2013-2014 Emory University Application Thread

[gettheleadout]

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Space reserved for prompt.

Please PM the essays or lack thereof to me when the secondary is available and I will update this.

Good luck to everyone applying!

 

[Snuke]

I just wanted to say hi before this thread gets busy. I'm an M1 - very nearly M2 - at Emory and I love it. Ask me anything!

 

[Mefreh]

I just wanted to say hi before this thread gets busy. I'm an M1 - very nearly M2 - at Emory and I love it. Ask me anything!

How do I get into Emory?

 

[rrege6]

Hi everyone! I'm currently in the process of applying to med school and I was just wondering if you all could tell me a little about Emory. I really want to know how good the balance is between patient care and research at Emory. Does the school stress one more than the other? Also for clinical rotations/ med school is there a lot of hands on learning? Thanks in advance!

 

[Jaznan]

I second the above! More info about what actually goes on each year please! Also, I've never been in the area... How is it? Safe? Traffic? Living/expenses?
Thanks 🙂

 

[Snuke]

How do I get into Emory?

I did say anything... You get into Emory by being awesome? Really, Emory wants what everyone else wants - the whole package - but also has an emphasis on being a physician. They want people who want to be doctors to help their fellow man. That seems trite, and I apologize for that, but if anything has been emphasized this year, it's that we are in training not for ourselves, but for the good that we will one day do, whether it's research or clinic.

Hi everyone! I'm currently in the process of applying to med school and I was just wondering if you all could tell me a little about Emory. I really want to know how good the balance is between patient care and research at Emory. Does the school stress one more than the other? Also for clinical rotations/ med school is there a lot of hands on learning? Thanks in advance!

With the understanding that I'm a touch biased - Emory does an excellent job of immersing you in both clinical and research practice. Our curriculum is shortened, so we study from August to the next November, and then take Step 1 in January. For example, I entered Emory last August 2012, and I'm taking my boards this coming up January 2014.

This shortened curriculum allows a dedicated 5 month research period to do whatever you want. It can be associated with the CDC and some of those projects, working on something in a lab, or you can come up with your own project. If you need more time and want more of a product, you can extend those 5 months to a year. Alternatively, instead of research (we call it Discovery Project), you can get another degree. Rollins School of Public Health is right on campus about a stone's throw away, and a significant portion of every class will take a 5th year to get an MPH. A few more will do a business degree, and some will go abroad or to another school. It's extremely flexible.

Even with the shortened curriculum, we still get a great deal of clinical exposure. That's OPEX - our out-patient experience, which starts around November of M1. That's biweekly out-patient at a clinic (extremely variable, mostly general practice), where you learn from a doctor how to be a doctor, how to think like a doctor, and how to work with patients.

So, Emory stresses both clinical and research. The emphasis is probably on clinical, but there are so many avenues for research if that's what you want to do, and everyone has to do some. It gives you something to talk about during your interviews, and a lot of people get a publication out of it.

As for hands-on, you will literally have a difficult time finding a place with more hands-on experience during your clinical rotations. That's all thanks to Grady, one of Atlanta's public hospitals (Level 1 Trauma) - it operates as a safety net for the surrounding population. There's always too much demand and not enough supply, so as medical students, you get to do a LOT of things. The M4s that matched Internal Medicine across the country all reported that, at their interviews, the interviewers commented that 'Oh, you trained at Grady. You can handle our hospital.' That's a high compliment, I believe.

Also, an interesting factoid : If you take the area surrounding Grady (a few mile radius), it ranks up there with some African countries in terms of TB cases.

All the M3s and M4s love Grady. You have to do 1/2 of your rotations there, and you get an incredible experience. (RE the TB above, along with others)

One neat thing about Atlanta in terms of medicine is that there is no other huge hospital system in the area. The closest ones are Duke and Vanderbilt, so it serves a huge area, and you see everything.

I second the above! More info about what actually goes on each year please! Also, I've never been in the area... How is it? Safe? Traffic? Living/expenses?
Thanks 🙂

Atlanta itself is not the safest area, but Emory is on the suburbs, and it's more or less safe here. It's an urban environment, so that comes with the territory, but Emory is in a great area.

There is a lot of traffic, but I'm from places with worse traffic so I don't hate it too much. Other people complain bitterly. A car is definitely necessary, especially for your clinical years. Some people get by without one, but it's a pain.

Living expenses vary on, depending on where you live and with how many people. Rent is anywhere from 400 to 1000 (or more) if you're at a ritzy place. Mine is right around 700 with utilities added in. Other expenses are what you would guess, cable, phone, going out money, etc, but most of us live on loans.

Hope this helps! Let me know what else you would like to know - I'm off to my OPEX!

 

[Captain Sisko]

Definitely applying.

Does Coca-Cola taste better at the source?

 

[Snuke]

Definitely applying.

Does Coca-Cola taste better at the source?

Yes, yes it does. Delicious.

For those of you who don't know, Emory was built on Coca-Cola. The founder - Robert Woodruff - was so grateful to the school for flunking him that he gave the school a ridiculous amount of money. There are a handful of buildings named after him, and the few full-rides that Emory offers are scholarships also from him, and named the Woodruff scholarships.

 

[gobigorgohome22]

Definitely top choice!

Snuke, Here is link to my WRMC thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=1005928

Do you think I have what it takes to get into Emory? We really appreciate your input on this thread.

 

[Snuke]

Definitely top choice!

Snuke, Here is link to my WRMC thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=1005928

Do you think I have what it takes to get into Emory? We really appreciate your input on this thread.

First, I want to say that I have absolutely no connection to Emory Admissions (other than sampling their delicious cookies and coke products during interview season), and I have neither power nor an insider's guide on how to get into medical school. However, I will admit that I have a huge interest in admissions, and would love to be an interviewer in the future as an M3 or M4. Frankly, 90% of getting into medical is what you have done up until this point. The last 10% is the interview, though I believe that at Emory, the interview is more highly rated. If you blow it, you're basically toast. If you do awesome, then that's a huge plus. It can't make up for a poor app, but if you had a poor app, you're probably not getting the interview.

By "poor app," understand that that's a very squishy term. What makes a "poor app" or a "strong app?" (Great question, Snuke, go on!)

In some ways, getting into medical school is a formula. Add great grades and a strong MCAT to some volunteering and a dash of research, stir in a compelling story and be able to express it with ease. You can make up for some weaker parts with strengths in others. This should be nothing new to you. Since you're on SDN, I would assume that you know the basic necessary components of your application, as well as what will make you unique.

The problem is that the formula is boring. Everyone tries for the same accomplishments. What you need to do to get into medical school is to stand out in some way (standing out for poor grades or a lack of volunteering activity is not recommended). Anyway, you're at this stage now, with your application completed and everything written, other than secondaries. Have fun with those. It's impossible to improve your app at this point for this interview season, so work with what you have.

All of this applies to every medical school. Have a strong app (however you define it), get the interview. The interview is where schools begin to separate themselves. Some places are known to be stat collectors. 40+ MCAT? Come on in! Others are looking for a "fit". Emory is one of the latter. It's not enough to have a 40+ MCAT - they're not looking for the jaw-dropping stats. They reject 40+'s every interview season without even giving them an interview.

As we've gone along this year, I have become more and more impressed with the Admissions Department at Emory. Every single one of my classmates has a story, and more importantly, they all have a voice. They can express themselves with enthusiasm and with warmth. They have a passion, whether it's women's health, public health, healthcare for the uninsured, or they just have a drive to be the best and most compassionate physician to the best of their ability.

I know what you all are thinking - "But Snuke, of course I have a story and a voice!" - sure you do. Most of you probably do, and a rejection from Emory doesn't mean that you are a socially awkward penguin (there aren't enough seats in the class for everyone who deserves an acceptance). But just know that the most important thing you can do right now and during an interview (anywhere, not just Emory, but especially at schools looking for the right fit) is to be yourself. You do yourself and the school a disservice to pretend interests that you don't have. You will be miserable and will have taken a seat from someone who deserved it more and who would have thrived.

Hopefully, that helps someone.

As for you, gobigorgohome, do you have a shot? Of course you do. You have some long-standing activities that prove you are able to have interests and stick to them. You've branched out and tried to see some different sides of medicine, which is always nice to see. The research is also a strong plus. I hope you talked about what you have the most passion for in your personal statement. You will get asked about everything, at Emory and at every school at which you interview. Your GPA and MCAT are far from sexy, but they won't scare most schools away, especially since you've balance them with great research/volunteering/etc. (You can never truly "make up" for a poor GPA/MCAT, but yours aren't truly bad and your activities are awesome). I wouldn't worry about applying for DO - you will get into many schools so long as you are able to interview well. Even then, your activities and ok MCAT will secure you a few spots. I would definitely apply to Emory - if you get an interview and interview well, an acceptance is certainly possible.



TL;DR (though I would question if you weren't willing to slog through all this) - Have a story. Have a voice. Express yourself. Be passionate. Try to relax. It's a very long interview season.

 

[Snuke]

Also, I would like to say that I have subscribed to this thread. Continue asking questions, and I will do my best to reply within 24 hours (probably not so fast during test week). I know you all are stressed and anxious, but try not to worry too much.

 

[gobigorgohome22]

First, I want to say that I have absolutely no connection to Emory Admissions (other than sampling their delicious cookies and coke products during interview season), and I have neither power nor an insider's guide on how to get into medical school. However, I will admit that I have a huge interest in admissions, and would love to be an interviewer in the future as an M3 or M4. Frankly, 90% of getting into medical is what you have done up until this point. The last 10% is the interview, though I believe that at Emory, the interview is more highly rated. If you blow it, you're basically toast. If you do awesome, then that's a huge plus. It can't make up for a poor app, but if you had a poor app, you're probably not getting the interview.

By "poor app," understand that that's a very squishy term. What makes a "poor app" or a "strong app?" (Great question, Snuke, go on!)

In some ways, getting into medical school is a formula. Add great grades and a strong MCAT to some volunteering and a dash of research, stir in a compelling story and be able to express it with ease. You can make up for some weaker parts with strengths in others. This should be nothing new to you. Since you're on SDN, I would assume that you know the basic necessary components of your application, as well as what will make you unique.

The problem is that the formula is boring. Everyone tries for the same accomplishments. What you need to do to get into medical school is to stand out in some way (standing out for poor grades or a lack of volunteering activity is not recommended). Anyway, you're at this stage now, with your application completed and everything written, other than secondaries. Have fun with those. It's impossible to improve your app at this point for this interview season, so work with what you have.

All of this applies to every medical school. Have a strong app (however you define it), get the interview. The interview is where schools begin to separate themselves. Some places are known to be stat collectors. 40+ MCAT? Come on in! Others are looking for a "fit". Emory is one of the latter. It's not enough to have a 40+ MCAT - they're not looking for the jaw-dropping stats. They reject 40+'s every interview season without even giving them an interview.

As we've gone along this year, I have become more and more impressed with the Admissions Department at Emory. Every single one of my classmates has a story, and more importantly, they all have a voice. They can express themselves with enthusiasm and with warmth. They have a passion, whether it's women's health, public health, healthcare for the uninsured, or they just have a drive to be the best and most compassionate physician to the best of their ability.

I know what you all are thinking - "But Snuke, of course I have a story and a voice!" - sure you do. Most of you probably do, and a rejection from Emory doesn't mean that you are a socially awkward penguin (there aren't enough seats in the class for everyone who deserves an acceptance). But just know that the most important thing you can do right now and during an interview (anywhere, not just Emory, but especially at schools looking for the right fit) is to be yourself. You do yourself and the school a disservice to pretend interests that you don't have. You will be miserable and will have taken a seat from someone who deserved it more and who would have thrived.

Hopefully, that helps someone.

As for you, gobigorgohome, do you have a shot? Of course you do. You have some long-standing activities that prove you are able to have interests and stick to them. You've branched out and tried to see some different sides of medicine, which is always nice to see. The research is also a strong plus. I hope you talked about what you have the most passion for in your personal statement. You will get asked about everything, at Emory and at every school at which you interview. Your GPA and MCAT are far from sexy, but they won't scare most schools away, especially since you've balance them with great research/volunteering/etc. (You can never truly "make up" for a poor GPA/MCAT, but yours aren't truly bad and your activities are awesome). I wouldn't worry about applying for DO - you will get into many schools so long as you are able to interview well. Even then, your activities and ok MCAT will secure you a few spots. I would definitely apply to Emory - if you get an interview and interview well, an acceptance is certainly possible.



TL;DR (though I would question if you weren't willing to slog through all this) - Have a story. Have a voice. Express yourself. Be passionate. Try to relax. It's a very long interview season.

Love your post! You are absolutely right. Although some of what will get you into medical school is a standard formula, but a lot of it has to do with your story, how you got to where you are. We all really appreciate your input on here. Thank you for your candor while evaluating my application. I really hope I get a chance to interview because I believe interviewing skill is one of my strong points.

 

[Snuke]

Love your post! You are absolutely right. Although some of what will get you into medical school is a standard formula, but a lot of it has to do with your story, how you got to where you are. We all really appreciate your input on here. Thank you for your candor while evaluating my application. I really hope I get a chance to interview because I believe interviewing skill is one of my strong points.

Good luck to you, and to everyone here. I'll be following along, reminiscing over my own interview season. *sniff*

(that's a joke. it's a very very long process - just consider it a warm-up to the rest of your medical life)

It's all about the journey, the good and the bad that make it up.

 

[neuronerd24]

Is it true that Emory doesn't post video/online lectures? According to MSAR, it doesn't... but I found this really strange considering it's the only school I looked at that doesn't!

 

[Snuke]

Is it true that Emory doesn't post video/online lectures? According to MSAR, it doesn't... but I found this really strange considering it's the only school I looked at that doesn't!

That is correct. There are no video recording of the lectures. There exists a student-run transcript service where people pay into the service, which then pays students to transcribe lectures. The service also will answer the Learning Objectives for each lecture (test questions are based on the LOs, so it's generally a good idea to either do them or have the answers).

The administration really emphasizes attendance - that's why there is no video recording. If I were to guess, I would say that at least 3/4 of the class attends lecture 90% of the time (we also have limited lectures, so it's less of a time sink). I like it, because it makes me come to class, and we generally have good lectures. Since our curriculum is shortened, there is far less extraneous information and PhD's rambling about research than in other schools.

 

[medschoolmyname]

CA resident 30 mcat and 3.9 gpa. Snuke do u think i have a chance? I have strong ecs, personal, and good letters of rec.

 

[N7chell]

Thanks for all the helpful info Snuke! Sounds like an amazing school.
What are research opportunities like at Emory?
Also, do you know if Emory is forgiving if my clinical experience is relatively weak? I would love for a chance to interview here, and I feel like other aspects of my application are good. I have a 35 MCAT, 3.9 GPA, long-term research experience, non-clinical volunteering, and work-experience.

 

[Snuke]

CA resident 30 mcat and 3.9 gpa. Snuke do u think i have a chance? I have strong ecs, personal, and good letters of rec.

Thanks for all the helpful info Snuke! Sounds like an amazing school.
What are research opportunities like at Emory?
Also, do you know if Emory is forgiving if my clinical experience is relatively weak? I would love for a chance to interview here, and I feel like other aspects of my application are good. I have a 35 MCAT, 3.9 GPA, long-term research experience, non-clinical volunteering, and work-experience.

Guys, I can't tell you whether you have a chance or not. Seriously, that's not why I'm here. I'm not qualified to comment on the "perfect candidate" for Emory more than I already have. If you have personality and a story, let it show in your AMCAS, secondaries, and interview. Be genuine. Be yourself.

As for research opportunities, I can definitely comment there. We have a 5 month block after M3 year where we are required to do research of some kind (Discovery Project), or to get another degree and use that thesis as our completed work. Also, we are currently looking into our second year electives, and I know that a few people are going to use that time to get a headstart on a poster/publication.

 

[Captain Sisko]

any chances of working with the cdc?

nvm. read about it above. gosh you covered everything!

 

[ewelling]

Snuke,

Thanks again for your input here!

I saw that almost half of Emory grads pursue residencies in primary care. Do you know if they offer any special primary care tracks or concentrations?

 

[medschoolmyname]

I appreciate your honesty snuke. If u don't mind me asking is the school affected by hurricanes? Also Im a big fan of research and I am happy to see Emroy dedicates about 5 months i think doing research. Can you speak to that at all? Are you flexible in the type of research to explore during that time period?

Guys, I can't tell you whether you have a chance or not. Seriously, that's not why I'm here. I'm not qualified to comment on the "perfect candidate" for Emory more than I already have. If you have personality and a story, let it show in your AMCAS, secondaries, and interview. Be genuine. Be yourself.

As for research opportunities, I can definitely comment there. We have a 5 month block after M3 year where we are required to do research of some kind (Discovery Project), or to get another degree and use that thesis as our completed work. Also, we are currently looking into our second year electives, and I know that a few people are going to use that time to get a headstart on a poster/publication.

 

[Snuke]

any chances of working with the cdc?

nvm. read about it above. gosh you covered everything!

😀

Snuke,

Thanks again for your input here!

I saw that almost half of Emory grads pursue residencies in primary care. Do you know if they offer any special primary care tracks or concentrations?

Not for medical school. I can't speak for the residency programs. There is a lot of opportunity to tailor your education, see below.

Also, half is a bit much? Looking at the latest match sheet right now, half is only true if you include pediatrics, emergency med, and internal medicine. Emory does have a lot of people go internal med and emergency.

I appreciate your honesty snuke. If u don't mind me asking is the school affected by hurricanes? Also Im a big fan of research and I am happy to see Emroy dedicates about 5 months i think doing research. Can you speak to that at all? Are you flexible in the type of research to explore during that time period?

Ah no, no hurricanes. Rarely.

Discovery is completely flexible. You can basically do anything that suits you, so long as you can find a mentor. Some people work with the CDC, many work in a department that they think they want to match into, while many people (sometimes ~1/3 of the class) will extend their Discovery to a full year in order to complete an extra degree. MPH is extremely popular, given that Rollins is right nearby, but there are always a few MBAs and a few who go to another school, even abroad.

And yes, there is a lot of assistance given to find a mentor. Or you can search one out yourself - that definitely has happened.

 

[pommery]

From the website, it looks like Emory only accepts three individual letters of rec--is that true? The other schools I've checked so far have a range, so I just wanted to make sure. Thanks!

 

[Snuke]

From the website, it looks like Emory only accepts three individual letters of rec--is that true? The other schools I've checked so far have a range, so I just wanted to make sure. Thanks!

If that's what the website says, I suppose so.

If you have any questions regarding specifics of the admissions process, do not hesitate to call the Admissions Office. I know all of the lovely ladies working there, and they are so incredibly nice. They would be absolutely delighted to help.

 

[Captain Sisko]

If that's what the website says, I suppose so.

If you have any questions regarding specifics of the admissions process, do not hesitate to call the Admissions Office. I know all of the lovely ladies working there, and they are so incredibly nice. They would be absolutely delighted to help.

iirc they have a faq in which they say you can more but it shouldn't be a lot, maybe four or a max of five total, if and only if they provide a new perspective. i submitted four: two science profs, my engineering boss of three years, and my supervisor from college when i was in res life.

 

[Snuke]

iirc they have a faq in which they say you can more but it shouldn't be a lot, maybe four or a max of five total, if and only if they provide a new perspective. i submitted four: two science profs, my engineering boss of three years, and my supervisor from college when i was in res life.

I imagine that's fine. Just keep in mind that they have a lot of applications to read - too many may be a turn-off, which is why they say to keep the number low. That goes for all medical schools, btw.

 

[ewelling]

I imagine that's fine. Just keep in mind that they have a lot of applications to read - too many may be a turn-off, which is why they say to keep the number low. That goes for all medical schools, btw.

Unfortunately I selected all LoRs (5 individual letters) for every school on AMCAS and it says you can not remove LoRs from schools after submission. How do I make sure Emory only gets 3 instead of 5, maybe it will let me pick which ones in the secondary? Should I call?

 

[Snuke]

Unfortunately I selected all LoRs (5 individual letters) for every school on AMCAS and it says you can not remove LoRs from schools after submission. How do I make sure Emory only gets 3 instead of 5, maybe it will let me pick which ones in the secondary? Should I call?

You are fine with 5. If you are concerned, call admissions. They don't keep track of who calls and asks what so they can move them up or down in consideration. That would be silly. Just call and ask.

Does anyone have any question pertaining to the school?

 

[ewelling]

You are fine with 5. If you are concerned, call admissions. They don't keep track of who calls and asks what so they can move them up or down in consideration. That would be silly. Just call and ask.

Does anyone have any question pertaining to the school?

Thank you! Sorry I probably should have posted that in the AMCAS thread!

 

[Snuke]

Thank you! Sorry I probably should have posted that in the AMCAS thread!

It's no problem, it's just that I can't really help you for anything pertaining to admissions! And the ladies are really sweet, don't worry.

Also, I apologise for any perceived grumpiness. It is test week.

 

[Amygdarya]

Unfortunately I selected all LoRs (5 individual letters) for every school on AMCAS and it says you can not remove LoRs from schools after submission. How do I make sure Emory only gets 3 instead of 5, maybe it will let me pick which ones in the secondary? Should I call?

No worries ewelling, here is what I read in their FAQ (http://med.emory.edu/education/admissions/md/faq.html#General_Questions2):

May I send additional letters of recommendations?

You may submit additional letters of recommendation, but keep in mind that the Admissions Committee may not be able to read an excessive amount of letters. Please limit additional letters to just a few.

 

[Soulstice]

Probably my top choice school. Trying to decide whether to apply MSTP or MD-only ..

 

[29036]

I'm going to be an M1 this year... you can ask me questions too. Probably don't know all that much just yet, but I'll learn soon! I can help with admissions questions though, considering I just went through it not too long ago (can't tell you if you will get in or not... I can't believe I got in myself!)

 

[lodestar]

sharing some recent family experience here...

Folks, just so you will know-- Emory's all-in costs are HIGH and there is little true assistance beyond huge borrowings, as noted earlier (in this last cycle) here:

"You were right about Emory's financial aid. I just received my "award" and I received no aid at all. The annual cost of attendance is $83,000."

Another Emory acceptee last year noted that he passed once he saw that his total borrowings would be > $300k.

http://www.med.emory.edu/education/financial/md/costs.html

per Emory:
The estimated Cost of Attendance for the 2012-13 academic year (Fall 2012/Spring 2013) is approximately $78,000. This covers a 12-month period. When comparing costs at other programs, make sure you are comparing the same period of time.

How Much Should I Expect to Borrow for the Entire MD Program?

The average indebtedness for the students who graduated from the program in 2011 was $138,088. Some students borrowed more and some borrowed less.

*****************

Our daughter is an M1 at BCM, which is at least as good as Emory...her net costs are a tiny fraction of the above. When she got the call from Baylor last year, she promptly let Emory know that they could clear a WL spot. Her costs are WELL LESS than they might have been at MCG.

Look, no sour grapes here about Emory...Mom and Dad are both alums of the college, but its costs simply best fit the well-to-do or those who are willing to tolerate BIG debt...that necessarily makes some specialties problematic.

Having been around Emory for decades, my sense is that the medical school classes tend to be made up of a LOT of doctors' kids and some being paid for by the military, which might help explain the more limited "average indebtedness" that Emory notes just above. The simple truth is that the tuition and fees alone are ~ $50k a year.

Oh, one other quick thing y'all might find interesting...when medical schools publish average MCAT scores, they USUALLY mean of their ACCEPTED class, not the class which actually matriculates, which will be lower...sometimes, this can be a material difference...look for their recent class profiles to know where you stand with their averages.

some aggregated data:

http://www.studentdoc.com/top-10-medical-schools.html

http://www.eduers.com/mcat/Average_MCAT_Scores.htm

http://www.studentdoc.com/component...362/lang,en/ranktype,MCAT/view,medschoolrank/

http://www.medicalschoolsinusa.com/medical-school-rankings/

 

[Snuke]

Interesting post. Being in the school, I feel like I have a certain perspective. You brought up good points that ought to be addressed.

sharing some recent family experience here...

Folks, just so you will know-- Emory's all-in costs are HIGH and there is little true assistance beyond huge borrowings, as noted earlier (in this last cycle) here:

"You were right about Emory's financial aid. I just received my "award" and I received no aid at all. The annual cost of attendance is $83,000."

Another Emory acceptee last year noted that he passed once he saw that his total borrowings would be > $300k.

http://www.med.emory.edu/education/financial/md/costs.html

per Emory:
The estimated Cost of Attendance for the 2012-13 academic year (Fall 2012/Spring 2013) is approximately $78,000. This covers a 12-month period. When comparing costs at other programs, make sure you are comparing the same period of time.

How Much Should I Expect to Borrow for the Entire MD Program?

The average indebtedness for the students who graduated from the program in 2011 was $138,088. Some students borrowed more and some borrowed less.

*****************

Our daughter is an M1 at BCM, which is at least as good as Emory...her net costs are a tiny fraction of the above. When she got the call from Baylor last year, she promptly let Emory know that they could clear a WL spot. Her costs are WELL LESS than they might have been at MCG.

Emory is expensive - this is true. It's a private school, so that shouldn't come as a surprise. If the question is if school needs to be that expensive, that's a different debate. The fact is that all private schools will require either an arm and a leg and/or your firstborn. Emory is certainly not the only one.

And yes, some people do not get aid, but this is not true for everyone. There are many scholarships available, both for financial need and for academic standing, and I'm not even including the handful of full rides from the Woodruff Scholarship.

Look, no sour grapes here about Emory...Mom and Dad are both alums of the college, but its costs simply best fit the well-to-do or those who are willing to tolerate BIG debt...that necessarily makes some specialties problematic.


Having been around Emory for decades, my sense is that the medical school classes tend to be made up of a LOT of doctors' kids and some being paid for by the military, which might help explain the more limited "average indebtedness" that Emory notes just above. The simple truth is that the tuition and fees alone are ~ $50k a year.

In my class, we have 4 people with military scholarships. 4 out of 140, so I don't think that's skewing the numbers much, and those numbers are pretty solid from year to year. As for doctors' kids, there are certainly a couple dozen, maybe up to a third of the class, but that's just wild speculation. This is also not specific to Emory - I have friends across the country in many different medical schools, and they've all said that there is a significant population of doctors' children. This can't be a surprise to anyone.

Oh, one other quick thing y'all might find interesting...when medical schools publish average MCAT scores, they USUALLY mean of their ACCEPTED class, not the class which actually matriculates, which will be lower...sometimes, this can be a material difference...look for their recent class profiles to know where you stand with their averages.

some aggregated data:[/COLOR]

http://www.studentdoc.com/top-10-medical-schools.html

http://www.eduers.com/mcat/Average_MCAT_Scores.htm

http://www.studentdoc.com/component...362/lang,en/ranktype,MCAT/view,medschoolrank/

http://www.medicalschoolsinusa.com/medical-school-rankings/

Interesting links, applicable to all medical schools. It states clearly in the MSAR that data is for Accepted students, not matriculated. The 'average' MCAT score of a school is not very good information unless it's super high (WashU) or super low. Look at the percentiles - so long as you fall within them, then it's unlikely that your score will exclude you. And even then, there are still people in the class outside the percentiles.

 

[lodestar]

re:
Emory is expensive - this is true. It's a private school, so that shouldn't come as a surprise. If the question is if school needs to be that expensive, that's a different debate. The fact is that all private schools will require either an arm and a leg and/or your firstborn. Emory is certainly not the only one.

And yes, some people do not get aid, but this is not true for everyone. There are many scholarships available, both for financial need and for academic standing, and I'm not even including the handful of full rides from the Woodruff Scholarship.

************************

What I am suggesting is that GENERALLY Emory does not pony up much gratis financial aid help. I spent a fair amount of time gleaning feedback here and elsewhere about various private medical schools. I believe that the reality is that if you NEED $ for medical school, you will likely borrow a LOT more at Emory than at similar private schools. The "average debt" figure can be deceptive if a number of rich parents do not borrow, whether are not they might be physicians. You can appear to prove anything with selected facts.

It is NOT quite true that "all private schools require and arm and a leg"...BCM's OOS face rate tuition is $19,500 versus Emory's ~$47k-- well less than half. After a 50% merit scholarship and establishing residence in Houston, our daughter's TOTAL tuition cost at BCM will be about $20k for all 4 years, versus $184k @ Emory! Duke crows that its students graduate with the lowest debt of peer private schools. Vandy also seems to pony up more than Emory.

Actually, speaking as an Emory undergrad alum, I think that the medical school cost is comparatively attractive, as in its value relative to cost...the undergraduate college costs even MORE now.

I now teach college students as a second career...medical schools have a FAR GREATER reason to justify tuition expense than undergrad colleges do. The cost of a standard college education has gone up 400% over the past 30 years because they increased the tuitions to absorb the rising student loan amounts-- another example of the guvment screwing things up.

Empirically, watch the posts here-- you will not see Emory acceptees talking about the grants and scholarships they got.

 

[Snuke]

re:
Emory is expensive - this is true. It's a private school, so that shouldn't come as a surprise. If the question is if school needs to be that expensive, that's a different debate. The fact is that all private schools will require either an arm and a leg and/or your firstborn. Emory is certainly not the only one.

And yes, some people do not get aid, but this is not true for everyone. There are many scholarships available, both for financial need and for academic standing, and I'm not even including the handful of full rides from the Woodruff Scholarship.

************************

What I am suggesting is that GENERALLY Emory does not pony up much gratis financial aid help. I spent a fair amount of time gleaning feedback here and elsewhere about various private medical schools. I believe that the reality is that if you NEED $ for medical school, you will likely borrow a LOT more at Emory than at similar private schools. The "average debt" figure can be deceptive if a number of rich parents do not borrow, whether are not they might be physicians. You can appear to prove anything with selected facts.

It is NOT quite true that "all private schools require and arm and a leg"...BCM's OOS face rate tuition is $19,500 versus Emory's ~$47k-- well less than half. After a 50% merit scholarship and establishing residence in Houston, our daughter's TOTAL tuition cost at BCM will be about $20k for all 4 years, versus $184k @ Emory! Duke crows that its students graduate with the lowest debt of peer private schools. Vandy also seems to pony up more than Emory.

Actually, speaking as an Emory undergrad alum, I think that the medical school cost is comparatively attractive, as in its value relative to cost...the undergraduate college costs even MORE now.

I now teach college students as a second career...medical schools have a FAR GREATER reason to justify tuition expense than undergrad colleges do. The cost of a standard college education has gone up 400% over the past 30 years because they increased the tuitions to absorb the rising student loan amounts-- another example of the guvment screwing things up.

Empirically, watch the posts here-- you will not see Emory acceptees talking about the grants and scholarships they got.

Baylor is a rare exception. I would be fascinated to know how they have managed to keep costs so low, because it is a stark difference between Baylor and the vast majority of private schools.

I'm not arguing that Emory isn't expensive - that would be silly. But it's difficult to make generalisations on a school based on SDN. I've noticed that, for whatever reason, Emory isn't a terribly popular school, or at least the thread is not. I have no idea why. But I know many people who have received aid, including myself, so it definitely happens. And certainly not everyone shares.

To applying students, all I am saying is not to let the sticker price scare you away. Recognise that it exists, sure, because it is a huge amount of money, but I feel that for the education and the opportunities offered by the school and the community (all of Atlanta), I'm comfortable with my choice. I turned down a school that would have costed a third of the price (very competitive with Emory) because I felt that the clinical experience offered here would be impossible to replicate elsewhere.

 

[ChemicalKat]

I'm shadowing an alum from Emory, he says that my cost of applying to med school is more than what he paid per year in tuition back in his day. He's old 😎

Thanks Snuke for all the info. From the Atlanta area and I laughed at all the experience that you get from Grady. That tells you a lot about the environment surround Grady. Rumor has it that Grady treats more gunshot wounds than all the other hospitals in Georgia combined.

Does Emory have a preference for in-staters?

 

[jeghaber]

I'm shadowing an alum from Emory, he says that my cost of applying to med school is more than what he paid per year in tuition back in his day. He's old 😎

Thanks Snuke for all the info. From the Atlanta area and I laughed at all the experience that you get from Grady. That tells you a lot about the environment surround Grady. Rumor has it that Grady treats more gunshot wounds than all the other hospitals in Georgia combined.

Does Emory have a preference for in-staters?

Based on the USNWR, it seems there is somewhat of a preference for IS (59/460 or 12.8% accepted) vs OOS (250/4658 or 5.4% accepted) :/

 

[annawmc]

I'm shadowing an alum from Emory, he says that my cost of applying to med school is more than what he paid per year in tuition back in his day. He's old 😎

Thanks Snuke for all the info. From the Atlanta area and I laughed at all the experience that you get from Grady. That tells you a lot about the environment surround Grady. Rumor has it that Grady treats more gunshot wounds than all the other hospitals in Georgia combined.

Does Emory have a preference for in-staters?

According to the latest MSAR data, 66% of Emory's matriculated students for 2011-2012 were OOS. There are more OOS applicants (about 10x more) so their overall acceptance rate is less than in state applicants, but the majority of the student population seems to be OOS - at least according to MSAR.

 

[lodestar]

Based on the USNWR, it seems there is somewhat of a preference for IS (59/460 or 12.8% accepted) vs OOS (250/4658 or 5.4% accepted) :/

I have not seen Emory SOM note an in-state guideline per se.

http://med.emory.edu/education/admissions/md/demographics.html

After Duke, Emory's own undergrad college and then GT close behind are the two most academically competitive (SAT averages) colleges in the S.E., both right there in Atlanta. Each COM class will have a number of Emory's own and a fair number from GT (18 or so?), some number of which are Ga. residents, and then UGA grads also (a FAR more competitive undergraduate state university than just 20 years ago due to the HOPE retaining state residents).

 

[jeghaber]

I have not seen Emory SOM note an in-state guideline per se.

http://med.emory.edu/education/admissions/md/demographics.html

After Duke, Emory's own undergrad college and then GT close behind are the two most academically competitive (SAT averages) colleges in the S.E., both right there in Atlanta. Each COM class will have a number of Emory's own and a fair number from GT (18 or so?), some number of which are Ga. residents, and then UGA grads also (a FAR more competitive undergraduate state university than just 20 years ago due to the HOPE retaining state residents).

True, true; it's definitely possible (and most likely true 😛) that IS applicants to Emory are generally of "higher quality" than OOS-ers who come from a more varied background of Awesome University to Podunk University. Still raw percentage-wise, knowing nothing else about the applicant (but as you pointed out, not "all other things equal" since we can't know that the IS and OOS pools are on average "equal"), being IS seems to be a positive in predicting chance of acceptance. Also, the question-poster ChemicalKat is IS, so 👍 for your chances! 😀

 

[medschoolmyname]

Regarding Emory's secondary is it automatically sent out to all applicants or not? Plus what kind of stuff do they ask us? Last I've heard from a lot of people to make sure I have my primary application out in front of me cause the questions asked are often the same. Can you guys speak to that for Emory specifically and for medical school in general? Thanks!

 

[lilsnowskier711]

Hey Snuke -- thanks so much for taking the time to answer all our questions! What part of your experience at Emory so far do you think you would not have been able to find at another medical school? hope that question makes sense!

 

[29036]

sharing some recent family experience here...

Folks, just so you will know-- Emory's all-in costs are HIGH and there is little true assistance beyond huge borrowings, as noted earlier (in this last cycle) here:

"You were right about Emory's financial aid. I just received my "award" and I received no aid at all. The annual cost of attendance is $83,000."

Another Emory acceptee last year noted that he passed once he saw that his total borrowings would be > $300k.

http://www.med.emory.edu/education/financial/md/costs.html

per Emory:
The estimated Cost of Attendance for the 2012-13 academic year (Fall 2012/Spring 2013) is approximately $78,000. This covers a 12-month period. When comparing costs at other programs, make sure you are comparing the same period of time.

How Much Should I Expect to Borrow for the Entire MD Program?

The average indebtedness for the students who graduated from the program in 2011 was $138,088. Some students borrowed more and some borrowed less.

*****************

Our daughter is an M1 at BCM, which is at least as good as Emory...her net costs are a tiny fraction of the above. When she got the call from Baylor last year, she promptly let Emory know that they could clear a WL spot. Her costs are WELL LESS than they might have been at MCG.

Look, no sour grapes here about Emory...Mom and Dad are both alums of the college, but its costs simply best fit the well-to-do or those who are willing to tolerate BIG debt...that necessarily makes some specialties problematic.

Having been around Emory for decades, my sense is that the medical school classes tend to be made up of a LOT of doctors' kids and some being paid for by the military, which might help explain the more limited "average indebtedness" that Emory notes just above. The simple truth is that the tuition and fees alone are ~ $50k a year.

Oh, one other quick thing y'all might find interesting...when medical schools publish average MCAT scores, they USUALLY mean of their ACCEPTED class, not the class which actually matriculates, which will be lower...sometimes, this can be a material difference...look for their recent class profiles to know where you stand with their averages.

some aggregated data:

http://www.studentdoc.com/top-10-medical-schools.html

http://www.eduers.com/mcat/Average_MCAT_Scores.htm

http://www.studentdoc.com/component...362/lang,en/ranktype,MCAT/view,medschoolrank/

http://www.medicalschoolsinusa.com/medical-school-rankings/

I'm biased considering I'm going to Emory next year, but...

I won't argue that Emory isn't expensive either-- and I didn't apply to Baylor (didn't want to live in Texas), but I can comment on Emory's financial aid package as compared to two other schools-- UVA and Duke. They were comparable, and actually, of the three, I'd have to borrow the least (by a couple thousand/year) at Emory.

Also, my award was something I thought was substantial. Enough to make it comparable to my in-state medical school. I'll have to borrow around 175K for all years... definitely a lot of money, but nothing I would say is out of the ordinary.

 

[29036]

Regarding Emory's secondary is it automatically sent out to all applicants or not? Plus what kind of stuff do they ask us? Last I've heard from a lot of people to make sure I have my primary application out in front of me cause the questions asked are often the same. Can you guys speak to that for Emory specifically and for medical school in general? Thanks!

I'm pretty sure it is sent to everyone-- Emory is unique in that they don't reject anyone until March... not those who have been interviewed nor those who will not get interviews. I applied to 11 schools, and they were all different as far as secondaries go, but a lot of them overlap. By the secondary #9, I was churning those answers out in a matter of a few hours rather than stressing about them for days. This is what Emory's secondary was last year:

1. If it was not included on your AMCAS application, please list your entire curriculum plan for the 2012-2013 academic year. If you are not currently in school, please briefly describe (in 100 words or less) what you are doing now.

2. Briefly describe (in approximately 100 words) your health-related experiences. Be sure to include important experiences that are in your AMCAS application, as well as any recent experiences.

3. Briefly describe (in approximately 100 words) your interest in Emory.

4. What do you consider to be the role of the physician in the community?

5. Do you have any updates or new information to report since you have submitted your AMCAS primary application? If so, please describe below. (100 words or less)

This one wasn't bad compared to the other ones that had longer essays, but some secondaries didn't require essays at all.

Hope this helps!

 

[Captain Sisko]

I'm pretty sure it is sent to everyone-- Emory is unique in that they don't reject anyone until March... not those who have been interviewed nor those who will not get interviews. I applied to 11 schools, and they were all different as far as secondaries go, but a lot of them overlap. By the secondary #9, I was churning those answers out in a matter of a few hours rather than stressing about them for days. This is what Emory's secondary was last year:

1. If it was not included on your AMCAS application, please list your entire curriculum plan for the 2012-2013 academic year. If you are not currently in school, please briefly describe (in 100 words or less) what you are doing now.

2. Briefly describe (in approximately 100 words) your health-related experiences. Be sure to include important experiences that are in your AMCAS application, as well as any recent experiences.

3. Briefly describe (in approximately 100 words) your interest in Emory.

4. What do you consider to be the role of the physician in the community?

5. Do you have any updates or new information to report since you have submitted your AMCAS primary application? If so, please describe below. (100 words or less)

This one wasn't bad compared to the other ones that had longer essays, but some secondaries didn't require essays at all.

Hope this helps!

Is 4) also 100 words or less, or can it be longer? Seems more of a touchy feely question, otherwise I'd assume.

 

[Snuke]

I have not seen Emory SOM note an in-state guideline per se.

http://med.emory.edu/education/admissions/md/demographics.html

After Duke, Emory's own undergrad college and then GT close behind are the two most academically competitive (SAT averages) colleges in the S.E., both right there in Atlanta. Each COM class will have a number of Emory's own and a fair number from GT (18 or so?), some number of which are Ga. residents, and then UGA grads also (a FAR more competitive undergraduate state university than just 20 years ago due to the HOPE retaining state residents).

Very accurate. During orientation, they told us that they believed they had a duty to the state of Georgia and to the area around Atlanta to produce doctors that would stay to service the area. As you said, the pool of IS applicants has become a great deal more competitive due to the HOPE scholarship, so it's certainly not "dumbing down" to take a large minority of GA residents/GA university students.

Hey Snuke -- thanks so much for taking the time to answer all our questions! What part of your experience at Emory so far do you think you would not have been able to find at another medical school? hope that question makes sense!

That question makes a lot of sense, and it's something that I had to decide when I chose my school. First, I wanted to find a school where I loved the atmosphere and environment, the school, the faculty, the campus itself, the hospitals in the system. This was my first criteria, and a number of schools fit that requirement. So Emory wasn't unique in this, but it certainly fulfilled it.

Then, I looked at basic clinical training. To put it bluntly, Emory has Grady. As someone said up above, Grady gets a lot of trauma cases. And rare/crazy cases. And of course your bread and butter. It's considered a safety net hospital, where many people go where there is no other option. There are other safety net hospitals (Bellevue with NYU is also considered a safety net), so this isn't entirely unique to Emory, but there aren't as many as there ought to be that are also connected with a medical school. Plus, Emory is the big game in town - we share Grady with Morehouse, which has a class ~60 a year - so there just aren't that many students compared to the number of hospitals that Emory serves.

Plus, I like Emory's curriculum. I like that I'll be done with the classroom in <18 months so that I'll be in the wards sooner. I like that Emory has a dedicated research time after my third year, not only for the research opportunity but this also gives a buffer window to make it easier to do an additional degree (Rollins for public health is right next to the SOM, and the business school is across campus) or to extend research to a full year.

Is 4) also 100 words or less, or can it be longer? Seems more of a touchy feely question, otherwise I'd assume.

It's a soft limit, but don't go crazy. It is a bit touchy-feely, but just roll with it. Say the most important thing or two, and call it a day. Make it genuine to yourself. You don't have many words to play around with.

 

[29036]

Is 4) also 100 words or less, or can it be longer? Seems more of a touchy feely question, otherwise I'd assume.

Yep, 100 words or less. I suppose it is a touchy feely question, but i didn't answer it that way.

 

[ewelling]

Secondary received!