American University

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How did admissions go to AU this year?

The few anecdotes I've heard suggest it was like admissions at every college this year. Lots more applicants. Lots of kids you'd expect to get in did not.

[Anonymous]

I would avoid American. My ds is there and we chose it because it was highly ranked for helping kids with disabilities. Wrong! Don't give them any money!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in law and politics in DC and it is well regarded. Graduates are successful.

the only grad I know from AU works in politics and prose

DP. I'm an AU grad - both undergrad & law school. I'm a lawyer & live in a 5 bedroom house a few blocks from P & P.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would avoid American. My ds is there and we chose it because it was highly ranked for helping kids with disabilities. Wrong! Don't give them any money!

Helping kids with disabilities = accommodations supports. What support is your child not getting?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How did admissions go to AU this year?

Have Regular Decision been notified yet? AU says it will happen before 4/1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in law and politics in DC and it is well regarded. Graduates are successful.

the only grad I know from AU works in politics and prose

DP. I'm an AU grad - both undergrad & law school. I'm a lawyer & live in a 5 bedroom house a few blocks from P & P.

I know only two: one is about as high ranking as you can get at a prominent Boston hospital w/o being an MD. The second has multiple real estate holdings in 7 and 8 figures and an influencer in the design world.

For the P+P disser, so much can depend on the prevailing market conditions when someone graduates. Students entering the job market in recessions often never close the wage gap with those older and younger than them. Some have a difficult time getting on a professional track later because they were not able to get on it earlier. I lucked out - graduated into a recession, but moved to another region for a short term unpaid internship. Ended up as a job and I was on better footing than a lot of my classmates who were still struggling to find consistent work. This also undermined the self esteem for a number of them. One of them really never found a professional job until 40s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in law and politics in DC and it is well regarded. Graduates are successful.

the only grad I know from AU works in politics and prose

DP. I'm an AU grad - both undergrad & law school. I'm a lawyer & live in a 5 bedroom house a few blocks from P & P.

I know only two: one is about as high ranking as you can get at a prominent Boston hospital w/o being an MD. The second has multiple real estate holdings in 7 and 8 figures and an influencer in the design world.

For the P+P disser, so much can depend on the prevailing market conditions when someone graduates. Students entering the job market in recessions often never close the wage gap with those older and younger than them. Some have a difficult time getting on a professional track later because they were not able to get on it earlier. I lucked out - graduated into a recession, but moved to another region for a short term unpaid internship. Ended up as a job and I was on better footing than a lot of my classmates who were still struggling to find consistent work. This also undermined the self esteem for a number of them. One of them really never found a professional job until 40s.

yeah, quite obvious they came from wealth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's nothing wrong with AU. It's a respectable school. I think the main reason you don't hear of AU much on this board is because it's local and in the shadow of Georgetown and GW. It's also in a boring part of DC, Upper Caucasia. Who wants to live or go to school in that part of town?

If it were my kid and I had money to burn, as it appears you do, I'd look elsewhere.

By the way, no need to describe your FCPS as "highly ranked." When it comes to college admissions, they're all considered similar in quality.

My DD looked at AU because she's very interested in politics. It looks like a great school for budding politicians. It's a great school overall. It doesn't offer merit aid, so we skipped it, but she would have applied. I don't know why people are bashing it here, except that it's local. I'd put it above GW and below Georgetown if your child wants a local school and is full pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would avoid American. My ds is there and we chose it because it was highly ranked for helping kids with disabilities. Wrong! Don't give them any money!

Interesting. Could you share more about you and your child's experience?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in law and politics in DC and it is well regarded. Graduates are successful.

the only grad I know from AU works in politics and prose

DP. I'm an AU grad - both undergrad & law school. I'm a lawyer & live in a 5 bedroom house a few blocks from P & P.

I know only two: one is about as high ranking as you can get at a prominent Boston hospital w/o being an MD. The second has multiple real estate holdings in 7 and 8 figures and an influencer in the design world.

For the P+P disser, so much can depend on the prevailing market conditions when someone graduates. Students entering the job market in recessions often never close the wage gap with those older and younger than them. Some have a difficult time getting on a professional track later because they were not able to get on it earlier. I lucked out - graduated into a recession, but moved to another region for a short term unpaid internship. Ended up as a job and I was on better footing than a lot of my classmates who were still struggling to find consistent work. This also undermined the self esteem for a number of them. One of them really never found a professional job until 40s.

yeah, quite obvious they came from wealth.

And this is any different from successful graduates of Georgetown or GW? I'd say those kids have more wealth. If the student with the real estate holdings had that wealth before AU, don't you think they probably would have gone to a better university? Bought their way in through donations or had some fancy private school education? It's always "oh the students are average" but if AU grads actually succeed, "oh they are wealthy so they started on third base."

I don't get the AU bashing. Look, it's not a top school, but it does attract people who are driven and eventually become successful. I am the PP who went to AU undergrad & law school. I grew up in a blue collar family in a blue collar community; I went to public school; I worked two jobs the entire time I was in college. AU gave me an opportunity & the financial aid so that I could have a fighting chance. And it turned out wonderfully. It's not for everyone, but it's a good school with a good mission. I don't understand the animosity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would avoid American. My ds is there and we chose it because it was highly ranked for helping kids with disabilities. Wrong! Don't give them any money!

+1. Horrendous for kids with disabilities. Sally Schwartz (founder of the Lab School and long time professor there) must be rolling over in her grave!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in law and politics in DC and it is well regarded. Graduates are successful.

the only grad I know from AU works in politics and prose

DP. I'm an AU grad - both undergrad & law school. I'm a lawyer & live in a 5 bedroom house a few blocks from P & P.

I know only two: one is about as high ranking as you can get at a prominent Boston hospital w/o being an MD. The second has multiple real estate holdings in 7 and 8 figures and an influencer in the design world.

For the P+P disser, so much can depend on the prevailing market conditions when someone graduates. Students entering the job market in recessions often never close the wage gap with those older and younger than them. Some have a difficult time getting on a professional track later because they were not able to get on it earlier. I lucked out - graduated into a recession, but moved to another region for a short term unpaid internship. Ended up as a job and I was on better footing than a lot of my classmates who were still struggling to find consistent work. This also undermined the self esteem for a number of them. One of them really never found a professional job until 40s.

yeah, quite obvious they came from wealth.

Grew up in a quintessential middle class family on Long Island. Definitely wealthy now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would avoid American. My ds is there and we chose it because it was highly ranked for helping kids with disabilities. Wrong! Don't give them any money!

Helping kids with disabilities = accommodations supports. What support is your child not getting?

Professors rarely follow the accommodations. My kid has a severe learning math disability and despite earning an AA degree AU would not accept the substitution course for math. My kid isn't going to be an engineer or doctor so why not let them take a substitution? We were told the professor knew how to teach math to kids with math disabilities and there would be a tutor to help. Turns out the professor is not supportive and the tutor was a peer tutor so was never available to help. Tutor canceled the time they made an appointment after the professor refused to give the contact information ( it took two weeks to get it)


It is like telling a person in a wheel chair you must get to your class on the 10th floor without an elevator. Totally cruel and unnecessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems a weird choice for a DC metro kid unless they got lots of merit aid or FA. I can see the appeal for kids in other parts of the country who want to experience DC.

It isn't weird if your kids want to be close to home. Do you feel the same about those natives who attend Howard, Catholic, Georgetown etc?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would avoid American. My ds is there and we chose it because it was highly ranked for helping kids with disabilities. Wrong! Don't give them any money!

Interesting. Could you share more about you and your child's experience?

I responded to the person later but wanted you to see ( sorry for the double posting)

Also want to add there are a quite a few really bad professors at AU, especially in the courses they force you to take "AU experience" They are really scattered and have no idea what they want from students. One professor told my kid they didn't have to take the quiz and could write a paper only to change her mind that day and give her the quiz!

Here is my answer on the disability services

Professors rarely follow the accommodations. My kid has a severe learning math disability and despite earning an AA degree AU would not accept the substitution course for math. My kid isn't going to be an engineer or doctor so why not let them take a substitution? We were told the professor knew how to teach math to kids with math disabilities and there would be a tutor to help. Turns out the professor is not supportive and the tutor was a peer tutor so was never available to help. Tutor canceled the time they made an appointment after the professor refused to give the contact information ( it took two weeks to get it)


It is like telling a person in a wheel chair you must get to your class on the 10th floor without an elevator. Totally cruel and unnecessary.