<p>I'm majoring in econ and plan on attending grad school, so GPA is very important to me. Thoughts?</p>
<p>If you are simply attempting to choose the easier school, it’s not like either of them are easy. I can’t tell you, sorry. Why don’t you just check out the scope of both programs via the website, and see which one you like better. I know somewhat who transferred to here from Northwestern and they seem to like it, but they are a polysci major.</p>
<p>I would personally choose Emory over Northwestern… but both are great and are peers.</p>
<p>Then go to a state school for GPA.</p>
<p>I agree with alam1 because Northwestern students don’t have a very good reputation socially speaking. But if location means anything to you, Atlanta doesn’t compare to Chicago as far as things to do, diversity, attractive people, good restaurants, the sports fans, beaches (Chicago has them), art/culture, parks, museums, other colleges, roads and public transportation. I don’t but know for me, anything I look for in a city Chicago trumps Atlanta except for the weather and cost of living. Although I’m from Chicago so I’m biased.</p>
<p>Atlanta has all of the stuff mentioned there, but on a smaller scale if one is only looking at the respective city propers. Lots of stuff to do in the city and the metropolitan area as a whole. Both cities offer a lot. I actually think they are very similar cities. Good to see you admit your bias lol.</p>
<p>NW>Emory…just saying.
im going to none. so call me NOT biased!</p>
<p>Here’s my advice: don’t worry about grad school in making your decision. Your going to do your best at the place you’re happiest at. Just ask yourself which college you’re going to be happier at.</p>
<p>And el duque:</p>
<p>Chicago is a cool city (I’ve been there more times than I can count), but Atlanta’s great too. Also, Emory is only a 15 minute drive from downtown Atlanta whereas Evanston is a 35 minute drive from downtown Chicago.</p>
<p>As a parent, I can give a few comments (adapted from a post I put on a ‘Parent’ thread). I sent a daughter to Northwestern (grad in 2008) and a son to Emory (now a soph in the B-School). I am on faculty at Emory Med School. </p>
<p>The situation you describe is really a no lose situation. Both are great schools but I will try to address certain topics that may go into the decision and give my perspective. </p>
<p>Financials.The financials seem similar unless you have merit money that you did not describe. Do not ignore the monies (and the hassles) of going to a school that is not drivable. Unless you live in Kentucky, it is doubtful that BOTH Emory and NU will be drivable. The hassle of airline reservations and cost AND the difficulties of sending and STORING college stuff is one that is often overlooked. If everything else is equal, that is a consideration. But it should be a very minor one. </p>
<p>Social Life: the social life is pretty similar from what I have observed. Both schools have a greek life presense which is important but not dominant. I sense that frats/sororities are slightly more open to nongreeks at Emory compared to Northwestern but not a lot. Both schools’ greek life is very different from large state schools,ie, the ‘drunken frat boy’ stereotype. </p>
<p>Academics: Not much difference here, either. </p>
<p>Campus dorms: Serious difference here. The dorms, especially the freshman dorms, are infinitely nicer at Emory. I cannot believe what Northwestern gets away with. The NU dorms are not in good shape and the University does not seem to care. Emory has two new dorms for freshmen and a third one on the way. Facilities win at Emory hands down. However, the food at Emory seems to receive more complaints than at NU.</p>
<p>Administration: Students seem to complain about the administration wherever you go. I did not see a big difference. That said, a story about the President of Emory: When my son was moving in to his freshman dorm last year, the PRESIDENT of Emory and his wife were helping the students move boxes/suitcases into the rooms. Sorta sends a message. However, NU recently changed presidents and the current president is reported to be very hands on.</p>
<p>Classes and class size: Again not much different. My daughter seemed to have a few more large classes (>100 students) than my son who has not had a class over 50 students yet. Most classes have been 20 or less. Access to professors has been excellent both places. My daughter met a professor her jr year who really changed her life (in a good way). Son has not but he is only a soph. </p>
<p>Sports. Difference is noteworthy. NU has Div I sports and Sat football games still carry the day. NU is generally not in the running for the Big Ten titles in football (although occassionally it does well) or Basketball (never made the NCAA) but the two sports do carry weight on campus. My D was not into sports but went to the fb games often and follows the team now that she graduated. My son is very into sports but does not seem to mind not having a Division I team. He is very into the NBA (In fact, he has a one day a week job at Turner sports’ NBA TV) and roots for the college team of his choice. When the issue came up in college selection, I told him going to Emory a) he could root for whoever he wanted and b) Division I sports are really just entertainment for the average student. Your life at college is really not that different if you have a strong division I team, a weak division I team (aka NU) or no Division I team (read: Emory). He completely agrees now.</p>
<p>City: Both schools give access to great cities. But both are rather different. I grew up in Chicago and have lived in Atlanta for >20 years so I feel like I know them both pretty well. Chicago is more urban and at NU one can go to school without ever owning a car. Public transportation to the city of Chicago from NU works. The Evanston downtown is sufficient to live without a car. None of that is true in Atlanta. Having a car or access to a car is essential in ATL. Thus, the cost of a car should also be strongly considered in the decision.<br>
Additionally, there is more going on in Chicago than Atlanta which is both good and bad. NU can get a bit more lost in the sea of Chicago events/institutions than Emory does in Atlanta. But depending upon your frame of reference, Chicago can be a bit more intimidating and harder to navigate. Both cities have high crime areas which need to be (and can be) avoided. The campuses are both pretty safe. </p>
<p>Weather: Do I really need to go into this? Atlanta >>>>>>>>>> Chicago weather. I don’t know if I could deal with a Chicago winter after living in Atlanta but college students can put up with a lot and weather is not that much of an issue if you really want to go the Northwestern. Altanta’s summers are very hot and long but Emory students are usually not around for the time of year when Atlanta’s weather stinks. </p>
<p>Lastly, it gets down to the feel of the campus. If one of the two campuses really hits a cord, that may be enough to make the decision. Choosing between the two, one cannot make a bad decision. But you are going to have to live with the decision and where you feel more comfortable could end up winning the day. I am very impressed with both places so from a parent’s perspective, this is an embarrassement of riches. Good luck what ever choice is made.</p>
<p>“Chicago can be a bit…harder to navigate.”</p>
<p>Ok I just have to say, while I agree with the rest of the post, I absolutely 100% disagree with that. Chicago is a planned city and on a grid. If you just head in the general direction of something, you’ll find it. Atlanta is an unplanned city and the streets seem to go in whichever direction they feel like at the time. I’ve been here four years and I couldn’t give you directions to anywhere I haven’t been to before because I have no idea which way the streets are gonna turn. One road can literally go in 3 different directions or intersect roads it used to run parallel to. It’s SO dizzying trying to find your way around. And Atlanta randomly chooses when to put signs up, which can make it difficult even when you know where you’re going. If you think I’m exaggerating, compare the two cities on Google maps.</p>
<p>Not commenting on the grid plan of the city (although you are right), I was commenting on the greater complexity of city events, neighborhoods, and size. For a freshman, Chicago is harder to get to know than Atlanta but not because of the city planning.</p>
<p>Yes, Chicago is on a grid, but this is also a key difference in aesthetics. Chicago is flat, flat, flat with very little trees. In comparison, Atlanta has the highest density of trees for any metropolitan area and has rolling hills-- this is part of what makes Atlanta a beautiful city.</p>
<p>As a side note: Atlanta traffic is abysmal.</p>
<p>Two other points related to rpg1’s original post:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport is the largest airport in the world and is within a 2-hour flight of 80% of the U.S. population. From my experience, flying from Atlanta to even small regional airports is cheap and easy.</p></li>
<li><p>Atlanta’s mass transit, MARTA, is admittedly not as good as Chicago’s mass transit, Metra. But MARTA works. It takes an hour and $2 to get to the airport from Emory using MARTA. And I’ve used MARTA to go downtown before with no problems.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>“Not commenting on the grid plan of the city (although you are right), I was commenting on the greater complexity of city events, neighborhoods, and size.”</p>
<p>Oh I’ll give you that.</p>
<p>Chicago also has a lakeshore, a beautiful skyline, some pretty impressive gothic architecture, and some nice urban parks. The aesthetics are indeed very different, but not too many people would knock the beauty in either city. They’re two of the best in that category.</p>
<p>thanks a lot. can you elaborate on the difference in academics at both schools? how do the average workload/ gpa/ prestige factor compare? is one college better for pre-law students? thanks!</p>
<p>What’s your intended major? I know someone who transferred from NW who transferred from NU who said that he felt as if NW didn’t take history and polysci that seriously, or that the teachers were not as good as expected. But I don’t know. Does anyone have a perspective on this?</p>
<p>economics.</p>
<p>our econ department is a joke. i’m done with my major requirements for econ cept for like 3 classes, and i don’t think I’ve a useful teacher except for sue mialon.</p>
<p>Northwestern 100%. Emory has a really bad economics department. The PhD program isn’t even in the top 50. Also, the undergraduate business school at Emory takes away the top students from Econ.</p>