I am currently committed to Virginia Tech Engineering but I just got admitted of the waitlist to Emory Oxford College. I don’t know what to do because Emory has a 3-2 program with Georgia tech(was my top choice but I was rejected) and Virginia tech has a great COE and vibe. Also I don’t know if it would be benificial for my future to go to a name brand school like Emory. Does anyone have any advice? (Also this is very time sensitive)
Do you want to go to a small liberal arts outpost of Emory for two years?
I’ve heard its fantastic but different than the experience at vatech.
I would want some football games and on campus activities personally. You could perhaps hate that, I wouldn’t know.
Does the extra year any additional costs? It would seem at least room and board. Are finances at all a part of the question.
Do you want keep jumping from school to school. 3 years oxford. 1 year main campus. And 2 years at tech.
What do you ultimately achieve in the end. A BA and BS from two schools or bs ms from two schools in your program.
The schools involved are fantastic. But va tech is no shrinking violet academically either.
To me, the 2-1-2 program is not worth doing. Moreover, can you even get the classes you need to graduate in 5 years at Oxford campus? My guess is No. Thus, you would be shuttling between Oxford and Buckhead during the week. (check out the course requirements to transfer and see on which emory campus that they are offered.)
http://college.emory.edu/dual-degree/engineering/explore-engineering.html
VaTech is fine school. Apply to GaTech for a MS.
The cost is not an issue because Emory had good financial aid and VT is not nearly as expensive as Emory.
Here is my Pros and Cons list:
Oxford
Pro
-Georgia Tech dual degree program
-Emory is considered an elite university
-warm weather
-Small classes
-better option if I decide against engineering
-high rank for teaching
Con
-The only accept 12 ap credit hours and I placed out of all math and science AP
-Oxford college is not the same as Emory’s Atlanta campus and has more limited course options
-I heard Oxford students are looked down upon
-not a four year engineering program
Virginia Tech
Pro
-4 year engineering program
- school spirit and student happiness
-lots of engineering ECs
-good engineering LLC
-ranked 13 for undergraduate engineering and has a lot of options for engineering majors
Con
-not as prestigious as emory
-not highly ranked for teaching
-if I decide not to be an engineer idk what my other options would be
-really cold
Questions
Which school has a better alumni network?
Are the rumors about Oxford vs Emory true?
How happy are Oxford/Emory Students?
Does anyone actually do the 3-2 engineering program at Emory?
Sorry that this is long but thank you for reading it.
Most students who think they are going to do a 3-2 don’t. Stay with VT.
Your first 2 years at Oxford will have you on a small campus about 30-45 min from Emory. Then you have to adjust to Emory and then to GT. Its a no for me, for many reasons.
One thing I’d consider is that VT is over-enrolled by 15% this year-- up to 7,585 projected freshmen as opposed to 6,285 last year. Most of the overenrollment is in engineering. It could be higher since they’re projecting some of the 8,000 committed freshmen to “melt” away-- but they might not melt. It’s going to affect class size (especially in engineering), housing, even dining. It’s record-setting for the school. For me it would tip the scales against VT. If you’re deadset on engineering it’s a great choice, but please know this before you go.
Thanks, I am leaning toward VT, but it has been hard since most people seem surprised/ apologetic when they find out I am going there.
Also, do you think I should write letters to any of the following waitlists to try to get off of them?
-Tulane, Bucknell, Lafayette, UVA, U Miami, Wake Forest, Occidental
sorry take UVA of the list I was released from that one
Yes, UVA is also likely overenrolled and stopped their waitlist, but it’s unlikely to be nearly as bad as VT’s overenrollment.
UVA seemed really good so I am really sad about that one but it was a major reach because I am OOS
Unless something has changed, which I doubt, Oxford is 2 years, not 3. the OP would be at Oxford for 2 years, at Emory for 2 and then at GT a 5th. If the OP is worried about the cost of Emory for 4 years they likely can’t afford a 5th year of tuition, even at GT.
People are apologetic that you were admitted to VaTech for engineering? Come on. Really? Nah.
It’s how you are feeling and interpreting what you hear. Or perhaps it’s how you’re telling them. They are reacting to your lack of enthusiasm or disappointment, not the school.
If they are informed it would be a really stupid thing to say or a reaction to such an incredible opportunity and admission.
If they aren’t informed they wouldn’t know the difference. Which is like 99 percent of the country.
Have you been there. It’s awesome. Wonderful students and wonderful facilities.
But if you want the more elite small college experience, cooler “hey I’m really smart tee shirt” and better friend reactions, Emory is a really fine choice too. None of that is off limits as reasons for you. It’s your life and your education. You have to be into it.
In the end. You pay the bills with your family. You write the papers and take the exams. Don’t worry about other people.
Because after you go to school. They won’t be thinking much about you and your school selection. If you get there and it’s no fun or not what you’d envisioned, these dame people will say “I didn’t understand why you just didn’t go to VaTech like we hoped you had”.
Oxford would be three semesters (minimum amount of semesters required to stay at Oxford) with my AP credit +some local community college classes. Emory 1 year (will cut this down with community college classes if possible) and GT 2 years.
But on the other hand, VT is less complicated, However, there is the over enrollment.
When you go to a small liberal arts school with terrible STEM than no one knows what engineering schools are good. The sad thing is my guidance counselor told all the engineering majors (4 total) to apply to VT as a safety because of the 70% acceptance rate and now they are all in a bad situation b/c they were not accepted to there safety.
@kp2023 Emory takes CC credits? Are you sure of this?
I think if I take courses before enrolling they will count. I already took math courses at the community college last summer (not counted for high school credit) and if I take as many courses as possible before this summer ends they would count. But after I enroll I would probably have to take them at Emory summer school. @collegemom9
@kp2023 I would check that out. Emory only allows the 12 credits for AP because they want students to take most of their classes there. It would be counter intuitive to accept CC credits on top of those but I could be totally wrong. Check with them before taking any college classes.
I think you will be spending an awful amount of time patchworking your time at Oxford/Emory (you already are doing this!) instead of taking care of business—working towards your engineering degree.
It’s not like VTech just has engineering, STEM type majors either. Despite its name, it’s not a tech school. It’s a full university with an excellent reputation.
I think you’ll be happier staying at the same school for 4 years. VT is great. If you don’t want to be an engineer, it is a full university with all the other majors and programs.
In the engineering world, VT is just as highly regarded as Emory. IMO, VT is better. You aren’t going to list Oxford-Emory-GT every time you are asked where you went to school, you’ll just say where your degree is from.
One thing I really wanted for my kids was to be at the same school for 4 years. They moved around in hs (went to 3) and I just wanted them to have one school, friends from their dorms, some roots. Moving around can be done, but it’s better to stay in one place.
I think this is completely true I just keep getting caught up in all of the college brand stuff. I think I will ask my parents if we can take a road trip to VT (5hr) just to be sure. To your point, I actually should start preparing 4 English lang make up AP to get out of freshman writing. Thanks 
@cptofthehouse