About American University

Founded in 1893, American University. is a Private college. Located in District of Columbia, which is a city setting in District of Columbia, the campus itself is Urban. The campus is home to 7,900 full time undergraduate students, and 5,446 full time graduate students.

The American University Academic calendar runs on a Semester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 12:1. There are 787 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at American University include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.

Quick Facts

Acceptance Rate25%
Application DeadlineJan 15 2014 12:00AM
Application Fee70
SAT Range1150-1340
ACT Range26-31

Admissions at AU are considered More Selective, with ,83% of all applicants being admitted.

In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 9 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.

97% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 80% were in the top quarter, and 45% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.

STUDENT LIFE

We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at American University.

1%
“We”re apathetic”
2%
“We know about current events and vote”
21%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
76%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
1%
“We save it for the classroom”
5%
“Sometimes, but not often”
49%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
45%
“All the time, including weekends”
0%
“I”m always terrified”
1%
“I only go out in groups”
29%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
71%
“I feel extremely safe”
33%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
54%
“We bought the gear”
13%
“We live for the big game”
1%
“It”s not really our thing”
28%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
59%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
13%
“We”re a very artistic group”
0%
“Haven”t met them”
4%
“Available in class”
55%
“They keep regular office hours”
41%
“They”re always available”
1%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
41%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
56%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
2%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
1%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
20%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
56%
“We only party on weekends”
23%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
3%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
54%
“There might be people who do”
40%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
3%
“There”s a huge drug scene”

American University REVIEWS

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  • How would you rate on-campus housing?

    233 Students rated on-campus housing 3.3 stars. 7 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate off-campus housing?

    206 Students rated off-campus housing 2.9 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus food?

    243 Students rated campus food 3.2 stars. 13 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus facilities?

    243 Students rated campus facilities 4 stars. 23 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate class size?

    243 Students rated class size 4.4 stars. 51 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate school activities?

    243 Students rated school activities 4 stars. 34 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate local services?

    243 Students rated local services 4.1 stars. 41 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate academics?

    243 Students rated academics 3.7 stars. 27 % gave the school a 5.0.

What's your overall opinion of American University?

76 Students rated American University

Samantha - 10/25/2023

American University is known as the most liberal school in the country. This can either be a good or bad thing , depending on the person. If you like frats/parties, then AU isn’t for you. There is no frat life and the party scene is primarily clubs. The academics are strong and the class sizes aren’t too big which makes learning and building a connection with professors more accessible.

Samantha - 05/31/2023

American University is the worst school and spreads disinformation about the community and the support they provide students with. Going to this school will ruin the chance of having a good college experience. I personally have faced a lot of antisemitism while attending this school. Also the food at the school hasn't even passed a health inspection. This school took my happiness with the unfriendly community. This is school is only good for people who are on the radical left however the school is self is money hungy and neglects no only there staff but students as well no one here will tell you they love the school all students at this school think about transfering, so that should be reason enough to why you shouldn't go to this school. If you don't want a lively social live and only care about studying then this school might work if you don't need any accommodations. The classes are interesting but often contrast ideas and opinions are unwelcome. My housing experience was tragic and is where I faced a lot of hate for being Jewish. DC is the most depressing city you can look it up... and going to this school prove this data. The LQBTQA+ community makes up most of the student body with a extremely liberal and one sided perspectives. However, most of the students are very smart and want to make an impact. Despite this many students feel stunted by the lack of community on the campus. In my experience it was quite challenging to make real and close connection because most people at this school are unable to have open minds to others perspectives. The school makes it really difficult to make payments for tuition and being able to contact someone for assistance. The meal plan is there to steal students money. I had a scheduled meeting with the dean of students which he missed twice without letting me know. I think this is important to share because a lot of the issues at american university are advertised for being wonderful while in fact they are not. I worry about future students going to this school because it will be a depressing college experience and students should have a good experience to look back on. The jewish community at the school is supposed to be good but from my experience most of the student body is anti-semitic and the school simply disregards and incidents. As a jewish student I felt ostracized someone told me they wouldn't want to live with me because I am Jewish and they don't support Israel. Most students have a god complex and think they will become president. it should be reason enough that the people at the school don't even like being there. My rating for this school is a 1 out of 5 points. I decided to transfer after 4 semesters because nothing improved.

Bianca - 01/31/2023

Great school but you have to know what you're going for and really strive to get the most out of your experience. Everyone is intelligent, hard working, and professors are great depending on your discipline but the culture can be niche. The university needs to put more resources into making the campus more appealing to the student body.

Gazelle - 06/11/2022

The American University of Paris is in a great location with exposure to Art, History and more just outside your door. I would recommend housing off-campus and getting to know the real Paris while you are enrolled. Like every school, there are some marvelous professors and some who should be retired already.

American University FAQS

  1. What is the Acceptance Rate at American University?

    The fall 2020 acceptance rate for American University is 25%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020 , _____ students were offered admission. The number of males who applied was _____ vs the number of females which was _____.

  2. What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

    Be more assertive, especially with the professors. Pare down what you have to take to school.

    Read all  225 answers
  3. Describe the students at your school.

    Focused, liberal, politically active, and worldly.

    Read all  74 answers
  4. What are the academics like at your school?

    The academics are challenging, but also fair to the students. All the professors I have had really want their students to succeed, and if a student cares and puts in enough effort, they should be able to get the grades they want and deserve.

    Read all  51 answers
  5. Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!

    There are a lot of international students and very politically active students and consequently we get a lot of visiting foreign dignitaries. There is no football team but everyone still has a lot of school spirit.

    Read all  49 answers
  6. What is your overall opinion of this school?

    The school contains the most driven and passionate people I have ever met. Sometimes this can be intimidating and overwhelming because you never know who you'll offend.

    Read all  48 answers
  7. Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.

    This school is good for criminal justice, law, political science, international relations, and business studies.

    Read all  45 answers
  8. What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?

    It is very expensive.

    Read all  44 answers
  9. What kind of person should attend this school?

    Anyone can attend this school. There are opportunities here for everyone.

    Read all  44 answers
  10. What are the most popular student activities/groups?

    There are over 200 different clubs and organizations that students can get involved in on campus, so it's hard to choose which ones to pursue. I am a huge part of the AU Ambassadors, a group dedicated to helping prospective students decide if AU is the right school for them. During my Sophomore year I was the coordinator of campus tours, which means I ran the campus tours part of Ambassadors. We have a large number of students who are Ambassadors and have lots of fun together! Some of the other major organizations that students are involved with are the Kennedy Political Union which helps to bring public speakers to campus. Two weeks ago we have Bill Clinton come! The Student Union Board focused on getting major bands and artists to perform concerts on campus too. About 23{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of students get involved in Greek Life, whether it be a social or professional fraternity. Even if the social Greek Life scene is not for you, the professional frats are a great way to get involved, meet new people, volunteer, or do stuff that is associated with your major.

    Read all  42 answers
  11. What kind of person should not attend this school?

    A person who is focused on school and wants to do well. This school is really great for it's international relations program, so it would be helpful to be interested in it but is good in all other areas as well.

    Read all  38 answers
  12. What's unique about your campus?

    Washington, DC is my backyard!

    Read all  35 answers
  13. What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?

    I love being in a city and all the awesome things I can do every day of the week

    Read all  35 answers
  14. Describe your favorite campus traditions.

    My school is known for it's political activism. It's one of the highest politically active schools. It's also known for their recent environmental progress.

    Read all  34 answers
  15. What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

    This is one of the most expensive schools in the US and the univeristy is not overly generous with financial aide.

    Read all  32 answers
  16. What's the most frustrating thing about your school?

    The tuition. The school may give you a lot of financial aid but you will have problems with AU central regardless. They are not transparent in their budget and the price keeps rising.

    Read all  28 answers
  17. Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

    *There is a good sampling of conservative viewpoints on campus. *A good percentage of students ARE from the east coast. *Depends on how you define diversity. I have met students of so many backgrounds I can't count, so I would say AU does a good job in its selection process. *AU students are high caliber. We may not receive the same level of prestige and publicity, but we have some of the most gifted students in DC and nationally.

    Read all  28 answers
  18. What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?

    There are many stereotypes about how politically active and driven students here are. It's 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} true. Not necessarily a bad thing.

    Read all  27 answers
  19. What is the stereotype of students at your school?

    As a whole, I don't think there are a lot of stereotypes about AU students. We are sort of the happy middle I like to think. We aren't the brainiacs at Georgetown, we aren't the city kids like GW. As a whole I think we're seen as affluent white kids sitting off embassy row.

    Read all  25 answers
  20. Describe your school to someone who's never heard of it.

    A view of the amphitheater near the Northside dorms, easily the coolest spot to hang out on campus.

    Read all  7 answers
  21. Describe the dorms.

    Compared to other schools I visited during my college search, AU dorms are a big step up and this is coming from someone who has stayed in everything from a triple to off-campus housing to a single. AU has two sides of dorms: Southside and northside. Southside is louder, houses more members of Greek life and generally consists of newer dorms. Northside is quieter and has the honors floors. There is also Nebraska hall which is all apartment-style dorms, but is generally reserved for upperclassman. The dorms are safe, warm and the bathrooms are kept clean. I of course cannot speak for all of the halls. I have heard complaints of lack of hot water in some dorms, or lack of shower pressure, but I've never experienced this personally.

    Read all  6 answers

Student Body

Students

63%

female

37%

male

7,900

Total Undergrad Enrollment

5,446

Total Grad Students

93%

Out-Of-State

1%

In-State

6%

International

Organizations

220

Student Organizations

16

Fraternities

12

Sororities

Housing

Yes

On-Campus Housing

31%

of students living on campus

Student Diversity

% American Indian/Alaskan Native
N/A
% Asian/Pacific Islander
6%
% Black or African-American
7%
% Hispanic/Latino
12%
% White or Caucasian
56%

TUITION & AID

All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA. Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.

82% of students attending American University receive some sort of financial aid. 20% were awarded federal grants. While 56% received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.

Cost Out of State

$44,853

Tuition and fees(Out of state)

$800

Books and Supplies

$15,698

Room and Board

61,351

Total On Campus

Actual Cost By Income Level(W/Financial Aid)

Family Income
Cost
$0 - $30K
$22,681
$30 - $48K
$22,447
$48 - $75K
$26,394
$75 - $110K
$31,632
$110K & UP
$46,282

We use student reviews and the most current publicly available data on our school pages. As such, we don't typically remove or edit college information. Sources for school statistics and data include the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Portions of college data include copyrighted material, which is reproduced on this website by permission of Wintergreen Orchard House, a division of Carnegie Communications. © 2009-2016 by Wintergreen Orchard House. All rights reserved.

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