American University Top Questions

The worst thing is the constant construction. But, it signals to me the school is continuously investing in new buildings and resources to advance the education it provides to the student body.

The Cafeteria gets really crowed around 12.30 for lunch and 6.00 for dinner.

There is a lack of school spirit. There is poor attendance to many athletic events and not many students get involved in any spirit groups. I guess it is just a more academically focused school.

I would have to say the food. Though they have a large selction, it's generally very poorly done...except when it's parent's weekend or there's prospective students about. Then the food becomes miraculously better. Take out or one of the many restaurants around campus is a better choice.

I'd say the more obnoxious sororities and fraternities. Some of them aren't bad, and even help students to find internships, job networks, and volunteer opportunities. Others just want to drink alcohol and have sex with everyone who'll have them.

The beaurcrocity of it.

The university's inability to keep regular shuttle services going in order to allow students to get to campus from the subway system creates much animosity toward the shuttle drivers and the university in general, while also frusterating students and forcing them to increase their commute time from off campus housing by up to 30 minutes each day.

bureaucracy of the staff.

The financial aid program at this university is horrendous. The university goes back on their word and has forced students to drop out because they can no longer afford it. The university tells people that they can expect a specific amount of aid, but when the time comes to pay the bill, they drop it. I was told that I would receive $1,000 in Federal Work Study money, but they dropped it a week or two before I had to pay for classes. I ended up receiving it again this year, but it was not without a fight.

I think that it puts too much focus on its Shool of International Service and doesn't develop other programs as well.

The worst thing is that they are not the best with financial aid. Alum give money to individual schools instead of the university as a whole, so the money can't go for scholarships. They try, but aren't very good about it.

The worst thing about American University is that it is extremely expensive to attend and the financial aid center does a very poor job helping out students whom they deem unqualified for financial aid. Many students end up transferring after their freshman year because the school changes their financial aid package and their families can no longer afford to send them AU.

It can be very bureacratic and hard to make changes for the better.

It is very expensive.

The lack of school spirit is sometimes frustrating. AU is not a huge sports school. The events that normally draw huge crowds are when big-name speakers come to school. That in it of itself is awesome, but it's not the same atmosphere as a giant football game...

The worst thing about American University is the administrative hoops that they make people jump through, it makes things difficult that don't have to be and causes annomosity. That or the fact that my "financial aid" is a 2000 dollar stafford loan so my mother's retirement fund from when she was a teacher in New York is now paying my tuition.

The school is very expensive, too expensive.

Socio-Economic demographics. Most students pay the full tuiton and or come from wealthy families. I however, come from a very middle class family in New York City. Likewise, I'm originally from Bangladesh; the student make-up here is white-caucasian upper middle class students.

It is highly career oriented and makes it difficult for students who are still trying to find themselves actually find themselves

It's very expensive. I'm sure it will be worth it in the end, but it's really scary to think about it right now.