I got accepted to all three schools as a bio major (but may consider changing to bme for gatech, or is it unnecessary?), can afford cost of attendance. Which should I choose?
Are you a California resident?
You’ll have to tell us a bit more about what you want in a college (academic, social, physical environment, etc) for us to help you.
Well do you want a huge public on the west coast near the water
A mid/large public in the city…not near water
A tiny, two year experience, in the middle of nowhere for two years followed by a suburban, small mid size experience for two more years
Three great choices, three different environments.
If you want to be in engineering, then choose the one that gives you the easiest path to get there. Sounds like you are saying that’s Ga Tech.
If med school doesn’t work out and statistically it won’t, you’ll likely prefer having an engineering degree than a straight science degree.
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What’s your favorite environment?
As a premed your best choice academically is the most supportive (Oxford&Emory) But since most premeds change paths the most recognized program would be GTech (though the grade deflation and competition would make the premed path even less likely).
I’m out of state for all three schools. I want an academically challenging college experience (but not to the extent that I can’t get decent grades even if try my best, which is why the grade deflation at gatech sounds concerning to me? can someone tell me if it’s really that bad?) I grew up in a big city so I don’t how I’ll feel about rural/suburb yet. Definitely want to make some good friends and don’t want the school to be cut-throat.
I’m not sure Emory Oxford qualifies as “middle of nowhere.” The shuttle between the two campuses takes and hour and fifteen minutes. Not something you’d want to build into your daily schedule, but pretty manageable for occasional use. Oxford / Emory shuttle | Emory Transportation
I don’t really understand the question about whether you should do engineering at GT. If you wanted to do engineering, wouldn’t you have applied to engineering, both at GT and at other schools?
Just my opinion, but I think Emory Oxford would be a best-of-all-worlds setting. In the first two years, when you’re knocking out important but ordinary prereq classes in bio, chem, etc., you’ll be on a smaller, quieter campus where you can focus on laying a strong foundation and doing as well as humanly possible in those classes. In the last two years, you’ll be on the larger campus, closer to shadowing/volunteering/research opportunities, and offering a wider range of electives and extracurriculars to pursue. Seems like a win-win to me, solving the problem of giant lecture classes in the first two years (which your premed classes at UCSD would definitely be) while still letting you move with your cohort to the larger main campus before LAC Cabin Fever sets in.
But that’s just me; three reasonable people could make three different choices here, and you haven’t told us enough about yourself for anyone to “channel” which would be better for your particular preferences and needs.
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I’d say middle of nowhere - every time I pass Conyers on the way to Augusta, I’m in the middle of nowhere 
But that’s semantics.
I agree with your question about doing engineering at Ga Tech. That’s the first thing OP has to decide.
If med school doesn’t work out, what degree would they want? If it’s engineering, then either they need to attend a school that accepted them for engineering or apply to those still taking apps. Or if there’s a way to do so at Ga Tech or UCSD, take that route.
If they don’t do engineering and they get a science degree, well then they have a degree that statistically, although not necessarily, is less marketable.
So to me that’s question #1 - engineering or not.
As for Georgia Tech and grade deflation - I think all these kids that come up with these theories - it presumes Georgia Tech or these other schools aren’t placing kids into medical school - and that’s simply not the case. Ga Tech and others are placing kids into medical school - but you certainly don’t need to go to top schools to get into medical school.
I think you’ll make good friends everywhere and most kids are not going to be cut throat. But pre med classes are going to be difficult no matter where you go - whether it’s North Georgia or Georgia Tech.
Take medical school out of the equation. If it happens, it happens.
But without medical school - what degree do you want? That’s question #1.
If it’s engineering and you say only one school can get me there, then your choice is made.
If it’s, I don’t want engineering, then choose another. The cool thing about Emory is you get two experiences.
But this is a lifelong impact - and from a most likely to succeed POV, it would be the engineering degree. It doesn’t mean it’s right for you and engineering has a 50% change major/drop out rate (although likely less at a school like Ga Tech) - but that should be your first priority…not, what if it’s hard to get good grades.
Good luck.
Agree!! Oxford is a bucolic rural town. The negativity is simply unnecessary. Emory at Oxford offers a small, supportive environment for those who don’t want to jump directly into big school. Very different college start from GT. Here some things about the Oxford environs (from their website) Oxford and Covington | Emory University | Atlanta GA
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I think it goes without saying that the back and forth needs to be taken to PM. Points made. Please move on. Further posts about location will be deleted without comment.
My point about grade deflation comes from this:
Top GA students get a full tuition scholarship based on HS results (Zell-Miller) which has a 3.3 minimum college GPA requirement.
Those who attended GTech kept losing their scholarship despite being the top students in the State, so a +.5 GPA waiver was added for STEM courses (benefiting all STEM majors and especially GTech students.)
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I’m not sure what to think…I understand why they added the .5 GPA waiver. The reality is there are some weak high schools in GA, but Tech wants to admit students from all the areas/counties, if not every HS. What that means is that some relatively weak students can be admitted (even thought they were a top student in their HS.)
I’ve known a few well prepared students who went to Tech who did say it was a difficult grind. I’m not sure all the GT parents on CC….but would like to hear from some about grade deflation (or maybe lack of grade inflation?) @VirginiaBelle @momsearcheng @dadofboys3
S23 is a second year… we hail from PA
He went to a small high school, 100 kids per class private school, and was valedictorian. His SAT wasn’t great 1390, he is smart, just didn’t do great on reading maybe 760m/630e. But was always super involved in HS and could clearly manage time, etc.
Now he is a “year ahead” course wise… and that helps so we make sure he’s taking 12-13 credits per semester… and graduate in 4 years… don’t try to graduate in 3 years and overload with credits… we know him… he knows himself… he is measured… and he is doing just fine.
So far a 4.0GPA and more than half way done. Two really tough classes to go. Point is… my son tells me first hand… the kids who do well… are the kids who study. Period. That’s the game.
S23 gets 100s in 4 classes each semester like for the class … and then puts in one super hard course semester… and has escaped with an A each time. It can be done. And, he mentions way smarter kids than him get B/C b/c they refuse to put their butt in seat and stare at the material every day.
Like in life… if kiddo wants it and is committed… they will do fine at GT… if GT accepts them… if they put in the work they can get whatever GPA they want. Its really that simple. GT wouldn’t accept them otherwise. BUTT IN SEAT! 
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@summerdaysc_07 Welcome to CC! You have every chance to hope for either pre-med or engineering. Many (probably most!) students change their goals or their majors in college, but it is very reasonable to choose a college based on your current goals. Emory and GT have a collaborative biomedical engineering program. So you can go to Emory with what may be a less intense environment and pursue premed and biomedical engineering. Engineering (Dual Degree with Georgia Tech) | Emory University | Atlanta GA
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An important aspect is that GTech’s GPA does not ultimately matter as much as at other colleges because employers know how rigorous the program is and they value the skills&graduates.
That’s why I said GTech is the best choice in case, like most premeds, OP never makes it to med school (either because he finds more interesting things to study or because he’s weeded out).
However, combine majors with rigorous standards, a school known for rigor, and top students, and logically … Easy As and grade inflation are unlikely
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Depending whom you ask. DD was a top OOS student from very selective magnet. GT was not a picnic for her. In her BME major all students were top students.
I think the same is in most engineering majors and CS. Also in some classes you can do absolutely everything to the T and still get a B. Some gradings were very subjective for some projects. Like your project was selected as one of the best at schoolwide competition but you got a B for the class…
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I don’t know. I think there’s some pretty significant grade inflation at Georgia Tech. I think the classes are really hard. And I totally agree that kids that do well are ones that study. I am biased but I think my two GT kids are pretty darn smart but they also work hard, study and go to class.
That being said, overall campus wide GPA is a 3.6. This has gone up every semester- will link the data if I can find it. Curves are rampant at GT. We also have a kid at UGA – different major, finance versus engineering – and curves are rare even when class average is a 60.
Seems some of this is a difference in culture. UGA seems to believe in weed out classes. Common ones are accounting for business and chemistry for med school applicants. These classes routinely have averages in the low 60s with no curves. There is also no grade substitution at UGA, and it is something that is available to students at Georgia Tech.
As far as the stem bump goes, I think it was more of a recognition that stem classes can be more rigorous versus helping out Georgia Tech students over students at other colleges. The only reason I say this is it is only the very earliest STEM classes that get the bump, those which many Georgia Tech freshman don’t even have to take because they have placed out through AP credit.
Here is the link. You can also filter by school and class. Grade Distribution
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Correct. However, imagine you graduated with 3.0 GPA GT. Most graduate schools will take you for Masters after GT. However, forget about PhD without Masters and no way you will make it to medical school. On the other hands, regular employers will not care.
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Here is another piece of info. DD who graduated GT in December with BME BS degree in a current market still does not have a job… I know many students are in that boat now…However, she has very few options. Masters in some other area…or forget about BME and start to look for jobs not related to your degree…
So if anybody has any leads/ideas please PM me.
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But it is 5-6 years program. 2 extra years for nothing. I would rather go for Masters in 1-2 years instead of dual degree…
@summerdaysc_07, I personally would choose Emory if you are sure for premed. Emory has their own medical school. I am not sure about current preferences, but I personally know 2 Doctors who got BS from Emory and graduated from Emory medical school.
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