Boston University vs. Emory University

Hello, I am currently a senior in high school and I know I am cutting it a bit short but I am trying to decide between Boston University and Emory University by Friday. I am majoring in biology and was wondering if anybody could give insight. Both are amazing schools and I would have to pay the same amount wherever I go, which is why I am having such a hard time deciding. I was wondering if anybody who goes to these schools, knows anything about these schools, or lives in these areas would be able to provide more insight. I have done research but I want to know more from a student’s perspective. Once again I will be majoring in biology.

Emory University:
Pros: One of the top schools in Georgia, in a warm area, lots of opportunities for bio/premed
Cons: Small school, Far away from home, does not feel right going so far away from home but it doesn’t feel right losing that opportunity either

Boston University:
Pros: Close to home (NJ), a good school with a lot of bio/premed opportunities, large student body
Cons: Cold weather

  • a lot of competing students in Massachusetts at Northeastern, Harvard, MIT, Boston College

I really am stuck on what to do, I want to give myself the best opportunity possible but I do not want to go too far from home and especially stress my family out. I do not come from a lot of money and I do not want to stress them with moving my life to a school that is far away but I do not want to miss out on any opportunity. Please help!!!

I forgot to include that I am also African American and Atlanta, where Emory is located, has a large African American population which is appealing to me. How is the diversity in Boston overall?

Why will it be hard on your family to go to Emory? Do they depend on you? Is it more than just the usual you will miss each other? What exactly is the reason for stress?

BU is huge. I personally feel you will have more opportunities at Emory to form good relationships with professors, which can be extremely important for research opportunities and recommendations. Your classes will probably be smaller at Emory. Small classes tend to be more engaging than large ones.

Emory is more highly ranked and is probably more academically rigorous. Overall, I think you personally would have a better experience there. It’s you going to college and not your family. But if there is a compelling reason you need to be closer to NJ, share it with us here and maybe we can advise you.

@raven2002 just saw your post. Boston and BU are both pretty diverse.

Thank you so much for the advice! I say that it would be stressful because my family does not come from a lot of money and I’m a little concerned about traveling and the costs of traveling to drop me off, come back home, and ship all my belongings down there. Whereas Boston is closer to me and is easier to get to without spending a lot of money.

@raven2002 , contact the college. Ask them to put you in touch with other students who might live near you who could perhaps drive you down. If there are things you will need to buy anyway, you can buy them in Atlanta. Or you order stuff and have it shipped to the college. You can work and earn money to offset the expenses. Have you called Emory yet and asked if they can increase your FA even just a little to make those expenses affordable? Do they have any kind of extra funding to help with these expenses? Remember too, once you are at Emory, many students will leave their things over the summer in a shared storage locker, and you will just need a suitcase. And a coach ticket is cheap. No need for them to drive you.

Honestly, you should do your best to make this happen, if you can. Emory is a superior school to BU. Call them right away this morning. Good luck.

@raven2002
If there is still time, contact both colleges and ask if there are any scholarships available. Tell them your family does not have a lot of money and now that you have run the numbers it will be very tight and you don’t want to burden your parents.

It might be too late, but both of the schools are likely to throw a bit more money your way.

BU is big, fast, urban. it’s an awesome, energetic place I think but you need to be a little bit of a self-advocate and willing to make things happen or you can get lost a bit. to be frank, you sound like Emory’s smaller size might be a better fit at this point. I agree that travel costs don’t have to amount to a ton.

diversity-wise, both are excellent.

By the way, these were by daughter’s 2 favorite schools. She applied ED to Emory and is going this fall, but would probably have applied ED 2 to BU if she hadn’t gotten in and happily gone there if accepted.

Both schools will give you all the opportunity you need. And if you choose BU to be closer to home, I would not have any problem with that.