from a reputation perspective, yes, those would be more applicable peers. From a yield/admissions perspective, USC and Carnegie are admissions peers. The rest have higher yields and sometimes dramatically higher test scores (WUSTL, Vandy, Rice).
Yep. Though even in the highest peer grouping (HYPSM), test scores aren’t homogenous – Stanford lags a bit behind the other four. Maybe we should give Stanford and Emory the benefit of the doubt and just explain it as “holistic anti-system-gaming”. hehe
For the OP: Test scores, as you know, are one variable in the app. Emory is a fine school, even if its average scores are below those of the schools we call its peers. The quality of teaching does not depend on test scores.
“They pulled the data from 2014, so more than 2 years old as it is for the class enrolled in fall 2013” (#16)
When they updated the article, they apparently didn’t update the sub-link. The comparisons are for the classes entering in the fall of 2014.
“why [would] they use your link [?]”
Readers of the thread, and particularly the OP, may want to see the four topic-specific schools in the context of other colleges and universities nationally.
Please if the only advice you listen to here:
- don't worry about incoming test scores
- don't worry about rankings
Which shool will help propel you to the best outcome?
Where do you feel most at home?
“The quality of teaching does not depend on test scores.” (#21)
Yes. Scores just are. By themselves they are neither good nor bad.
Beyond that, in a country with 50 states, I’d regard Emory’s ranking of 47 (by scores) as high in any event.
prezbucky,
Stanford is more or less in line with the rest of the four… I won’t say 10 points encompasses being more holistic…=). they also have the former admissions dean from Yale, so I’m sure that helps too:
Stanford SATs: 1390 to 1580
Yale: 1420 to 1600
Princeton: 1390 to 1590
Harvard: 1400 to 1600
MIT: 1430 to 1580
They have kicked it up a notch then. I remember not long ago they were averaging around 2200 (while the other four are around 2250). my mind was still there.
@blah2008 - My intent was to show that the difference between WUSTL, Hopkins and Tufts was statistically insignificant
One could argue that the mode of thinking underlying your analysis is even more outdated than the data presented…
You’re literally grasping at straws Mastadon. I proved your data was outdated and infact Hopkins and WUSTL are statistically stronger in almost all admissions categories compared to tufts. Live with it.
Hands down Hopkins for writing. And I prefer the charms and poetry of Baltimore over Boston any day. Just my bias!
But if not Hopkins, then Tufts. An all around great school with fun people.
If possible, I’d advise sitting in on writing classes at JHU. My son almost applied there ED two years ago but decided against it after doing an overnight visit and sitting in on 2 writing seminars classes. Kids on the hall he stayed on told him that they felt like second- class citizens majoring in the humanities at JHU, that the engineers called the school of arts and sciences, the school of arts & crafts. One of the 2 classes he sat in on was dismissed 10 mins early by the prof bc no one could discuss the reading. It was utterly dead. Prof spent the 10 mins w my son telling him to overlook what happened bc the dept was terrific. But then the second class he sat in on that day was a redux.
Comparing this experience to the classes he visited at WUSTL, brown and tufts, where there was super student engagement, made him realize that that was his most important criterion, and those 3 schools became his top choices over JHU. He’s an English lit major at tufts (was also accepted to WUSTL and a finalist for their writing merit award; was deferred ED at brown and withdrew app after ED2 acceptance to tufts) and hasn’t been disappointed either in his dept, the academics overall, and most especially in social life. And oddly enough, his three best friends are engineering majors.
He also preferred Boston over Baltimore. He’s having a blast going to Davis square & Harvard square on weekends to eat out, catch movies, and into Boston too. Although he grew up in New York, he’s been a big celtics fan since childhood, so it’s been cool to attend a game or two each season.
I should also add that he loved WUSTL too. Had he not applied to tufts ED2, deciding between those two acceptances would have been very hard, especially with all the perks that came with the merit writing award. It’s a great school with a wonderful English lit department & amazing creative writing professors.
Also, if test scores are a concern for you, and honestly they shouldn’t be when looking at this level bc the averages at these schools are just minimal points apart…we’re talking one to three questions on the exams, here’s a recent article that ranks the schools simply based on standardized test scores. As you can see, WUSTL is ranked 7, tufts at 21, JHU at 29, and Emory at 44.
http://www.happyschools.com/top-smartest-colleges-america-2013/
Sorry, didn’t read the first page of this thread earlier when various articles about testing were linked. But honestly, at this level, arguing over test scores is silly bc the difference in score range is inconsequential. We’re talking the difference of a few, if that, questions answered correctly. These schools have freshmen who performed comparably.
All 4 are all wonderful schools overall, but their English/C. Writing programs vary widely. Take a good look at the English/Creative Writing faculty and coursework which interests you and consider where you’ll have the most opportunity to grow in 4 years. Some of the universities in the US with the strongest English/C. writing programs aren’t even in the top 75 (Univ. of Iowa and Sewanee, for example.)
I second ClarinetDad16 and merc81’s suggestions.