<p>I'll begin by saying I'm really interested in Emory. That being said, I'm not sure if its the best place for my undergraduate education simply because of the level of students that attend. From the stats that Emory provides and that can be found in USNWR.... it seems that everyone at Emory is hard working, competitive and really smart. I would like to think that those words define me as well. I feel I could be a top student at a local public college. See my dilemma?</p>
<p>I'm basically worried that I will be the least equipped student. How is the work load? Is it imposssible to get an A? I would be happy with a 3.5-3.7 GPA....but will I have a social life? How hard are the classes? </p>
<p>I know I'm not the only one with these thoughts.</p>
<p>The workload is managable, but I wouldn't say it's easy. Most professors will extend a paper deadline, etc. if you ask for it. Emory's students are not competitive with each other. Everyone works together to study and do well in classes. It's not MIT. It's very possible to have a 3.5 and have a social life. Probable actually. I know kids who go out 4 times a week or more and make very good grades. It's about time management and knowing when you can get away with going out on a Tuesday and when you should go to the library. If you're smart about it, you can do whatever you want and still make good grades. </p>
<p>The balance between social life and work is nearly perfect here, I'd say. I go out at least twice a week, more when it's not during midterms/finals, and my grades are pretty solid. If you can get accepted here, then you can handle the work load. As long as you're not premed. That's a little bit tougher.</p>
<p>I definitely agree with everything that dgebll said. One of my biggest fears prior to attending Emory was whether I would fit in academically. I was worried that I wouldn't have the "brains" to survive. If you know yourself and your study habits well and use common sense when creating your own little social life vs academic life schedule, you will be fine. It isn't easy, but it isn't torturous either. </p>
<p>As far as competition goes, I've yet to be in a position where I felt that everyone (or anyone) was competing against me or that I had to prove myself to be better than anyone else. Yes, there are those students that feel the need to flaunt, but you will find those at every school you go to. However, for the most part and as dgebll said, everyone is almost always willing to help each other out and even form study groups. I truly believe that competition should be the least of your worries at Emory.</p>
<p>Emory's grading is generous relative to many other top colleges (Boston University, UChicago, MIT, Swarthmore, Reed, et al). Unlike many of these colleges, getting an "A" is very realistic at Emory. Honestly, I think the vast majority of admitted students is capable of getting a 3.7+; many times it's just a matter of work ethic. </p>
<p>Importantly, I think one should remember that the admissions process is extremely selective. By admitting students with good stats, the admissions committee is not just building an impressive profile for Emory's US News Report; they are also admitting students who have the intelligence and background to succeed at Emory.</p>
<p>As far as the workload, I think this depends very heavily on which classes one takes. Pre-med students seem to have their hands full with difficult science classes. Many humanities classes can also be demanding. As someone with averagely difficult classes, my workload has not been overbearing. It's highly manageable. </p>
<p>Questions like these can be hard to answer because it varies from individual to individual; what one considers "overbearing" another considers "light". Generally speaking, the best thing that can be said is that Emory's workload and grading is not particularly intense, certainly less intense than many peer colleges.</p>
<p>I agree with Blaze that an A is possible. However, I don't know that you can say Emory is easier than most peer schools. We haven't taken classes there. Also, some Ivies have reputations for being notoriously hard to fail at. I believe that the pre-med program at Emory is very rigorous. As for competition, the business school's grading system makes classes somewhat competitive.</p>
<p>An A is possibly in any course of study, however, that course of study will determine the amount of time needed to get an A. Like taking organic chemistry and biology for example ;)</p>
<p>This relieves me somewhat. Although I know I could do Pre-med at local schools, I'm still unsure about Pre-med at Emory....it sounds pretty tough. What to do, what to do.</p>
<p>Based on your past posts (one of which I responded to back in September), I think your secondary school record speaks well of your potential to do well at Emory in general. It's a terrific school with a wealth of academic options, and with the new financial aid programs to be implemented in Fall 2007, it's a school that is proving to be generous to those who need financial aid in order to attend. It's important to know that the Office of Admission evaluates prospective students' abilities to be able to succeed academically. Ergo, if you are admitted, then Emory believes in you -- so, ask yourself, do you believe in you?</p>
<p>Based on what my daughter, now a freshman, has experienced, I would say that the pre-med track students are challenged. She's used to earning A's, and she did for her non-science classes this past Fall term, but her Bio and Chem classes were moreso in the B range. Perhaps she could have pushed a lot harder, but there's an opinion that the science offerings present more of a challenge in order to earn an A grade.</p>
<p>My freshman daughter had no trouble getting A/A- grades her first semester except for chemistry. She was very happy with her B+. For awhile, she thought just passing would be an accomplishment. My advice to new freshmen is not to panic at the first sign of trouble. Take a deep breath, reassess the situation, and take advantage of the resources the school provides.</p>
<p>Emory's rep. is for very cut-throat competitive students. I attended the law school as a graduate law student,and the law school was regarded as one of the most competitive,cut-throat in the U.S. Law students often ripped out pages from law books to prevent others from obtaining the same research results. Now,with computerized research,that cannot happen. But the mentality remains the same for upper level students seeking med and law school admissions. So enjoy your first two years,then...</p>
<p>i really disagree with the description of the atmosphere of the school. your experience was in the law school which is distinct from the undergrad college and i don't think it is representative of the undergrad experience at all. i couldn't imagine people acting like that. Even though there are pre med people who are intense, i seriously doubt that they would act the way you describe. those who are very intense are that way with themselves and not with others.</p>
<p>I have a great deal of experience with Emory,and I also recognize that others can have different experiences,but I stand by what my earlier post states. Also I will write that Emory was very good to me,but the security at the law library is a bit too intense. I have spent a lot of my life on Emory's campus and with Emory graduates of both the law school and undergraduate programs.</p>
<p>Anyone who says that Emory has cut-throat competitive students is dead wrong. I edit my friend's papers who are in the same class as mine. I've never taken a class with a bell curve (I'm in the College), so there's no reason not to help other people out. Everyone can get an A if they put in effort. I knew a kid that skipped a midterm and still got a B in the class. That's almost embarassing for the professor. </p>
<p>The average GPA in the College is above a 3.0. That should tell it all. Most kids make above an 85 in all classes. </p>
<p>Emory students want to do well, but there's no motivation for wanting someone else to do bad to make you look better.</p>
<p>I will bet that you are a freshman or sophomore. Anyway we will never know the correct answer over the internet. I know that you mean well and that you have school spirit and that your experience may differ from mine- especially if you are a fr. or soph.,but there are too many reliable sources agreeing with me. The difference between us is that I have no current interest in Emory and you do.</p>
<p>Moe: Great question. My law school experience with Emory was in the 1980s. My most recent experience on campus was 3 years ago,and my most recent connection with Emory was 6 months ago. I have very,very fond memories of Emory;in fact,I have great memories based on my personal experiences there. But I still stand by my posts. And this is not just my opinion. Your opinion is equally valid and may be even more current than mine.</p>
<p>I'm undecided, but I am pretty sure that I will major in something which contributes little to society and offers me few job opportunities.</p>
<p>In regard to the undergraduate college, I'll just throw in my anecdotal evidence: in my classes and experiences, I have not noticed a cut-throat competitiveness. In fact, if anything, I have noticed the opposite sentiment, students seem to help and encourage each other academically, whether it be study groups before tests or homework help sessions.</p>
<p>Emory is probably no easier/harder than most of the schools it is generally compared to. A number of my friends have 3.8+ GPAs, and quite honestly I haven't found Emory to be hard at all. Even if you are taking pre-med classes (which I did), the classes honestly aren't any harder than AP classes you probably took in high school. As for the cutthroat thing, I'm a graduating senior who is going to medical school, and I don't really think it exists. There are obviously people who are only interested in themselves and getting good grades, but I have never heard of anyone doing anything to sabotage another person's work. I guess it could happen, but I certainly don't know about it.</p>
<p>Actually, I'm a junior. I've almost completed one major and am well into the second. I've taken upper division classes in several departments, so I have experience with students majoring in many subjects. I also don't see the "too many reliable sources agreeing with" you posted on this page. In fact, many current students here disagree with you. </p>
<p>In any case, for any of you looking at Emory, go walk around campus, find a current student, explain that you're visiting, and ask this question. At least 19 times out of 20, I'm willing to bet they're going to say that the students here are far from cutthroat.</p>