American University was founded in 1893 by an Act of Congress as a nonsectarian institution. Located in the heart of Washington, D.C., American University was established to provide educational opportunities for citizens who wanted to pursue higher education in the nation’s capital. The university has grown considerably since its founding, and now serves more than 13,000 students from all 50 states and over 120 countries.
American University has a long history of being at the forefront of innovation and progress. During World War II, the university provided language instruction to members of the military, including Japanese and Chinese languages. This program allowed members of the armed forces to better understand their enemies during wartime. After World War II, American University opened its doors to women for the first time in 1946 and began offering co-educational classes in 1948. In 1959, American University became one of the first universities in the United States to establish an African American Studies program which aimed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of African American history and culture.
In recent years, American University has become renowned for its research-oriented approach and is home to several notable research centers such as The Center for Environmental Science & Policy and The Center for Global Peace & Conflict Resolution. Additionally, the university offers over 150 undergraduate majors and minors as well as numerous graduate programs that are designed to prepare students for successful careers after graduation. With its commitment to excellence in teaching, research, service and public engagement, American University is dedicated to advancing knowledge within a global context while inspiring meaningful change throughout society.
American University, as one of the top colleges ranked by major educational institutions, has impressed us by its high selectivity and student friendly application process during admissions. The following tables detail 2018 class profile, including total applications received, average high school GPA, SAT scores/ACT scores, and acceptance rates of American University. To learn more about GPA, SAT and ACT scores information, please follow the links below. If you want to find even more about American University, such as tuition fees and scholarships, you can click the link after tables to visit the school’s official website.
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University acronym: https://www.abbreviationfinder.org/acronyms/au_american-university.html
Admissions Stats
American University is a highly selective institution, with an acceptance rate of only 22%. Of the 8,000 students who applied to the university in 2020, only 1,760 were accepted. In terms of diversity, 57% of the admitted students are female and 43% are male. Also, 41% of the admitted students identify as racial or ethnic minorities. The average GPA for incoming freshman is 3.6 and the average SAT score is 1320. American University also offers generous financial aid packages to its admitted students; approximately 78% receive some form of aid and 63% receive need-based grants or scholarships.
Fall 2022 Selectivity
| Selectivity | more selective |
| Fall 2022 acceptance rate | 43% |
| Early decision acceptance rate | 73% |
| Early action acceptance rate | N/A |
| Acceptance rate (excluding early action and early decision students) | 42% |
Fall 2022 Applications, Acceptances & Enrollments
| Applicants | 16,924 |
| Female applicants | 10,095 |
| Male applicants | 6,829 |
| Applicants accepted | 7,357 |
| Female applicants accepted | 4,530 |
| Male applicants accepted | 2,827 |
| Freshman enrollment | 1,502 |
| Female freshman enrollment | 914 |
| Male freshman enrollment | 588 |
| Early decision applicants | 565 |
| Early decision applicants accepted | 415 |
| Early decision applicants enrolled | 380 |
| Early action applicants | N/A |
| Early action applicants accepted | N/A |
| Early action applicants enrolled | N/A |
| Total enrolled incoming freshmen who were accepted under early acceptance or early action | 25% |
Fall 2022 Wait List
| School has a wait list | Yes |
| Applicants placed on wait list | 1,277 |
| Students accepting place on wait list | 277 |
| Students accepted from wait list | 0 |
Fall 2022 High School Rank
| Freshman students submitting high school class standing | 43% |
Fall 2022 High School GPA
| Freshman students submitting high school GPA | 100% |
| Average high school GPA | 3.8 |
| High school GPA 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
Fall 2022 Freshman SAT Scores
| Freshman students submitting SAT scores | 79% |
| SAT Critical Reading average score | 650 |
| SAT Critical Reading 25th-75th percentile range | 590-710 |
| SAT Math average score | 625 |
| SAT Math 25th-75th percentile range: | 580-680 |
| SAT Writing average score | 637 |
| SAT Writing 25th-75th percentile range | 580-690 |
| SAT Essay 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
Fall 2022 Freshman ACT Scores
| Freshman students submitting ACT scores | 50% |
| Average ACT Composite score | 28 |
| ACT Composite 25th-75th percentile range | 27-31 |
| ACT English 25th-75th percentile range | 26-33 |
| ACT Math 25th-75th percentile range | 25-30 |