. The school is having major enrollment and financial issues and has a reputation as a school where full pay kids that didn't get into GW (let alone Georgetown) but want to be in DC attend.

As another post mentioned, the quality of the students is weak (although the faculty and facilities are good). AU will take many full-pay students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is on the rise!

How so? Another concern I had was the ranking. I thought it would be at least t70-80 but it's not.

It was until recently but the USNWR methodology change moved it down. Most of the chatter about the methodology change is negative but I haven't followed it that closely. I think AU is a cute little campus in a good location, safe suburb but easy to get to downtown DC. Students seem to do well with internships and have good outcomes. It compares well to GW but not to Georgetown, at least generally. Like most other T-100 schools, lots of faculty with PhDs from Ivies (the one benefit of the oversaturation of the market with PhDs). I'd check out the program your DC is most interested in, but it's a solid school with a perfectly good reputation. Has strong academic areas and weak ones, like most other universities.

one this it does not have is a "cute" campus

It's campus is lovely! It's a botanical garden, I believe. Very lush, not bad at all!

[Anonymous]

That poster was talking about gW campus perhaps

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's $90k a year and ranked 91. You can do
better

It costs in the high 70sk. Not cheap but not 90k, like Georgetown.

it's $81,344

Nope, $85,928 and that doesn’t include travel expenses. https://www.american.edu/student-affairs/isss/undergraduateprogramcostguides.cfm

You’re responding to a comment from over a year ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While GW embraces its location and the opportunities in DC, my opinion is that AU is a lesser step-sibling. From the Tenleytown campus, it's a 15 minute walk just to get to metro to access the city. The school is having major enrollment and financial issues and has a reputation as a school where full pay kids that didn't get into GW (let alone Georgetown) but want to be in DC attend.

As another post mentioned, the quality of the students is weak (although the faculty and facilities are good). AU will take many full-pay students.

I would say the quality of the students is mixed. There is definitely a fair amount of talented, driven ones but they are offset by the more mediocre, full-pay ones. A kid in either category will have no trouble finding their tribe. Facilities are decent, yes, with recent STEM center a plus, and plenty of Ivy-educated faculty as is typical of all universities in major cities. Nice campus with best of suburban appeal (lovely arboretum) and urban access.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While GW embraces its location and the opportunities in DC, my opinion is that AU is a lesser step-sibling. From the Tenleytown campus, it's a 15 minute walk just to get to metro to access the city. The school is having major enrollment and financial issues and has a reputation as a school where full pay kids that didn't get into GW (let alone Georgetown) but want to be in DC attend.

As another post mentioned, the quality of the students is weak (although the faculty and facilities are good). AU will take many full-pay students.

Beautiful


I would say the quality of the students is mixed. There is definitely a fair amount of talented, driven ones but they are offset by the more mediocre, full-pay ones. A kid in either category will have no trouble finding their tribe. Facilities are decent, yes, with recent STEM center a plus, and plenty of Ivy-educated faculty as is typical of all universities in major cities. Nice campus with best of suburban appeal (lovely arboretum) and urban access.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is American's reputation in the D.C. area as bad as one might believe reading DCUM? How is it looked at in your experience in the D.C. area? I want to know if it should be a school to consider or whether even going to it as a safety would be looked at negatively.

AU is overpriced for what they give you. Personally, I would avoid

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is American's reputation in the D.C. area as bad as one might believe reading DCUM? How is it looked at in your experience in the D.C. area? I want to know if it should be a school to consider or whether even going to it as a safety would be looked at negatively.

AU is overpriced for what they give you. Personally, I would avoid

What do they give? With what school at AU is your experience?