<p>what makes emory unique as compared to other top schools in the country? besides location, weather, ranking etc etc</p>
<p>the average student faculty ratio of 7:1
and the fact that it is considered top 20 w/o a football team ^^</p>
<p>I know everyone says this about their schools, but we have really, really amazing professors. There's even this program where the SGA funds you to go to lunch with one of your professors. These are amazing professors who not only are so intelligent and respected within their fields, but they also genuinely care and like teaching. They, for the most part, aren't just at Emory for the name or money.
Also, Emory does have lots of money and there's always a new building being built on campus. This makes for amazing facilities, most of which are marble. When I visited my friends at other campuses, it was so odd to see all the brick and very little marble. It also makes for awesome research opportunities. For example, there is a SIRE research grant which you can apply for-it's basically money to cover any research you can conceive of, in any field. I'm about to start research next semester and I'm getting paid for it. Also, the Scholars is a great opportunity if you can get it.
The other big thing is attitude. What I was told (and have found true) is that our school is like a Northern school (academics-wise) but in the South and much, much friendlier. The administration is also really great and for the most part, they care about and listen to the students. More often than not, people have problems with the Office of Housing than with the school administration.
Emory really should be ranked higher than it is, and part of this is because we haven't been a national school for long-only since the Woodruff endowment in the 70s have we started attracting more students from outside of the southwest. The school is continually gaining in reputation, though, and I'm glad I decided to attend Emory over the higher-ranked schools I was accepted to.</p>
<p>Yes - my professors were AMAZING. They made me love my classes and they are very willing to help (in fact, they complain if you don't come see them during their office hours). My economics professor taught a lecture class for 75 minutes to over 150 students yet the class was never boring.</p>
<p>The following is a list of things that makes Emory unique and may or may not be your taste:</p>
<p>1) The actual campus is really unparalleled in architecture, cleanliness, and upkeep. It looks great and our quad is really the best quad I've ever seen. The architecture is extremely unique, and steers away from the old-style Gothic architecture of the ivies and other high-end collges. Many schools have that Gothic style but not many have the swirling modern marble stone buildings that Emory has.</p>
<p>2) Help with classes - If you have any trouble, there's the writing center, where people edit any paper you write as many times as you want, there's the willingness of professors to help as many times as you need, there's the fact that if you're doing significantly badly you can hire a tutor for free using Emory's services, there's learnlink where you can choose your class and your professor based on what you want (if you want an easy professor, go on learnlink to find them)</p>
<p>3) Learnlink itself - Many of us here would not know what to do without it. Learnlink organizes and directs so much of what goes on here. On it you have forums for classes (where you can post a question about homework for other people or the professor in the class to answer), clubs (in which they tell you when and where to meet and lots of other stuff), dorm happenings, opus, grades, etc.........it's ridiculous</p>
<p>4) Atlanta</p>
<p>5) Jimmy Carter speaks each year</p>
<p>6) Emory village - it has the basics of what college students need, even if its not huge (CVS, starbucks, cold stone, restaurants, a haircut place, a clothing store)- also, it's very close to the campus</p>
<p>5) Random Emory events like brilliant speakers (Salman Rushdie) and private concerts (we had private concerts of Howie Day and the Roots so far)</p>
<p>6) Clubs - I doubt the club scene is bigger at any other university, and definitely not at any other top 25 school. Clubs are advertised every Thursday, and if you go within your freshman year you will definitely see(maybe even dance with) one or more celebrities (I have seen one cuz I don't go that often, but I have friends who have seen about five and I know of people who even danced with some)</p>
<p>7) Scholars (ughhhhhh - don't get me started on this. I would say Emory is the best school out there that makes a distinction b/w honors students and regular students, and really it shouldn't because everyone here is very smart and I do better in my classes than my friends who are scholars but yet they get first priority in housing and get full tuition!)</p>
<p>8) A high "jap" population (though the japs tend to be smart and nice -- they just are very homogeneous in that they wear the same clothes and act the same way)</p>
<p>I'm sure I'm missing some things, but those are some of the most important aspects that make Emory unique.</p>
<p>Scholars is, for the most part, a recruiting technique. It's a way to get students to come to Emory over higher-ranked schools, and I don't think you should complain if you didn't apply or didn't get it. That's like complaining that you didn't get into Harvard if you didn't apply. Admissions decisions are weird, and difficult to predict, but they have some logic behind them. It doesn't matter if you're doing better than some scholars in classes, because, in reality, the program recognizes high school excellence and hopes that you continue through college, though it has no way of MAKING you continue to achieve. For the most part though, many scholars are very involved in organizations around campus, and I often see Scholars in the Wheel (whether it's writing or in articles). That's awesome that you're doing well, and if you are, I encourage you to apply for the White scholarship, which would place you into the scholars program for your sophomore year. But please, don't judge the entire program without taking time to understand it. The incentives we are given are wonderful, and the college does invest in us, but the college invests in all of its students-otherwise, they would all be elsewhere, making more money. It just happens that some students that are highly competitive are offered more-I wouldn't have attended Emory were it not for the scholarship and would have chosen a higher-ranked college that probably wasn't as good of a fit. But I don't feel that my being a scholar makes me better or worse than anyone else. Besides, so many of the "regular" students, as you put it, are amazing and it's an honor to be an Emory student, whether you're a scholar or not.</p>
<p>I realize that the Scholars program is a recruiting technique. My problem is that if I'm accepted for sophomore year, I will only receive $3000 instead of the full tuition, even though I have done better than the students who are receiving the full tuition. By rewarding students who are doing worse than me, I am aggravated, because I have worked harder.</p>
<p>Cooper- I go to emory and I would hardly describe the clubbing scene at Emory as anything spectacular. Most upperclassmen don't go to the clubs anymore and it soon becomes pretty monotonous. True-- it is exciting as a freshmen and a great break from the typical college scene, but Emory's club scene can not compare to NYU's or U Miami's.</p>
<p>I dont like how only 4 students from each school can qualify based on GPA alone. My school is one of the best in the state yet i was not one of the 4 because i got 1 more B than the others, and because i didnt go to a bad school.</p>
<p>blawl, maybe you should have worked harder to get an A.</p>
<p>The clubbing scene “at Emory”. No need to go clubbing with other folks at Emory, just go clubbing, it’s still fun w/o them. Atlanta has a solid club scene. Everybody at Emory does not need to participate for you to enjoy it. I hate bandwagon thought. That’s why turnout at events on campus are often lower than what they should be…“because it sounds awesome, but I don’t think that many people are going.” Do you know how many people that have this pattern of thought could have contributed to a larger turn out? Think about it.</p>
<p>^@bernie2012 & anyone else: how’s the social scene at Emory as a whole? easy to make friends? clubs/orgs/associations within the school pretty active? the part scene? greek scene? places to eat? stuff like that?</p>
<p>I’m african/muslim and i heard from bernie2012 that Emory would be the best fit for me! loool</p>
<p>This thread is definitely hyping up my interest in Emory - I mean I knew I was applying ED but reading these types of posts is reassuring in a way. December 15th will be a day I always will remember.</p>
<p>The concerts we have on campus are insane. Lat year we had Kid Cudi and this year we have already had B.o.B. and T.I.</p>
<p>^ super mash bros were also awesome.</p>
<p>I believe around 1/3 (give or take some percentage) of the campus is Greek. However, they aren’t what I would consider “elite”. Accessing their functions/events is easy. I wouldn’t even venture far enough to say that greeks dominate campus life, because I don’t think they do. I believe that many of the cultural/student administration organizations have more clout. With that said, there is clear overlap between the categories. As for party scene, it’s very stereotypical, though apparently it isn’t wild enough for many (I really don’t want to know what wild is in the opinion of these people). People make stupid complaints like “you see the same people at the parties” or “People don’t party as much Junior year”. Well, yeah, the party is held on a college campus, and a relatively small one in student pop. at that. And junior year is where most will be prepping for grad/professional school entrance exams or applications on top of probably completing some of their most rigorous coursework, if not an honors thesis! Seems some people believe that one should party and drink until they drop as much as possible no matter the current predicament or possible set-backs. The fact that Emory students are less willing to do this makes the scene less appealing to such people (I mean, come on, like 40%+ folks here are pre-prof. as graduation approaches). However, pretty sure this is the case at many other private schools. *** does one expect? It isn’t some off-campus house parties. However, I think what some fail to realize is that the parties are more likely to be invaded by Tech and GSU folks (and some cases like on Fridays, UGA). This can make it more interesting. </p>
<p>Overall, definitely easy to make a diverse group of friends even if you are not that much a part of the party scene. Organizations are extremely accessible, and I’ve seen many of my sophomore friends obtain leadership positions as freshmen.<br>
I think I’ve heard another stupid complaint about the social scene. I remember one person saying that they didn’t like the fact that people who may have been unpopular in high school are trying to make friends and trying to achieve status on campus. Really?!! First they act as if high school is relevant and second, no sh**!! So is everyone. High school no longer matters. Is it so wrong that someone may want a new beginning, or that a person that would be considered unpopular in a stereotypical high school could have a large group of friends here given the diversity? That’s what college is all about, especially one like this. Surprised they’d come in with such expectations. Guess some people just can’t let high school go, especially if they were on top there. So sad.
Such students come in with disgusting, somewhat elitist attitudes like that. They really try and treat Emory like high school or would favor the status quo seen in high school social life. As much as I liked most of my high school experience, I’d rather leave it behind in favor of a more complex, accepting environment.</p>
<p>@Bernie2012 thank you soooo much for that long, detailed answer! it was very helpful 
I was just kind of scared of breaking out of my comfort zone actually since most of my friends are east african/somali and i know that it would be extremely rare for me to find someone somali at a top university…</p>
<p>I have another Question:</p>
<p>-How often do Emory students go to parties other schools @ GA Tech or UGA?</p>
<ul>
<li>Is there a sizable Muslim population?</li>
</ul>
<p>&</p>
<ul>
<li>I’m currently a HS senior and as much as i love Emory my HS stats are kinda messed up from the past, which I really regret and i know there’s no way i can get in now. I was thinking about going to one of my state schools (low tier) or MPLS CC and then transfer after 1-2 years. (i will try my best 3.7+) to maintain a very high gpa How competitive is admissions? i’m kinda scared because i want to major in something like economics/finance and i know Goizuetta is very competitive but you don’t officially go there until your junior/senior years.</li>
</ul>
<p>I really want to transfer after 1 year so i can make the most out of my ‘college experience’ but i know that my HS grades would be weighed more heavily; maybe i should apply to Oxford too b/c it’s easier to get in…i think?</p>
<p>I’m really hoping that I can visit ATL (which sounds like so much fun; i’ve only had a stopover at an ATL airport once last yr if that counts 
LOL.) so I can take a tour of Emory and see if it’s a good fit (which im assuming it already is first choice!)</p>
<p>There are plenty of Muslims, including among Africans attending (which is probably the majority of blacks here). And many attend parties and participate in events at Georgia Tech (in fact many organizations, especially the Asian ones have a high level of interaction with the Tech counterparts), including those not from Georgia. Typically only those from Georgia are willing to make a trip to Athens.</p>
<p>thanks again for answering :)</p>
<p>-How would you describe the dating scene @ Emory?</p>
<p>I don’t know how to describe things like that. Sorry. I could really care less outside my personal experiences or those of close friends. To judge such a scene would be unfair. All I can see is that I see lots of students holding hands, which indicates that there is dating among other things. Supposedly our females and males are not up to par. Most agree with this. Then again, most top schools are not known for stereotypically attractive students. Often we are unfairly compared to Vandy or USC and talked about as if we are the only school with a mediocre looking student-body. However, mediocre is a representation of the real world (most people are not extremely attractive or attractive for that matter versus ideals, which are generally Eurocentric. They are average/acceptable. Let’s not add that Emory doesn’t really have enough white people to meet this ideal. Just being blunt here). College isn’t supposed to be a place where only the attractive can attend. It’s a place of education, not a cheer leading gymnastics team of some sort. Some people focus on this too much. And normally it’s the ones that are not attractive themselves. I suppose they want eye-candy given that they’ll never be able to get that “ideal” looking person unless they earn large sums of money in the future lol. At least the latter is possible I suppose. If one is serious about “dating” (establishing some sort of serious relationship outside of hook-ups), then one can get over the mediocrity of the student body in terms of looks. Time to grow up people. This is not America’s Next Top Model.</p>
<p>It actually seems that only students here do stuff like this. Students at similar campuses (even those a good bit lower in rank) don’t denigrate the school they attend as much even if it was not their top choice. I guess everyone wants to live up to and add to the fact that we have little school pride. An increase in such an abstraction could start with us, but most just rather have it start with a football team (would be nice, but time to get over the fact that it won’t happen). I honestly think having something positive to say about the school is a start even if it as simple as recognizing the amount of time and effort put into courses by profs. here (many are really dedicated), even in larger lectures.</p>