Emerson College Top Questions

The best thing about Emerson is that no matter how weird you are, you're never the weirdest one. I could show up to school in a potato sack and a shower cap, and people will still be talking about the girl who glues the strip of mesh over her eyes. When I tell people I go to Emerson, most people either 1) Don't know of the school because it has no sports teams (and the rest of Boston is incredibly sports-centric), so I have to say "you know, that theater school near Suffolk. or 2) Back away, and ask if i'm straight. I don't spend any time on campus because there really is no good congregational space. I'm a commuter, and I don't have a meal plan so I never go in the dining hall. Though there is no hardcore campus scene, it is in a vibrant city filled with culture. You have theater, concerts, sporting events, readings, museums, tastings... tons of stuff to do. Emerson is in one of the biggest college towns- you've got BU, BC, MIT, Suffolk, Berklee, and the MA Institute of Art. So once you're sick of fellow Emersonians, you can always go to some jazz club and find eccentric Berklee kids, or go to a college hockey tournament and find Boston University bro-dudes. And then there's the outskirts of Boston, Allston "rock city." If you don't get housing at Emerson (only 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} do), and love the hipster scene... move here. All-night parties of pot smoking and PBR drinking, Daft Punk dance parties, basement punk shows, everything hipper-than-thou. And this is why the working-class of Boston hates when school is in session. School Pride: There's always mixed feelings about Emerson. Everyone likes to make fun of it, and the hipster scum that attends it. But secretly, everyone that makes fun of it ARE the ones wearing leggings and taking blurry, out of focus, black and white Myspace pictures. They ARE the ones who name-drop obscure literary or film figures. They ARE the ones who love Post-Modernism (or Po-Mo).

I guess I like teachers the best. I haven't been able to bond with a lot of students, maybe 2 or 3 at the most. I feel teachers are understanding and fun. However, I think Emerson is just the right size for someone who likes a lot of attention in the classroom and likes to stand out. classes are toooo big so that no one know who you are or too small to completely stand out. I don't like the whole signing people in to the dorm process...its a little complicated.

Emerson is a get it done yourself school. If you aren't organized, don't bother. You need to be able to figure everything out. People aren't just going to hand opportunities to you. If you go after them, opportunities are everywhere.

Emerson is a very directed, goal oriented school. We are very media- driven and if you don't know exactly what you want to do or at least that you without a doubt want to be in the communications field you may want to consider some other places. It is a pretty small school, with the campus only spanning about a block and a half, which means if there is someone you don't want to see-- you will see them everywhere. It also means that you will almost never have a class of more than 40 students and you won't get classes taught by TA's. Your professors will all know your name and will be more willing to help you if you are having a problem with something. I have found that when talking to people in the media industry, they hear that I go to Emerson and I might as well have said Harvard by how impressed they are, however anyone outside of the industry hears Emerson and says; "that's in Georgia, right?"

Emerson is the perfect school for all the kids who were never jocks in high school, we take pride in what we like to think of as our individuality--the one we share with all the other 3,000 liberal arts majors who go to school with us. When you first come to Emerson, they tell you that you'll be living in the heart of Boston and you will see the city, but most students don't really see much until they move off-campus sophomore or junior year. For some reason most people will stick around the LB and P-Row most of the time with a few trips to the North End, but the real fun of living in Boston begins when you get your own place somewhere in Allston or Central Square. One thing I hate about Emerson, especially as an international student is that they don't give any financial aid to foreigners, and barely any to Americans.

Emerson is a small city school and a lot of the time it is easy to forget you are at college because of the lack of a proper campus. I actually enjoy this aspect of the school because it feels like you are a part of the city, not shut away from it like some college campuses. A lot of students complain about the amount of security faced when entering the buildings (mostly when it comes to having guests) but I think most realize it is a necessary step given our location. Another thing that bugs me about Emerson is the lack of athletic opportunities. I came to college with hopes of getting involved with intermural basketball, however no such program existed. Not only that but there is very little support of comradery behind the school's teams. There seems far more support for the Emerson ethos of being special or different. Many take pride in the fact that Emerson is a bit of a "freak school." This can be both annoying and entertaining.

It is a small school, and if you want your traditional college experience, this school probably isn't right for you. This is a school that caters to the small population of adults graduating high school who have a clear focus. Much of Emerson acts as a microcosm to whatever industry you are studying and hoping to enter after leaving school, and to a wise student it allows you to enter into that industry while still in school and allow you to have a greater sense of security. As with most schools, the professors can be hit or miss here, however if you are one who believes that true learning and education comes from seeking it out yourself, than you can thrive here. If you'd like to sit back and work hard at what is handed to you during your college experience this is really not the right fit for you. If you are a motivated individual who is curious and resourceful, you can really make your education here invaluable.

Emerson is REALLY good for it's education but it lacks in athletics and alot of other things you might look for in a school. The problem right now is that Emerson is pretty much a conservatory looking to become a school. We're kind of in the middle. We are definitely becoming a school though. There isn't much of a campus here that is school property, however we are literally across the street from the Boston Common and the Public Gardens which are more than fun to mess around in during the summer and especially the winter! You can skate and play in the snow and it's awesome. If I had to pick one great thing and one bad thing, I would say that our best thing is our real world education and quality professors and available resources and our worst thing is our lack of athletics. The athletic department, however, is definitely building. We have a new gym and don't let your tour guides tell you otherwise, we DO have an Ice Hockey team!!

Emerson is a good school for the programs it has but it is too small in my opinion not on in physical size, students are always looking for space to have meetings rehearsals etc. and dorm space, but it's student body is too small and not diverse enough. Students at emerson don't get exposed to a wide variety of cultures compared wiht larger campuses. As an off campus, international ethnic student i spend most of my time in the multicultural centre, because it's like home away from home. literally and figuratively speaking. i find other students much like myself and we can relate to each other about similar problems we are having.

The communication within the school is lacking, but the staff is very knowledgeable. The size of the school is rather small but makes it more of a community. Most students live off campus and spend their time in apartments or on the commons hanging out. It's in Boston, which is a great city to live in. Emerson is super liberal and fight the administration on things such as multigender bathrooms since there are a large amount of homosexuals on campus.