Emory or GaTech?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Emory University
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<p>I'm planning on majoring in chemistry (not pre-med though and i'm not interested in engineering) and I didn't get any scholarships at either school (and i will pay out-of-state tuition at GaTech)</p>

<p>Coming from a private high school, I've had bad experiences with stuck-up rich people (I am now very insecure lol), so I fear going to Emory.
Meanwhile, I felt more comfortable at GaTech after I visited it, but I feel like I'm at a disadvantage compared to other students because I'm paying out-of-state tuition which is still quite expeisnve (~37k/year) vs Emory's ~56k/year. </p>

<p>I plan on going to graduate school so I was wondering if one would give an advantage over the other. I also plan to take part in internships during summers as well as study abroad.</p>

<p>I want to have an enjoyable college experience, but I feel that GaTech has a reputation of being very difficult, and when I visited GaTech, people did not seem very happy and the students that I saw did not try to convince the admitted visiting students go to Tech (while at emory, everyone tended to say "I love Emory!" and "Come to Emory!"). Does this say something about the schools? </p>

<p>I know Emory has a slightly better reputation in the biological/medical sciences which are more rigorous at Emory. I think I am interested in pharmacology, so I was wondering if it would be easier for me at Tech since Tech's chem would be more geared towards the engineering/physics aspect of it. Also, alot of people in the NE (where I'm from) see GaTech as "just another Tech school" which is kind of annoying bc i know Gatech is better than other tech schools</p>

<p>Anyways, I dont' know which one to choose. I think I felt more comfortable at Gatech because students seemed less superficial and friendly (people seemed approachable and some approached me and were really nice) while at Emory, more so (no one approached me, people seemed more judgemental..). I picture GaTech students as more narrow-minded, less concerned with cultures and don't travel alot while at Emory, students are more knowledgeable about other countries. I've lived overseas a few times and travel alot, so I feel that emory's students are more similar to me (but i'm afraid of them. i feel they would be alot more confident and demeaning, while i'm extremely insecure and fear them lol)</p>

<p>Should I suck-it-up, go to Emory, and learn to like it there, take advantagge of their prestige and well-rounded lib arts education (which I really like. so many diff classes to take!) or go to GaTech, pay the outofstate tuition (which is slightly cheaper than Emory but alot more than what most ppl pay) with less prestige in the biosciences/chem (which I presume are easier at Tech) but which i feel more comfortable on campus?</p>

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<p>Knowing that the ones on this forum will simply tell you to go to Tech, I have this to say: I’m not gonna sway, I’m just gonna tell you about it. And you can pm me for questions.</p>

<p>The prestige does nothing. However, the extra money you’ll be paying does. Please consider that. Also, I am from a public HS, so imagine how afraid I was to come to Emory. However, it really isn’t as daunting as you think. Plus, Emory has the effect of humbling some of those stuck up students and putting them in their place (especially in the biosciences and chem. Stay on top, or it’ll rip you a new one). And some of these “unapproachable people” simply don’t know you and I don’t know how you were treated, but generally tourists are treated well by passerbyers. Sorry that you got the opposite vibe. Generally these folks are much more amiable and laid back than you think. I’m friends with a mixed bag of students income wise and there are no problems.</p>

<p>Also, for chem. and prep for pharmacology. That’s what I’m doing, the chem. and bio dept. here have great courses and profs. that will prep. you for such a career. The courses are a bit challenging, but the environment makes them more than doable.</p>

<p>Also, Tech biosciences/chem won’t be but so much easier if at all. If anything, the focus is different, and thus the pedagogy and exam styles are much different (but size differences can account for this, which is another reason that, even if a student at Tech is in the same course in biosciences/chem. as a student here, they may struggle more). </p>

<p>Basically, I’m telling you not to take prestige into account (b/c I think in many ways, regardless of how good we are in it, people/employers will assume that Tech is better off than we are if they base it on their perception of the engineering fields). Consider the price difference, and what approach to learning in the sciences you want more. How much do you value the different focus of the sciences here vs. theirs. Also, determine how much you value the LA style curriculum and determine if it’s worth the difference. Leave prestige out of it, b/c that gets dicey.</p>

<p>Also, don’t choose ease for pharmacology. You want to be prepared. Many of the better bio teachers and chem. teachers here expose you to issues particular to “thinking like a scientist” which is very important if doing things like drug design and research. Better Emory profs. don’t teach complex material for the sake of teaching complex material, they really make sure you can apply it to novel situations. This is really useful. Also, drug design and pharmacology is huge at Emory in case you didn’t know, so it’s honestly one of the better places for aspiring students going into that field (Dennis Liotta accepts undergrads for example). I’m honestly glad I came. However, I essentially attend for free (at least until I took those summer classes. Shouldn’t have done that, but even then, my debt is trivial), so you need to really think about it.</p>

<p>Also, if you decide in our favor: If you have AP chem credit, I recommend Dr. Soria’s freshmen organic course (and his lab). It’s probably the hardest section of organic chemistry at Emory, but for an aspiring non-premed scientist, it’s really worth it and you really learn very complex material that is essential to pharmacology and other non-premed fields. Not to mention, it’ll be a class with a great community of scholars that will have to work together to get through it (students in his class are top notch and are very supportive. I was in it). He also has bonus points (since he doesn’t curve, he grades on an adjusted 5 point scale). However, beware the final (either semester). If you were just supporting yourself w/bonus points, it’s going to liquidate them and you will not get an A/A- after it. Only the really strong students keep an A/A- because of it (they are absolutely brutal. You’ll find yourself being asked and performing the impossible quite literally). With that said, 1st semester, it’s easy to get B/B+(or A-, as bonus points can support final exam score), 2nd, B-/B is doable, work really hard beyond a B (that final makes 1st semesters look easy). Also, to be fair, I’ve checked freshmen orgo. classes at peers (Ivies, other top 20s), and Soria’s is infinitely harder content wise.
For bio 141/142: Take people like Eisen and Passalauqua(141 and 142 respectively). They do case-based, which is how you need to think/learn as a scientist.</p>

<p>Again. Feel free to PM me if you want to know more about Emory. I’m willing to do so, rather it be telling about the personality of the student body, about the work (I could even show you samples of some of the people I alluded to).</p>

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<p>I’m sorry I was confused and thought this was in the Tech forum again.</p>

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<p>I was walking around campus earlier, and I can’t really decide how friendly the students seemed. There were a couple haning out the window of some dorm, yelling “Hey idiot” at everyone who walked by. So “hey idiot, you’re walking with your dad!” and “hey idiot, you’re walking with a backpack!” and then giggling like crazy. Is that typical of Emory, or just some kids blowing off steam? Or some weird tradition, I don’t know.</p>

<p>Anyway, I guess I’m just asking how nice the student body is, like kiwi wanted to know. I didn’t really think I would have to deal with many immature people like that in college (but there are those kids everywhere) like I do in highschool. I mean, I was on campus all of 15 minutes. On the flip side, my dad tripped on a curb in front of a couple of students (embarrassing…) and they seemed really nice and concerned about it. I think they laughed about it a little after they walked off, but he did faceplant into some bushes. lol, I would have laughed too.</p>

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<p>Pick Emory.</p>

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<p>Very Nice Post Bernie!</p>

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<p>They were just having fun. You’ll see more obnoxious stuff at larger schools, trust me. Also, keep in mind, that college isn’t HS. There are 7000 UGs and like 6000 Grads. The campus is large so there will be an array of personalities. You’re right, they were probably just blowing off steam or taking advantage of boredom. Sometimes it is fun to simply act a fool and stop being so uptight for a moment. Random happenings like that actually do have a way of loosening up an otherwise tense atmosphere (people laugh, rather at their ignorance, or they laugh at it knowing it’s a form of entertainment simply trying to get a response). That incident has nothing to do with kindness.</p>

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<p>Go to Emory and do the 3-2 program with ga tech. Best of both worlds!</p>

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<p>The OP does not indicate an interest in engineering. Though, if they are interested in ChemE or BME, that would work.</p>

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<p>Definitely don’t let the behavior of those students reflect on Emory’s student body as a whole -_- We’re not all like that. Actually I’ve never heard anyone act like that.</p>

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<p>If you’re oos, definitely go to Emory</p>