<p>I recently decided to transfer from USC. I’ve just completed my sophomore year. I am pre-health sciences and may be interested in getting a Masters in public health. I know that Emory has strong sciences but have also heard it can be cliquey, snobby, and heavily focused on Greek life. Wesleyan, out of the liberal arts colleges, has one of the best science programs. I also don’t know that much about Wesleyan but have heard it has an intellectual hippy vibe, so to speak.
I want to be at a school where academics are the primary focus, people are down to earth, and I can be well prepared for med school.
Any input from Emory and Wesleyan students, or parents, would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>I would think the atmosphere at Emory would resemble USC to a far greater degree than Wesleyan. Both are in sprawling semi-suburban neighborhoods. Other than its being too hot in the summer, I’ve never heard anything bad about Atlanta. I would think the pre-health programs pretty similar. Up until recently, it could be said, the bulldozer was Emory’s campus mascot.</p>
<p>At Wesleyan, what you see is, pretty much what you get: a superb liberal arts (and sciences) program set in one of those flinty old New England cities where the finest eating establishment is a place called, “O’Rourke’s” and where everyone has a story to tell about “those crazy kids on the hill.” </p>
<p>Wesleyan probably does have a higher “hippie” component than its peers, but, that’s not saying very much considering its peers are Amherst, Williams, Swarthmore and a few other similarly high-priced LACs. The science majors at Wesleyan have the best of both worlds, in many ways: superb labs, lots of outside funding – and, very little cut-throat competition from other students. </p>
<p>Programmatically, it depends on what you are looking for. There’s a pre-health professions advisory committee that offers its seal of approval for med school; if you keep your grades up and score well on the MCATs, you will get into medical school. Not too many Wesleyan students go into nursing. You hear of a few who go into dentistry or pursue veterinary medicine.</p>
<p>I would chose Emory because of your pre-health inclinations.</p>
<p>Since it is so late in the year, and you are a rising Junior, you must already have been accepted to Wesleyan and Emory. Right? If so, I think you could safely choose based on personal preferences (“fit”).</p>
<p>Wesleyan FTW</p>
<p>Wesleyan’s science program (esp. for the pre-health sciences) is great. I don’t know if it’s as good or better then Emory’s, but it will certainly serve you well for applying to grad programs (you also have the possibility of getting a free Masters at Wes if you do very well – no public health option, but still something to consider). Also, importantly, the science community is really great – very supportive and inclusive, as far as I can tell (I’m not actually a science major, but have lots of science major friends).</p>
<p>Also, you should check out the Science in Society program if you’re interested in how science interacts with the rest of the world (which it sounds like you are, if you want to go Public Health). It might be hard for you to get a second major in it if you don’t already have transferable credits for it, but you could certainly take classes: [Wesleyan</a> University - Science in Society program](<a href=“http://www.wesleyan.edu/sisp/]Wesleyan”>Welcome, Science in Society Program - Wesleyan University)</p>
<p>That said, Emory is also a very good school in terms of academics. It comes down to a matter of taste. However, I will confirm that Wes is a place where academics play a large role in student lives, and many students are down to earth, if sometimes a bit idealistic (and those that aren’t so down to earth at least tend to be arty and interesting, but that doesn’t tend to be the science majors as much, anyway).</p>