<p>I am a senior applying to Oxford College at Emory and I am trying to convince my parents to let me apply for Early Decision II at Oxford. I feel that applying Early Decision may be my only chance at getting into this school which is my top choice. My mom is worried that it is not worth attending Emory and having to take out loans over attending a local university that would be free for me. She is also worried that because I am Jewish I will feel out of place there. Does anyone have any experience that could shed some light on the situation?</p>
<p>Well I feel like I’m fairly qualified to answer this question, since I’m a Jew at Oxford. Unless you’re religious to the point where your top college choice is Yeshiva (a school for ultra orthodox Jews), you’ll be fine here. We have a very large Jewish population, and I’ve never experienced any sort of antisemitism.</p>
<p>I can’t tell you if it’s worth it to apply EDII to Oxford. Just remember how detrimental taking out tens of thousands in loans can be to your post college future. An Emory degree will not guarantee you a job, any more than attending that local school will make you forever unemployable. By the way, which local school were you referring to? What are your stats (GPA/SAT)?</p>
<p>Remember, you can only borrow less than $8,000 a year in your own name. Your mom would need to act as a cosigner for any additional loans.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for replying!!! The local school I could go to for free is University of Florida, which is not considered a bad school at all. </p>
<p>I have a 32 super scored on the ACT and I have a 3.6 UW/5.7 W
my weighted is really high because I have taken 8 AP classes and I am currently in the IB program</p>
<p>
30% of all Emory undergrads consider themselves Jewish, but the percentage at the Oxford campus is much lower, about 3%. Emory-Oxford has 936 students, so that’s about 28 students. Perhaps this number is artificially low due to self-reporting (50% claimed no religion).</p>
<p>UF has a lower percentage due to its large size (17%) but about three times the number of Jewish students as Emory. In fact, UF claims as many Jewish undergrads as Emory has total undergrads.</p>
<p>Personally, I would not apply ED, especially with a great deal like UF on the table. Being able to compare financial aid offers is a very, very good thing. I think you’d have a decent shot at Oxford through RD; it’s less selective than the main Atlanta campus.</p>
<p>There’s no way it’s just three percent. I did the math, and the number of people in the Jewish Student Union (which only represents the more “involved” Jews) exceeds 3% of Oxford’s population. The reality is, most of the Jewish kids at Oxford are not in the Jewish Student Union, so I don’t know where the 3% came from.</p>
<p>Btw Dani, you have a very good shot at getting into Oxford RD. I wouldn’t apply EDII particularly if finances are an issue.</p>
<p>
Religious Affiliation
36% Christian
(Catholic 10%, Methodist 6%, Baptist 5%, Presbyterian 4%)
5% Muslim
3% Jewish
3% Hindu<br>
2% Buddhist<br>
50% “None” </p>
<p>[Oxford</a> College - Oxford Facts](<a href=“http://oxford.emory.edu/a_distinctive_place/oxford_facts/index.dot]Oxford”>http://oxford.emory.edu/a_distinctive_place/oxford_facts/index.dot)</p>
<p>As I said before, self-reported data is unreliable. The number of Jewish students at Oxford may be higher than 3%.</p>
<p>My other stats for Emory and UF:</p>
<p>[Emory</a> University - Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life](<a href=“http://www.hillel.org/HillelApps/JLOC/Campus.aspx?AgencyId=17381]Emory”>http://www.hillel.org/HillelApps/JLOC/Campus.aspx?AgencyId=17381)
[University</a> of Florida - Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life](<a href=“http://www.hillel.org/HillelApps/JLOC/Campus.aspx?AgencyId=17841]University”>http://www.hillel.org/HillelApps/JLOC/Campus.aspx?AgencyId=17841)</p>
<p>Again, I still don’t know how they arrived at that number (perhaps they just looked at the enrollment in religious clubs and calculated from there), but I’m sure it’s wrong. While there are quite a few atheists/agnostics at Oxford, most of the domestics claim a nominal religious affiliation. </p>
<p>To the OP, Oxford is more than 3% Jewish. Trust me on this. Is it worth taking out quite a few student loans? I can’t tell you for sure, but if the amount exceeds $28,000, then no. Have you looked at New College of Florida at all?</p>
<p>New College does not have a particularly good reputation in Florida…The students that go there are very odd. Also I don’t like the fact they do not give grades because I have heard this makes it harder to get into Medical school (in case that is what I decide I want to do).</p>
<p>So I think I will just apply RD and see how it turns out. I was already deferred from Umich so I’m a little nervous moving forward.</p>