<p>Hello, I was recently admitted to Emory as part of the RDs. The school fits all of my criteria (i.e. strong academics, medium sized, near a city) but from reading various college books and browsing the internet I have heard some very mixed reviews of the school. </p>
<p>Everyone agrees the academics are strong, but many say the school's social life: "is centered around Frats", "there is none", or that the school is "too isolated from the city." One student even likened his experience at Emory to "being attacked by a grizzly bear. It started off badly, and only got worse." I am hoping someone would be able to tell me what student life is really like at Emory, any info would be IMMENSELY appreciated! :)</p>
<p>first you can find that kind of review on just about every college in the country. Read this board there are plenty of happy Emory students here.</p>
<p>Emory is not frat-centered. I have not been to a frat house since my first or second year and have still managed to have fun. Most people go to off-campus house/apartment parties, Clairmont campus parties, or to places in Decatur/Atlanta. Emory is certainly not isolated so long as you don’t think of down-town Atlanta as the only place to go out. It is about 15 minutes away by car. Decatur, however, is much closer (<5 min.) and full of great restaurants, clubs, and bars. You won’t hear many Emory students complain about the social life.</p>
<p>My child has found a wonderful group of intelligent, motivated and exciting friends at Emory and has never complained of having limited social interaction. On the contrary, there has always been an abundance of things to do. You will find, however,that most students fully understand that the rigor of their academic program sometimes requires putting their social schedule on the “back burner”.</p>
<p>It is true that you will find terrible reviews of every single school if you look hard enough. I read reviews like that as well, and I was nervous that I had made the wrong choice about coming to Emory, but ever since my very first day on campus, I’ve never regretted it once. I have conversations with my friends nearly every day about how much we love this school and how incredibly happy we are here.<br>
And no, the social life is not centered around frats. I’ve never been to a frat party and I don’t feel that my social life is lacking in the slightest bit. Message me if you have any specific questions!</p>
<p>I definitely agree that you can find a bad review about any school, but I was really surprised at how many mixed reviews turned up in my searches. I posed the question because I felt the information I was reading was biased and misleading, and I wanted to hear students’ real experiences. Thank you all for your truthful responses!</p>
<p>As a parent, I don’t have the strength of opinion of what it’s like to actually be an Emory student, but here are some thoughts from this perspective.</p>
<p>About two weeks ago, I happened to be on the campus of my own alma mater, visiting with my own mother, my daughter’s grandmother – who had not been on the campus for decades. I was thinking, as I often have over the years, that my college years were the best years of my life. It was such a great time of freedom from obligations; freedom to think and pursue ideals; and great opportunity to be a thinker of notions far beyond what I had ever imagined. I remember the late-night “raps” (the word for discourse back in those days) and chance to interact with brilliant minds and be influenced by personal discovery. I also remember the zany times, the pitiful intramural football and softball games, and heartache and grief that comes with maturing into a young adult. Indeed, those were the best years of my life.</p>
<p>All of that said, when I visit my daughter at Emory, I can’t help each and EVERY time of being envious of her. There is such a wealth of different options, not all for everybody, but enough to lace together a college experience that is truly worthy. When in town, I have occasionally taken her and some of her friends to dinner, and I’m happy with what I see – that she’s found a circle of friends that have the potential to be life-long friends. It didn’t always come easy, but friends are sometimes like that. The academic opportunities were always a given at Emory – really they’re great. It’s with the unknown of creating and nurturing a college experience that hopefully you can look back on years later and know that you made a great choice. If only we had a crystal ball, but alas we don’t. One thing that I know to be true is that sometimes we make what our own reality – and so ask yourself, “What reality do I want to make?”</p>
<p>When reading reviews, you need to put yourself in the perspective of the reviewer. For example, someone who is citified, might be unhappy with Emory’s suburban location (“too isolated from the city”, but yet they would also be unhappy at ANY rural or suburban college. Thus, it’s important to figure out what YOU want in a college. Some kids love/need a city; others prefer a tight-knit rural campus.</p>
<p>but lets be clear, Emory is no rural campus, i wouldn’t call it suburban either, when you can see dtown clearly from campus, your in an urban environment, you have a short car ride to the center of the city (10-15 Mins)</p>
<p>^^I guess we can agree to disagree. IMO, an urban campus includes the likes of Boston U, George Washington, Chicago, Hopkins, MIT, USoCal, and many others. The point is that you don’t have to “drive” to be in the middle of urbaneness (is that a word?). In my definition, colleges like Emory and Northwestern don’t meet that criteria.</p>
<p>when i think suburban idk i think of really small schools in areas of like 25,000 or less, idk druid hills has a city feel to it, so does decatur and highlands. its def. not like the ones you listed, its not your NYU kinda stuff but i like it cause it has the urban connection yet your not in a cement and pavement world. its not like your driving through suburbs to get to the dtown area too, your driving through outer towns that are urbane and sophisticated, its not like corn field, development of suburbia then BAM Atlanta, idk i guess its tough to explain, i still consider it urban.</p>
<p>That was a very extreme student view, but it does represent a group of students here that hate the school. For the most part students like it here, they don’t love it, but they like it.</p>
<p>i have visited friends at emory multiple times and every story i hear about “what happened last night” all occurred at frat parties. I think people like going into the city but it is definitely not as convenient as people make it sound, especially if you do not have a car, which is why i think most of the underclassmen social scene centers around frat life</p>