Emerson College Top Questions

Emerson really allows you to be yourself and independent. The environment is so welcoming. It's a great fit for a lot of people. There is school pride. The biggest controversy was when the administration left out student rights when the student handbook was published. I have awesome professors and friends here.

The best thing about Emerson is definitely the enthusiasm by the students; not to sound cliche but there's literally a place for everyone, you can always find some sort of extracurricular to get involved in no matter what your interests are, as long as you give some effort you can definitely find some activities to keep you busy/ bulk up your resume. One things I'd change is the prices of everything, the school is VERY expensive and it doesn't get you a lot, for example, you still have to pay to print at the school printers (I know schools that give you 20 free pages a day at their printers) and they only give you enough money to print like 100 pages for free before you need to start paying, and when you're a writing, lit & publishing major that's NOTHING. It's also 100 dollars just to set up your groundline phone not to mention you can only get incoming calls! Plus the prices at the c-store are SO expensive your 650 baord bucks goes quick!! Emerson is pretty small, but it's kind of comforting to be in this community in a big city, where everyone knows everyone. When I tell people where I go, they either have never heard about it or ask if I'm majoring in musical theater (which I'm not!) because that was Emerson is really famous for. When I'm on campus I'm usually hanging out in my room or in someone else's room, seeing a show @ the Cabaret or one of the theaters, or at the dining hall! I could spend so long there at the all-you-can-eat buffet. MM-mmm. It's DEFINITELY a college town, I've heard some statistic like 1/4 of Boston residents are college students or something ridiculous like that. But everyone you meet literaly goes to Suffolk, Northeastern, BU, etc. The only thing I hate about Boston is that most places close early if you're not 21 which is so frustrating to freshman!!! Emerson's administration has been really helpful to me thus far, although I haven't had a whole lot of contact with them, the only problem I've had is with getting an on-campus job, because they always go to work-study students first. The biggest recent controversy on campus was probably the fact that the SGA granted an appeal for $30,000 to an event known as "Hand Me Down Night," in which students who are in organizatons are recognized or something like that. Why it needed to be so expensive, I have NO idea, but apparently it was a big scandal and some SGA members walked out of the meeting, etc. It's frustrating that our money is being spent so frivolously sometimes. There's DEFINITELY a lot of school pride, everyone who sees tours going by says like, "come to Emerson!" or something equally cheesy, and there's a lot of people who find they don't belong here and transfer, but the people who do really thrive. Emerson is unusual in that we don't really have a campus, the closest thing we have is the Boston Common as far as a "campus green" goes and all our buildings are contained in a few city blocks. It's not really an experience I'll remember, but a class; my theater class last semester was so awesome, and our professor was really personable and got to know everyone. The most frequent student complaints is probably about the hour of the dining establishments on campus, which all close pretty early and even earlier on the weekends (which makes NO sense to me).

Emerson has a very focused education so it caters mainly for those who are very determined and career focused, and who have known what their passions are for a very, very long time. I chose Emerson because of its defined majors. Their Writing, Literature and Publishing major will help prepare me for the careers I want to pursue much more than a broad, literature based English degree would. Because of this Emerson draws a lot of passionate students. Everyone is interesting and has something exciting to offer. This is not a school where you can learn a little bit about everything just for fun, but one where you dive deeply into an area of interest and graduate with a level of expertise I believe would be unmatched even by schools with a more famous name. Also the strong focus on networking guarantees a step up in the search for a career after graduation. Even from freshman year you will be gaining valuable experience in the classroom and especially in the extracurricular activities you pursue. Speaking of, the extracurriculars are a must. Almost everyone is involved with at least one club or activity and the experience is priceless. Another fantastic thing about Emerson is that it is right in downtown Boston. Sure our "campus" really just consists of a few buildings scattered in a few blocks but I definitely do not miss a quad when I can be in the heart of a city like Boston. Everything of importance is either in walking distance (and you will learn that a great amount of places are in walking distance) or a short T ride away. Not being sheltered in a campus makes me feel more independent and the access to the city always provides for fun adventures and supplements to my education.

The best thing about Emerson is that the entire student body is supportive, passionate and creative. As a specialized communications and fine arts school, we are all interested in the same arenas and outside activities. Film majors can star in the fall musical while writing majors direct our awards show. There are amazing opportunities in all of our fields available to us, and our students are motivated enough to take advantage of them. The school is the perfect size to make friends, see them on campus, and have small enough classes to really get to know your professors. No hundred-person lectures here - the largest classes are generally 30-40 students. The campus is located in the middle of the biggest and best college town in the nation - Boston, MA. Our location is perfect - right outside the beautiful Boston Common, minutes away from the best upscale shopping and dining in the city.

If I were to tell someone outside of the industry that I went to Emerson, there is a good chance that they will think that I study theater. However, Emerson is a well known institute among the professionals of our respective fields, which I guess is the point of attending the school. Sometimes I wish that Emerson had more of a campus, but any die-hard member of the college will tell you that Boston is our campus.

Size of emerson is perfect. I came from high school comprised of 50 students (in the ENTIRE high school) and graduated with 12. Emerson turned out to be the perfect fit for me, it is definitely bigger than I am used to (EVERY school would be), but its small enough for me to feel like I belong to a real community. My favorite part of emerson is definitely the people. everyone is so cool and easy to hang out with. I spend most of my time in my dorm room. because we dont have a campus proper, theres not many places to just hang out, especially in the winter. When summer comes around we will usually hang out in the Common.

Emerson is an incredible school for those who know what they want to go into- whether it's film or theater or communications. The courses and extracurriculars here allow students to jump straight into their majors, regardless of how much experience you might have. I'm a screenwriting major and I was able to start writing for a show broadcasted on the Emerson network during my first semester as a freshman. On the negative side, Emerson is a school for those who know exactly what they want to go into. The curriculums here are very specialized and double majoring is extremely difficult, if they allow it. In the film department, for example, you have to choose from a wide variety of concentrations from cinematography to audio design, which is difficult if you aren't sure of what field you want to commit to. If you are certain, however, this can be a positive thing since the courses are designed to cover everything you need to know about your specific area. I find that when I tell people I go to Emerson, most think that it's an artsy school full of indie kids in tight pants. They aren't entirely wrong. Most of the students here are very creative and open minded, but a number of students also shop at Abercrombie and so it's difficult to lope everyone into the same categories. The fact that students are currently organizing a nude photoshoot for our school magazine and the administration is thinking of allowing coed dorms should give you an idea of what sort of things go on here. Emerson's location couldn't be more ideal. It's directly across from the Boston Commons and the public gardens, and at the same time we're in the heart of the city of Boston. Even though the T Stations are close, just about everything you need is in walking distance. Also, since there are so many colleges in Boston there's never a lack of college age students to hang out with if you find you aren't fitting into Emerson's social lifestyle. There are obvious downsides to not having a campus, and many students here are wrapped up in city living, but Boston is a fantastic place to go to college regardless. Emerson students take great pride in their school, and yes, they can be a pit pretentious about it. While most schools might take pride in their sports teams, we take pride in our television shows, film programs, theater productions, and so on. Every student here is very passionate about their work and it shows. It will be hard to forget my experience of living in a hotel for my first year at college. Emerson accidentally accepted too many students into the class of 2011, and as a result some of us were put into hotels to live in. You wouldn't believe the reactions I get when I tell them I'm living in the Marriott with my own bathroom and maid service. Even though I am missing out on the typical dorm experiences, the 40 or so of us in the Marriott have bonded over our situation and we've formed relationships with the staff. I do believe I'll miss the hotel life next year. One of the most frequent student complaints is related to our inability to double major. Certain departments, such as journalism and marketing, allow you to double major. Film and theater departments, however, do not. It's frustrating when your interests lie in more than one area but you can only pursue one of them as a minor. Financial aid at Emerson is a also very flawed system and doesn't relieve much of the gigantic costs of attending.

when i tell people i go to emerson they say, "oh that's a good school!" younger people assume that you're artsy. emerson is good for meeting people and networking. everyone assumes they'll be the next big thing and some of them actually will be. if i could change one thing i would change the curriculum. or at least the way it's portrayed. before i came here everyone made it sound like my liberal arts requirements would really get to blend in with my major but it's not like that at all. they're irrelevant and boring. the majority of the liberal arts classes are not challenging at all. also they have a new attendance policy which sucks. and you can't switch into film/audio from another major. a lot of the security seems really unnecessary. the resources for film/audio/etc. are only available to upper level students. the dining hall is mediocre and the cafe and max (other cafe) are overpriced and disgusting.

Emerson is great for the people who know what they want to do in life. I wish there were more majors to choose from. It is a good size but there is obviously not enough housing for everyone. Most people don't know what Emerson is, other than its location in Boston. Emerson is totally unusual, mostly because there are so many actors and filmmakers and singers, most schools just don't have that.

Emerson can sometimes feel too small. I am familiar with most of my grade already. I love to meet new people, and this can be slightly difficult on our small, cramped campus. People react well to Emerson, often because they haven't heard of it. If they have they don't know much about it, except that it's a "good" school. The best thing about Emerson is that it's in the middle of Boston. The theater district is amazing! Don't knock Chinatown until you've tried it! It's beautiful at night, there are endless restaurants, and everything is pretty much affordable. In the other direction is Newbury street, which can also be fun. We're only a couple blocks down from the Orphium, so it's easy to catch a show, and we're even closer to the AMC theater (perfect for all the film majors). Sometimes the AMC has premiers (which is cool, I got to meet Ben Afleck and Matt Daemon). There are great restaurants in Cambridge. There's a 24-Diner near South Station. The Boston Public Gardens are maybe two minutes away, and it is beautiful there when it's warm. The T takes you anywhere you need to go that you can't walk to.

Emerson is truly a great school, one of the best for communication and the arts. Lated in downtown Boston, you can't get a better location for colleg students. Emerson's size allows for very personal experiences in the classroom with your professors and classmates. Average class sizes are around 20. Students love living on campus and interact with the city around them. Emerson's administration, though strict, is very approachable and understanding. Even though Emerson shows very little school pride, there is a tight community and strong sense of appreciation for our work.

I love this school. It has so many unique things to offer, the dorms are great, (most of) the people are very friendly. I love living in Boston, because there are so many things to do here. But I've found that a lot of people at Emerson are stuck up and close-minded. It's supposed to be the opposite: everyone at our liberal arts school is supposed to be open to many new things. But they're only open to things they support. If I express my opinion here and others don't agree with it, they'll shoot it down immediately, not even allowing me to back up my opinion. They won't even consider my opinion because most people here think they are right and that's all there is to it, and that's the one thing I hate about Emerson.

Emerson is innovative, creative, and contemporary. The classes offered combine all forms of media and interactive tools into the lesson plans, making for a truly unique and enriching learning experience. The college attracts students who are “go-getters,” earnest young people striving to success and make a difference in their field of study. The best thing about Emerson is that it provides a free, expressive environment to exchange ideas. The professors serve as soundboards for our creative pursuits. If I could change one thing about Emerson College, I would want there to be more racial and socioeconomic diversity. There is a diversity of ideas and sexual orientation, but in terms of race, culture, and ethnicities, Emerson lacks. When adults ask me where I go to school, even the people most well versed in the country’s colleges will hesitate when they hear of Emerson College. The first time this happened, I shrugged it off. I said to myself, “Okay. Maybe that person just doesn’t know a lot about East Coast colleges.” The next time a person admitted to me they had never heard of the college, I began to see things more clearly. Emerson College is a fantastic communications school. This is unquestionable. However, the only people who know how good the college is or know of the type of student it produces are those in the communications field themselves. Ultimately, those are the only people whose opinion matters anyway, given that they are the people who will hopefully hire Emerson graduates. The most recent controversy at Emerson happened this month when two student Government Association members resigned because they feel like too much money was allotted to a certain committee. Otherwise, Emerson does not seem to get caught up in much controversy. While sports are not really emphasized at Emerson, there is school pride. Emerson College is a small community, so if you were to see someone walking somewhere in Boston with an Emerson sweatshirt on, it would not be uncommon to say hello. I was on a train once to a Worchester, a city outside of Boston, and ironically, I sat next to an Emerson freshman, whom I had not met before. I guess we all gravitate to each other somehow. I’ll never forget attending the Barack Obama rally in the Boston Common this past fall. I could literally see the Emerson dorms from where I was standing among the throngs of people. There was a tangible excitement in the air, as Obama’s voice bounced off of nearby buildings. People had journeyed to see him, and all I had to do was step into my front lawn. The complaint I hear most often is from my girlfriends. They constantly complain that they continuously fall for gay men at Emerson. This is either because there is a shortage of straight men on campus or because my friends have faulty “gay-dar,”but I believe it is the former.

The best thing about Emerson is the classes--you don't have to take general courses for your first two years, you jump right into your major. We're encouraged to get internships as soon as our second semester, and many kids do succeed at doing so. My complaint, and one that EVERYONE seems to agree with--Why is this place so expensive? Why is the financial aid so bad? It's irritating to see how much money we'll each end up spending over our four years here. According to Princeton Review, if it stays the same as it is now, we'll each pay approximately $119,000 over four years, not including housing or the cost of living. Emerson College is the perfect size. My biggest class I've had was about 45 people, and my smallest was 12. You'll find here that there will be some people you'll know and recognize, while some days you'll see someone completely new. When I tell people I'm going to Emerson, I have to say "EmersonCollegeinBoston" to get any sort of reaction. No one's ever heard of it in my small town, but here whenever anyone asks me where I go to school they're usually really impressed and interested to hear all about my Emerson education. When on campus, I spend most of my time in my room or in friends rooms. Boston is the ultimate college town. When there's nothing going on at our campus, we can pretty walk up the street to Suffolk or Berklee, or take the T to Northeastern or Boston University and find something going on immediately. Plus, Emerson is directly across the street from the Boston Common and The Public Garden--two beautiful and exciting areas. Emerson's administration is improving. I think it's been hard for them to keep up with how quickly Emerson has grown over the past few years. My class is the biggest Emerson has ever seen--they didn't expect so many of us to enroll, and ended up opening dorm space in two neighborhood hotels to keep us all. The administration is growing with the College. Emerson made Piano Row (the newest resident hall) a green building. During winter break it was authorized as an official green building. This means you cannot smoke within 25 feet of Piano Row. For the very large Emerson College smoking population, this has been a great issue of discussion. No one is very happy about it, except maybe for the Wellness Floor kids. There is a lot of school pride at Emerson, but it's not the traditional pride you might see in bigger universities where students are proud of their sporting teams. We're proud of our academics. Any student here could give you a personal story about how Emerson has changed their educational lives completely, and made it so that learning is enjoyable. Emerson College is unusual in the effect that it does not have much of a campus. You can't walk from the dining hall back to Piano Row on a Friday night without being surrounded by Gypsy Bar going folks or even seeing one of your professors smoking outside of the pub that's connected to the Walker building. I will always remember our snow day earlier in the year. There was white snow covering the streets and slowly falling from the sky, and the Steinway piano store was playing Christmas music outside. People were walking in the streets and through the Common. It was such a beautiful experience.