Emory University
Boisfeuillet Jones Center
Atlanta, GA 30322
(800) 727-6036
Web site: www.emory.edu
 

College Rank:

Emory University is one of the highest ranked colleges in the nation. In a recent U.S. News and World Report, it placed 16th among the top 25 universities. Its endowment is now more than
$4 billion (the sixth largest in the nation). Some experts, however, say Emory is often a "second choice" to students looking to the Ivy League and other prestigious schools. Right now it looks like these students are in a win-win situation.

Interestingly, in the Black Enterprise selections of its "50 top Colleges for African-Americans (1999)"--the first nine schools were historically Black colleges--Emory placed in the fourth position behind Stanford, Georgetown and Columbia.

Note also that in a recent edition of the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education it was pointed out that Emory had the highest percentage of Black students enrolled, 10.3%, more than any of the top 25 nationally ranked colleges or universities.
 

The Campus:

When you arrive at Emory you will probably stand on North Decatur Road and enter through the Hopkins-Haywood Gate, the main entrance. You'll get a suburban, picture-postcard view of flowers in bloom, green lawns, shrubbery. Walking on those pathways and hills, you'll discover a 631-acre campus (it's about six miles from downtown Atlanta) that will be memorable. Another plus is Lullwater Park, which adjoins the campus. You can stroll on walking trails, bird watch and even hold hands (perhaps)at a small lake. In Atlanta, you'll find a myriad of attractions: malls, museums, restaurants, cinemas, whatever your heart desires.

At Emory, there are 116 buildings, including residence halls. They are generally impressive, colorful, sometimes with grand marble facades, with overhanging trees everywhere. Of course, you'll see Emory College (the liberal arts nucleus of the university). A definite stop will be at the Woodruff Library, Emory's largest. It's the one you head to for serious study--and a little quiet time. Candler Library is the smaller, more popular location, where both studying and socializing takes place. The Emory libraries (five altogether) have over 2.4 million volumes.

The Michael C. Carlos Museum is said to have one of the largest collections of sub-Saharan African art in the United States. There's Carlos Hall, with computer labs that connect to the campus and the "global networks." Over 1,200 students use the computers daily. The Quadrangle--where students often congregate--is at the academic core of Emory's campus, where you'll find educational outlets for many of the 50 majors available to you. Another popular gathering spot is the area around Cox Hall, with its clock tower. If you wish, you can march to the Glenn Memorial Chapel, where the annual Baccalaureate Ceremony is held. You can pose for a camera shot where Desmond Tutu (the South African archbishop) once spoke at commencement.

The Dorms:

The first-year residence halls include single-sex and coed dormitories, on-campus apartments, fraternity and sorority housing and theme houses. Some of the dorms (all with air-conditioning, TV lounges and movable furniture), include Dobbs, Longstreet, McTyeire and the Means and Thomas residences (both in The Complex). Also, there is Turman North, which is comprised of four residences and a spacious lawn for socializing and studying. The similar Turman East has an outdoor amphitheater and Deli. And yes, there is a Black Student Alliance House, an upper-class, co-ed residence where our folks often select to reside.

Getting In:

Admissions at Emory is very competitive, with the school looking for students who have taken the most challenging high school courses and have done exceptionally well. We're talking about courses like physics, chemistry and biology at honors or advanced-placement levels. Your "demonstrated interest in attending Emory is carefully noted and factored into admissions decisions."

At Emory the acceptance rate is about 44%. In a recent year, approximately 9,780 applied, and 4,500 were accepted. Over 86% of the students graduated in the top 10% of their high school classes. The median SAT score is about 1345. About 10% of the arriving students are African-American.

Most Emory undergraduate students (6,316) are from the South, although 48 states are represented, including large contingents of students from the Middle Atlantic and Northeastern states. Students also arrive from 105 foreign countries.

About 65% of the students are from public schools.
 

Academic Reality:

The academic climate is said to be "serious." Usually the introductory classes range from 25 to 200 students, with one lecture hall able to seat 250. At upper levels, classes can be as small as 6 to 12 students. Most students are pre-med, with many being biology and chemistry majors. These courses are often described as "difficult" and "stressful." The most popular majors are biology, psychology, business, nursing and English.

There are comprehensive and "rigorous" (some say) liberal arts distribution requirements that are required beyond any major. You must take courses in six necessary categories, including courses that fall under the titles of "Tools of Learning," the "Individual and Society," and "Aesthetics and Values."

There's an African-American Studies major. Courses that you might find of interest (available to all majors) include: Jazz: It's Evolution & Essence, Race & Ethnic Relations, Dynamics of the Black Community and African-American Literature to 1900 (and the follow-up course covering the period after 1900). Wole Soyinka, the Nobel Laureate, is a
professor with the Black Studies Institute.

About 1500 bachelor's degrees are awarded annually.
 

Campus Life:

Alpha Phi Alpha usually hosts an annual "Stepshow" for Sickle Cell. This event attracts about 1,000 students each year, with other Black Greeks arriving to participate from neighboring Georgia colleges.

There are over 200 clubs, organizations and special interest groups on campus. Blacks look to their Black fraternities and sororities for support. Here you'll find Delta Sigma Theta, Alpha Kappa Alpha,
Omega Psi Phi, Kappa Alpha Psi and Alpha Phi Alpha, not to mention the Black Student Alliance, The Fire This Time and Ngambika.

The student online newspaper is called The Wheel. Others include The Fever, The Fire, The Spoke. Some of the clubs/art groups are the Emory Dance Company (regularly playing to capacity houses), Music at Emory, the Indian Cultural Exchange, Sailing Club, Habitat for Humanity, EV News, International Association, chess, photography, debate, film and arts outlets for students. There's also a jazz band,
orchestra, radio and TV stations, Student Government Association, College and Media Councils. At the Carter Center you can fight "hunger, poverty, and oppression" through collaborative initiatives.

Important campus events also include the Heritage Ball and Festival of the Nine Lives.

Lastly, there are over 40 intramural sports and/or events for students and a 3000-seat gym with four basketball courts, an Olympic-size pool, Nautilus weight rooms and squash, tennis and racquetball courts. There's also a 400-meter track and soccer field, with a 2,000-seat capacity.

Note that Emory does not sponsor varsity football.

On campus, you can use an EmoryCard, a multipurpose card that that serves as a "token" to the library and eateries. The card can serve as your "meal ticket," while you deduct payments from your meal plan. Note that the Dobbs University Center is where
most students eat. It's open 24 hours a day, and you can get standard cafeteria food, including pizza, deli sandwiches and Burger King, to just mention a few possibilities.

Financial Aid deadline: Either the FAFSA or CSS Profile are required. February 15th.

Application deadline: January 15th.

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