For those of you who are majoring in ENG/creative writing, what do you think of Emory’s courses and professors? Do you feel like you’re getting your money’s worth?
Writing is what I am truly passionate about, and I need a school that will help me attain my goals of being an author. Emory always makes the top 10 for writing schools, but it’d be great to have unbiased opinions.
(Also, my background: I’m 23/F/3.93 GPA and on the dean’s list; I was an editor at two student publications; I’ve been published by an academic journal. I think my creds are good? I come across as serious about writing, which I’m sure is helpful.)
Thank you!
@starflower007, Although the creative writing program is great and highly ranked, the way it is set up is not as helpful to transfers. Try NYU tish or even USC media studies.
@vandemory1342 are you referring to how Oxford is only available to first year applicants? I’m aware of this, but I’m still interested in what the school has to offer overall … also, I am not a New York person. I looked at USC but deadlines have long passed.
@starflower007
The creative writing faculty, resources and opportunities are located primarily, in fact almost on the Atlanta campus.
If you’re already at a relatively advanced level in your creative writing, the Atlanta campus is a better place for you because it offers more advanced offerings as the links I included in my earlier post show.
@starflower007
No I mean external transfers like yourself. Fit shouldn’t matter as much for someone in your situation, A non-traditional student. NYU tish and USC will provide the best opportunities and future job placement for this particular field.
@VANDEMORY1342
I think @starflower007 is asking WHY transfer students can’t benefit from Emory’s creative writing program?
And WHY NYU and USC provide “the best opportunities” and “future job placement”?
@BiffBrown exactly, that is what I meant.
I don’t discredit that either USC and NYU are good for writers, but to say that both provide ‘the best’ career services is a highly subjective statement. I think I also mentioned I have no desire to live in New York…
@starflower007
This link discusses opportunities available to creative writing majors while at Emory and also mentions some post graduate opportunities that Emory creative writing grads have obtained.
My understanding is that the English Department is pretty lax about required courses. I believe that a 200 level poetry course is the only requirement. That would bode well for transfer students.
Emory students generally don’t declare majors until the end of their sophomore year - again a good thing for transfers.
I recommend that you look at the cited web pages for information about fellowships, creative writing seminars, student run journals, etc. and also check to see if you’re on track to take advanced creative writing workshops when you arrive, given your credit hour situation.
@starflower007
I was just giving the best advise I would want to hear. As a 23 year old I would have thought you would care less about where you want to live but instead where can jumpstart your future career. NYU and USC are those choices. Emory only accepts a small number credits for transfer students( I think somewhere around 30-40).Leaving you behind doing 3 more years or so. Especially for this particular major, it’s not a great choice in my honest opinion.
@VANDEMORY1342 Emory accepts 60 transfer credits. Mentioning this for anyone who reads this thread in the future.
At 23 years old, I would rather not put myself in debt living in New York City and I have no desire to attend a school with over 20,000 students, regardless of its rank. Maybe you have never considered that not everyone has the luxury of packing up and moving anywhere - including two of the most expensive cities in America - to pursue a Bachelor’s degree.
I feel you missed the entire point of my post. This was not a ‘does Emory measure up to college X/Y/Z’ type of inquiry, so I have nothing left to say.
@starflower007
You might consider contacting students associated with the student literary club whose email addresses can be found at this link:
http://creativewriting.emory.edu/home/academics/Emory%20Literary%20Club.html
Neither @VANDEMORY1342 or I major in English or Creative Writing so we can’t speak to anything based on our personal experience.
That same link lays out scholarships, Emory sponsored writing contests, student run journals, prerequisites for creative writing workshops and many other details that give you some insight into the intellectual atmosphere for Emory writers.
http://creativewriting.emory.edu/home/academics/Student%20Publications%20at%20Emory.html
Once you’ve been accepted, you can probably ask to speak with other students in the program who can give you a more personalized feel for the place and program.
@starflower007
Yes you are right, however they usually do not accept all 60. For my friend in the media studies department they only accepted 40 of her credits meaning she has to make up 88 credits or 6 semesters. Of course Emory’s program is great , its top 5 in the country in that particular major. However I do not have any personal experience.
@starflower007 I am an Emory parent and also a book editor (formerly Doubleday & Simon & Schuster). I disagree that you would be better served at Tisch and I took grad classes there and hired many recent college grads for NYC publishing jobs. Emory’s program has a great reputation but the best way to pick an undergraduate program is to study up a bit on the professors and see if you connect with their writing. Read their books. Ask admissions to connect you with some current students and professors. Ask them about their workshops. Are critiques helpful? Are students supportive and constructive? More than any other major, as a creative writing major your peer group will shape your experience and your skills. The only thing you need to do in order to publish is write, write, write. No publisher cares what your GPA is and few other than grad programs will care a great deal about where you go to college (But yes a “name” program will be noticed). Submit your work often and maybe apply for some summer writing residencies like Breadloaf. You can find contact info for students who work on school publications on the web pages. I know of one current Emory student who published 2 books prior to graduating from high school. Unlike math and science, you don’t really progress through a set program of courses as a writing major. Most programs offer intro classes and after that pre-req, you can take pretty much any humanities class in any order so I don’t think you will be behind or lose credits as a transfer? But I confess I haven’t looked at Emory’s specific degree requirements. Look at Columbia’s summer publishing program too. Students typically take this the summer after undergrad and this is truly the best pipeline to jobs but the truth is most of those jobs will be in NYC.
@chemmchimney and @starflower007: I TAed this girl for organic chemistry! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelle_Izmaylov
For some reason, Emory attracts some insane writers (often with varied interests) who often have early talent.
@bernie12 @starflower007 She sounds amazing! But the young woman I am referring to is a current sophomore so evidently there are multiples of crazy talented writers at Emory.
@chemmchimney : Yeah, I know, but I just wanted to add to what you said about the talent that the school draws in that area showing that it has a track record of success (one day, I actually met an international student who said he had heard about the creative writing program at Emory while doing a summer program elsewhere in America and that is what drew him). It is comforting to see that it continues. Also, attracting those types of students adds a flavor to Emory that would not exist otherwise as so many people are the purest of pre-professionals that stick to a specific comfort zone or goal. Having the language, visual, and performing arts scene brings some much needed intellectual balance (in a visible way…so not just people majoring in a variety of things, but enhancing intellectual life on campus in general) that does not exist as much at some similar tiered schools. Also, nice to see that the English program and the language arts scene is attracting sets of students who are very aware of the quality and reputation of the program. It makes a difference over those who are like: “I’m just at this random elite school majoring in English”. This is more along the lines of: “This specific program is among the elite programs and just so happens to be at a top ranked school”. I suspect it breeds a bigger sense of belonging and purpose to be part of such programs.
@starflower007
I suggested contacting the creative writing program for more names of students and faculty after you’d been admitted but as @chemmchimney suggested, it might be worth doing that before you apply both for your own satisfaction and to better explain in your essay why you want to transfer. It really depends on how much time you can afford to spend investigating a school to which you’ve not yet been admitted.
@bernie12 and @starflower007
Michelle Izmaylove is now publishing an anthology of short stories written by Emory students. It’s being sold on Amazon with proceeds donated to a children’s hospital in Atlanta. Now that’s a creative way to combine medicine and writing.
“When you think of anthologies, do you flashback to high-school English class? The Emory Pulse is kicking off an exciting new generation of anthologies featuring short stories written by Emory University students. This first edition features all fictional pieces, divided into two categories: “On the Fantastic” and “On the Realistic.” The former takes you on a journey into worlds of magic and mystery, while “On the Realistic” explores the psyches of some incredibly complex characters. Featuring a wide variety of writing styles and topics, The Emory Pulse has a story for everyone. All profits from The Emory Pulse will be donated to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Help us turn this anthology of fiction into real-life improved care and treatment options for brave young patients, one book at a time.”
https://www.amazon.com/Emory-Pulse-Creative-Writing-Lifeline/dp/0983444501/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8