Emory University?

[Ann.without.an.e]

We are thinking about visiting in the Spring.  It interests dd.  Emory seems to be on most lists as top for writers and dd is a writer.  It seems like a good fit for her.

Any experiences?  thoughts?  warnings or encouragements?  :D

[nancy in nj]

My dd got accepted into Emory, but her financial aid package there stunk!!!  It was absolutely the worst package of any school she was accepted to.  Also, Emory requires 3 SAT II's from homeschoolers (I'm not sure if they require one to be math, since that was one of the 2 my dd had completed junior year) and they will not waive that requirement!! My dd had 3 AP scores of 5 and 1 AP score of 4 prior to applying, all of which Emory would have awarded credit for, but still they would not budge!  My dd ended up taking the English Lit SAT II in the fall of her senior year to meet the requirement.  As I recall, you are in NC.....there is very little chance that Emory is going to make more financial sense than Chapel HIll...unless maybe your dd is a recruited athlete.  Also, the need based aid was all in the form of loans and parent loans!  No thank you!

 

I know of the son of another board member from our area who got accepted into Emory the same year as my dd.  I believe it was the only school that he did not get merit aid offers from, and his list included some higher ranking schools.  I can understand my dd not getting merit aid from Emory, but the fact that neither my dd  nor the other homeschooler got invited to compete for Emory scholars leads me to believe that  they don't seriously consider homeschoolers for merit aid.  By contrast, both my dd and he got merit aid from Chapel Hill which is only offered to about 600 (at most) of 30,000 applicants.

 

When I was doing my research, I did find one person on here whose daughter got Emory Scholars, but I believe that was several years earlier. 

 

If finances are a consideration, make sure that your dd knows that it is a long-shot from a financial perspective!

[creekland]

My guy was interested until we found out they wouldn't budge on the SAT II tests.  He didn't want to take tests for just one school, so axed them and didn't want to stop by for a visit even when we were right in the neighborhood.

 

It sounds like that was a good financial move based upon the pp.  I had no idea they were anti-homeschooler with finances too, but it does suspicious.

 

He's happy where he ended up, so it worked out just fine.

[Ann.without.an.e]

My dd got accepted into Emory, but her financial aid package there stunk!!!  It was absolutely the worst package of any school she was accepted to.  Also, Emory requires 3 SAT II's from homeschoolers (I'm not sure if they require one to be math, since that was one of the 2 my dd had completed junior year) and they will not waive that requirement!! My dd had 3 AP scores of 5 and 1 AP score of 4 prior to applying, all of which Emory would have awarded credit for, but still they would not budge!  My dd ended up taking the English Lit SAT II in the fall of her senior year to meet the requirement.  As I recall, you are in NC.....there is very little chance that Emory is going to make more financial sense than Chapel HIll...unless maybe your dd is a recruited athlete.  Also, the need based aid was all in the form of loans and parent loans!  No thank you!

 

I know of the son of another board member from our area who got accepted into Emory the same year as my dd.  I believe it was the only school that he did not get merit aid offers from, and his list included some higher ranking schools.  I can understand my dd not getting merit aid from Emory, but the fact that neither my dd  nor the other homeschooler got invited to compete for Emory scholars leads me to believe that  they don't seriously consider homeschoolers for merit aid.  By contrast, both my dd and he got merit aid from Chapel Hill which is only offered to about 600 (at most) of 30,000 applicants.

 

When I was doing my research, I did find one person on here whose daughter got Emory Scholars, but I believe that was several years earlier. 

 

If finances are a consideration, make sure that your dd knows that it is a long-shot from a financial perspective!

 

 

Wow, that is disappointing since one of the attractions was that their stats seemed great for financial aid.  I did notice today the SAT II requirement - argh.  I can understand if you don't have AP's, etc but with a variety of AP's why would they want that?  Even Duke isn't that strict on them.  When I spoke with them they said if dd has a good variety of AP's or a good score on the ACT then we shouldn't worry about SAT II's. 

[bettyandbob]

I have a friend whose ds graduate last spring. He majored in classics and is now with a Wall Street firm. He loved the school.

 

But

 

My friend is wealthy. Her ds was a recruited athlete. He did not take the scholarship because his parents wanted him to have flexibility. Money was not a factor in school choice at all.

[snowbeltmom]

Just is case anyone has an athlete and is considering Emory: Emory is a Division III school and is not permitted per the NCAA to give any type of athletic scholarships.

[Muttichen]

 

I know of the son of another board member from our area who got accepted into Emory the same year as my dd.  I believe it was the only school that he did not get merit aid offers from, and his list included some higher ranking schools.  I can understand my dd not getting merit aid from Emory, but the fact that neither my dd  nor the other homeschooler got invited to compete for Emory scholars leads me to believe that  they don't seriously consider homeschoolers for merit aid.  By contrast, both my dd and he got merit aid from Chapel Hill which is only offered to about 600 (at most) of 30,000 applicants.

 

When I was doing my research, I did find one person on here whose daughter got Emory Scholars, but I believe that was several years earlier. 

 

 

My oldest dd, who was homeschooled through 12th grade, was chosen as an Emory Scholar and awarded a full tuition scholarship.  She chose not to attend, though, because she also got into Harvard.  She has a good friend, also homeschooled, who was also an Emory Scholar.

[creekland]

Wow, that is disappointing since one of the attractions was that their stats seemed great for financial aid.  I did notice today the SAT II requirement - argh.  I can understand if you don't have AP's, etc but with a variety of AP's why would they want that?  Even Duke isn't that strict on them.  When I spoke with them they said if dd has a good variety of AP's or a good score on the ACT then we shouldn't worry about SAT II's. 

 

This was my guy's beef.  Emory simply got hung up on the wrong hoop with him - and we found out about it right when we were hearing from other schools telling him that he was ok since he had AP and DE instead.  He was tested out.  Considering he is doing so well at a peer school, I personally think Emory lost out, but they can decide for themselves what is best for them.

 

Otherwise, it's good to hear of Muttichen's merit aid experiences.  Many top schools have merit aid, but competition for it is tough.  I'm glad to hear they do consider homeschoolers for it.

[Ann.without.an.e]

My oldest dd, who was homeschooled through 12th grade, was chosen as an Emory Scholar and awarded a full tuition scholarship.  She chose not to attend, though, because she also got into Harvard.  She has a good friend, also homeschooled, who was also an Emory Scholar.

 

 

If you don't mind me asking...how long ago was this?  Does Harvard require the SAT Subject tests?  I was talking to dd about it this morning and she thinks she'll take three that way she isn't closing any doors to any schools. 

[snowbeltmom]

 Does Harvard require the SAT Subject tests?  I was talking to dd about it this morning and she thinks she'll take three that way she isn't closing any doors to any schools. 

 

No, Harvard does not require SAT Subject Tests.  However, if your daughter is considering a lottery school, she should take SAT II tests even if the college states that SAT II's are recommended but not required.

 

Some schools are "relaxing" their testing requirements because they don't want to discourage students from backgrounds with guidance counselors that have never heard of SAT II's from applying. 

 

Subject Test scores carry more weight with admissions than SAT or ACT scores. 

 

[Ann.without.an.e]

No, Harvard does not require SAT Subject Tests.  However, if your daughter is considering a lottery school, she should take SAT II tests even if the college states that SAT II's are recommended but not required.

 

Some schools are "relaxing" their testing requirements because they don't want to discourage students from backgrounds with guidance counselors that have never heard of SAT II's from applying. 

 

Subject Test scores carry more weight with admissions than SAT or ACT scores. 

 

 

Thanks for the thoughts on this.  What is a lottery school?  Dd is my oldest and I learn something new every day :tongue_smilie:

It honest-to-goodness doesn't bother us to take the SAT Sub tests, but it just seems so silly and redundant when they have a variety of AP scores.  AP exams are more difficult than SAT sub tests so they should be viewed as a replacement.  I understand when students don't have AP scores available.  I also don't understand the sense in the SAT Sub math.  When a child is submitting high scores on the ACT and/or SAT...why is a sub test in math even necessary.  Sorry, rant over. 

[snowbeltmom]

Thanks for the thoughts on this.  What is a lottery school?  Dd is my oldest and I learn something new every day :tongue_smilie:

It honest-to-goodness doesn't bother us to take the SAT Sub tests, but it just seems so silly and redundant when they have a variety of AP scores.  AP exams are more difficult than SAT sub tests so they should be viewed as a replacement.  I understand when students don't have AP scores available.  I also don't understand the sense in the SAT Sub math.  When a child is submitting high scores on the ACT and/or SAT...why is a sub test in math even necessary.  Sorry, rant over. 

 

A "lottery school" is a school that has a very low acceptance rate. 

 

Not everyone has access to AP classes and SAT II's are available to everyone.  SAT II's also do a little better job of distinuishing the top scorers than AP tests do since it is easier to get a 5 on an AP exam than it is to get an 800 on a SAT II.

 

The SAT Math Level II Subject Test tests higher level math concepts than those tested on the SAT or ACT. 

 

[Muttichen]

If you don't mind me asking...how long ago was this?  Does Harvard require the SAT Subject tests?  I was talking to dd about it this morning and she thinks she'll take three that way she isn't closing any doors to any schools. 

 

My dd graduated from high school in 2005, so it's been awhile.

 

On Harvard's Admissions website, under requirements, it says, "Normally, 2 SAT Subject Tests." (https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/application-requirements)  I'm not sure what "normally" means in this case, but I read that as you'd better have them.  

[In The Great White North]

 

 

My guy was interested until we found out they wouldn't budge on the SAT II tests.  He didn't want to take tests for just one school, so axed them and didn't want to stop by for a visit even when we were right in the neighborhood.

 

Same here.  Wrote it off immediately.

[Sunshine State Sue]

We toured Emory the summer before ds's junior year and really liked the school.  Ds is an athlete.  Our tour guide was on the swim team.  I asked about athletes and scholarships because I knew D3 schools did not offer athletic scholarships.  He said that they are bound by law not to give any more aid to athletes than non-athletes.

 

The basketball coach never expressed any interest despite calls and emails from both ds and his coach.  That is, until the summer after ds's junior year.  Then, he really, really, really wanted ds.  Ds's coach said with his height and his ACT score, he could play at any D3 school he wanted.

 

As others have said, the school was completely unaccommodating wrt 3 SAT IIs.  Ds graduated with 69 CC credits.  He did take several SAT IIs (specifically for Emory), but his scores were not impressive.

 

Ds wound up not applying.  He decided it was best to attend a schools with a strong STEM program.  Emory is a very respectable LAC.

[Sunshine State Sue]

My oldest dd, who was homeschooled through 12th grade, was chosen as an Emory Scholar and awarded a full tuition scholarship.

 

If I remember correctly, all your dc have international awards to their credit.  Right?

 

[Muttichen]

If I remember correctly, all your dc have international awards to their credit.  Right?

 

 

Yes, my kids all have some kind of national award.  The dd who got a scholarship at Emory was one of four finalists in the NEH's "Ideas in America" essay contest.  It's not around anymore.  I think it was a pretty big deal -- she got dinner at the Supreme Court and got to talk with Justice Breyer in his office for about an hour with the other finalists.  All four finalists got into top Ivies.

[EmilyK]

My father in law teaches history at Emory. I have always been very impressed by the other professors I have met through him. It is a lovely campus.

 

Emory has changed a lot over the years. As my father in law tells it, it used to feel off in the woods, but now is pretty firmly in the urban area. I guess I'm always surprised that I don't see more students in the area when we visit (my in laws are walking distance from the campus) but maybe we are usually there when school is out of session. I would want to make sure that most kids don't live off campus if having a real vibrant 24/7 campus is important (at least that's what I am planning on looking into for my kids). It is bigger than a typically-defined liberal arts college, but the undergraduate student body is the size of Duke or Northwestern. So, not a LAC but a good place to get a high quality undergrad education. My FIL always has a had a lot of ongoing contact with his students, but he has won teaching awards, so I don't know if that level of care is typical. For good or for bad, it changed years ago from feeling like a southern school. Most of the students are from outside of the south. It has strong grad schools if that is important. 

 

Emory at Oxford is another option. We have several friends who did it decades ago, but I don't know much about it. As I understand it, you start at the campus in Oxford GA (a small town, and a smaller campus population). It used to be slightly easier to get in that way. After 2 years, you transition to going to Emory in Atlanta.