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There Is Diversity on Campus...

There is a prominent LGBT representation on campus, a variety of religions, and a decent international student representation. There is not as much socioeconomic diversity, it seems that a lot of students come from middle class or very wealthy families. You can find a variety of political beliefs. There should definitely be more diversity racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically. Compared to other schools though, AU is very tolerant and quite diverse.

Greek Life Is Very Prominent

Fraternities are very active on campus. Most of the parties freshman attend are off campus frat parties. While on campus you always see people with their fraternity or sorority letters on their clothing/accessories. Greek life is really prominent. There is no official Greek housing. Typically members of the fraternities and sororities get houses together off campus. There are a large number of students not at all involved with Greek life though.

Campus Housing Is Overpriced

The dorms are not great and very expensive. They are convenient and very close to classes. There isn't enough on campus housing so a lot of freshmen get put in triples which are the same size as double rooms and extremely cramped. The facilities are always breaking down and don't get fixed for months. The South Side of campus is fun and a great place to live if you like being social and going out. The walls in the dorms are so thin though, so you can hear everything your neighbors say/do. The residence halls are great for meeting and making friends though, they just aren't worth the price. The public bathrooms and lounges are cleaned everyday which is nice. But things in the lounges like ovens and heating will be left broken for months.

On the South Side:

Best Dorms:

Anderson, Centennial

Worst Dorms:

Letts

DON'T LIVE IN LETTS IT SMELLS WEIRD AND IS GROSS.

American University Experience

You can meet very interesting people at AU. Washington DC is a wonderful city to explore. American is great if you want to study international relations. American is very expensive so make sure you get the most out of your time here.

Bring Your Own Computer

Most students have their own laptops. A lot of students use Macs. Having your own printer is very expensive and AU gives you $25 in printing dollars to print on campus. The network is not reliable, there have been a lot of problems with it this semester and a lot of students complain that it is slow, constantly needing repair, and that you have to authenticate your computer a lot. You definitely don't need your own printer if you live on campus unless you need to print things at obscure times when the printing facilities aren't open. Having your own computer isn't required but you cannot save anything on school computers so it is easier to have your own. Having your own printer is good for convenience.

Nightlife at American University

There are usually frat parties and apartment parties at the Berks every weekend. Students go clubbing on K Street and other places pretty often too. There are usually deals for AU students to get in on the guest list to clubs. Frats are the most popular destination for freshmen because of the availability of alcohol. There are a couple places in Adams Morgan but Adams Morgan is better suited to 21+. Some students only take Sunday and Monday nights off from partying. Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday nights are the most popular going out nights. There are bars and clubs which students go to which allow 18+ and some are 21+. In terms of non-partying night life there is a lot of alcohol-free things organized on campus and cool things to see off campus. Most people walk, take the AU shuttle, take the metro/public transportation, and take cabs if necessary. Frat brothers usually give rides to their parties for the first part of first semester.

Drug Safety at AU

Although AU is a dry campus people regularly drink in the dorms. Alcohol and weed are the most prominent drugs. There are loads of cigarette smokers on campus. People don't have to be involved with drugs/alcohol if they don't want to. But if they do want to then they can easily. Policies are strictly enforced.

DC Weather...

The most annoying thing about DC is the wind. It is SO windy here, and you will definitely need raincoats and an umbrella. It didn't snow at all this past winter but that isn't always the case. Rain is an issue when walking to class, etc so be prepared, always.