What Does it Take to Get Into Emory University?

Emory University Is A Pioneer Among The World’s Liberal Arts And Research Universities…

By combining liberal arts and research, Emory has created one of the most unique curriculums and campus culture structures in the U.S. This unlikely marriage of college components shapes Emory’s admissions process and assists them in finding their ideal students.

Every year, Emory looks for talented and driven students to fill their classrooms. With hundreds of major and minor combinations, a stellar sports program, and a community like no other, it’s no wonder why Emory can be found on many high school senior’s top colleges lists.

If your goals involve impacting the world with your passion for art, culture, and research, you’ll likely find that Emory is the ideal college for you. Keep reading to learn how to get into Emory so you can join this community of world-changers and innovators!

What You’ll Find In This College Guide:

• Emory’s Ideal Student
• What You Need to Get Accepted Into Emory
• Emory’s Campus Life
• From Application to Career: What You’ll Experience at Emory
• Your Future at Emory

Emory's Ideal Student

The average GPA and standardized test scores for incoming Emory freshmen are:

• GPA: 3.76
• SAT: 1440
• ACT: 33

Emory’s requirements reflect their prestigious, research-based curriculum. To find the students that will thrive in their classrooms, they encourage applicants to challenge themselves in upper level classes like Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate.

Of course, Emory admissions considers it a top priority to find students who actively applied themselves in their classes, and the best way to do so is by looking for more than just impressive test scores. Emory also has a handful of core values that they expect their incoming freshmen to represent.

PASSION FOR RESEARCH AND LIBERAL ARTS

Emory University is a research university, but they go beyond the usual research areas like science, medicine and politics. They’re uniquely a liberal arts research school, which means that they apply research strategies to subject areas like the arts, literature, and social sciences too.

• In what ways did you take your favorite subject, whatever it may be, and apply research strategies to your projects and assignments during high school?
• Why do you think it’s important to pursue a liberal arts education and how will research enhance your future goals?

CREATIVITY

Emory believes that research can take many forms, utilize different approaches, and ultimately, have unique outcomes. Emory’s admission officers love reading about a student’s innovation in their research projects, so make sure you highlight any experiences or opportunities where you employed creative techniques to attain a certain goal.

Creativity is where Emory’s passion for liberal arts and research truly comes together. Researching a specific subject isn’t enough; instead, using your creativity to complete your research is what Emory is seeking from their incoming students.

• Were you ever involved in a research project that required you to use unpredictable or unique tactics?
• Think about a time when you hit a roadblock in your research efforts and had to be creative to overcome those obstacles.
• Did you experience any unexpected hurdles on a day where you had to give an important presentation or speech, and how did you handle them?

GLOBAL IMPACT

Like most universities, Emory strives to globalize their research. From starting small in their local community, to contributing to nationally-recognized research journals, Emory is looking for students that will help them make an even larger impact on the world.

• How do you see your participation at Emory benefiting their mission to positively change the world?
• What potential do your own research efforts have to positively benefit your local, national, and global community?

INTELLECTUAL AND MORAL INTEGRITY

Lastly, Emory is looking for students who are smart in more than just an academic sense. Self-awareness is a positive and rare attribute that shows a student’s integrity, honesty, and willingness to grow. Being self-aware of your strengths and weaknesses opens the opportunity for you to show those positive qualities to Emory admissions.

• Describe an experience in which you learned a difficult lesson, and in turn, learned something about yourself.
• What do you consider your weaknesses?
• How will Emory help you refine your strengths and grow in your weaknesses?

WHAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE: EMORY’S PROGRAMS

Emory’s top-ranking programs showcase their diverse academic structure. However, because Emory is a liberal arts college, all students are required to take certain classes like English, History, Social Sciences, a foreign language, and visual or performing arts in addition to their chosen major.

• Nursing (#4 in the U.S.)
• Chemistry (#15 in the U.S.)
• Film and Media Studies (#15 in the U.S.)
• Philosophy (#16 in the U.S.)

Whether you want to focus your studies on the arts or sciences, Emory’s top-notch programs will help you combine effective research strategies with your passion, and deliver new knowledge to an ever-evolving world.

IN SUMMARY: EMORY’S IDEAL STUDENT

Emory University provides students with the ideal atmosphere to simultaneously study their passion and dig deep into research. No matter what you want to study at Emory, you’ll find a place where you can grow to your fullest potential!

Because of their unique structure, Emory’s requirements attract students who understand the importance of a liberal arts education. A well-rounded curriculum helps students understand our ever evolving world on a deeper level and and speak intelligently about those changes. Additionally, their passion for research helps them dedicate their newfound knowledge to the improvement of the world we live in today.

Emory’s ideal student loves being challenged and enjoys using creativity and innovation to complete research. This student sees their work benefiting their local, national, and global community and wants to share the benefits of the outcomes with their fellow students.

On your application, be sure to highlight anything about your academic career that relates to Emory’s values, and you’ll be showing the admissions officers that you belong there!

What You Need To Get Accepted Into Emory

In 2019, Emory’s acceptance rate reached an all-time low at 15%. Out of 30,017 applications, 7,944 students were accepted. To ensure that your application highlights your strengths and casts you in a good light to Emory’s admissions officers, you’ll want to closely follow Emory’s thorough application process.

Start writing your essays early, pay attention to deadlines, and most importantly, explain how you'll further Emory’s mission and how they will help you achieve your goals.

THE APPLICATION

To apply for Emory University, you will use one of the following applications:

• The Common App
• The Coalition App

These application platforms will take care of any general information that Emory may need, like contact information, grades, family history, and current extracurricular activities.

PERSONAL STATEMENT AND SHORT ANSWERS

The personal statement on the application is your Emory-specific essay. Emory admissions will be looking for an essay filled with honesty, thoughtfulness, and a clear desire for growth.

While the short answer section is filled with prompts and questions to inspire you, the personal statement topic is completely up to you. They want to hear your voice, so choose a topic that inspires you. Emory’s admissions blog features a 5-part article series on writing a stellar application essay; utilize it if you want to write a personal statement that captures Emory’s attention!

TRANSCRIPTS AND SCORES

In addition to your official transcripts, you’ll need to provide Emory admissions with your standardized test scores. They will accept either the SAT or ACT, and will accept both self-reported scores and official College Board scores. The writing portion of the SAT and ACT is not required for your Emory application.

Emory encourages its applicants to include any AP or IB exam scores as well. SAT II Subject Exams are not required, but they’re strongly recommended for homeschooled students.

Note: If you’re accepted to Emory based on your self-reported scores, you will be required to provide your official scores from College Board so they can be verified. These official scores are usually due the summer before your intended fall semester.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Emory admissions requires two letters of recommendation, both from teachers who teach core subject classes:

• English
• Math
• Science
• Social Sciences
• Foreign Language
• Visual or Performing Arts

A third recommendation from a counselor is also required; this letter can be sent directly to Emory admissions from the counselor of your choice.

THE APPLICATION FEE AND DEADLINES

Emory’s application fee is $75. Application fee waiver requests can be submitted through your application for your counselor’s approval. When completing your application, keep these deadlines in mind:

• Early Decision: November 1
• Early Decision II: January 1
• Regular Decision: January 1

CAN I GET INTO EMORY?

Emory admissions adheres to a holistic application review process. Your application will be read by two or more admission officers, and they will be looking for your passion for research, liberal arts, creativity, and innovation, and why you think going to Emory is vital for your future.

More than anything, Emory admissions wants to see an honest individual who knows how they need to grow. Be honest about experiences that you could have handled better, and why you think being an Emory student would help you grow in that area. Remember, “ideal student” doesn’t mean “perfect student.” Simply be honest, and you’re halfway there!

Emory's Campus Life

Emory University is located in Atlanta, Georgia, one of the fastest growing urban hot spots in the U.S. today. Atlanta’s energetic atmosphere seemed to come out of nowhere in the early 2000s; now, thousands of young students are flocking to this southern city to pursue their careers.

Atlanta has more than enough to offer its citizens, let alone its students. In recent years, it has become a popular hub for film, music, politics and social justice, and even medical research. Whether you’re looking for job opportunities or an environment to de-stress after a long lecture, Atlanta’s urban and rural pockets provide plenty of variety for Emory students.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

No college is complete without an active and inspiring campus culture, and Emory provides one of the most positive and exciting campus experiences in the U.S.

Emory goes above and beyond simple options, and this is what sets them apart from other colleges. Emory offers hundreds of student organizations to very specific communities on their campus; the majority of these groups focus on racial and cultural diversity and equality.

Emory’s campus culture uses workshops, debates, forums, and events to further their student’s education and involvement in our world’s cultural moment. From social justice education, Greek life, and school spirit groups, Emory has something for every student.

ATHLETICS

The Emory Eagles have officially branded their names in collegiate athletic history. After 27 NCAA championships, and over 200 University Athletic Association titles, it’s safe to say that any student is in good hands when they play a sport at Emory.

Emory’s athletic program features competitive sports, camps, a nationally-recognized recruitment program, club sports, intramurals, and an impressive recreation facility.

Wellness initiatives are built into the Emory experience; students are welcome to use the Woodruff Center to fit in a quick workout between classes, attend a group exercise class, join a club sport, or use any of Emory’s $20 million facilities like the Olympic-sized pool, and basketball, badminton, and volleyball courts.

HOUSING AND DINING

First and second-year Emory students are required to live in any of their 20 spacious and conveniently-located residence halls on campus. Emory’s residence halls feature both double and suite-style rooms, and students can choose to live in co-ed or single gender dorms. As a freshman at Emory, you’ll be assigned to a Living-Learning Community to enhance your campus experience.

Along with tight-knit residence hall communities, Emory offers a dining program with countless options. From bakeries and cafes, to farm-to-table markets and convenient stop-n-shops, Emory makes sure that their students are fed very well.

Through their wellness initiative, Emory also provides its students with modified menus at each dining location to accommodate any food allergies or sensitivities. Emory Dining even offers delivery and catering services for study groups and parties!

UNOFFICIALLY A COCA-COLA-ONLY CAMPUS

Atlanta, Georgia is home to the world-famous Coca-Cola Museum, but most people don’t know that this iconic landmark has strong ties to Emory University! Asa Candler, founder of the Coca-Cola Company, made a charitable donation that eventually turned into the piece of land that is now Emory University.

The college’s first chancellor, Warren Candler, was the brother of Coca-Cola’s generous founder, and without this connection, Emory wouldn’t have grown into the leading research university it is today. Due to this, drinking any other soda besides Coca-Cola on campus is considered poor school spirit (though you should only get a few mean looks).

From Application To Career: What You'll Experience At Emory

Emory University provides an all-around positive experience, from when you’re thinking about applying, to your time as a student or proud alumni. Their focus on delivering a well-rounded liberal arts research education combined with the importance of staying active in current social discussions teaches Emory students to use their voice to change their communities for the better.

YOUR APPLICATION

Remember that your application will be holistically reviewed by at least two Emory admissions officers. This advantage frees you up to be open, honest, and thoughtful about why you think you’d be a great fit at Emory.

In your school reports, be sure to highlight your passion for research, and why you think studying in a liberal arts fashion is necessary for your growth as a student. Show your creative side, whether that means artistically or in a research environment.

Finally, remember that Emory is passionate about global impact. While community service is an important value of most research universities, Emory differs in their hope to truly globalize their research efforts.

YOUR ESSAY

Emory admissions officers seek out thoughtful and honest essays. They want to find applicants that have self-awareness and know where they can grow. Don’t be afraid to show some humility in your personal statement. Choose a topic or event that is important to you, regardless of how insignificant it seems. If it’s important to you, it will be important to the reader.

YOUR COLLEGE YEARS

Emory’s campus culture provides opportunities that span far and wide for their students. While attending Emory, don’t stop looking until you find your niche! While their resources will help you find a student organization, group, or club sport in no time, don’t be afraid to try new things.

Visit their recreational facilities, support your sports teams, and dive into all the benefits of being an Emory Eagle! In the process, you’ll be joining a community of notable alumni who went on to become Fortune 500 Presidents and CEOs, actors, musicians, writers, doctors, and politicians.

YOUR CAREER

Emory seniors graduate with a fresh new perspective of the world and understand how their talents can help them achieve their goals.

In 2018:

• 91 percent of graduates were employed or enrolled in graduate school
• The average starting salary of these students was $57K
• 96 percent of Emory Business School graduates had offers within three months of graduation and had a starting salary of $66K

Your Future At Emory

Emory attracts students with their unique curriculum structure and inviting campus culture. Every year, they deliver on their promise of providing their students with an all-around positive and encouraging experience. No matter what you want to study, the environment at Emory will help you reach your fullest potential.

As you start your Emory application, feel free to reach out to any of WeAdmit’s professional counselors. We’ve done the research and would love to help you highlight why you think you belong at Emory. We know you can help them in their mission to make the world a better place through research; all you have to do is put yourself out there!

Don’t Wait; Get Started On Your Emory Application Today!