<p>i know emory is a great school. it is actually currently my top choice. but i was wondering about what current/prospective/parents think is the worst part about emory. thanks</p>
<p>The campus and the area are not to my tastes at ALL, but that's a personal thing. I know people who don't mind those things in the least.</p>
<p>what do you mean by that? what is the campus and area like</p>
<p>Yes, I think that is personal preference. I really like the campus and the surrounding area (the village is average).</p>
<p>I think the most common complaint is about a lack of school spirit.</p>
<p>current- no social life if you dont drink</p>
<p>Its difficult to complain about Emory not because there arent some imperfections (there are some) but because there is so much to appreciate that any complaint may have the tone of being nit-picky or whiny. I suspect that just about any kind of complaint can be tied to subjective preferences. Here are my own thoughts, notwithstanding:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>WEATHER: It doesnt begin to rival the excellent climate that we have here in the San Francisco Bay Area. Im not used to very hot/humid nor very cold/snowy. (Yes, I know Im a weather weenie. ;) )</p></li>
<li><p>BUREAUCRACY: I would guess that its not just Emory, but theres a lot of information and information mechanisms that need to be understood and dealt with. It begins early with the admissions process (Embark) and moves on to OPUS (Emorys Online Pathway to University Students, used for official student information, financial status, etc.), Learnlink, Blackboard, etc. I think most students have grown up with computerized systems, but its daunting all the same since EVERYTHING is online. It also makes it too easy for students to not get out and talk to professors or even each other, and I can imagine a lot of interaction taking place online vs. in person. Still, this is the way of the world, and I guess its good to get used to it.</p></li>
<li><p>DISTANCE: If I leave my house at 7:30AM here in CA and fly direct non-stop from SFO to ATL, its an all-day affair that will get me to my hotel in the evening. A 3-5 day trip will cost $800-1000 for just myself. This includes airfare, car rental, hotel and meals. Of course I know we exercised this choice. (BTW, once in Atlanta, the MARTA public transportation system is very good, and Emory is easily accessible.)</p></li>
<li><p>GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: Theres a good and bad to GERs. I recognize that its Emorys way of creating exposure to breadth in learning, and I like this emphasis on the liberal arts philosophy. However, I think the combination of major requirements (especially for double-majors) along with GER requirements needs to be managed well. For instance, if you are intending to study abroad (which I highly recommend doing) in your junior years, you will need to plan your courses well in advance, beginning with your first semester as a freshman. Im beginning to think that being a double-major is potentially difficult to maneuver and perhaps limiting to the discovery opportunities that exist at Emory. </p></li>
<li><p>WEEKENDS ON CAMPUS: A lot of people disappear on weekends where do they go? There are other schools that are more self-contained (Dartmouth comes to mind) where there are many more social activities based on campus. My daughter called me last night (Saturday) and said that she had dinner at the DUC, and there couldnt have been more than a dozen people in there at 6:45PM. Atlanta has a lot of attractions, but it is probably helpful to have a car to get around (freshmen cannot have cars on campus). I think my daughter has the idea that there's a party somewhere, and she hasn't been invited. (Incidentally, she said a lot of people in her dorm head off to the fraternity/sorority parties, but she doesn't drink, so...)</p></li>
</ul>
<p>There may be other things but as a parent, I dont see or hear about a lot, Im sure.</p>
<p>My D is a freshman so she is no doubt still figuring things out. She hasn't complained about anything yet. But, some comments on some of the above posts. My sense is that Emory is addressing school spirit with some initiatives to get kids to sporting events. I know I read the specifics somewhere but there are lots of incentives like free t-shirts, etc. Also, sounded to me like Songfest was the ultimate in dorm spirit. Will be interesting what the rest of the year brings with homecoming, dooley week, etc. As for social life, my d is not a big partier but said she typically goes out one of the weekend nights to frat row or elsewhere and has not felt pressure to drink. The other night tends to be quieter with friends out to dinner or hanging out elsewhere. She went to a club one Thursday night as well (I think there is a conference posting which club the Emory kids go to Thursdays). My sense is you can go if you are 18 and drink if you are 21 but dance nonetheless. However, my guess is that it is a bit $$ if you cab it and probably it is not a weekly thing. D also said there are just more things to do socially than she can -i.e. she missed the comedy thing this weekend and a few other things she wanted to do b/c she was busy and studying. From reading the Wheel on line and following some postings of what is going on I have concluded there is much more to do than when I was at Dartmouth many moons ago (both on campus and off campus) but it depends on the student and what s/he wants. As an adult I look at the recent visit by Margaret Atwood, the Liberian president, the Jimmy Carter town meeting, and the talk by Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist Mike Luckovich (sp?) and wish I were 19 again and could go through college with all I know now. </p>
<p>From a parent perspective the only blip so far (second hand) was navigating the first course selection but it did all work out. I also hear some grumblings about food choices getting boring. I am not sure there is a perfect flawless college and I am not sure that would be good in any event. Kids are adaptable and will carve out their niches. For the cost of Emory, I feel D is getting a great academic education so far and has a lot to look forward to/grow into over the next four years.</p>
<p>i don't really agree with the comment that there is no social life unless you drink. while that is what a lot of frat row is, emory provides an alternative to that by doing the screen on the green every friday. they are movies that emory projects on the field and it is free. they have food etc. it's funny that you mentioned the vanishing people on weekends because i actually thought the same thing this past weekend. all of my friends are still around but it seems like alot of people just disappears come saturday. i think it might have something to do with the fact that during the day, people all rush to the DUC at the same time and it seems like there are more than on weekends. on saturday and sunday there are more times available to eat so you don't see as many people at the same time. that's just a guess though.</p>
<p>
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there couldn’t have been more than a dozen people in there at 6:45PM
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</p>
<p>In my experience, at 7:50pm on Sunday (ten miutes before the DUC closes), it is astonishingly crowded. I think, perhaps, there is a rush for food before the DUC closes. For myself, because of my activities on Sunday I invariably end up in a crowded DUC at about 7:50. </p>
<p>I do agree that compared to some other peer colleges Emory's on campus life is a little dead on the weekend (though this doesnt bother me)-- especially if you don't count frat row. For one, many upperclass students live on Clairmont campus and have cars. Also, some students from Atlanta or nearby Atlanta simply go home on the weekend. (my roommate, for example). I even know someone from TN who went home for the weekend. But it's a gross exaggeration to say Emory is a commuter campus, IMO.</p>
<p>
[quote]
which club the Emory kids go to Thursdays
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</p>
<p>1150 has 18+ on Thursday nights, but it is usually a 21+ club.</p>
<p>Whats the DUC? WHere does eveyrone go on the weewkends? Most kids are out of state...</p>
<p>DUC - Dobbs University Center. it is basically the spot where you get everything. it has the cafeteria, mail room, etc.</p>
<p>i'm a freshman, and I really have no idea where everyone goes on weekends- many people go home (like my roommate).. but the main activity on weekend nights seems to be frat row or off-campus parties. me and my friends usually watch movies in one of our rooms. but i don't drink, and i do have a social life.. and you don't have to drink at frat row.</p>
<p>school spirit is also not very high.. songfest WAS the ultimate in dorm spirit, but i've been to a soccer game and hardly anyone came; the crowd was also pretty quiet. sometimes i wish emory had a football team.</p>
<p>can you go to frat row and everything even if you arent in the greek system? is there a big separation of the greeks and non greeks on campus?</p>
<p>yes you can def go if you are not a greek. there is not really any serperation. what adds to this is emory's defered rush policy meaning that the frats dont do rush until the spring semester.</p>
<p>worst part of Emory...</p>
<p>The DUC's only open til 8 :D</p>
<p>I love it here, wouldn't have it any other way</p>
<p>What other "issues" do you have?</p>
<p>A similar thread is on the WashU board (<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=235302%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=235302</a>)
and they talk about overt competition between students (especially pre-meds)... does this exist at Emory? Can anyone relate any experiences?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>i dont really see any overt competition and most students just do their thing, theyre definitely not out there to sabotage you and unless youre weird and rude, people will be nice and helpful. that said, premed is tough.</p>
<p>I am not currently a student at Emory (still in high school) but my school is walking distance away and we have at least 10 graduates a year that go to Emory. The biggest complaint i hear is the location of the Campus. Without a car or having a friend with a car, the only commercial area walking distance from the school is Emory Village, which couldnt have more than 15 small shops. If you do however have a car, Little 5 Points, Midtown, and Virginia Highlands are all short drives, and Buckhead is still only about a 15 minute drive</p>
<p>how do kids usually get into the city then</p>
<p>Nicole, I am a mom, not a student. But for what it is worth in the first month, my freshman D has been to the Lennox mall once (took Emory shuttle), to a club on a Thursday once (shared taxi cost with a number of girls on her floor) and to dinner in the city once (ride with upperclasswoman). My sense is that as a student progresses through college perhaps the student avails him/herself of more of the social/internship opportunities of the city. Seems there are a lot of upperclassmen with cars who are generous with rides.</p>