<p>Hi guys!
I was selected to receive full tuition awards at Emory and Vanderbilt as well as the GA Tech President's Scholarship. I've narrowed down my college choices to these three, since they would be the most financially sound options. I just wanted to get some input on which one I should pick.
I'm pretty certain I'm going to be pre-med with a major in Spanish. Financially, they would all be about the same . I'm a little wary of Vanderbilt because of the Greek atmosphere, but it does seem to be the most prestigious of the three, and I like the campus the best. I live near Atlanta, so Emory and GT would be the closest (which I like). Study abroad and research opportunities are also definitely VERY important to me.
I would really appreciate any opinions!
Thanks so much!</p>
<p>Your cup runneth over. You really can’t lose. You can have a great education at Emory, Vandy or Georgia Tech. Perhaps you should be attended Accepted Students Days since they are not really at a hardship distance from home. Congrats and good luck regardless of where you go</p>
<p>If you’d like to be pre-med with a major in Spanish, GA Tech wouldn’t be a feasible option (not a liberal arts school like Vandy is). That narrows it down to Emory and Vanderbilt.</p>
<p>Like Faline2 says, visit the two schools. </p>
<p>1) Greek life shouldn’t be too large of a concern. There are people who are very involved, and it is a prominent part of the student social life. However, I’m not in Greek life, have friends in and out of the Greek system, party when I want to, and study on the weekends/weekdays. As long as you’re not socially awkward or anti-social, you’ll be able to find your own niche to fit in. </p>
<p>2) Research is easy to get into; you just need to have the right connections. There are also programs that you can apply to (undergraduate) where they’ll fund your research idea for a few years. I remember attending a dinner with the dean/professors about it with some other interested students.</p>
<p>To get involved in research is harder as a freshman, but if you get started early - you can find doctors to shadow within your first semester here. I’m going to be staying here over the summer for an internship (am pre-med as well). </p>
<p>3) Great campus, great atmosphere. Not sure what Emory is like (never visited it or applied). They also have Vandy medical school ED for its undergraduates which is a bonus. :)</p>
<p>I picked Vanderbilt over Emory last year after visiting both schools. I believe that the two schools are essentially equals academically, although they are very different in most other aspects.
I liked both campuses, although I liked Vanderbilt’s much more. You really can’t beat living on a national arboretum!
Greek Life here is a frequent concern for prospective students. Yes, a lot of people go Greek. However, the frats and sororities are off by themselves in a corner of campus, so if you find the Greek atmosphere distasteful, you can largely avoid it. I think you’d ultimately find, though, that the Greek scene is not all that bad. 40-45% of Vanderbilt students go Greek, while the number is around 30% at Emory. Greek life here is more intense than it is at Emory, but the majority of students are divested from it.
Vanderbilt has major sports programs, while Emory does not. This can be good or bad, depending on the person. Having nationally recognized sports teams makes Vanderbilt really feel like an eclectic collegiate experience. On the other hand, Emory may seem more academically-focused because it has only one mission.
It really does come down to personal preference. Don’t listen to babbling about which one is more prestigious, because they really are about equal. Good luck!</p>
<p>My son is a freshman on a full-merit honors scholarship at Vandy. Like you, he had a tough choice between some great schools, but I’m happy to say he has been incredibly happy with his decision. His classes have been fantastic, and several of them have had 16 or fewer students. He took an Honors Scholars Seminar his very first semester (7 students in the class) and absolutely loved it. He did not rush, but is involved in myriad activities and has a great social life. He has an extremely diverse set of friends–all different races, religions, cultural backgrounds, interests. He has some friends in fraternities and sororities, and many who are not. Vanderbilt is a diverse campus where you can have a great social life (whether or not you go Greek) and where you can be very intellectually engaged. There is fantastic school spirit at Vandy, and Nashville is a really fun city. Study abroad opportunities abound, so you shouldn’t have any problem there. Emory is also a wonderful school. As the others have said, you can’t go wrong–congratulations and best of luck whatever you decide!</p>
<p>I don’t know what comes with those other scholarships but keep in mind that CV scholars get a stipend for studying abroad!</p>
<p>What GPA/SAT/ACT scores are generally expected of students who get full tuition scholarships at Vandy?</p>
<p>it really isn’t about test scores because the top quartile at Vandy have nudged into the 35/36 range on the ACT…no longer rare at all. Your essays, references, history of top use of your talents in high school and your thoughtful intentions on how you will use your time at Vanderbilt are the factors that matter most. There is no one profile at all. Put your best self forward and go for it. Just writing the essays will be good for you. There is really no point in competing with other admitted Vandy students on tests and grades.</p>
<p>thanks for your responses everyone! i think i’m gonna go with emory. although i think i could have a great college experience at all, emory and the scholars program seem like better fits for me~ :]</p>
<p>Secretfan, if you are a CV Scholar, you have the joy of taking classes with Vandy’s faculty in small classrooms only CV Scholars. This privilege turns Vandy into a small liberal arts college experience for those courses which I just wanted to point out.</p>
<p>The Emory Scholars program is super. Enjoy. Atlanta loves and appreciates Emory just as Nashville enjoys Vanderbilt. </p>
<p>congrats on your decision…but didn’t you miss attending Accepted Students Days at Vandy? 
haha…can’t blame me for tryin’</p>
<p>:) thank you so much for all your helpful advice. i havent committed yet, so i’ll definitely look into that a little more.
i attended MOSAIC, and i’ve visited campus a lot before, so i have a pretty good idea of what it’s like :]</p>