The survey indicates that Emory is growing as a national university. The majority (63 percent) of Emory's first-year students have grown up more than 500 miles from its campus. This number represents a significant difference from that of other private universities (33 percent) and an equally significant change from Emory's entering class of 1977, when 50 percent of students came this far from home.
Compared to 13 percent of freshmen at other private universities, 25 percent of Emory freshmen report their estimated parental income to be more than $200,000. The fathers of Emory freshmen are more likely to have graduate degrees than the fathers of counterparts at similar universities (56 versus 41 percent); slightly fewer Emory freshmen have mothers who are homemakers (15 versus 18 percent).
Emory was the first choice in schools for 63 percent of its first-year students, compared to the 74 percent of students across the nation who identify their private university as their first choice. Twelve percent of the freshman class applied only to Emory, and 39 percent applied to six or more schools. Freshmen listed among the important reasons for selecting Emory its good academic reputation (84 percent); good social reputation (25 percent); and the facts that graduates go to top graduate schools (62 percent) and get good jobs (63 percent).
Compared to 16 percent of freshmen at private universities, 30 percent of Emory's freshmen intend to become physicians. This fact may also explain why the number of those students intending to major in biology (12 percent) is also higher than that of their peers (7 percent). On the other hand, 18 percent of Emory students guess that they will change their major field and/or their career choice as an undergraduate.
Jodi Cressman, a doctoral candidate in English, works in the Office of Institutional Planning and Research.