<p>Is Emory intellectual?...Yes I know people who go to this school have very high test scores, but just because their test scores are up there does not mean they have that second level of knowledge/understanding if you know what I mean. There are people who cannot analyze the world or think critically about aspects of it from a standpoint that is not science/math based. With that being said, are there 'intellectuals' at Emory?..Will I learn to think in new ways and have my brain stretched to maximum capacity? Are students driven to learn or is it just about the marks for the most part? Students from both Emory main and oxford please respond and state what campus you are on/from.</p>
<p>by ‘not science or math based’, I mean in an abstract way by the way…in other words do Emory students want to change the world or are they just really focused on getting good grades for themselves for the most part?</p>
<p>Well, you don’t come from HS with those skills usually (normally those are beaten out of you if you went to a typical HS) and the selective schools, especially privates are supposed to develop it. I’ll say that Oxford “does” and Emory “can”. I feel like I became more intellectual at Emory because of the path I took (and many people will opt out of this path completely, and some will take a “middle way”), whereas an Oxford student is almost forced to develop. And also, don’t suggest that math and science can’t foster great ideas and critical thinking. When taught and assessed effectively, it can and will (it’s just that, because of HS, the initial tendency by students who did well in science is to resist/be against that level of science training and then praise regurgitation/memorization oriented approaches to science coursework. Primarily because it provides them with more comfort and familiarity to the systems they have always done well on). As a person who sought solid science training at Emory, I know it does. I also took several social science and humanities courses for fun (and not the easy ones) and the students in those classes are generally very much on top of their game and have some sort of intellectual orientation toward the material (you know a class is engaged when everyone knows they’ll all get B+ or higher and still choose to try their hardest to be prepped for class. This tended to be the case with courses that typically targeted majors in whatever field. There are of course many such classes that are basically service courses for those who may be say, pre-health or pre-bus and need a GER. These classes can be avoided however if you get tired of that scene quickly). </p>
<p>Also, if you have any doubts, the newsreel speaks for itself:<br>
[Alum</a> artist Brendan O’Connell captures impressions of Walmart | Emory University | Atlanta, GA](<a href=“http://news.emory.edu/stories/2013/12/emag_brendan_oconnell/campus.html]Alum”>Alum artist Brendan O'Connell captures impressions of Walmart)
[Student</a> advocates build a movement for health insurance outreach | Emory University | Atlanta, GA](<a href=“http://news.emory.edu/stories/2013/12/er_student_healthcare_navigators/campus.html]Student”>Student advocates build a movement for health insurance outreach | Emory University | Atlanta GA)
[Jimmy</a> Carter talks money matters with journalism class | Emory University | Atlanta, GA](<a href=“http://news.emory.edu/stories/2013/12/er_carter_business_journalism/campus.html]Jimmy”>Jimmy Carter talks money matters with journalism class)
[In</a> the spotlight: Emory student entrepreneurs | Emory University | Atlanta, GA](<a href=“http://news.emory.edu/stories/2013/12/er_student_entrepreneurs/campus.html]In”>In the spotlight: Emory student entrepreneurs)
[Campus</a> MovieFest: Founded at Emory - YouTube](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)
[A</a> Once in a Lifetime Experience – Study Abroad at Emory - YouTube<a href=“see%20many%20of%20these%20videos”>/url</a>
[url=<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube]SPOTLIGHT</a> EMORY - 2012 McMullan Award Winner - YouTube<a href=“again%20many%20other%20examples%20from%20this%20spotlight%20Emory%20thing”>/url</a>.</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://news.emory.edu/stories/2013/11/upress_sustainability_scholar_leader_grant/campus.html]New”>New program teaches students to lead companies' sustainability efforts]New</a> program teaches students to lead companies’ sustainability efforts | Emory University | Atlanta, GA<a href=“you%20don’t%20get%20these%20sorts%20of%20investments%20in%20colleges%20that%20have%20student%20bodies%20that%20are” title=“uninterested in changing the world”>/url</a></p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://news.emory.edu/stories/2013/11/er_take_note_hack_atlanta/campus.html]Hackathon”>Hackathon to foster innovation, entrepreneurship]Hackathon</a> to foster innovation, entrepreneurship | Emory University | Atlanta, GA<a href=“nor%20do%20you%20get%20events%20like%20this”>/url</a></p>
<p>[url=<a href=“Incentives Fund supports creative projects for a green campus”>Incentives Fund supports creative projects for a green campus]Incentives</a> Fund supports creative projects for a green campus | Emory University | Atlanta, GA<a href=“Nor%20do%20you%20have%20high%20participation%20by%20UGs%20in%20these%20sorts%20of%20funding%20opps.”>/url</a></p>
<p>[url=<a href="http://www.emory.edu/EMORY_REPORT/stories/2011/10/advance_notice_solazyme_renewable_oil_production.html]Solazyme’s">http://www.emory.edu/EMORY_REPORT/stories/2011/10/advance_notice_solazyme_renewable_oil_production.html]Solazyme’s</a> Emory ties fuel renewable success](<a href=“A Once in a Lifetime Experience -- Study Abroad at Emory - YouTube”>A Once in a Lifetime Experience -- Study Abroad at Emory - YouTube)</p>
<p>Need I go on (I can)? Emory is actually unusual in that it has a higher than normal entrepreneurial and intellectual spirit when compared schools with students that have significantly higher SAT/ACT scores. Maybe that’s what we do with I time away from the D-1, Greek scene (okay, well even parts of this are more intellectual than expected. Though a lot of it can be “not good” to be fair), etc. I don’t think the people above go through all of that trouble and exert all that effort for the sake of padding their resumes. Clearly many have some sort of ambitions and it often overlaps with their academic goals. In addition, Emory is very similar to Chicago in that it has a high amount of scholarship/research oriented community service fellowships (or even just pure academic) for undergrads. Again, you don’t offer such programs in high abundance if you thought that students at the school were apathetic/completely non-intellectual. Also, we’re one of the schools with a Tedx program now (and I think the interest to start it was generated by UGs BTW. I was there when it started up): <a href=“http://www.emory.edu/EMORY_REPORT/stories/2011/04/advance_notice_ted_x_emory.html[/url]”>http://www.emory.edu/EMORY_REPORT/stories/2011/04/advance_notice_ted_x_emory.html</a></p>
<p>There are still high-ranking schools with high ranking students who don’t have this. You don’t organize these events (and they do get solid attendance at Emory) without high interest from the student body. It just doesn’t happen.</p>
<p>I will admit that many pre-bus and pre-health students don’t use their creativity that much in or out of the classroom (as they don’t at many selective schools), but there are many examples above (and elsewhere) where this cliche is not applicable to students who are part of these communities. </p>
<p>Seriously, can you imagine Emory with very high caliber students (with test scores in line with peer schools) if it’s doing this now? I actually remember several years, when Vanderbilt had already pulled away in admissions where Emory was still producing as many Fulbrights, Gates-Cambridge, Marshalls, and Goldwaters as they were (that may still be the case). I don’t know how, but this place has its issues (as elsewhere), but sure does have a lot of “horsepower” in terms of student productivity and innovation. If you say that incoming statistics are a large predictor (and at some level it is), then it’s difficult to explain these patterns (because again, Emory is at the bottom of its peers admissions wise). Environment clearly makes a difference. I would say that the environment, especially outside of the sciences (needs to work on this, seriously. The science depts need to be exciting and encouraging more students to use their knowledge and interest, if they actually have it, go beyond their coursework and stereotypical opportunities), is actually quite rich at Emory and it fosters all this sort of stuff.</p>
<p>I call this: “an evidence based approach to address myths and concerns about Emory” lol. Anecdotal simply isn’t enough sometimes.</p>