We have a close friend who has worked at Emory for over 20 years, and we had considered the Emory Oxford option for our S20. She described a typical scenario. If your daughter is considering studying abroad, do it first-semester sophomore year. Depending on the kid, it may be an easier transition into a smaller school as a first-year student. Then, you have the semester abroad to look forward to as a sophomore, you are excited to be back with your friends for the second semester, and then they are all off to the main campus together.
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I meant one of the classes at Oxford where they also spend a week or 2 abroad - if those fall into her area of interest. Or even see if itâs possible for study abroad sophomore year . 
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That sounds like a really great idea, and something she would definitely be interested in. Her brother has spent a whole year in Paris, France and it has been life-changing!
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Yes, if she ends up not adoring the Oxford campus this could be a way to kill some time. She does want to study abroad.
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I cannot thank you enough for your input. I am new to this field of study 100%. I am an attorney and her father is in medicine so we donât know her options but are trying to learn. Even google searches do not yield as much valuable information as you and @yauponredux have provided for me - not even close. I am not sure she even has the patience to go through a PhD or PsychD, but if she did - I can see the PsychD route being more appealing to her as patient care is what she is primarily interested in. Maybe once she completes undergrad she will simply want to complete a MA and practice as as a therapist (that is all that is needed correct?). She is definitely more of a working lady than a studying/researching lady and has been working since she is 14 so I cannot see her hitting the books with no financial incentives for the next 8-10 years - she just wonât make it. She is already talking about working part-time in college.
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Emory is a great school but I gotta say that Oxford is truly out in a cow pasture. And itâs 45 min drive to Emory so taking a class at Emory could be problematic.
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So, you are right, and your implication that it isnât for everyone is correct. However, it IS perfect for some kids, which wasnât implied in your answer.
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Licensing requirements may vary by state, but in general - yes. An MA/MS permits careers in counseling, family therapy, behavior analysts, etc.
As with my daughterâs cohorts, several are married, some had some professional licenses and worked in the field, before deciding to pursue/being accepted into the PsyD program.
Your daughterâs priorities and ambitions might mature, and what seems less likely today might become a goal down the road. Itâs not a race.
Then grad school could come as a shock: Itâs year-round, spring/summer/fall semesters, at best with two weeks between each. On the other hand, there are only a few days and hours of classes, and after the first year, a day or two of clinical (full-day) internships will mix academics and hands-on work. To enable that, the grad program might award an MS degree to the candidates, after the first full year.
Sheâll have a few years to figure things out - and with a good Psych department that has professors that are also practioners, sheâll hopefully get good guidance and gain insights into different career paths.
Most importantly, by the second year in college, she might yet change her major to something entirely unexpected, as it happens to a large percentage of college students!
A note on financials: due to the research component, there might be funding for PhD programs, but usually not for PsyD programs.
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⊠and you get to casually name-drop that you âstudied at Oxfordâ. 
This is true about Richmond, especially for the gals. Cliquey by region that students are from, by level of affluence, by sorority/fraternity affiliation, and one specific example, cliquey in the sense that in the cafeteria only certain people from certain Greek houses can sit at certain tables.
If she doesnât want Greek Life Richmond may not be the best fit (note I am not saying that people who arenât Greek canât or wonât have a good experience there). Itâs all about fit, which is unique to each person. Also, there isnât anything within walking distance of campus, although there are frequent shuttles, and many students with cars.
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That is definitely not her scene. She is on the shy side but loves and accepts everyone and does not take well to cliquey-ness even though she has many of the qualities that would allow her to be part of those very same cliques. We are ruling Richmond out more and more every day despite its proximity to home (a little over 2 hour drive).
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Phew - we hadnât picked up on that during accepted student visit. That would not have gone over well with my daughter either. No interest in 4 more years of highschool drama.
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Nor did we when we visited with D19 (who didnât attend). This is primarily informed by 4 students we directly know who have transferred out over the last 4 years or so after their first year (3 gals, 1 guyâŠall mainstream, non-POC, affluent, smart, non-Northeasterners), as well as the benefit of other college counselor talk in various settings. I do want to make clear that many students have a great experience at Richmond. Fit can be hard to determine even after visiting.
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Thanks for sharing your sonâs experience! My son is very excited about the Oxford start⊠sees it as an opportunity to make good friends, be more involved, maybe have leadership role. Heâs not currently a party hardy kind of guy and we live in a small town similar to Oxford/Covington so it wonât be much of a change. Looking forward to visiting tomorrow.
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If the $5k stair-steps between GW, Emory and Richmond wouldnât be a burden, Iâd go ahead and let her choose based on fit.
Look at:
- Academic fit â majors and courses available. Have her look at curricular requirements â see which one she loves/hates â if she cares at all. If she doesnât care, well at least sheâll know a little more about the majors and courses available at each school.
- Location/Environment. With Oxford/Emory she would get a hybrid LAC/U education in two suburban(ish) locations. At GWU, there isnât much of a defined campus â it is very much a city school, like BU and NYU. At Richmond, itâs a fairly traditional college campus.
- Vibe. Oxford/Emory and U of Richmond likely are fairly alike in overall academic and social vibe, though Richmond will be a bit more intellectual as a LAC. (but it is a LAC with plenty of pre-professional business and law aspirantsâŠ). GWU is known to have a much more liberal political vibe and, being in DC, will have a lot of kids into politics/law, trying to get political and court internships.
If she likes Emory, youâd be fine just going with that if itâs affordable. Itâs at least as good as the rest of the schools sheâs been admitted to, and if it is affordable â there you go. And since she starts at Oxford, sheâll get that unique hybrid LAC/U experience.
BUT if she isnât 100% sold, do your due diligence and consider the questions/fit variables mentioned above, and if possible, visit them.
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Our S20 started at Richmond and ended up transferring. His main reason for transferring was he wanted to be in a school where most students were more academically serious. His other reason was that the school started feeling small and that he would see all the same people every day.
Socially he had a great experience and has lifelong friends. He was in a frat, and that rushing was a more significant part of the scene at Richmond than he anticipated. He definitely felt it was cliquey and didnât like that it was. He does have a real fondness for the school, and as Mwfan1921 said, it can be a great fit depending on the kid.
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Enjoy your visit. My son got to perform in his first year with ox_Broadway and was music director second year which also made him VP. Wound up President when the pres quit. So yes leadership is easy. My son doesnât party at all and that is just fine there. Some will be no one feels the pressure to.
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Thanks for your sharing your sonâs experience. She loved Richmond when we visited but all this buzz about Greek life and being cliquey has left a sour taste in all of our mouths. I donât think it is everyoneâs experience but this is likely a 4 year commitment so we want her to really think hard about these other âsoft factorsâ beyond academics.
Thank you for your input. She is really putting too much stock into ranking as are her peers so I hope her visits bring her clarity about fit.
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Please share your experience here after you go!!! I would be happy to hear anything you can share!!!