Hello!
With a little over a month left before ed1 decisions come out I thought it would be good to get a discussion going. Feel free to join the coversation and tell us some things about yourself.
As far for me:
ACT: 30
SAT: 1970
GPA: 3.8 UW and 4.02 W
APs: 9
Resident of Ga
Comments: emory is my top choice, obviously since I applied ed1. As a back up I have UGA and GSU honors. Also applied to Ga Tech, NYU, Vanderbilt, and will apply to UNC and Duke
Thanks for posting!
i forgot to mention my hooks:
first gen, URM, low income, published author
feel free to post yours!
This may be better if placed on the actual Emory forum http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/emory-university/
Hi there, I also applied ED1 to Emory!
SAT: 1920
ACT: 29
GPA: 3.76
APs: 6 (my school only offers 8 and I couldn’t fit the others into my schedule)
Resident of NY
Comments: Emory is also my top choice, I also applied to University of Rochester, SUNY Binghamton, SUNY University at Buffalo, SUNY Binghamton, Washington University in St. Louis, and Northeastern University. I still have Boston University, Lehigh, Bucknell, and Brandeis to maybe apply to.
Hooks: Legacy, published poet, first gen
Good luck to you and anyone else who applied ED1 to Emory.
@NeuroDude and @ismitah Did any of you do Questbridge (always helps)?..as for chances…would be nice if y’all post the AP scores if you have any. The 2000ish for a URM is more certainly competitive and I imagine a 1920 for a first gen…maybe (especially since you’re legacy, but they turn down sibling legacies often)? Would definitely sell the writing. Also, tell us academic interests (like ideas for college majors or interests) please.
@bernie12 No, I don’t believe I would qualify for the Questbridge as I am from a higher income home. I am a white first-generation African American. My parents were born and raised in South Africa. I am very happy with my writing and I got lots of praise on my essay and supplement from peers, teachers, and other adults. I am interested in Neuroscience or other similar sciences on a Pre-Med track. I would like to do Neurosurgery after med school. I got a 4 on APUSH and a 4 on AP Lang.
@bernie12 I was actually contacted to apply to questbridge by an emory applicant but I decided not to. If you apply questbridge you can’t apply ED1 as well. Also, only .05% of the people who apply actually get offered admission with a full ride. On top of that, my income is low but not as low the average applicant who wins questbridge. Their average is $25,000 a year. The reason why I chose to do ED1 instead is because my scores are right at the 25th percentile but I have a very personal story as to why my scores are low and I wrote that in my essay. I missed almost 50 school days sophomore year because of hospitalizations and my test scores might not be the best because English is not my first language. So all in all, I took a chance and went ahead and applied through ED1.
Hope this helps!
I listed my AP scores in the app. I have taken 5 so far and am going to take 4 exams this year.
Human geo: 5
World history: 4
Psychology: 4
US history: 4
Lang: 4
@ismitah : Well I think many of the top schools “supplement” so it never hurts to apply even you only get partial…as it would put less strain on the fin. aid pool of the schools of interest. Your scores…are pretty much fine because Emory is not as stats. sensitive. Also, your AP scores would grant you credit for all but human geography (which hardly no private school has an equivalent course as they don’t with world history), but it proves you can handle challenging exams in the case that you take a challenging course (IE ones that give exams as tough as an AP or IB exam…challenging courses in college outside of science or math are more about reading and high workload through writing…if anything diminishes the grade in a college non-STEM course, it will be the grades on writing assignments…often exams in most non-STEM depts are intended to be ultra easy just ensuring you are keeping up-very quiz like) at Emory (or anywhere). I say that because many people just flat out don’t or won’t take a particularly challenging course, even at a top school, but you do want to show adcoms that you at least sometimes like being challenged and can handle.
@NeuroDude : You would be coming in for neuroscience at a great time as they keep adding cool options and electives to that curriculum…however you will likely be limited to some of the more stereotypical ones depending on how you move through the pre-med curriculum. If you plan to take a “softer” approach (like taking classes during summer, avoiding 2 lab sciences at a time, easy teachers, etc) then the neuroscience major would offer little advantage over biology or psychology (psychology at Emory is more science/biologically oriented anyway) majors. In fact, if you are a softer pre-med, most of your NBB electives may be psychology or anthropology anyway, so you if you are, keep those majors in mind.
If you’re more serious about science (and not merely being pre-med, the two are not always congruent), then NBB now offers really cool intermediate/advanced courses like functional neuroanatomy, a neurophysiology lab, neurodegenerative diseases, neuropharmacology (actually drug development from both a scientific and business perspective…you lectures from some top people in drug development at Emory), a neuroscience simulation lab (can accompany one of the core classes, NBB 301, which is the “fun” one), axon growth and degeneration, computational neuroscience, physical biology, and brain plasticity. Basically, if your serious about science, the offerings have evolved such that you can gain a really good exposure to specialized areas that are usually taught really well or with innovative methods…but if you’re not, I would honestly say choose another major because psyche, for example could be equally as good and as rigorous but without such stringent core requirements (and “out of register” offerings of certain ones).
Also, may I advise that you keep an open mind about medical specialties and not correlate your undergraduate major with it. Definitely play the field during undergrad in terms of your course selection outside of pre-med cores. Try to do it without the mindset of “I should be interested in this course because I want to do X after medical school”…you may not intend to do this as of now, but many pre-meds fall into the trap of the narrow undergraduate interests (supposedly connected to post-grad interest) and then end up missing out on some really neat learning oppurtunities.
@bernie12 thanks for all that feedback. It is really insightful and interesting. I am even more excited that I applied ED now given all the amazing opportunities available at Emory.
Also, my scores may not be as high, but my resume 100% makes up for it. I am President of National Honor Society, President and Founder of Chemistry Club, Treasurer of French Club, Vice-President of my Class, and many awards, honors, other activities like research at RPI.
I went to a chemistry class with a friend of mine in their new ATOMIC classroom in their Chemistry Building and it was amazing. I spoke a lot with the professor and he told me so much about the university and what is has to offer in the sciences.
@NeuroDude Nice! Was it Dr. Mulford? Good to know that you were interested enough to actually attend a class. Again, I think they are redoing the curriculum in chemistry altogether next year if the college doesn’t turn the plan down so that should be exciting. NBB (and the graduate program in neuro) is now getting a steady flow of money to it which is why it has rebounded nicely in terms of cool course offerings…Biology and psyche were always pretty consistent. Things may heat up over in physics as well (as they broke their major down into several degree concentrations and programs and added engineering sciences and interestingly, in its inaugural offering, the computational modelling in science and engineering course will likely fill and there are as many biology majors as there are physics majors despite only physics majors being required to take the course. Tells me that the changes are stimulating interest and that the current admissions scheme works despite the scores being flat). Just an exciting time to be at Emory for science. There is a lot of movement in what I believe is the right direction.
Also, apparently the method (round tables) is working in gen. chem…the exams are as hard and in many cases harder (mainly more free response and more higher level problems on the free response section than before…especially in McGill’s class where it almost appeared for the past 2 years that she had given up on those problem types) than last year, yet the averages are holding steady or increasing a lot. As for your scores, they are on the 25% for an enrolled student (at least the ACT) which makes you competitive. Again, Emory is not a stats whore school yet and probably won’t be. As you saw from the ATOMIC room (not common for gen. chem at a top private or any private for that matter), it takes solid students and tries to optimize their talent/potential, as opposed to taking only perfect test takers and a) boring them to death and/or b) assuming they’ll optimize their talent on their own. There is evidence that it at least tries to do so at least. Some schools are ranked well, but clearly don’t really try, at least not in the sciences. It’s just the same traditional old crap that we doesn’t work too well at most places. The Fulbright and Goldwater records of Emory speaks for itself as it over-performs in those areas versus more selective schools.
@bernie12 thanks again for all that information. That is so helpful to be able to read and learn about the school in a much more comprehensive way.
It was in fact Mr. Mulford. I really liked the style of the class and it is rather reminiscent of the tyle my AP Chemistry class is taught.
What is your connection to the school? You know a lot about Emory and what it has to offer. Are you a student? Alum? Parent?.. etc.?
Alum
I’m also applying ED1. Good luck to everybody and I hope to see you all next fall.
Here are my stats, I also have a 31 ACT. http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/emory-university/1810300-chance-me-i-appreciate-it.html
I am also a White Jew, forgot to mention that. But a White Jew with African roots as my family including my parents are all from South Africa.
@NeuroDude : no effect, White Jews are up to 35% of Emory…
@bernie12 I know haha, I’m just saying anyway. I am so interested in Emory also because of how Jewish it is.
@bernie12 @NeuroDude
I want to be a pediatric neurosurgeon and my intended major is listed as NBB, which I chose because I just absolutely love the brain. But the more I think about it, the more I want to do sociology or anthropology as well. The only reason I’m hesitant is because I feel those won’t challenge me enough.
Did you apply to Oxford ED1 as well?
Also, my parents are from Bangladesh which is in Southeast Asia. I only know if one student in Oxford who is from there but would they consider me a minority? A lot of times people don’t realize that we are a seperate country and culture and decide to group is with Indians, who are not really minorities anymore. I don’t care really for any competitive edge it just bothers me if they don’t since I really am a minority and my lifestyle and the opportunities available to me are quiete different.
One last thing:
Will it help my app that I am a published novelist and a nationally recognized poet? I know it has nothing to do with my major…
Thanks for all of your information and feedback!
@ismitah : Of course it will help, however I would again, but open minded about medical specialties and certainly not over-emphasize your interest in pediatric neurosurgery in an essay. I would maybe focus on your love of how the brain works and also on your writing. Don’t play up your prospective majors and career options/pathways too much or else it will throw you into a more stereotyped category. Just find ways to explain your current modes of thinking and passions.
Also, unless you’re engineering or something, there is no need to have compatible hobbies with your intended major (schools like versatility) and some people at Emory have been serious pre-health writers. One who attended was supposed to have a Disney series created based on one of her books. She also founded and created the Emory pulse. She is now at Vanderbilt for medical school.
As for minority, you must still mark nothing or Asian. I think Emory more so focuses on income and first gen. status though of course being URM helps.
Hi! My name’s Olivia and I applied to Emory ED I as well! I go to a high school about forty minutes south of Atlanta. A few of my friends from school also applied to Emory ED I and some under the other plans as well. I have an ACT of 30, unweighted GPA somewhere in the range of 3.97-4 (my school doesn’t list GPAs on a 4.0 scale), and I’ve taken 10 APs. I’m an intended history/international studies major on a pre-law track 