So I’ve been looking more and more into Emory, and I thought, wow I’m definitely applying here!
And then I went on the reddit.
It was more a particular thread than anything. A student complained about how many emory students hate the school, and others agreed, chiming in that yes, the school is held together by the student’s collective dislike for it…so my mind is struggling to accept this information.
Can anyone currently attending Emory college tell me if this is true? I know student life is something that’s hard to see as a visitor. I’d really appreciate any replies!
@culaccino : It’s reddit…consider that Emory isn’t but so active. It is much like RMP with a strong sample bias wherre those with the strongest feelings are likely to go there. Which students are likely to go out of their way to post about a school on reddit? Those who truly enjoy the place or are content, or those who have disdain? Also, should you really listen to a social media platform where a bunch of folks get on there and speak for others?
“Yes, the school is held together by the student’s collective dislike for it”
That is speaking for those not represented in such a thread or who do not even know it exists. Anonymous surveys taken by the administration of seniors simply do not support that. Of course those people that dislike something will be more vocal. It is human nature. Those who are fine, go on about their lives.Just because it isn’t for everybody doesn’t mean that most people are not happy. Think about media and social media in general. You can go to one You Tube Channel full of people that see a certain even one way and another where the audience sees it vastly differently. Even in such cases, those folks are only the most vocal on either side and are not a sufficient sample size.
@culaccino
The Reddit Emory forum is practically non existent. I would just visit if you are concerned about the atmosphere. It really is a great fun place with in a great city.
Also “student review”.com , Niche, and Unigo have better reviews.
Keep in mind that many top (especially the very top as I will try to explain) schools actually have students with a love-hate relationship or a student bodies that tend to be very critical. If you see a contentness that is interpreted as “happiness” at an elite, then you should be concerned IMHO. You should question what the values and expectations of the students are. If they have high expectations ,
expect criticism. Like many at Ivies will compare their school’s social and academic environment to that of peer Ivies. Like if they have a friend at another, they may share syllabi or discuss differences. Some schools have student bodies that seem very content perhaps because they live very much in a bubble. They may not have seen or heard of anything different or better, so assume things are all good. And worse, some may just have relatively low expectations in the first place (what they perceive as elite is not really what is “elite”. They have set very low bars full of mostly minimal expectations such as: “nice campus, great students, good city, well-ranked, fun atmosphere”…tons of colleges meet this bar, so those asking for only that are easily satisfied).
Take Harvard. Harvard students are downright vicious in their will to criticize their own school (seriously, some articles in the Harvard crimson are eyeopening. Criticisms at many other schools usually concern social justice and issues with the social environment, but Harvard students will criticize professors for their level of teaching, certain courses, whole departments, etc. It is just on another level). You should think of it this way (and this does tend to be a trend), more vocal student bodies are typically more aware student bodies (though I honestly wish Emory students had a Harvard level of awareness) that do not settle for less than excellence. The very top schools typically have very critical students and it is probably why they are at the top. Most outsiders would go to such schools and view them as dream like, but the matriculates hold the school to very high standards (and they should, they pay good money) and the school progresses in relevant ways. Such students are less likely to be distracted by the comfort of various amenities and then call themselves “happy”, they will see right through such things and continue to make demands. I feel like students in Emory’s tier of schools (like 14 through 25) are just more likely to complain about the petty things and then denote it as “hate”.
The level of critique and so called “hate” that exist among some students at a place like Emory is just much milder than it is at some schools. I personally just wished that they would redirect criticisms towards the right things that actually move a school even further in the right direction (no I do not mean the rankings. That pretty much just requires lots of money, a good marketing team, and aggressive admissions. The differences in perception among similar caliber elite schools is basically all branding and often has nothing to do with real quality. Unfortunately, some student bodies settle for or are much more desperate for the superficial things that gain some external validation. They can care less if things get better for their own or future students’ experiences as long as the rank increases. Seems a decent chunk of students at the most elite schools certainly care about branding but have evolved beyond being content with having a high rank and prestige. More want actual excellence and will demand it publicly even if it embarrasses the school).
As a current student, Reddit is not a great representation of how students feel. Emory is by no means a perfect school, but generally, most people like it here. Many people find something they’re passionate about and really get involved. Usually the people who hate Emory are those that think they’re too good for Emory and should be at a higher ranked school, so they expect to just come for a year and then try to transfer to the said school. Again, that’s not the majority. People will criticize Emory. I will admit that when I’m with friends I’ll joke around about Emory’s flaws and say something like “this is what our tuition money really goes to.” But I honestly would not want to be anywhere else. The things I joke about are usually pretty petty like WiFi or the random giant inflatable rubber duck that appears and disappears. If you’re seriously interested in Emory don’t be discouraged by Reddit. If you can, visit Emory. Talk to students, professors, maybe even sit in on a class.
Our D graduated last May (double major, high honors) and felt very comfortable at Emory. I can’t imagine she would have stayed if most of the students hated it; she has very high standards. Emory doesn’t do much hand holding but if you’re willing to seek out opportunities, you’ll find them (plenty of resources and approachable faculty.) All colleges have something to complain about - no school is perfect.
Was just checking here out of old habits, but my daughter is now currently a freshman at Emory and knock on wood she is really enjoying it. In the end, I think it comes down to what is a good fit for you. So I think it is best to base on facts regarding what school does or does not offer and reflection on how important that is to you, So what I told my daughter to help her pick is you do need to think what is going to make you happy and want to thrive. For example, for her, going to a couple Georgia Tech football games was fun, and she didn’t miss or care that Emory doesn’t have a football team, etc. Having Lullwater park available for a peaceful walk also helps with dealing with stress, etc.
And, I have to say, so far, she is happy with her classes too even thou it is a lot of work. For example, she wanted in a freshman sem that was closed out. She went to first class, made her case, and the prof did end up adding her. I’m sure there are/will be outliers, and she did put in some effort to researching profs as best she could… but she really seems to be enjoying her classes. I just hope the trend continues for next couple years
@hiker12345 : Your daughter is doing what she is supposed to as an undergraduate at this type of school! She has high expectations and will advocate for herself and work hard to get her money’s worth. Again, this type of student is usually the type to really enjoy Emory. It often isn’t the place for those who are primarily in college for the social aspect and let academic things just kind of “happen to them” as a chore. If you always view academics as mostly a chore, you are going to probably not like Emory because there are lots of students who actually like engaging it and not just to keep their grades up (which is contrary to popular belief about the many pre-professionals Emory has. Some are stereotypical in that way, but tons are not and truly do care about academic learning in and out of the class).
I think your daughter will probably continue to enjoy it despite any ups and downs she may experience during her life there.