I was recently accepted into both Vassar and Emory’s Oxford College. I would love to visit both and will try my best to but if that does not work out, what would you guys say are the pros and cons of both? I know that one college that may seem great for one person could be a nightmare for another so what general interests/personality type goes with each one?
Thanks guys!
If you regard yourself as intellectual (in contrast to just smart), Vassar could work really well for you. Superficially, Vassar can seem like an art- and-literature school, but their new science building should contribute to an increasingly balanced foundation.
Both are outstanding schools, but there are differences. Here are some points of comparison and how they are relative to one another:
- Vassar is in a small city, while Emory is in the Atlanta metroplex. -...so weather-wise, Vassar's winters will be colder and snowier while Emory's (extended) summers will be hotter and more humid.
- There are more museums, more pro sports, music and restaurants -- more to do -- in Atlanta than in Poughkeepsie. At Vassar you'd head for NYC, but it's a fair bit longer of a journey than from Oxford to downtown Atlanta.
- Vassar is probably a little bit stronger overall in the Humanities and performing/fine arts, while Emory is probably stronger in STEM areas. I'm not sure about the soft sciences. Emory has a business school (and related majors), while Vassar does not. Obviously, both schools are excellent academically.
- Survey-level courses (100-level) will very likely be smaller at Vassar -- one of the advantages LACs typically hold over U's.
- Emory offers more majors and classes, which is an advantage U's typically hold over LACs.
- Vassar is thought to be more artsy, while Emory is thought to be relatively more mainstream/pre-professional. Bearing in mind, of course, that there are artsy kids at Emory and future business leaders and lawyers at Vassar. (you'd find your tribe at either)
- Neither school is that much of a rah-rah sports school. If you like watching sports, Emory's Atlanta location offers Georgia Tech college athletics and multiple Atlanta pro sports opportunities. At Vassar you'd have to do some traveling to see high-level sports.
- I don't know much about either school's social scene, but there is likely more Greek life at Emory -- read up on that, if it matters to you.
Those are just some of the fit variables you might consider when deciding.
@prezbucky: Oxford@Emory’s intro classes should be small too. It’s essentially a LAC that feeds in to main Emory after 2 years.
That would be an added bonus.
I am currently undecided as to what I want to major in. Currently, I am debating between Business and Pre Med (I know they are two completely different fields) and it would be nice to go to a college that has pretty good placement/assistance for both as I am planning on furthering my education past the undergraduate level to either Business or Medical school. I know placement/rankings shouldn’t be all that I look at but would one of these colleges be stronger in terms of Business/Medical school placement?