With May 1 rapidly approaching, I have narrowed down my decision between Oxford College of Emory University and Southern Methodist University. I am considering in majoring in biology while going on the pre-health track, which both of these schools offer. I would describe myself as a white, male, Methodist, conservative.
The problem is that I cannot simultaneously attend two schools! I like Oxford College and SMU practically the same, but for different reasons.
With respect to Emory, I was admitted to both Emory College and Oxford College with an $18,000 per year Emory Merit Achievement Award contingent upon my enrollment at Oxford College. I would be a double legacy and a third generation Emory student. Emory definitely has the stronger pre-health track of these two schools and from what I understand a degree from Emory bears more weight than a degree from SMU - at least outside of Dallas. I have attended a small private school of 450 students since the first grade so the adjustment to Oxford College would not be a difficult transition. The two cons for attending Oxford College I have determined to be its relatively remote location and, for me personally, its slightly politically left-leaning student body. Also, Oxford College has the subtle reputation of being the backdoor into Emory; however, at the end of the day, I would graduate with a degree from Emory University.
With respect to SMU, I was admitted with a $15,000 per year Founders’ Scholarship and an invitation to join the Hilltop Scholars Program, from which I would eventually like to join the University Honors Program. I would say that SMU’s location in Dallas is superior to Oxford College’s location in the outer suburbs of Atlanta. The fact that SMU is larger than Oxford College could also be a benefit for fear of being stir crazy in rural Georgia with 950 students. I could attend SMU for my undergraduate years and then attend Emory for medical school. I also like SMU’s conservative-leaning student body, but I am unsure of whether or not I want to be a part of the Greek scene, which, from what I understand, plays a very active role in student life.
Does anyone have thoughts about the choice between SMU and Emory? My other top choice was Davidson College, but I received no merit or need-based aid and cost will play a large factor in my selection. I was also admitted to Washington and Lee University, Rhodes College, the University of Florida, and the University of Richmond.
Oops, I spotted a typo: The two cons for attending Oxford College I have determined to be are its relatively remote location and, for me personally, its slightly politically left-leaning student body.
It sounds like you have a really accurate view of both schools, the question is, which one fits you better?
@Maggpie That is a question I have been asked several times within the past week or so. I have attended admitted student days at both schools within the past two weeks and I honestly felt as if I could be comfortable at both schools. I will just have to make a decision sooner rather than later. Personally, I think that Oxford College would be a better academic fit for me not only because of its stronger pre-health program and connection to a top medical school but I also felt as if the class I was able to visit, which was a psychology class by the admissions staff’s choice, was more engaging than the class I visited at SMU. At SMU, I was presented with a variety of classes I could visit but they were all introductory level. not surprisingly, so I chose to visit some sort of a biology class with a focus on ecology. It felt just like the AP Biology class I took at my high school two years ago and I think that I could exempt it because of my AP exam score. However, the Hilltop Scholar and University Honors Programs at SMU would allow for me to have access to more challenging classes.
Socially speaking, the transition to Oxford College would not be difficult as I have attended the same small private school since the first grade. I like the idea of starting out at a smaller campus where I could develop closer friendships and relationships with students and professors. However, as I have experienced in my own high school, attending a very small school can raise the issue of becoming claustrophobic, in a sense, because of the limited number of students. However, the automatic transfer to the main Emory campus following sophomore year would alleviate that concern. SMU definitely would be very different from Oxford College due to the fact SMU has approximately ten times as many students as Oxford College. As I said earlier, I feel as if the majority of the student body at SMU would be closer aligned to my beliefs than the student body at Oxford College.
Aesthetically speaking, I like SMU because of its beautiful campus and its general student body more so than Oxford College, but perhaps there may be more opportunities at Oxford College because of its connection with Emory, not that SMU lacks opportunity for anything - after all, it is in Dallas. I will just have to think about this decision very carefully over the next several days!