So stuck between Emory University or Boston University? Help me out please

I’m majoring in economics (specifically finance) in both of the schools. I’m planning a visit to both schools in the next month but I just want to hear some opinions from people on CC.

I’m from Florida and I’ve never experienced weather under 55 degrees which might be a problem for Boston since winters are brutal. I feel like Emory might be the more academically-ranked school and it’s closer to home for me. However, I feel like Boston University has more connections to big corporations and job opportunities. The financial aid isn’t a major aspect because the difference between BU and Emory’s aid is about $5,000 (BU being the cheaper option). However, BU guaranteed my aid for all four years while Emory states that if my family’s financial situation changes next year, my financial aid could decrease.

Which school is better for an economics/finance major?
For NE residents, is the cold REALLY that brutal for Boston?
Which school has better connections/alumni network (specifically ending up in NYC or Chicago)
Which school is more fun? (I’m also worried about BU’s rumored grade deflation)

anyone???

Atlanta ranks 3rd behind NYC and Houston for most concentration of Fortune 500 headquarters. There are no shortage of companies in Atlanta to work for. It also has the busiest airport in the world, for quick direct flights to your hometown in Florida. Emory has a beautiful green campus in a residential neighborhood, with a park right on the campus.

Boston University is very urban, right in the heart of Boston with buildings all around and busy streets, and easy access to public transportation. Boston is connected by train to other major cities in the Northeast for possible quick weekend trips. It would help your enjoyment of the place if you actually were eager to experience snow, because it can snow a lot there. My daughter grew up in Atlanta, and she chose to go to University of Minnesota to college – in fact, everywhere she applied was across the Northern part of the country, because all her life she dreamed of going to a college where it snowed. If that isn’t you, then maybe Emory would be the better choice. If your goal is to wind up in NYC or Chicago later, then Boston might be better, so you can go ahead and get acclimated to the cold and build up a suitable wardrobe. Also, you can take the train from Boston into NYC for job interviews.

Another factor is you will absolutely need a car in Atlanta, if you want to do anything. They have cars you can rent by the day, but it would be ideal if you had your own. There isn’t much adjacent to Emory University to keep you occupied. Boston U you won’t need a car because there is sufficient public transportation to get around, and lots of things surrounding the urban campus.

@mommyrocks Emory doesn’t allow freshmen to have cars for the first year so how is the MARTA? I heard it’s slow but is it really that bad or is it just subpar to NYC/Boston subways

MARTA trains don’t go to Emory campus – that’s the problem, although you can probably catch a bus. It is so bad it can’t be compared to NYC or Boston subways – not in the same league at all. I spent 28 years in Atlanta, and rode MARTA at times. It doesn’t go many places to begin with, and it runs infrequently, and has lots of extensive delays. That’s just the trains. I never rode the buses, but they also run infrequently and can be slow because like all the cars, they are stuck in traffic. That’s not to say Emory or Atlanta are terrible places, because they have a lot going for them that are very special. But transportation is something to consider if you are wanting to be out and about a lot rather than just content with campus life. A lot of students would prefer the traditional campus of Emory over urban BU, so it will be up to your preference. I think Emory might have a shuttle that takes students into places in the city. I know Ga Tech has shuttles. Check into that as an option to get around.

anyone??

What do you mean economics specifically finance? Economics is generally in the liberal arts school and finance is in the business school. Are you a direct admit to the business school at both?

@philbegas Boston U offers an undergrad finance major so I would be majoring in that if I go. Emory offers only an Economics major but I can choose to specialize in financial economics which is what I would do

Have you been admitted directly to Questrom school of business or would you have to apply later?

@philbegas admitted directly but my main concern is that I’m aware that Boston has many job opportunities/recruiting but I feel like the recruiting for BU might be sparse because of the amount of other prestigious business schools in the area like Harvard, Boston College, Tufts, etc. while Emory’s competition for business in Atlanta is maybe Georgia Tech or UGA?

You might be right, but I honestly know nothing about Emory so I don’t think qualify to comment on the comparison specifically.

@philbegas can you elaborate on some pros and cons for BU or living in Boston?

Boston is really expensive to live in, if you’re living off campus. I’m applying to transfer to schools there and wow craigslist is making me depressed. I’ve heard the same rumors of grade deflation but that’s as much as I know. It definitely gets cold there in the winter too. I ended up not applying to BU because they’re not very transfer friendly but what @mommyrocks said about Atlanta is key, about how it’s got a lot of financial stuff going on there.