<p>Hi, so yesterday I found out that I was chosen for Emory's Conditional Transfer Admissions. So if I can get a gpa of 3.2 I can transfer in as a sophmore. For my freshman year, I will be attending the University of Wisconsin at Madison to double major in Biology + International Studies. So which school, UWMadison or Emory has the better Bio/IS Program?</p>
<p>Don’t know about IS. But for Bio, I would choose UW for sure. Emory is good for its undergrad business. And it had Jimmy Carter as an Alum. That is all.</p>
<p>UW is hard to beat for anything bio related and international programs also. One you get there I doubt you will want to leave for sleepy Emory.</p>
<p>Both schools have excellent programs in those areas, so I would pick UW-Madison hands down since you have already been accepted there. Transferring is something that should only be done if there is something measurable and worthwhile to be gained, and in this case if you picked Emory you’d be basically deciding to transfer from one really good school to another. Pretty pointless.</p>
<p>A friend’s D picked Emory over UW four years ago. She was studying Business. He was paying $50K per year for the past 5 years, as opposed to paying $20K. At the end, she got a job at JP Morgan in Atlanta. Sort of paying off? I don’t know.</p>
<p>Emory has a very strong Bio major. There is no question that an Emory education is of the highest quality. It’s medical school is consistently ranked among the best in the nation. The school has ties with the Yerkes Primate Center, which is a major source for primate research worldwide. Emory also has a close working relationship with the CDC. Additionally, it also offers a degree with Georgia Tech (Biomedical Engineering). That particular course of study is quite grueling, but is there for the strong of heart. </p>
<p>It comes down to personal preference and finances. Emory is an expensive private university. For the money, you will get more “personal” attention from professors. I doubt that a self motivated person would see much of a difference. But, if you are someone that needs special attention, Emory might be right for you. The campus is noticeably quiet. Some people prefer the “pastoral” feel. Personally, I prefer more hustle and bustle around me. UW’s sporting events are legendary. Emory’s sports are basically high school grade. If you are looking for school spirit, don’t go to Emory. </p>
<p>Emory is also located in a major metro area. Atlanta is a vibrant city with abundant cultural and entertainment opportunities. You will need a car to get around, but just about any extracurricular activity is available in abundance. Do you really want all those temptations during a time that you need to focus on your studies? UW is in Madison. Madison is a progressive small town with plenty of extracurricular activities within walking distance. It seems like the ideal environment for a college kid to have fun without going over board. </p>
<p>UW is a great school and provides a great platform to succeed in Biology and a number of other fields. If you are a Wisconsin resident, you can not beat the value. If you are studying Biology as a Pre-med, then stay at UW. There is no clear advantage going to Emory for your undergraduate studies. However, if you have different goals, do your homework and find out if Emory can provide additional opportunities. </p>
<p>My son was accepted to Emory, as well as UW. He has not regretted his decision.</p>
<p>I would not call Madison a small town but a medium sized city (some of the state U’s are in truly small towns). I’ll bet once you experience Madison you won’t want to leave.</p>
<p>If you are planning to go to medical school, stay at UW. While a biology major would be slightly harder and more rigorous at Emory, it wouldn’t be a huge difference and for sure not worth the extra $30,000 a year. If you are not planning on graduate school, I would recommend Emory because it is more prestigious and a higher quality and more in depth education(you will get more personal attention). It’s really too early to decide. I would say you couldn’t go wrong at either, so if I were you, I would base my decision on how much you like UW next year, not just the academic side, but also the social side and everything else. If for some reason you don’t like UW or it’s not for you then transfer, but I have a feeling you will like it a lot and it would probably be a pain to have to get resituated again soph. year. Good Luck!</p>
<p>wow great post etherdome. very insightful. I guess I cant know for certain until the end of next year. Also, where did your son ultimately go?</p>
<p>He just finished his freshman year at UW. Like I said, he is happy with his decision.</p>