American University Admissions: What Is American University’s Acceptance Rate?

Are you wondering about American University’s acceptance rate because you’re considering applying? If so, you’re in luck. In this article, you’ll find all the information you’ll need. You’ll learn about the American University acceptance rate as well as the American University admissions process.

We break down American University tuition rates, post-grad job opportunities, and more. Read this article to learn all about American University admission requirements. First, let’s see if it’s easy to get into American University.

Is American University Easy to Get Into?

No, getting into American University is not easy, as the university is very competitive. American University’s acceptance rate is low. Students that want to get accepted must maintain high grades and take a rigorous course load.

What Is American University’s Acceptance Rate?

American University acceptance rate is 39 percent, according to the US Department of Education. This data is acquired from College Scorecard. These stats show that American University is a highly competitive school with more selective admissions than many other schools. That means that your chances of admission will be lower than some other universities.

What Is American University’s Transfer Acceptance Rate?

American University transfer acceptance rate is 61.76 percent, according to CampusReel.org. In the fall of 2021, American University had 219 transfer students. Students seeking transfer admission must be in excellent academic and disciplinary standing at all previously attended institutions. Competitive transfer students have at least a 2.5 to 4.0 GPA.

What Is American University’s Early Decision Acceptance Rate

American University’s acceptance rate for early decision applicants is approximately 70 percent, according to the university. This is a much higher admissions rate than the overall acceptance rate, but that is because there are far fewer applications considered during this round. Also, keep in mind that this is not an exact figure.

American University Admissions: An Overview

• Number of Applicants at American University per year: 19,650
• American University Acceptance Rate: 39%

American University has an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 7,953 students. The American University website states that applicants should have a GPA of at least 3.0. The middle 50 percent of students for the fall of 2022 have GPAs between 3.7 and 4.2. Students also need strong resumes, letters of recommendation, and a writing sample.

Who Gets Into American University?

According to Data USA, White females make up 31.3 percent of the undergraduate student body at American University. This group is followed by White males at 19.5 percent and Hispanic or Latino females at 8.01 percent. Similarly, White females make up 29.1 percent of the graduate student body, followed by White males at 18.5 percent, and Black or African American females at 7 percent.

American University Enrollment by Ethnicity

• White –  48.3%
• Hispanic or Latino – 10.9%
• Black or African American – 10.1%
• Asian – 5.93%
• Two or More Races – 4.63%
• 0.136% – American Indian or Alaska Native
• 0.0929% – Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders

American University Acceptance Rate by Major

Some of the most popular American University majors are offered through the Kogod School of Business, the School of Communication, and the School of Pharmacy. Unfortunately, American University doesn’t list information about the program or department-specific acceptance rates. Although we do not have any specific admission statistics by program, we can assume that more technical programs will have a lower acceptance rate than other liberal arts programs.

American University Application Deadline: When Is American University’s Application Due?

The regular deadline to apply to American University is January 15. There are two early decision deadlines, the first on November 15 and the second also on January 15, the same day as the regular decision deadline. The deadline for spring enrollment is October 1, and the recommended deadline for students living outside the US September 1.

American University Application Deadlines

• Early Decision I Deadline: November 15
• Early Decision II Deadline: January 15
• Regular Decision: January 15
• Application Fee: $75, nonrefundable
• Common App: Yes

What Are the Major Reasons to Go to American University?

Some of the major reasons to go to American University are diversity, impact, and the online academic programs. American University has a diverse population and offers its students excellent education through flexible online programs. These are some of the reasons that American University is one of the dream schools of many students.

Online Programs

American University online programs offer a lot of flexibility. Students are able to focus on their personal and professional lives and complete degrees at the same time. American University has many online degrees to choose from, from medical to finance to social science programs.

Diversity

American University has many different kinds of people. It enrolls diverse people across genders, ethnicities, and ideologies. It’s a safe place where people can study and grow. With this, the university offers a rich campus life with growing Greek life. In addition, there are many student organizations on campus.

Impact

American University professors don’t just have academic skills, they also have practical experience. This helps students learn relevant skills for future employment. The university also focuses on maximizing internship opportunities for students.

Tips for Applying to American University

The American University Office of Admissions has a holistic admissions approach. This means that your academics and standardized test results are not the only important factor in an admissions decision from AU.

This school also considers your demonstrated interest, application essay, and letters of recommendation. Learn more help application tips to improve your admissions chances below.

Standardized Test Scores

Test scores from admitted students at American University are on the higher end. The middle 50 percent of admitted students have SAT scores between 1310 and 1460. Further, the middle 50 percent of students have ACT scores between 29 and 33. However, standardized test scores are not required as the university has a test-optional standardized testing policy.

Your Interest in American University

As we mentioned, AU has a holistic admission process. They do seek students with good GPA, SAT, and ACT scores, but they also want to see the level of an applicant’s interest. This means that AU wants to know about your demonstrated interest. To this end, American University’s admissions team actually tracks how many times you’ve interacted with admissions officers.

Invest Time in Your Essay

Another important element of the holistic admissions process is the supplemental essay. The essay helps the admissions team get to know you. It’s also another opportunity to express your interest in American University.

American University Admissions Requirements: First-Year Applicant Checklist

Applying to college for the first time can seem overwhelming. This list of application requirements will help you get a head start on the American University admissions process.

Usually, students should complete a common application form, write an essay, and submit high school transcripts. For international students, no SAT or ACT score is required. Below are the main components of the American University undergraduate admissions process.

• Common Application
• Essay
• $75 application fee
• High school transcripts
• Letter of recommendation

American University SAT Requirements

Below, we show you the SAT scores required to get accepted into American University. A 25th percentile figure shows that 25 percent of students scored at or below that number, while a 75th percentile figure tells us that 25 percent scored above that number. Having a score within this range will give you a better chance of getting an affirmative admission decision.

• Students Submitting SAT Scores: 28%
• SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 660 (25th percentile); 730 (75th percentile)
• SAT Math: 620 (25th percentile); 710 (75th percentile)

American University ACT Requirements

Below we show you the ACT scores required to get accepted into American University. A 25th percentile figure shows that 25 percent of students scored at or below that number, while a 75th percentile figure tells us that 25 percent scored above that number. The middle 50 percent of American University admitted students have from 29 to 33 ACT scores.

• Students Submitting ACT Scores: 18%
• ACT Composite: 29 (25th percentile); 33 (75th percentile)
• ACT English: 29 (25th percentile); 35 (75th percentile)
• ACT Math: 26 (25th percentile); 31 (75th percentile)

Acing Your American University Application: What Is the Best Way to Prepare for the SAT?

Take a Full-Length SAT Practice Test

One of the best ways to learn about the SAT is by completing an SAT practice test. It’s usually a good idea to fill out a complete SAT exercise more than once. If you practice using the same timing parameters, you’ll be prepared to take the SAT.

Study with Official SAT Practice at Khan Academy

Another good option to prepare for the SAT is taking an online course. Khan Academy has an online SAT Practice Course that is flexible and effective. This is a useful practice SAT course that is also 100 percent free.

Applying Test-Optional to AU

You can also apply to American University without standardized test scores. The American University admissions team is committed to expanding access to higher education. To that aim, they have been a test-optional university for almost a decade. However, if you have strong standardized test scores, submitting them will probably improve your admission chances.

American University GPA Requirements: What GPA Do I Need to Get In?

If you want to attend American University, you’ll need at least a 3.0 GPA. This is the minimum GPA requirement for all prospective students. If you’re interested in a combined bachelor’s and master’s program at AU, students with a GPA above 3.5 who have already been admitted to the school are automatically accepted. If AU has accepted you with a GPA under 3.5, but you’re still interested in a combined bachelor’s and master’s program, you’re still welcome to apply.

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The middle 50 percent of students admitted to AU in the fall of 2022 had GPAs in the 3.7 to 4.2 range. This shows that American University is a quite competitive school. Also, note that official transcripts must be delivered and received by a university official, a transcript uploaded by a student is considered unofficial.

American University Tuition: How Much Does it Cost to Attend American University?

The cost of tuition and fees at American University is $53,334 per year. Undergraduate students have three options. These are learning part-time with less than 12 credit hours, full-time with 12 to 17.5 credit hours, and full-time with 18 credit hours.

Graduate tuition is $1,866 per credit hour. Non-degree students with course levels from 100 to 400 have tuition of $1,768 per credit hour. Non-degree students with course levels from 500 and above have tuition of $1,866 per credit hour.

Common Majors at American University

The most common majors at American University are international relations and affairs, general business administration and management, and general political science and government. According to Data USA, in 2020 the international relations degree program awarded 434 degrees. This made it the most awarded degree concentration at the American University in 2020.

International Relations and Affairs

This Bachelor of Arts in International Studies offered by AU’s School of International Service program requires students to complete 120 credit hours of coursework and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0. Prospective students must have at least a B grade in high school to qualify for admission to this program. Topics covered include democracy, diplomacy, and the politics of international humanitarian law.

Best Jobs for International Relations and Affairs Graduates

• Intelligence Analyst
• Policy Officer
• Political Risk Analyst

General Business Administration and Management

This Bachelor of Science in Business Administration is offered by the Kogod School of Business. It is an undergraduate degree that requires at least 50 credit hours. Looking a little closer at these requirements we find that 34 credit hours are required in business core courses, and 12 to 15 credit hours are required within a specialization. Students will gain functional business knowledge and study accounting, marketing, and management.

Best Jobs for General Business Administration & Management Graduates

• Entrepreneur
• Business Manager
• Project Manager

General Political Science and Government

American University has an excellent Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. This program requires the completion of at least 120 credits as well as a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. At least 18 credit hours must be completed at or above the 300-level.

Best Jobs for General Political Science and Government Graduates

• Political Scientist
• Government official
• Political Consultant

American University Attendance Outcomes

According to data from American University, AU has a 91 percent undergraduate first-year retention rate, and 79 percent of students graduate within six years. In the following tables, you can find the most common and highest-paid jobs that AU students get after they graduate. The table info is based on graduates who hold a degree in one of the five most specialized majors according to Data USA.

Most Common Jobs for People Who Attended American University

American University Alumni Highest-Paying Jobs

Should I Apply to American University?

Yes, you should apply to American University. AU has excellent online programs, a diverse student population, and strong degree programs across the board. AU also has high graduation and retention rates. In fact, it is ranked 79th overall by US News & World report. While AU is competitive, the admissions team’s focus on evaluating the whole student gives students with different strengths the opportunity to attend the school.

AU also has many great colleges that offer great programs. The Kogod School of Business, the College of Pharmacy, and the School of Communication are all well known and respected in their fields. If you’re interested in working in the legal field, the American University Washington College of Law is known for its specialty programs. American University’s School of International Service is also very popular.

American University Acceptance Rate FAQ