Dean's Letter to Prospective Students and Your Parents
I am delighted that you have visited the Emory University website. You will find here a wealth of information on admission, financial aid and academic programs. Please review the site carefully. This information will be an excellent supplement to the variety of printed materials about the university.
Despite my many years in admissions, I continue to be amazed at the volume of information disseminated each year on selecting the right college. Walk into any bookstore and you can discover entire sections devoted to the topic. Read any periodical or newspaper and the latest "insider" information is trumpeted there. The college selection process continues to be a daunting challenge for many students and parents, and one shrouded in mystery and myth. In looking at colleges, there are certain characteristics such as size, location, and course offerings that appeal to you more than others.
In the interest of transparency, we’d like to let you know what kind of characteristics we’re seeking in our students. Emory seeks an outstanding first-year class in much the same way that other highly selective colleges and universities do. And so, objective information such as curriculum, grades and test scores are important. But so too are the personal attributes of the students who come here. We are looking for students who are engaged in their communities but curious about what lies beyond their hometown, state, and nation. In short, we want students who aspire to be lifelong learners, with their university education being only the first step in that process. That’s why we carefully evaluate subjective material such as extracurricular activities, writing samples and letters of recommendation. All of this valuable information paints a vivid picture of who you are to the Admission Committee.
Here are some other important aspects of our review at Emory:
Time Commitments outside of Class What will you gain from an Emory education and what will you add to our community? We seek students who will contribute to the life of the university. While our undergraduate student body of approximately 5,300 students is small in comparison to many other national universities, Emory has a campus life program comparable to much larger schools. You should contact an Emory athletic coach, debate coach or music director if you have an interest in continuing these and other types of extracurricular activities in college. You can delve further into the Emory website to locate these individuals or call the Office of Admission at 800.727.6036.
Financial Aid At Emory University, we think choosing a college should be based on fit, not finances. When Emory admits you as a student, it means we fundamentally believe not just in your accomplishments to date but in your potential long after you leave here. That’s why we are committed to meeting 100 percent of demonstrated financial need for all accepted students. The fact that 68 percent of our undergraduates receive financial aid demonstrates our ongoing commitment to making an Emory education affordable to those students who have worked so hard to get here.
Early Decision I encourage you to carefully evaluate the terms and conditions of Early Decision before making a commitment. Approximately one third of our entering class enrolls via Early Decision. Choosing this option is serious business, but we know the students who apply Early Decision have a strong interest in coming to Emory.
Information from Other Key Figures There are many individuals in your high school and community who know you well. They can assist the Admission Committee by adding to your application. Teachers, coaches, employers, clergy: each will have a unique point of view on your potential for college. Carefully select those individuals who will add a distinctive perspective to your profile—one others can’t provide.
With so many outstanding colleges and universities to choose from, the obvious question may be "Why Emory?" We’ve found many aspects of Emory that resonate with prospective and enrolling students. These include our rigorous academic program, our size, our location, the resources, facilities, and many types of diversity found here, and our campus life programs. This university has emerged in the past two decades as one of the premier private institutions in the nation. As Emory looks forward, there continues to be a thirst for excellence in all that we do. Prospective students can be assured that Emory will be a better place on the day they graduate than the day they enrolled. And our goal is that their lives will have been transformed and greatly enriched by coming here. These are the defining qualities of an Emory education. I encourage you to join this exceptional community.
Sincerely,
John F. Latting, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice Provost of Undergraduate Enrollment and Dean of Admission
Emory College of Arts and Sciences