Emory vs. UF

Colleges and Universities A-Z Emory University
1

<p>I posted this in the UF forum, but was hoping I could get some feedback from prospective Emory students. :)</p>

<p>I'm currently deciding between UF Honors and Emory right now and am having a tough time. I'm planning on being a pre-med, but not sure about the major yet.</p>

<p>I feel like Emory is a better fit, but it is a bit more expensive. I received full tuition, but still have to pay about 13,000 per year, which is not bad at all. I'd pay a little less if I went to UF. Also, with Emory, I'd be going on Financial Aid, whereas with UF I'd have mostly Merit Aid. So if my family's financial situation improves, I'm sure Emory will take most of that aid money away.</p>

<p>Basically, I want to know figure out if it's worth the possibility of taking out many loans to go to Emory, since my family's income may increase this year. Everyone I know has said Emory is the best choice, but I'd like to know if it's really worth it compared to UF Honors for pre-med. Is it much more competitive? And how are their medical school acceptance rates comparatively?</p>

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<p>This is not even competition… you received a full tuition from Emory? People turn down Harvard for Emory full rides… you should definitely choose Emory over UF. Emory pre med is amazing,btw… one of Emory’s strengths.</p>

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<p>I turned down UF Honors for Emory in a heartbeat.
I received close to full tuition, and like you, would still have to pay $13,000 a year though UF is slightly less ($8,000). Like you, I am also on financial aid at Emory whereas at UF, I’d be on merit aid (Bright Futures ftw!). Like you, most likely my aid will decrease next year, when my dad comes back from China and starts working. And like you, I also plan to become a doctor. But I still chose Emory.</p>

<p>I think the quality of people that I associate with would be slightly higher. Not to demean UF or its people, who are wonderful and bright students (I know many, many who are as hardworking and smart as Emory students) but in general… I think it’s safe to say that Emory people > UF people, academically speaking.</p>

<p>Also, I don’t really like the party scene at UF. Plus, there’s nothing to do in Gainesville whereas Atlanta provides many opportunities to be active in the city. Sure you need a car, but hey, that’s cool with me; I’d rather have the activities exist than have none at all. </p>

<p>Plus UF was way too big for me… I feel like I wouldn’t get the close, interactive student-professor attention I would get at a smaller college. In terms of premed opportunities, if you search for Emory premed here, there willl be lots of answers and information available to you. I did the same for UF and couldn’t find much… </p>

<p>One thing to consider though: which school will you do better in, academically? Med schools doesn’t take the prestige of your undergrad education into consideration, so it’s best to choose a school that you can get a good GPA in. Although this is only personal example, I saw my friend’s (who goes to UF) Chem II test and it contained the exact problems that I had in AP Chem… I think most people would get a better GPA at UF. </p>

<p>Also, at UF, you have the chance to get into their Junior Honors program (7 year med school + guaranteed acceptance to UF med school). But personally, for the reasons above and those unlisted, I chose Emory.</p>

4

<p>In terms of med school acceptance… I think Emory was around 85%? Here’s UF’s answer:</p>

<p>"What percentage of UF students are accepted to medical, dental, osteopathic, optometry, school?</p>

<p>This answer to this question is pretty meaningless. The University of Florida does not restrict any student from applying to professional school. In other words, even less than competitive students can apply to professional school. Clearly, the more of these students there are, the larger the denominator becomes and the lower our percentage rate becomes. Conversely, some schools, only consider those applicants who have a 3.5 or above, for example, as their applicants and base their acceptance rates from that number. Because there is no consistency about how undergraduate institutions arrive at their “percentage accepted,” it is difficult to compare schools on the same criteria. Therefore, UF does not publish this data as a way to attract students. In the end, it is not the school that obtains a medical school acceptance, it is a student. The harder our students work, the more likely they are to be accepted to a professional school. Following the advice of the pre-health professions advisors, using the resources available to them such as the Academic Advising Center’s workshops, the OHLPA Library and Services, and the Pre-Health Professions Handbook, our students are very successful at gaining acceptance to medical school."</p>

<p>Hmmmm…</p>

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<p>Emory. But to me it’s personal. UF has too many people going from my school that I’ve outcompeted and I feel I deserve better.</p>

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<p>^^^ No, Emory’s overall acceptance rate, for anyone who applies to medical school is 50 percent. However Emory students with a 3.5+ gpa/30+ mcat score stand 80-90 percent chance at medical school. Emory’s pre-med program still needs A LOT of work, before it is on par with the programs of Rice/Vanderbilt/Duke/Cornell/Brown/Northwestern</p>

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<p>I just wonder how this improvement can be made. Obviously the classes are effective, so something else is going on. My pre-med friend made a very interesting point when he said that “Emory doesn’t give you anything”. In other words, the advising system doesn’t pick classes for students and stuff like that, like many other schools. He kind of agrees with Emory’s approach because he believes that students should know how to select classes wisely amongst other things. He is saying that Emory does not do nearly as much hand-holding as other institutions.</p>

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<p>Please read my thread titled “Med School Placement Numbers Tricks”</p>

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<p>i was in the same boat as u a wk ago. i dont get as much of a discount as u for emory…so UF is cheaper. i know some of the smartest kids in my school going to UF…some of the best students at my school arent even going to top schools…turning them down. im turning it down too.
as for medicine…u will have a higher GPA @ UF and u will succeed there whereas Emory will have more competition.
as for the environment…emory=atlanta=fun. but UF is a party school.</p>

10

<p>Thanks so much! This really put my decision into perspective. I always knew Emory is probably better for Pre-Med, but now I know it may also be worth the pricetag. :slight_smile: Getting a better GPA at UF is also something I am taking into consideration.</p>

<p>@keikoblue: That’s so funny we are in the same situation! And I agree with you about the people, intellectual level, and social life differences. That is the main reason I am leaning towards Emory. I’m not sure if I can take 4 years at a hardcore party school.</p>

<p>Thanks again everyone!</p>