Emory University
Responses from the Student Interview
From a student who identifies as Majors: Double major in Business Administration and Psychology. In the undergraduate business school.
Student Self Identifies as: Asian-American Straight Female
Summary
Part of Greek life, plays on the club lacrosse team, does community service, and writes for the Emory Wheel.
Background
Gender Identity: Female
Race/Ethnicity: Asian-American
Sexual Orientation: Straight
High School Experience: A public school Andover, Massachusetts with about 600 students in the graduating class. There was a culture of going to college
First Generation College Student: No
Majors: Double major in Business Administration and Psychology. In the undergraduate business school.
Extracurricular Activities: Part of Greek life, plays on the club lacrosse team, does community service, and writes for the Emory Wheel.
Have any of your extracurricular activities had a particularly big impact on your experience?
At Emory, there is a push to get involved since the school is not that big. There are a lot of opportunities to join clubs and it’s a great way to meet people. Being in different social groups has made a big impact.
Academic Experience
Can you describe the weekly coursework for your majors?
Psychology is mostly test focused. There is a lot of reading but the professors don’t check if it’s done. You’re responsible for the reading and keeping up with the coursework. The grades are completely made up of exams. I usually have two a semester, with each being 25% and the final is 50%. Business is also test-focused, but, depending on the class, you can have case-studies which are done in groups or presentations.
Is there anything you feel either of your majors’ departments do especially well or especially poorly?
Emory has its own business school which students apply for. You can apply for early admission the first semester of your sophomore year or during your junior year. They do a great job of recruiting for internships at companies, especially in finance and consulting. They have a lot of resources, they do resume work, and get you ready for the job search and application process much earlier than students in the regular college [of arts & sciences]. [96% of the Class of 2018 of the undergraduate business school class had full-time employment 3-months after graduation. 99% of the Class of 2018 completed a paid or for-credit internship.]
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
It differs. I have two perspectives. The business school is graded on a curve so your grade is subject to everyone else’s performance. It can make it more competitive than the college. In the college, it doesn’t matter how everyone else is doing. In the business school, they encourage much more group work, reflective of the workplace. The business school is different because of the curve. I think the Emory culture, in general, is very “work hard, play hard.” It’s very normal for people to stay in the library until 3 or 4 AM. You also have people who don’t really study and focus on other things. In general, most students work very hard.
Can you give me an example of how the competitive environment materializes in the business school?
If you have practice questions, maybe from an older student, someone may not be very inclined to share those questions with someone else. Or if there is an information session which you get credit for attending, someone may not sign you in if you didn’t go.
How accessible have your professors been?
For larger lectures, it’s a bit harder to get in contact with professors, since they’re teaching 100-150 students. There are usually Teacher Assistants, anywhere between 5-10 per lecture class, and it’s very easy to get in contact with them because they have set hours, usually every day. For smaller lectures, the professors are usually very available and will work with you if you can’t make it to their office hours.
What made you choose your combination of majors? Are you happy with your choice?
For my projected post-graduation job track, marketing, combining psychology and business plays into my different interests. I’m much more interested in the human side of marketing rather than the statistical side. Business has practicality for me, but Psychology is what I’m really interested in.
Reasons to Attend
1) You can be around many different people from different backgrounds.
2) There is great 1 on 1 advising and support from teachers.
3) Specific programs at Emory (such as the business school or the nursing school) do a great job of paying attention to students and providing resources.
Reasons Not to Attend
1) If you’re more independent or prefer not to be around the same people, everyone at Emory typically hang out with the same people.
2) If you want to live on-campus all 4 years, most Emory students usually move off campus their junior or senior year. [On-campus housing is not guaranteed for juniors and seniors.]
Around Campus
Where have you lived over the past two years?
Freshman: My first year, I lived in Complex with one roommate. It’s a freshman dorm, there are 7 on campus.
Sophomore: This year, I’m living in the sorority lodge. I have one roommate and we live in a suite. Instead of a common bathroom, it’s one bathroom shared with 4 girls.
How was transitioning from Massachusetts to Atlanta, GA?
Being from the Northeast, going to the south was a transition, but it was what I was looking for. I wanted to experience a different city. Atlanta is much better of a city for college students than Boston. There are more accessible places and things to do. It wasn’t that bad because Emory is very diverse and there are people from all over the US and even international. The culture at Emory itself is more similar to the Northeast than Atlanta or Georgia as a whole. Personally, I didn’t get much of a culture shock. There was a difference as far as high school to college, but I don’t think there was [a culture shock] as far as the geographical location.
What is your favorite place to get away from campus?
Atlanta has a lot of coffee shops. I often go there to study because the library can get boring.
Social Opportunities
What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
[About 30% of students are in Greek life], so there are a lot of fraternity parties. There are also a lot of clubs and bars in Atlanta.
What nights of the week do you regularly go out?
Sometimes it doesn’t depend on the night because there are specific nights that an event is being hosted at a specific venue. But usually, I go out Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
What is a typical night going out freshman year, maybe before you were more socially established?
Freshman year, you hear about a party, via invite on Facebook or email. I went out with girls who lived close to me, we would get ready together, then walk over together. Usually, you go to a fraternity party, then afterward everyone meets at a specific bar. Just depending on the night, you can see people you know there.
What is the impact of Greek life on nightlife?
Greek life does have a big impact on nightlife. Emory’s student body is [16%] international students and the international students usually hang out as their own group. I have international friends, but it’s not super common. It’s rare to have international students go through recruitment or rush. Half of the people I know are part of Greek life and Greek life can seem small at times. The good part about Emory’s Greek life is that there’s not a very divisive idea that girls of one sorority can’t be friends with girls of another sorority.
How happy are you with the nightlife? Would you change anything?
It’s fun for a couple of years, but after a while it does get old. I think that’s just a part of growing up.
Campus Culture
How did you meet your closest friends?
My friends have changed every semester. I’ve gotten closer with specific people. You get close to people if you know them, you see them around through classes, or you live with them. I met my closest friends freshman year through my dorm. After joining Greek life and living in the sorority lodge, I’ve gotten closer to people in my sorority.
How would you describe the overall social scene?
I think it’s a great place if you like walking around and seeing people you know. At Emory, you can walk into the dining hall and always see someone you know there. However, it’s a big enough school that you can constantly meet people. Especially in Greek life, there’s a big environment of knowing about other people and what they’re doing.
To what extent do people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
It’s very diverse. I have friends from so many places and different sexual orientations. I think Emory is a very accepting community, especially compared to where I grew up. It’s much more diverse. [About 41% of Emory’s student body is White.]
How would you describe the student body?
Emory is very different as a student body but socio-economically, it’s not as diverse. There’s also a large Jewish presence. I’ve been exposed to that culture and I love learning about it. The student body in the business school is much more cohesive than in the college. Most people are very liberal and Greek-life focused, but there are so many different people. [According to the Hillel College Guide, about 17% of undergraduates are Jewish.]
How do you like the size of Emory’s undergraduate enrollment? [There are about 8,000 undergraduate students.]
The size is one of my favorite parts of Emory. It’s not impossible to meet up with people and it’s so easy to meet people. [The median family income is $139,800 and about 15% of students come from the top 1% socioeconomically.]
Careers
Has the alumni network helps you find internships or jobs?
The alumni at Emory are very helpful. In the business school especially, the students rely on the alumni network. For example, there are alumni nights for certain companies. I received my internship this previous summer through the alumni network. They’re also very eager to help because they have also been helped by other alumni.
Have you used the career office? How helpful have they been?
The career office holds a lot of different information sessions and workshopping nights. You also have the opportunity to meet with a career advisor and ask any specific questions you may have. They’re great about being able to meet with you.
Did you learn any computer programs that will be especially helpful for you professionally or for your course work?
I have learned Excel, Java, and R through different classes I’ve taken.