What I Want in a College: American University

A friend of mine is going to American University in Washington, D.C. and emailed me these answers about American to my college questions. I found them to be really helpful, so I thought I would share them.

Student Life:
*A politically active student body that actually cares about the activism they are doing.

AU is the most politically active school in the country.
-Is there an active group of queer leaders on campus? Does it have a lot of infighting?

Queers & Allies is
-What is the queer social scene like? How much drinking does it involved?

Varies widely. I haven't seen a lot of drinking-related activities.
-Do they have a Hillel? Is there substantial support for it on campus? How institutionally supported is it?

We have a Hillel. There's a lot of Jews here. There's also some kind of staffed Jewish institiution.
-Is there some sort of peer health advocates program?

Not sure what you mean.
-Is there an ice hockey team? What level? Is there free skate time for students?

Not as far as I know.
-Is there a Radical Cheerleading squad? How active is it?

Yes, and growing.
*Is there institutional support for queer issues? Is there a LGBT Center? A Women’s Center? Do they have paid staff?

LGBT center with paid staff. Working on a women's center.
*What is the racial make-up of the school? Is there a lot of segregation within the school? How many international students are there? Do they fit in with the rest of the student body?

Lots of international students, otherwise mostly white. Not much segregation that I've seen.
-Are Jewish holidays given the day off? Are they excused absences? How flexible are teachers if projects coincide with holidays?

Jewish holidays are excused absences.
-How many Jewish students are there? What percentage of the student population is that? What is the religious make-up of the school?

Jewish students make up the third largest portion of the freshman class...first is unaffiliated, second is Roman Catholic i think. School is Methodist-affiliated but they make up a very small portion
*How many students on financial aid? How good are the packages?

Honors scholarship is awesome. Otherwise, so-so I understand. Most students have some scholarship.
*How much pressure to drink is there on campus? How much drinking is there? How big is the Greek life? What activities exist that don’t involve drinking?

Dry campus. Substantial amount of drinking off-campus and occasionally in rooms, but little pressure for straightedge kids.

Academics:
*Do they have a core curriculum? How large is it? How much of it could I test out of?

GenEd program is 10 courses plus a semester of math and a year of english. You can fulfill a number of the courses with a 4 or 5 on an AP test. Up to 30 credits
*Do they have ASL classes? Is there only level 1 and 2, or do they go up to Interpreting? Do they accept ASL classes to fulfill a language requirement? Will they transfer my previous ASL credits to fulfill the language requirements, or let me take ASL at another nearby university if they don’t offer the appropriate level of classes for me?

I don't think there are language requirements for most majors. No clue on ASL classes. Can take courses at a number of other DC institutions through the Washington Consortium, including Gallaudet.
*Do they offer majors/classes in Women’s Studies, History, African Studies, Judaic Studies, Public Health, Religion Studies, Disability Studies, Deaf Studies, Queer Studies, Non-Profit Management and Government?

Yes, yes, I think so, maybe, yes, yes, maybe, maybe, working on it, yes, yes.
*Do they have a real Women’s Studies Department, or does it just exist on paper? Does it have full-time faculty, or is it made up of professors who are primarily based in other departments?

Some of both.
-Is the college part of a consortium? How many colleges belong to the consortium? How many students at the college take classes at other colleges, and how many other college’s students take classes at the college?

www.consortium.org. I have a number of friends who take courses elsewhere.
-Is it a teaching college? If it is a research college, how does that work for non-math and science subjects?

Nope.
-What calendar does the college use? (Semester, Trimester, Quarter, 4-1-4?)

Semester.
-Are there adult students? How does the college treat them?

Some. I haven't seen any yet, but my friend's dad is an AU student. Alums can also audit classes.
-Are students able to teach “experimental” classes, or classes that are not otherwise offered by the college? How often does this happen?

I'm not sure.
-Is it possible to transfer out of the college? How easy is it?

Yes, probably decently so.
-How many students study aboard? When do they study abroad? Why do they study abroad? (Want to get out of the college, or explore something new?) Where do students student abroad? Will the college let you do any program? Is their list of pre-approved programs substantial? Will they let you do something that is not pre-approved?

Lots of options. AU Abroad has their own office. Most students study abroad.
-How much contact is there between undergrads and grads? What type of contact?

Not a whole lot at the lower levels, but opportunities exist.
-What are the college’s libraries like? What sort of resources do they have? How do the students utilize them?

Large library, access to DC/MD/VA public libraries and libraries at other DC schools. GLBTA resource library is going to be integrated soon.
-What is the average class size? What types of classes are normally offered? What is the student to faculty ratio?

My classes are all less than 30 students, most are less than 20. Only two lecture halls on campus.
-What is the advising system like? Do the students feel like they are in-touch with their advisors and getting the appropriate support?

Meh.

Housing and Meals:
-Are you guaranteed housing all four years? Can you live off-campus? How many students live off campus? When do most students live off campus?

I think so. Yes. Lots. Most move off junior year.
-Is the housing dorms or mod-style?

All dorms for freshmen, after that there are options.
-Is there program housing? Substance-free, queer, ASL, Jewish, etc?

Yes, and you can apply to create your own. I know there are honors, queer, green,
-What is the quality of food on campus? What is the availability of vegetarian food? Of Kosher food?

You've tried it, yes?

Location:
-Relatively close to Boston- somewhere in the New England area or on the East Coast. But not somewhere that I can bike to, or somewhere less than an hour away.

Check.

-What is the LGBT-friendliness like of the surrounding area outside of the college?

Good. I think DC has the strongest queer-nondiscrimination laws in the US.
-How are students at the college involved in the outside community? How much community outreach does the college itself do? How does the outside community perceive the college?

We're the shit.
-Is it a college town?

hahaha.
-Does the surrounding city have comprehensive public transportation?

Metro ftw.
-Is there a Jewish community in the city? What are the shuls like?

Alums:
-After college, what do the graduates go on to achieve? Grad school? Public service? Business? Lawyers? Politicians?

All of the above.
- How do alums feel about the college? Do they go to reunions? Do they like the school?

I think so?

Miscellaneous:
-Is there ample available bike parking?

yes.
-Is free Internet available all over campus?

Generally. It kinda sucks sometimes.
-Does the school non-discrimination code include sexual orientation and gender identity/expression?

Ayep.
-Does the college utilize student input? Do students serve on the college governing bodies?

Sort of, depends on how important you are.
-Is there a shuttle to campus? How long is the ride? How often does the shuttle come? How comfy is the shuttle?

Yes. about 15 minutes. every 15 minutes at the most, in theory. decent.

I wish I was more interesting

My life right now is all about college. I'm almost done figuring out where I want to apply; but the next step is even more daunting. I have to actually apply! I have lists and lists of due dates and different components of the applications, and how I can best represent myself in every way possible.

As apprehensive as I am about finishing my college applications, I am more worried that I have lost my ability to engage with other people. Most of the older folks that I hang out with seem fascinated by the college application process, while most of the people who are also going through the college application process seem content to talk about nothing but it. However, other people who are not so highly involved with college applications, but who are still affected by them (such as my siblings) constantly complain that the only thing I am focused on right now is applying to college.

I think they are right. And I think that my current singular focusing on applying to college makes me a very boring person. So, my goal once I finish this whole process? Strive to become a more interesting person who is able to talk about something that does not involve college.

What I'm Looking For in a College

The statements with “*” are make or break requirements, and the statements with “-“ are just things that I would prefer.

Student Life:
*A politically active student body that actually cares about the activism they are doing.
-Is there an active group of queer leaders on campus? Does it have a lot of infighting?
-What is the queer social scene like? How much drinking does it involved?
-Do they have a Hillel? Is there substantial support for it on campus? How institutionally supported is it?
-Is there some sort of peer health advocates program?
-Is there an ice hockey team? What level? Is there free skate time for students?
-Is there a Radical Cheerleading squad? How active is it?
*Is there institutional support for queer issues? Is there a LGBT Center? A Women’s Center? Do they have paid staff?
*What is the racial make-up of the school? Is there a lot of segregation within the school? How many international students are there? Do they fit in with the rest of the student body?
-Are Jewish holidays given the day off? Are they excused absences? How flexible are teachers if projects coincide with holidays?
-How many Jewish students are there? What percentage of the student population is that? What is the religious make-up of the school?
*How many students on financial aid? How good are the packages?
*How much pressure to drink is there on campus? How much drinking is there? How big is the Greek life? What activities exist that don’t involve drinking?

Academics:
*Do they have a core curriculum? How large is it? How much of it could I test out of?
*Do they have ASL classes? Is there only level 1 and 2, or do they go up to Interpreting? Do they accept ASL classes to fulfill a language requirement? Will they transfer my previous ASL credits to fulfill the language requirements, or let me take ASL at another nearby university if they don’t offer the appropriate level of classes for me?
*Do they offer majors/classes in Women’s Studies, History, African Studies, Judaic Studies, Public Health, Religion Studies, Disability Studies, Deaf Studies, Queer Studies, Non-Profit Management and Government?
*Do they have a real Women’s Studies Department, or does it just exist on paper? Does it have full-time faculty, or is it made up of professors who are primarily based in other departments?
-Is the college part of a consortium? How many colleges belong to the consortium? How many students at the college take classes at other colleges, and how many other college’s students take classes at the college?
-Is it a teaching college? If it is a research college, how does that work for non-math and science subjects?
-What calendar does the college use? (Semester, Trimester, Quarter, 4-1-4?)
-Are there adult students? How does the college treat them?
-Are students able to teach “experimental” classes, or classes that are not otherwise offered by the college? How often does this happen?
-Is it possible to transfer out of the college? How easy is it?
-How many students study aboard? When do they study abroad? Why do they study abroad? (Want to get out of the college, or explore something new?) Where do students student abroad? Will the college let you do any program? Is their list of pre-approved programs substantial? Will they let you do something that is not pre-approved?
-How much contact is there between undergrads and grads? What type of contact?
-What are the college’s libraries like? What sort of resources do they have? How do the students utilize them?
-What is the average class size? What types of classes are normally offered? What is the student to faculty ratio?
-What is the advising system like? Do the students feel like they are in-touch with their advisors and getting the appropriate support?

Housing and Meals:
-Are you guaranteed housing all four years? Can you live off-campus? How many students live off campus? When do most students live off campus?
-Is the housing dorms or mod-style?
-Is there program housing? Substance-free, queer, ASL, Jewish, etc?
-What is the quality of food on campus? What is the availability of vegetarian food? Of Kosher food?

Location:
-Relatively close to Boston- somewhere in the New England area or on the East Coast. But not somewhere that I can bike to, or somewhere less than an hour away.
-What is the LGBT-friendliness like of the surrounding area outside of the college?
-How are students at the college involved in the outside community? How much community outreach does the college itself do? How does the outside community perceive the college?
-Is it a college town?
-Does the surrounding city have comprehensive public transportation?
-Is there a Jewish community in the city? What are the shuls like?

Alums:
-After college, what do the graduates go on to achieve? Grad school? Public service? Business? Lawyers? Politicians?
- How do alums feel about the college? Do they go to reunions? Do they like the school?

Miscellaneous:
-Is there ample available bike parking?
-Is free Internet available all over campus?
-Does the school non-discrimination code include sexual orientation and gender identity/expression?
-Does the college utilize student input? Do students serve on the college governing bodies?
-Is there a shuttle to campus? How long is the ride? How often does the shuttle come? How comfy is the shuttle?