American University
Responses from the Student Interview
From a student who identifies as Major: International Studies
Minor: Arabic
Student Self Identifies as: Biracial – White & Asian Bisexual Female
Summary
Background
Gender Identity: Female
Race/Ethnicity: Biracial – White & Asian
Sexual Orientation: Bisexual
High School Experience: Public high school in New Hampshire with a graduating class of about 400 students. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: No
Major: International Studies
Minor: Arabic
Extracurricular Activities: None
Academic Experience
Can you describe the weekly coursework for your major?
The coursework is a lot of reading and a few essays, which make up the bulk of our final grade.
Is there anything you feel either of your major’s department does especially well or poorly?
The overall education is great and gives students a good overview of all the different aspects of international relations. You get to choose from different concentrations within the fields of study. All the professors are really great. They have experience in the field, and you can contact them after you complete the class and use them as connections.
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
I’d say it’s competitive. There’s a lot of pressure to get good grades. But, I wouldn’t say we’re competing to be at the top of the class, and there is some collaboration and sharing of knowledge.
How accessible are your professors?
Most of the time, they’re pretty accessible. If you can’t meet them in their office hours, a lot of them will try and find time for you.
Do you feel that people are open to multiple schools of thought in the classroom?
It depends, but, generally, people are open to discussion and people are willing to hear others out. At the same time, I’ve had experiences where if there’s a controversial opinion, a lot of classmates might be more willing to go against someone. Certain opinions will be challenged more than others.
Why did you pick your major? Are you happy with your choice?
I’m happy with my choice. I’m really interested in politics and international relations.
Reasons to Attend
1) The best thing about American is the education. You get a well-rounded experience and the professors are very knowledgeable and engaged in the field they’re teaching.
2) The opportunities outside the classroom for internships, jobs, and networking.
3) If you’re passionate about politics and social justice, it’s a great place to go.
4) The location is really good. Just having both the suburban fell and easy access to the city-feel.
Reasons Not to Attend
1) The housing isn’t super great and I’ve had negative experiences with people working in residence life being unresponsive. A lot of people move off-campus their sophomore year.
2) It’s pretty expensive. [Full-time tuition for the 2020-21 academic year is about $54,000.]
3) The food isn’t great, but it has improved. [See The Eagle article, “Fall semester ushers in a new wave of on-campus foods.”]
4) The mental health services aren’t great. They’re usually pretty backed up and don’t have enough people to respond to people reaching out to them. [See The Eagle article, “Email from Office of Campus Life creates concern among students,” and article, “Opinion: Don’t blame students for requesting better access to mental healthcare.”]
Around Campus
Where have you lived on and around campus?
Freshman: Anderson Hall with one roommate
Sophomore-Junior: McDowell Hall with one roommate
How was transitioning from your hometown in New Hampshire to Washington, D.C. in terms of location?
It was pretty easy. I like being in the city, and I think American being in Tenleytown provides a good balance. It’s not right downtown and we have a quad. There are lots of parks nearby and it has a suburb feel even though it’s in the city.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
I typically feel pretty safe. I know there have been dangerous incidences, but overall, I feel safe. It’s in the city, but it’s separated a lot. [See American University’s crime alerts here.]
Social Opportunities
What kind of nightlife or weekend activities do you participate in at American?
I like exploring D.C. and going to restaurants. There are lots of free museums in the area. In terms of nightlife, there are a few good clubs in D.C. and a lot of people like to do that. If you want to go to a party, they’re mostly off-campus. I’m not a big party person, but I tend to do things on Friday and Saturday night. My friends and I just like going out to eat and exploring the city.
What have been some of your favorite times at American?
A lot of my experience has been meeting friends, going out to explore D.C., or just hanging out on campus. American attracts a lot of people that have similar interests as me and spending time with them have been my favorite times.
How happy are you with the weekend options at American? Is there anything you would change if you could?
There’s not a lot of things going on during the weekend, or at least not ones I’m interested in. I don’t think a lot of people go to the athletic events either.
Campus Culture
How did you meet your closest friends?
A lot of my closest friends are people that I’ve lived with. They were in my dorm or my roommates. I’ve met a few good friends from my classes as well.
How would you describe the overall social scene?
It’s not a very big party school, but there are parties on the weekends off-campus. People are really busy all the time with school work and maybe a part-time job or internship. There is social life, but there’s also a lot of stress and work.
To what extent do you feel people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
There’s a decent amount of racial tension at American. We had quite a few incidences, whether it’s people from off-campus coming to intimidate racial minorities, or people on campus doing something that might be intimidating. For sexual orientation, I think it’s generally accepted. [See Inside Higher Ed article, “When Perceptions Clash.” The undergraduate population is about 7% Black, 53% White, 7% Asian, and 12% Hispanic.]
How would you describe the LGBTQ community on campus? How strong is it?
I think it’s a pretty strong community. I’ve met a lot of LGBTQ folks, and I think people are pretty open about their identity. There are clubs and even in the classroom, it’s encouraged to say pronouns when you introduce yourself.
How would you describe the student body?
A lot of people are really busy, ambitious, driven, and passionate about politics as well. In the classroom, a lot of students are pretty vocal and open for discussion.
How do you like the size of American in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How has that impacted your experience? [American has about 8,300 undergraduate students.]
I like the size. You can always see people around that you recognize or know from class, and then you can also meet new people as well.
Careers
What have you used the career office for? How helpful have they been?
I’ve used the career office one time. They were okay, and I think I just needed better questions for them. I felt like the guy I met with didn’t look at what I had been studying, he seemed to just give me a basic overview that he gives to other students.