Emory (and/or Oxford) vs. Case Western vs. Rutgers

Colleges and Universities A-Z Emory University
1

<p>Hey guys,</p>

<p>I was recently admitted to the Emory College of Arts and Sciences and Oxford College, as well as Case Western Reserve University (with $28,000/year) and the Rutgers - New Brunswick School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program (with a full ride, in state). The question is: which school should I pick? Here's an overview of my current situation:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>I'm not at all sure on majors/fields of study to pursue in college/graduate school/a career, but feel inclined towards: molecular biology/premedical classes, statistics, economics/misc. business-related fields, physics/engineering of some sort, law-related classes, or some combination of basically any of those (although law-related classes would likely take a backseat to the others).
Basically, I'm planning to enter either medicine, law, or business, and would like to earn an engineering undergraduate degree if possible (although I'd more likely end up with an easier degree in one of the above alternatives), followed (immediately out of undergrad) by either medical school, law school, or business school. In this regard, money is obviously a concern.</p></li>
<li><p>Location doesn't really matter to me, although CWRU's Ohio location does seem a little out of the way, and doesn't appeal to me nearly as much as the other two. I'm not familiar at all with Emory's campus, and Rutgers'es is average in my opinion. </p></li>
<li><p>Opportunities to get into (and still be able to afford) the nation's top (ie. Harvard, Stanford, Duke) graduate programs, especially those in the busiest Northeastern cities is paramount in regards to my future goals - whether it be medicine or law (my preferred options) or business (would still appeal), I sincerely want to go to a school that has at least consistent history with feeding into those graduate programs/being recruited by big-name employers, but without accruing a crippling amount of undergraduate debt (this is where the balancing act involving Rutgers'es full ride, CRWU's half-ride, and Emory's lack of any financial aid at this point comes in)</p></li>
</ul>

<p>I feel that things like academic curricula, social life, etc. are either nearly equivalent (in the former case) or accommodatable (in the latter) enough to not really factor into my decisions nearly as much as the above listed ones. I hope to make the most academically/socially of wherever I go anyways, and am amenable to big, medium, or small schools.</p>

<p>And as I said before, Emory has not given me any aid (I haven't filled out the FAFSA yet but plan to, and was stupid enough to not apply for any earlier scholarships - are there any left?), CWRU has offered me basically a half ride, and Rutgers Honors SAS has offered me a full ride. Money is a big factor here (since I want to enter grad school with little to no debt/financial burden), and my family's ~120k/year income bracket is unlikely to generate much grant aid. Prestige is also important - is the difference between Emory and, say, Rutgers SAS Honors big enough to matter in the future?</p>

<p>Please share your thoughts on this matter no matter what they may be - I am open to all suggestions/ideas! Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Also, I’d like to study abroad (preferably in the U.K. and/or China) for an extended period of time (ie. around 6 months), if that makes any big difference.</p>

3

<p>If you’re planning to go to graduate school, I would highly suggest the full ride to Rutgers, if money is a significant issue in your choice. If not (sorry for so many ifs), you can’t go wrong with either Case or Emory. personally, i kind of prefer Emory because the name is more recognized and I don’t want to say prestigious but…prestigious. But this is ENTIRELY your choice. Go visit the campus of each school to see if one feels right. A random cc member has no way of deciding what college is best for YOU. </p>

<p>Congratulations on your acceptances! Keep me posted.</p>

4

<p>I would say Emory. First off they’re ranked much higher than CWRU and Rutgers. Also, they have phenomenal law/bus/med schools. Theres also lots of opportunities for any of those careers in Atlanta. In addition, Emory has good study abroad programs (I’m assuming since they’re always boasting about it). CWRU is in Ohio and there’s literally nothing to do here, the complete opposite of Atlanta. I don’t know much about Rutgers. Emory’s going to really put a hole in your pocket though. Good luck choosing!</p>

5

<p>Didn’t the FAFSA deadline already pass? If so, then you won’t be able to afford Emory with an income of $120,000, so really your only choices are between Rutgers and Case Western. Both schools are very good, but you should know that engineering basically requires you to start as a freshman. It’s certainly possible to switch into the field as a sophomore, but you’d likely take 5+ years to graduate since engineering and physics have very specific course sequences that must be followed. </p>

<p>While Emory’s b-school does have a pipeline to the NY financial sector, Rutgers, simply owing to its location, probably offers the strongest connections to the Northeastern firms. </p>

<p>Check to see what the honors program entails. Some honors programs are nothing more than a few discussion sections with high stats students, while others like ASU’s Barrett Honors offer a separate campus, individualized research opportunities, and classes for only honors students. </p>

<p>I’d strongly consider Rutgers, but wouldn’t discount the benefits of a Case Western education. More individualized attention early on can mean stronger recommendations, better research opportunities, etc. Sure all of these things are more than available at RU, but might be easier to acquire at Case.</p>

6

<p>Emory doesnt have a engr. school. People who want to do engr. will complete a 5-year dual degree with GAtech.</p>

7

<p>My son was admitted to Emory 3 years ago and also full ride to Rutgers Science or half ride to Rutgers Pharmacy. We went to orientation in Emory as well as Rutgers Pharmacy and without hesitation, we chose Emory. He has been so happy in Atlanta, spent 6 months in Beijing study abroad in PKU plus summer working in Beijing afterwords. With the education, opportunities, experience, he is now in the Emory prestigious Business school and already found a reputable summer intern job before heading back for senior. I don’t know if Rutgers can offer so much or not but his 4 years (3 years so far) in Emory will definitely be the most memorable life for him and we are so proud!
Try to visit both campus ASAP, attend their admit event and make your calculated decision afterwards, is my 2 cents to you!</p>