<p>I've narrowed down my desicion to Berkeley and Emory. I'll be visiting both schools in the next few weeks. Any thoughts?</p>
<p>Very different college experience. Depends on your academic and social interests. Both are highly regarded schools. Berkeley's reputation is excellent although much of that is from grad programs. </p>
<p>Some differences important to me:</p>
<p>Undergrad focus
size of the classes
TAs vs profs
Mostly in-staters vs national diversity
strength of programs
cost</p>
<p>Berkeley is bigger than Emory by far, a more diverse campus I would say (over 40% asian), the best of the UC schools and has a wonderful reputation. I would personally choose Berkeley but that's just me. Both are incredible schools with even better reputations.</p>
<p>O_O how is 40%+ asian diversity?</p>
<p>they are both very diverse schools with great reputations. the difference comes in the size (public vs. private). there is much more personal attention at a smaller school like emory because of the smaller classes. i think once you visit you will have to see which one fits you best. i know that once i was on the emory campus i loved it and knew i wanted to be there. both great schools so you learn alot at both.</p>
<p>Rather than having 70 something percent caucasians like every other university...asians and other races are much more represented. I visited Berkeley and absolutely loved it...its an awesome school. But then again, so is Emory...</p>
<p>The way I look at it is they are both great schools. I will attend Emory and would love to one day attend grad school at a school like Berkeley.</p>
<p>nesa - other races actually aren't more represented its just that the school is 45% asian 40% white and 5% everyone else.</p>
<p>Is anyone else debating between schools? Which ones?</p>
<p>I'm debating between Emory and Michigan</p>
<p>i'm debating between Emory with no aid and GW with a 1/2 tuition scholarship (and NYU but I've basically ruled it out). I want to study poli sci, so I am leaning wayyyyy towards GW.</p>
<p>krocket, did you have to apply for the 1/2 tuition scholarship at GW, or did they just randomly give it to you? It seems that everyone got money from GW except for me.......</p>
<p>ssharif, it should depend on what you want to study and how much money each school offered you.</p>
<p>I was always interested in the sciences, particularly neuroscience, but now after taking economics I have a fascination with business as well. I have to pay 4,000 more per year if I want to attend Emory over berkeley based on my financial package.</p>
<p>40% asian is diverse because that group breaks down into lots of nationalities like Indian, Pakistani, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Vietnamese, Thai, Tibetan, etc.</p>
<p>Frankly, Emory has just about zero international reputation. I can understand someone hesitating between Cal and an Ivy or Stanford, or even a John Hopkins, but schools like Emory or Washington U just aren't world-class. It's no contest in terms of academic prestige, the quality of the faculty and the environment.</p>
<p>Do you want to learn from one of the best faculties in the world, or are more interested in the quality of the wood paneling at your dining hall? Do you know how exciting it is to be taught by the very best?</p>
<p>Do you plan to spend your 4 years in college between your dorm and classes, or do you want to explore a vastly more stimulating environment? Do you want to meet bright students from every country and all walks of life or do you want to live for four years in an Abercrombie catalog (with less hot-looking babes)? Do you want to live near Atlanta or near San Francisco? Georgia or Northern California? Lake Tahoe or Yosemite or the Appalachians?</p>
<p>neatd99, i did not apply for the scholarship, but i do have legacy so i think that may have affected it.</p>
<p>what about between Emory and UCSD? I'm on a waitlist for Emory, but if I get in, it's a huge faceoff between UCSD and Emory for me.</p>
<p>My further-down-the-path goal is med school, and Emory does have a good medical school... Ahhhh, but UCSD is 2-3 hrs from where I live now and would be convenient.... whereas Emory is in Atlanta, GA where I'm not too particular of.... but Emory is a better school.... but... Gah.</p>
<p>Dilemma. Anyone want to try to sway me one way or the other?</p>
<p>REPLY DIRECTED AT CALX:
I don't want to spend the next four years of my life in classes of over 200 students. I don't want to have to struggle to get the classes I want. I don't want to be stuck in a major I don't want to be in because it is so difficult to change my major, especially to divert to an impacted major. From what I have researched, I believe Emory university provides a great undergraduate education with plenty of resources at students fingertips. US News and World Report gave both Emory and Berkeley the same rank. In fact,though I'll be the first to say standardized scores don't mean everything, according to the Princeton Review the average SAT scores of students at Emory are higher than those at Berkeley. I don't think it's right to refer to these students, as I may be one next year, as bumbling idiots out of Abercrombie magazines. At Emory, I will meet people from around the U.S. I am, by no means, however, trying to belittle Berkeley. I agree that Berkeley is an amazing school, with a great reputation, and it is indeed in a great location. I just don't know if it's right for me. I will visit both schools at the end of this week to decide.</p>
<p>How about Emory (no financial aid) vs. University of Maryland's "honors humanities" program (only 50 freshmen in that, w/ extra attention and seminars, all invited to live in one dorm together)? Whoa, saving over $120,000 over the four years sure is tempting...</p>
<p>Both campuses are very good: U of Md. more hustle-and-bustle of a state school with buses passing through all the time, etc. WashDC and Baltimore nearby, Phila. and NYC within reach for trips.</p>
<p>Emory's campus perfect, beautiful, with marble buildings and usually wonderful weather.</p>
<p>Students seem much more diverse, esp. economically, at Univ of Md. Good state university, i'm sure... but it's so hard for a student to feel that he/she is "going cheap", choosing "second-rate", esp. close to home ... when apparently prestigious Emory beckons.</p>