Emory University

Emory University, founded in 1836, is a leading private research institution. Considered one of the top 20 universities in the nation, Emory is known for providing undergraduates with multiple options for their programs of study. Located in the suburb of Druid Hills near downtown Atlanta, Georgia, the majority of students choose to stay on the 630-acre campus for all four years. The school’s undergrad population numbers just over 7,300.

Emory is considered unique for the way undergraduate students go about focusing on a major. As freshmen, they can apply to Emory College, which focuses on a liberal arts education. They can also apply to Oxford College, where they spend their first two years on the original campus 38 miles from Atlanta. Their junior and senior years are then spent at the main campus. These students can also apply to the Goizueta Business School for junior year admission or to the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing which is consistently ranked one of the top private nursing schools in the country. Instead of choosing a major freshman year as most other colleges do, students end up selecting a focused field of study as juniors. There are over 80 majors and 60 minors as well as 13 pre-professional programs at Emory. The most popular majors are social sciences, business/marketing, biological/life sciences and health professions, and related programs.

Aside from academics, Emory University offers a wide variety of extracurricular and social activities. There is a thriving Greek life population, with about 20 percent of students participating in a sorority or fraternity. Fraternities began at Emory University in 1840, and are now housed in on-campus residencies called Eagle Row (for fraternities) and Sorority Village. The Greek societies often socialize together, and students note that it is equally easy to make friends in and out of the Greek system.

Emory also places a large focus on community service. It’s often noted as one of the leading schools for student service activities. About 25 percent of students are members of Volunteer Emory, which works with multiple organizations including Atlanta Community Food Bank, Trees Atlanta, PAWS Atlanta, and Jones Boys and Girls Club. There is also an Emory Cares International Service Day where students and alumni work to improve dozens of communities around the world. Although Emory doesn’t have a football team, they do have 19 varsity teams that compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III level.

With a flexible academic program and a variety of on-campus activities, Emory has become known for its committed faculty and hardworking students. Those looking for a school in an urban setting should check out Emory’s main campus. That location, along with Emory College and Oxford College, provides multiple sites for research and intense studies for undergraduate students.