Hi Guys! Since some of us recently were invited for the Emory Scholars Weekend in March for the interview, I was wondering if any other Scholars in the past few years could offer any advice or insight into how the program was, what the interviews were like, people etc. I couldn’t find any other discussion on here about this so I just started one for this year. Please comment below! This can also be a place for any other finalists out there too (for Emory). 
Hey, I saw your other posts. Congrats on being chosen as a finalist!
So basically how the week works is that you come in for around 4 days and get around 3 group interviews. So you are not actually being interviewed independently. Throughout the event you also get a chance to meet current scholars, get a tour, visit classes, be taken to the Carter Center, be given talks, have an insight of some of the campus activities and so on.
My advice is to bond both with the finalists, some of the current scholars, the scholars administration team, and the selection committee. The more you do, the more relaxed you’re going to be about the whole situation. I mean, for some people, it is hugely important to get the scholarship and some others are exploring Emory in case they decide to come (many of the chosen ones also have offers from Ivy Leagues or other scholars programs). So making sure that you know people will make you feel more confident during the interviews since it’s not only in a group but around 3 to 5 people could be assessing you, and the likelihood that you find them around during dinners and events is pretty big.
The other thing is: the interviews are sooooo out of the box. I wont tell you what kinds of things they can come up with but it’s not the simple question-answer type of interview. It’s more of a “let’s play so that we can get to know you” kind of thing and the questions come about spontaneously.
Finally, just gather yourself up before you come. Make sure to reflect on what your values are, what your favorite things in this world are (books, films, trips, etc) and where you feel like you would want to go even if it’s not a sure path. In summary, the selection team just really wants you to show who you are. To make sure that what they saw in you on paper is really who you are and more. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable during the interviews, to share your story or emphasize on your passions. Like, legit, I talked about how Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was mind blowing after reading it again as an 18-year old because, on my personal argument, it reflected a bunch of social issues and critiques. How is this something that’s my passion? Mostly because I’m interested in Media, Entertainment and Culture as serious academic research.
Don’t be afraid to be a nice/cool/contemporary dork 
@obandkewk123 Thanks! did you end up going to Emory? and I’m assuming you’re and Emory Scholar? What academics did you end up doing and how is the workload? sorry I’m weird for asking so many questions.
Don’t worry, this site is for that. Plus, once you get here you’ll see that all the current scholars will be cool with answering your questions.
And yes, I’m a current first-year Woodruff Scholar so I did decide coming to Emory. In terms of Academics I came in thinking I might to Latin American Studies and International Studies but after the Finalist Week and some experiences here I decided to major in either Media Studies with and Arts Co Major plus a Business Concentration, or Interdisciplinary studies with the Arts Co Major and Media Studies Minor.
The workload is alright, it usually depends on the effort you put into the classes. Last semester was hell for me in terms of getting adjusted to the weather since I’m not from around here (Atlanta). I got sick and all so I ended up taking just a couple of classes. I didn’t have any midterms, just a lot of essays, and that was hard in itself. My hardest class was a 300 level course I took just out of interest but it was alright. Now I’m in a couple of artsy classes and even though people say it’s not a big deal, to have an A in those you really have to put almost as much effort as a philosophy class or science course. The difference is the skillset and the stereotypes behind it.
What you have to keep in mind is that to maintain your scholarship you need to have a cumulative GPA of 3.4 per semester. But there are many ways of doing that. Taking easy courses with harder courses, making some courses graded on a basis of pass/fail rather than number, balancing the credit hours you want to take (from 12 to 21 is min and max), etc.
Definitely the perk here at Emory is the community. There are so many study groups, nice faculty, and academic resources that can help you around with the workload. I heard that the tutoring programs (which are practically free here if you’re a scholar) are fantastic for the science fields.
Let me know if you’re interested in being fb friends. Just message me.
Hey! I was also selected as a Woodruff Scholar last year but decided not to attend. For the interviews, I would definitely emphasize saying what you truly believe not what you think the committee wants to hear. There were a number of things that I criticized about the college system in general in my interview answers and I wasn’t sure if it was going to turn out badly or not. But, it seems like they really want people who will push Emory to be better or push for change when it is fit. I think speaking from my heart and ignoring what I though others’ expectations were can really set you apart as someone who is not afraid to challenge systems for the better. Good luck! Scholars week was an incredible experience and even though I go to a different institution, I really met a TON of inspiring people.
@ivybound456 thanks for the insight! Yeah, I’m going next week and I’m super nervous. But I have hope! I really REALLY want to go. Trying to maintain hope though because I thought I wouldn’t even get here and now look where I am XD. This school was number one on my list especially the more and more as I researched it. Where did you decide to go in the end?
Also just out of curiosity what types of service activities et al did you do?