<p>Hello, I am debating between Tulane and Emory. </p>
<p>I received $24,000 a year merit scholarship to Tulane but no money from Emory.</p>
<p>Anyways, my situation does not really revolve around money. My parents are both professionals and I am upper-middle class. If this were a year earlier, I would definitely be going to Emory no question. However, because of the economic recession and stock market my parents have lost 50% of my college savings. </p>
<p>I guess my question is should I go with Tulane because of the money, even though my parents can afford Emory? </p>
<p>I have been recruited for a sport at Emory which is division III. my sport would take up most of my time. If I went to Tulane I could maybe walk on to the team but it would be much more rigorous. </p>
<p>For me, academics come first. I like having fun, but my education is my first priority. I am slightly worried that if I went to Tulane I would get distracted and party too much. On the other hand, at Emory I might not have as much fun and just study all the time.</p>
<p>I liked both schools. I felt a bit more at home at Tulane but that may be because I spent longer there. At Emory I felt it was a bit more intimidating.</p>
<p>I also want to go to grad school. Either medical school or law school. If I went to Tulane I would have enough money saved for me to go to grad school without any debts. However if I went to Emory I would have some debts by the time I finished grad school.</p>
<p>What do you think I should do, Tulane or Emory?</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>I think the key thing you say is that you felt more at home at Tulane. That’s important. Certainly finishing school debt free is huge also. I would have to say those two factors together outweigh the other considerations of sports and prestige of Emory. I assume the prestige is important because you said the prior to the financial meltdown you would go to Emory “no question”, despite the fact that you liked Tulane better. But $100K is a lot of money that could really help in the future.</p>
<p>A couple of questions that would help nail this down. Did you get invited to the Honors program at Tulane? That’s important because then you could stay in the Honor’s Dorm, get together with more likeminded students, and help keep yourself more focused, keep that balance you desire. As for your sport, is it the kind of thing you could do as a club sport? Then you could stay involved without taking up huge chunks of your time. I am sure the kids at Emory have plenty of fun, but no question Tulane is more laid back while still being a serious academic experience. Emory tends to be more cut-throat premed.</p>
<p>And as far as prep for med school or law school, either school provides you with the resources you need to get into top programs. The rest is up to you, absolutely. No question Emory is more selective that Tulane, but that just means you have a better chance of standing out at Tulane also. That’s a good thing.</p>
<p>So in summary, while your situation doesn’t revolve around money it is a factor, and that favors Tulane. So does your instinctual preference for the atmosphere of the school. On Emory’s side is that it is more selective, but again that cuts both ways. Also on Emory’s side is that you could play a D3 sport, and that can be a great experience. Yes it takes up time, but that can keep you focused, also. But I bet you can keep yourself focused either place if you just find the right group of friends.</p>
<p>Good luck, I’ll be interested in that little extra info.</p>
<p>Perhaps you could do what my D’s roommate did – Tulane for UG and Emory for Medical School.</p>
<p>I am actually in a very similar scenario (damn stock market) but with a different school. </p>
<p>I am also a tad bit worried about the more social atmosphere of Tulane, but if you are motivated towards a goal you will be fine. Doing a sport in college, from what I have heard from numerous accounts, is difficult in the sense you have to find a balance. It might be hard finding time to do work, so you have to weigh that in as well. Not the advice you’re looking for, (its rather obvious IMO) but be honest with yourself.</p>
<p>thanks for all the responses. i was not invited to the honors college at Tulane even though I got the presidential merit scholarship. I think that after the first semester I could get into honors tho. (My gpa is lower than the average gpa of the honors college because I go to a rigorous private school that doesn’t weigh for APs and honors classes). I have a pretty high SAT score though. Also my sport is not offered as a club sport at Tulane. The only way I would get to do it is if I was on the DI team. </p>
<p>I do feel a little overwhelmed that if I go to Emory I will have to do the sport there and it will take up a ton of time. Even though Emory is Division III, the coach is really the main reason I got in, so if I don’t do the sport it would be very unethical. The pros of doing a sport at Emory is that I would have an instant group of close friends and I would be in very good shape. No freshman 15 yay! Maybe I would just do the sport freshman year, see how it goes and then not do it after freshman year. </p>
<p>The decision deadline is so soon and I don’t know what to do.</p>
<p>I have somewhat the same choice to make.</p>
<p>My pros for Tulane are that it is in New Orleans, it is pretty, and it is cheap.
Cons are that it is full of drinking kids…something I really don’t want (super partiers)…gives it a bad rep…and less prestige</p>
<p>Emory…pros-very prestigious, very good business, very nice area + good buildings/dorms
cons…would be 40-60k in debt</p>
<p>If it helps at all…I’m probably going to Tulane.</p>
<p>thanks for the pros and cons. here are my pros and cons</p>
<p>Emory pros-presitgious, could run D3 team, kids seemed nicer (maybe this is biased) but when I visited Emory i really liked the kids, and the kids at Tulane seemed very catty, very good academics, small classes, wonderful library</p>
<p>cons- more expensive, more intense academically, might be harder for pre-med, area felt more forgein to me than New Orleans which is slightly closer to home, disliked the gym, parties not as good as those at Tulane</p>
<p>Tulane pros-cheaper, good school, easier classes, lots and lots of parties, might be slightly easier than Emory to get higher gpa so hence easier to get into med school</p>
<p>cons-might be too many parties, i liked the boys at tulane but the girls were very catty. again this might just be the kids i met when i was there. mediocre library. harder to get on to the sports team, classes seemed more like public school classes-kids all on facebook during class, 1/3 of the kids missed classes because it was a friday and they were hungover from drinking</p>
<p>i realized i might seem contradictory about parties. tulane has too many and emory has too few. i just like that Tulane is in close contact to bars and restaurants whereas Emory is more of a pain to get to places</p>
<p>Just a hunch, rocketgirl, but as much as I would like to see you at Tulane (I selfishly want as many smart, talented mature people entering this freshman class with my D as possible), you sound to me like Emory really is a better fit. Just seems like the serious things you value are more of a fit at Emory for you. Not that you can’t get a serious education at Tulane; of course you can. And I think the drinking is overblown because there is a core subgroup that really does drink too much, but that is true at any school and Tulane just has that rep. But that aside, it just seems that Emory has the better fit for you. JMHO.</p>
<p>One thing that you guys might want to consider about Tulane’s party reputation is that the university has been recruiting a different type of student the past several years. The community service initiative has resulted in a more qualified student body. I suspect that it will also eventually result in a more focused student body. In the past I think the main draw to Tulane was the opportunity to live in a party city like New Orleans. The Hurricane definitely changed the city and has changed one of the big draws of the university as well. Don’t get me wrong, Tulane will always have a strong social scene, it would be almost impossible not to in New Orleans, but I suspect that the more qualified/more socially responsible student body will eventually lessen some of the stereotypes. Just my opinion.</p>
<p>thanks for all of your input. both Tulane and Emory are great schools. but i’ve decided that for me, Emory is the better fit.</p>
<p>rocketgirl - Congrats, I know it is not an easy decision, but I am sure you are glad to have made it. And after all, you probably could hardly have gone wrong. But as I said above, my intuition was saying Emory for you. Kind of like the sorting hat in Harry Potter, LOL. Anyway, extreme best of luck, you sound like a great person. Emory is lucky to have you.</p>
<p>thank you fallenchemist!! i’m very excited for Emoy!</p>
<p>lol wow didn’t see the spelling mistake.
*I am very excited for Emory!</p>
<p>I’m probably choosing Emory as well. I appealed their aid and cut the loan amount in half so really I can’t turn them down I think.</p>
<p>I happened to be in the same situation. I will tell you mine.</p>
<p>I was accepted into Babson, pre-admit into the Ross school of business, and Tulane. I was a recruit at Babson and could have been starting on that sport my freshman year, no real sports at Michigan except I talked to the coach and he said I could walk on, and at Tulane I have a spot on the football team and I will also be trying out for baseball. I was given 17,000 at Tulane and nothing at the other two. </p>
<p>Obviously in terms of prestige, Michigan’s Ross school is up there. I believe its #3 in the country. Babson is #1 in entrepreneurship and is highly respected. Tulane maybe a notch below these two. But Tulane’s finance department is VERY strong. I was talking to students down there and as sophmores big investment banks were already talking to them. One student even said that Tulanes finance might be even better than Ross.</p>
<p>So after visiting I had to see which one fits me. I dont know about you guys, but I like to have some fun after studying and playing hard. In my mind, Babson would not really provide this for me. No girls, 1800 undergrads…Then onto Michigan…IT IS HUGE…which could be fun, but could suck…I mean, dont make me sound like im saying Michigan isnt fun, you will have fun, but you will just be a number in the class. Would your professor know you? No. If you needed a rec. from a professor for a job tomorrow, would you be able to get it? Probably not, and also the Ross school is very cut throat. Grade deflation, constant student ranking, etc…Also Michigan is freezing ass weather, and the state of michigan is doing pretty crappy as well…</p>
<p>So maybe as you can see I chose Tulane…Money was a slight factor but not really. The Business school at Tulane is highly respected, I will have oppurtunities out of there, Im going to have the best college experience ever, I will be playing a Division 1 sport, and getting paid to learn. I am wanted there. Go where you are wanted. Go where it feels best. I mean Emory in my mind is like Babson in my mind. I would perhaps cancel that one out. If you got into Emory, like I got into Ross and Babson, we are smart kids. tulane is a great school. Your going to have many oppurtunities.</p>
<p>Tulane 13!!!</p>