A new analysis by The Associated Press shows that increasing numbers of college graduates are heading to large cities in search of jobs and housing.
Trisha Reichler, a professor in AU's literature department, said she came to D.C. as a student at the George Washington University. She said she wanted "to go to school in the nation's capital at a time when society was undergoing significant political and social changes."
"I was very idealistic, and I thought Washington was the place to be if I wanted to make a difference," she said.
Reichler said she believes students today also come to D.C. for similar reasons.
"I know that our AU students seem very politically aware and concerned, so I think many of them do have the same desire to make a difference in the world," she said. "However, I know they also feel a lot of pressure to get a high-paying job, and they view D.C. as a good job market."
The percentage of college graduates is the largest predictor of economic stability in cities, according to economics Professor Ned Hill of Cleveland State University. In 2004, more than 24 percent of people ages 25 and older had at least a bachelor's degree. This number is a drastic increase from the 10 percent of people 25 and older who had a bachelor's degree in 1970, according to CNN.com.
D.C. was among the top five cities in the U.S. with a high percentage of adults with bachelor's degrees, following closely behind Seattle, where over half of adults have bachelor's degrees, according to CNN.com.
Molly Wilkins, a freshman in the School of International Science, said she came to D.C. because "there are so many options, so much opportunity and for my major it is exactly where I should be for a School of International Service school."
Meg Pusecker, a freshman in the School of Public Affairs, said she liked the political aspect of the city. "Plus, it has a great night life, and it's a lot cheaper than Manhattan, and that's the only other place I would have gone."
Many cities with a large number of college graduates also have expensive housing, CNN.com reported. Many AU upperclassmen agree that D.C. housing is very expensive and difficult for students to find.
Allison Redisch, a senior in SIS who lives in the Berkshire Apartments, said AU lacks sufficient housing for upperclassmen, and what the school does provide is far away and expensive with bad shuttle service.
"This leaves it up to upperclassmen to move off of campus as early as sophomore or junior year," she said.
Redisch said having to apply for housing as students is good experience for knowing how to deal with leases and bills after graduation. However, she said, it can be complicated when you are a student, especially when a student has to find someone to sublet in the summer or has to find an apartment halfway through the year.
Redisch said she chose the Berkshire Apartments because they are close to campus, reasonably priced for D.C. and have apartments available starting mid-year.
Pusecker is planning to live in the Berkshire Apartments next year. She said she had a fairly hard time finding off-campus housing due to time and money restrictions.
"Finding places that took co-signers was difficult for me because I don't have any income," Pusecker said.
Coby Glasserow, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, said that in terms of finding apartments, "as a student it comes down to money and transportation"
