American University
4400 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20016-8001
Admission:
202/885-6000
Fax 202/885-1025
http://www.american.edu
e-mail: afa@american.edu
ENROLLMENT
Full-time:
1,955 men/3,120 women
Part-time:
279 men/351 women
Graduate:
2,019 men/3,054 women
FRESHMAN ADMISSION
PROFILE
Number who applied:
10,282
Number accepted:
6,107
Number enrolled:
1,313
Average SAT score (combined):
1242
Average ACT score:
27
Average GPA:
3.42 unweighted
Freshmen retention rate:
86%
COSTS
Tuition:
$31,452
Room and board:
$11,229
Fees, books, misc.:
$2,300 approx.
FINANCIAL AID
Freshmen receiving aid:
60%, approx.
FACULTY
Full-time:
467
Part-time:
NA
Ph.D.:
93%
Student/faculty ratio:
14:1
IN ADDITION
AU has had seven U.S. Presidents on the Board of Trustees.
Robert Kogod, Washington-area real estate executive, and his wife Arlene, recently donated $5 million to AU's Kogod School of Business..
Faculty were contacted to be media experts more than 3,000 times last year.
President Theodore Roosevelt laid the cornerstone for the McKinley Building in 1902.
Last year a number of students won prestigious national awards, including junior Elizabeth Gritter, one of 80 students nationwide to win a Harry S. Truman Scholarship, and senior Radha Kuppali, one of 10 students selected as a Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Junior Fellow.
The School of International Service is the largest school of international affairs in the U.S.
AU freshmen provide more than 10,000 hours of community service through the Freshmen Experience Program.
93% of AU's faculty hold the highest degrees possible in their fields.
American University
4400 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20016-8001
College Description
For more than 100 years AU, a four-year, liberal-arts university, has prepared students to make significant contributions to their communities and the world. Whether you study communication, business, arts and sciences, education, public affairs, or international studies, you'll learn how to shape the world, so you will make a difference. AU's diverse community comes from 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, 3 U.S. Territories, and more than 140 countries. Our faculty bring the real world into their classrooms and show you how to turn theory into practice. AU students have access to major cultural events and facilities, including HIH, the National Zoo, galleries, museums, corporations such as AOL, associations, and government agencies, for internships and research. With Washington, D.C., as our home base, AU offers the best of both worlds: A beautiful 84-acre residential campus just a 15-minute Metro (subway) ride away from downtown. The campus shuttle provides regular free service to the AU/Tenleytown Metro stop.
Academic Life
Classes are offered on a semester basis and are taught by senior-level faculty members. While AU is an experiential-learning school offering over 500 cooperative education or internship options and over 52 undergraduate majors, students receive personalized attention in small classes. Five undergraduate schools and colleges make up the University. The College of Arts and Sciences offers the B.F.A. (fine arts), and B.A. or B.S. in the arts and performing arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences through 21 departments and the School of Education. The School of International Service offers the B.A. in international studies, and language and area studies. The School of Public Affairs offers the B.A. in justice, law and society, political science, and CLEG, an interdisciplinary program that combines communication, law, economics, and government. The School of Communication offers the B.A. in broadcast or print journalism, public communication, visual media and multimedia design and development. The Kogod School of Business offers the B.S.B.A. in business administration with 14 areas of specialization. Study abroad is offered at 17 sitesthrough the AU Abroad Program. Students take courses, tour the host country, meet and talk with national leaders and academicians, and participate in many cultural and artistic offerings, including internships.
Campus Life/ Campus Map / Campus Visit
Most undergraduate students choose to live in the safe, recently renovated, residence halls that have full telecommunications capabilities. Most rooms accommodate 2 or 3 students. There are more than 150 organizations, including fraternities and sororities, international and intercultural groups, community service, intramural and club sports, on-campus radio and TV stations, and a student newspaper to get involved in. Impromptu volleyball games, in-line skating, and frisbee are also popular on campus. Other activities include movies, comedy nights, film festivals, and concerts. Student government opportunities include the Student Confederation and school and college councils. As a member of the Washington Metropolitan Area Consortium of Universities, AU students may take classes and go to a variety of events at member institutions. In fall 2000, 16% of our undergraduate students were members of U.S. minority groups, and 15% were international.
Diversity/Multicultural Programs
American University has a long history of openness to diversity. In 1915, the first class at AU included John Wesley Edward Bowen Jr., an African American. In 1936, the university’s graduate board voted unanimously to admit African Americans to the Graduate School and by August 1944, at a time when most universities were segregated, three percent of the student body in AU’s School of Social Sciences and Public Affairs was African American.
Today, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans and American Indians make up approximately 16 percent of AU’s undergraduate student body. Another 14 percent are international students from over 140 nations around the world. Student groups such as Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, Caribbean Circle, Japan-America Club, and the Latino and American Student Organization offer excellent networking opportunities.
AU’s Office of Multicultural Affairs enhances the quality of campus life for all students by sponsoring seminars, historical tours, ethnic festivals, and other events that foster a welcoming environment. At the end of each year, Multicultural Affairs and the Office of International Student Services holds a special awards ceremony recognizing the achievements of our students. Counseling and tutorial services are available, including our six-week Summer Transition Enrichment Program.
The top 15 percent of freshman are invited to enter our Honors Program. American University also provides or sponsors a variety of merit and athletic scholarships for high-achieving students including the American Excellence Scholarship, Frederick Douglass Scholarship, National Achievement Scholarship, National Hispanic Scholarship, the Presidential and Deans Scholarships, and the Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship for transfer applicants.
Located in Washington, D.C., at the top of what is known as Embassy Row, AU is minutes away from the many diverse neighborhoods that make up the city. You can participate in community festivals, eat at ethnic restaurants, and get involved in local outreach programs that serve our neighbors, such as the DC Reads tutoring program and other volunteer and mentoring programs that address such issues as homelessness, AIDS awareness, poverty and pollution.
Our distinguished alumni—including Tony Perkins, anchor/weather caster of ABC’s “Good Morning America”; Pedro Aviles of the Latin Civil Rights Task Force; Anthony Cohen, historian and author who retraced the Underground Railroad; and Star Jones, co-host of ABC Daytime’s “The View”—attest to AU’s commitment to diversity.
Facilities and Resources
The University's facilities include 14 classroom buildings, which include facilities for art, UNIX, intelligent systems, Oracle development, audio technology, multimedia/graphic design, physics, biology, dance, chemistry, and music; a 50,000-watt, state-of-the-art broadcast center; a language laboratory; a health services center; 6 residence halls; an interdenominational religious center; a student center; and a sports center. Dining facilities, a copy center, hair salon, travel agency, and convenience store are also on campus. The Bender Library has more than 725,000 books and 3,200 periodicals, 975,000 microforms, and is a member of the OCLC network, which gives online access to 2,000 other member libraries. Students may access ALADIN, the online catalog, from their computers in the residence halls and use personal computer labs for undergraduates 24 hours a day. Each residence hall room has full telecommunication capabilities. The university became completely wireless for computers, cell phones and PDA's in fall 2004.
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Financial Aid / Scholarships
The University supports a multimillion-dollar financial assistance program. Merit scholarships, athletic scholarships, need-based financial aid, and several payment plans are available. To receive priority for need-based assistance, applicants must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and an AU Supplemental Financial Aid Form. American sponsors tuition scholarships for National Merit and National Achievement Finalists and National Hispanic Semi-finalists. Deans, Presidential, Frederick Douglass, and Leadership scholarships are also offered to approximately 25% of each freshman class. These scholarships are not based on financial need and no separate application is required. Transfer applicants designated as Phi Theta Kappa scholars may be considered for a Phi Theta Kappa scholarship. These awards range from $4,000 to $8,000, and approximately 20 scholarships are offered each year.
Admission Requirements / Application
Admission to American University is selective and competitive. The University seeks accomplished, well-prepared students. Each freshman applicant is reviewed with careful consideration given to the high school record, SAT I or ACT scores, an essay, letters of recommendation, and extracurricular activities. Also considered are leadership qualities, volunteerism, creative accomplishments, and entrepreneurship. Interviews are recommended. The students admitted for fall 2000 had a grade point averages of 3.21 (on a 4.0 scale) and a combined SAT I score of 1191. The application deadline for early decision is November 15, and notification occurs by December 30. The regular decision deadline is February 1, and notification occurs by April 1. While most freshmen are admitted for the fall semester, students may also apply for spring or summer entry. Transfer students are accepted for all terms. About 300 new transfer students enrolled at American in fall 2000. The application deadline dates are July 1 for fall, November 1 for spring, and April 1 for summer. Applicants must submit college/university transcript(s) and a written statement to be considered for admission. Interviews are recommended. Sixty semester credits may be transferred from two-year colleges and 75 from four-year colleges/universities.
