Emory University

Emory University

(Emory)

Emory University is a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia, with particular strength in health sciences, public health, and business. Its partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and proximity to major healthcare institutions make it a top choice for pre-med and public health students.

Mascot: Eagle

Notable Alumni

Bobby Jones (golf legend)Kenneth Cole (fashion designer)Antonia Gentry (star of Ginny & Georgia)

At a Glance

Acceptance Rate
12%
SAT (Optional)
1480–1530
Avg GPA
3.84
Enrollment
7.1K
Setting
Suburban
Founded
1836

Cost

Tuition$67K
Room & Board$21K
Est. Annual Total$89K

Published sticker prices for 2025-2026. Actual cost after aid varies.

Top Programs & National Ranking

Approximate national ranking based on departmental rankings, research output, and program reputation.

Highlights

CDC partnership for public health
Top pre-med and nursing
Goizueta Business School

Athletics

Division
NCAA Division 3
Conference
University Athletic Association
View on NCAA.com

Campus Experience

Social Life
Moderate
Academic Pressure
Intense
Greek Life
Prominent
Campus Beauty
Beautiful

Emory offers strong academics with a significant pre-med culture that creates real academic intensity, especially in the sciences. Greek life is prominent (~20%) and provides social structure and parties. Dooley's Week (a skeleton mascot tradition) and Wonderful Wednesdays give the campus its own personality. Atlanta's restaurants, nightlife, and cultural scene are a major draw, but the suburban Druid Hills campus can feel disconnected from the city without a car.

Italian Renaissance marble-and-terracotta buildings designed by Henry Hornbostel, the Lullwater Preserve nature sanctuary, and lush Georgia landscaping give Emory a distinctive, refined Southern campus aesthetic.

Based on Niche reviews, Princeton Review surveys, student forums, and institutional data.

Safety

Campus SafetyVery Safe

Emory Police provides 24/7 patrols with over 40 direct-connect emergency phones across campus, a community alert system, and safety escorts. The self-contained Druid Hills campus reports very low crime rates.

Neighborhood SafetySafe

Druid Hills is one of Atlanta's safest neighborhoods, with crime rates among the lowest in the metro area.

Based on Clery Act data, student surveys, and local crime statistics.

Plan Your Visit

Guided Tour

Schedule: Select weekdays during academic year

Duration: About 60-75 minutes

Student-led tours provide insight into academics, campus life, and the admission process. Virtual visits also available including tours, admission presentations, and student Q&A panels.

Book a Tour
Self-Guided Tour

Register via a short online form and receive full tour details and app links by email. Downloadable guide covers campus highlights at your own pace.

Tour Resources
Insider Tips
Meet Dooley -- Emory's skeleton mascot. In 1899, a skeleton from the biology lab started 'writing' letters to the campus newspaper, and the tradition evolved into a costumed figure (identity kept secret and protected by a posse of students) who wanders campus with the power to cancel classes. During Dooley's Week (spring), the skeleton appears unexpectedly and if Dooley points at a professor, class is dismissed. Dooleypalooza (the culminating concert) is one of Emory's biggest events.
Take the elevator to the 10th floor of the Robert W. Woodruff Library and visit the Stuart A. Rose Manuscript Library -- on clear days it has the best views of campus and the Atlanta skyline. The rare book collection itself is world-class (they hold Salman Rushdie's personal archive and extensive African American history collections).
Walk to Lullwater Preserve, a 154-acre nature preserve right behind campus with hiking trails, a suspension bridge, and a beautiful lake. It feels like you've left Atlanta entirely. Most visitors don't realize this urban campus borders a genuine forest. The preserve connects to the campus via trails behind the math and science buildings.
Visit the living mandala garden at the entrance of Cannon Chapel -- a circular botanical garden designed for contemplative meditation. Then head off campus to Buena Gente Cuban Bakery on North Decatur Road (25-minute walk) for cortaditos and guava cream cheese pastries that sell out daily. For a bigger food adventure, take the Emory shuttle to Ponce City Market on the Beltline.
Best Time to Visit

September-November or March-April (Atlanta's mild climate makes most of the year pleasant). Spring during Dooley's Week is peak campus energy. Avoid late December-January (break) and mid-summer (hot and humid, fewer students). Wonderful Wednesdays at Asbury Circle feature themed activities and free food -- try to visit on a Wednesday.

Getting There

Visitor parking decks at Fishburne (closest to Woodruff Library), Oxford Road, and Peavine. Free on weekends; weekday fees apply Mon-Fri 7am-5pm. From ATL airport: MARTA train northbound to Lindbergh station, then #6 Emory bus to campus (~45 min, $2.50). If driving from ATL: I-85 North to Freedom Parkway, right on Ponce de Leon, left on Briarcliff to North Decatur Road (~25 min without traffic).

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