Emerson College

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School Says - General Information
Founded in 1880, Emerson is one of the premier colleges in the United States for the study of communication and the arts. Students may choose from more than two-dozen undergraduate and graduate programs supported by state-of-the-art facilities and a nationally renowned faculty. The campus is home to WERS-FM, the first noncommercial broadcaster in Boston; the historic 1,200-seat Cutler Majestic Theatre; and Ploughshares, the award-winning literary journal for new writing. Emerson has always been at the forefront of instruction in communications and the arts. The College established one of the country's first programs in children's theatre in 1919 as well as an undergraduate program in broadcasting in 1937. Professional-level training in speech pathology and audiology was inaugurated in 1935, educational FM radio in 1949, closed circuit television in 1955, and a BFA degree in film as early as 1972. In 1980, the College created the country's first graduate program in professional writing and publishing. Today, Emerson's undergraduate and graduate students come from across the United States and 50 countries.

School Says - Student Body
Student life at Emerson revolves around the more than 60 student-run organizations. These include a range of media outlets (audio, digital, film, print, and video), performance groups, service clubs, spiritual and cultural organizations, non-residential fraternities and sororities, professional societies, and intercollegiate and recreational athletics. Emerson students also take advantage of the campus' location in Boston - one the country's best college towns. Specific organizations on campus include: Amigos (Latino students organization), ASIA (Asian Students for Intercultural Awareness), The Berkley Beacon (newspaper), Communication, Politics & Law Association, Digital Images (photo magazine), EAGLE (Emerson Alliance of Gays and Lesbians and Everyone), Emersive (digital media organization), Emerson Channel (television), Emerson Comedy Workshop, EmComm (student-run marketing and PR group), EBONI (Emerson Black Organization with Natural Interests), Emerson Dance Team, Emerson Independent Video, Emerson Records, EI-Emerson International, Emersonian (yearbook), Frames Per Second (film club), Gangsters In Concrete (publication), Gauge (contemporary magazine), ASLEmerson (sign language performers), Hillel, Musical Theatre Society, National Broadcasting Association (student chapter), NSSLHA, Newman Club, Public Relations Student Society of America, Radio-Television News Directors Association, spec. (screenwriters club), Warlords (film and animation group), Undergraduate Writers Network, and WERS and WECB broadcasting stations.

School Says - Academics
Emerson is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and operates on a two-semester calendar. Graduation requirements combine general education and liberal arts courses with advanced, specialized classes that are specific to individual departments and academic programs. Internships for academic credit are available in every major and the College's Institute for Liberal Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies offers first-year seminars, independent study options, and innovative courses that cut across academic disciplines. Students can also study abroad or register for classes with the six-member Boston ProArts Consortium.

School Says - Admissions
Emerson College accepts the Common Application and requires an application supplement. Admission is competitive. We look for students who present academic promise in their secondary school record, recommendations, and writing competency, as well as personal qualities as seen in extracurricular activities, community involvement, and demonstrated leadership. Successful candidates typically have four years of English and three years each of mathematics, science, social science, and foreign language. The application deadline for September admission is January 5 (Early Action, November 1) and for January admission it is November 1. Transfer applicants should apply by March 1 (for September) or November 1 (for January). Prospective students are encouraged to visit campus. Tours and information sessions may be scheduled online at http://visit.emerson.edu or by contacting the Admission Visitor Center at 617-824-8600 or admission@emerson.edu.

School Says - Campus Life
Boston is one of America's favorite college towns and the city offers students a wide variety of diversions ranging from scenic harbor cruises and Boston Pops concerts to baseball's Fenway Park and legendary Boston Marathon. Emerson's campus is located right on Boston Common in the heart of the cityÂ's Theatre District, within sight of the Massachusetts State House and walking distance from the historic Freedom Trail, Boston Public Garden, Chinatown, and numerous restaurants and museums. The "T" (Boston's historic subway/street trolley system) stops at Emerson's front door and provides convenient access to citywide destinations. There are more than 60 student organizations and performance groups, 15 NCAA teams, student publications, and honor societies. More than half of the students are housed on-campus, some in special learning communities such as the Writers' Block, Film Immersion Community, and Digital Culture Floor. All the residence halls are air-conditioned and wired for cable television and Internet access. There is also a fitness center, athletic field, and new gymnasium and campus center.

School Says - Cost Aid
Basic expenses related to attending Emerson for the 2009-2010 academic year are $29,408 (tuition) and $12,280 (double room and board). An additional $3,500 should be allocated for books, supplies, and personal expenses, including travel.We know that a college education is a significant investment for many families and we want to be sure our students receive the best value for their dollar. Many of our families have discovered that with proper options, the cost of Emerson College is within reach. As an Emerson student, the Office of Student Financial Services will make every effort to help you finance the cost of your education. We offer several types of financial assistance programs: need-based grants, employment, low-interest loans, merit scholarships, and alternative payment plans to help make an Emerson education possible. Each year, approximately two-thirds of our students receive some form of financial assistance. The College makes every effort to help students finance their education and provides need-based support packaged in awards that typically combine grant and scholarship, loan, and college work-study aid. To apply for financial aid, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Assistance (FAFSA) and CSS PROFILE forms. Deadlines are important. More information can be found online at http://www.emerson.edu/financial_services or by contacting the Office of Student Financial Services at 617-824-8655 or finaid@emerson.edu.

Students Say - Academics
God help the future Wall Streeters who somehow find themselves members of the student body at Emerson, a big happy group of "creative people" who come together to share their passions ("whether it be on the stage, the page, the big screen or the small"), and learn more about their own mediums of self-expressions via collaboration with diverse individuals. The focus on the more creative side of communication and the arts, provides "a community that (usually) understands what an artist needs to thrive and grow." "People come to Emerson knowing exactly what they want to do, and then [they] do that thing all out for four years," says a sophomore. According to its students, Emerson "brings creativity and ingenuity to the arts and communication unlike any other school in the country." Although those who attend the school are more than aware that most of their fellow students might be "part of the next generation of America's starving artists (unless you're a marketing or CSD major)," the school does a tremendous job of offering each student a "specialized career-oriented experience," no matter how non-traditional the career path. The excellent student-teacher ratio means personal attention that goes beyond just office hours, which translates into a lot of time spent with people who are "practicing professionals in their respective fields." The largest classroom at Emerson can accommodate only about 70 students, so lectures (if a student even has any) "are only about 50 students large," and one must "be prepared to do most of your learning outside of the classroom in projects." Design and technology majors in particular get a good deal of hands-on experience. While there can be "a little too much red tape around some of the administrative aspects of Emerson," one student claims that "there is no other school I have encountered where one would feel more easily acknowledged and listened to by professors."

Students Say - Campus Life
The drive to succeed in such competitive industries means "a majority of students are busier than the average professional" and "don't really sleep," which is not surprising, considering all of the rehearsals, film shoots, concerts, and organization meetings seemingly required of Emerson life. The school is located right in the heart of downtown Boston, and many admit that it can be hard to concentrate with Boston Common right across the street and the realization that "you live in a city, not a campus bubble." After junior year "most people live off campus," which is where most parties are also hosted; although there's a fair share of partying for those who are interested, "students are more inclined to have an 80's costume and dance party than a frat bash." For those who resist the lure of the cafés, theaters, bars, and performances, plain old-fashioned silliness in the dorms seems equally as exciting, "like coloring or old video games or children's books-everyone just wants to have fun."

Students Say - Student Body
Around Boston, "an Emerson student can be spotted from a mile away," not because they all look alike, but because they all look so different (although "if you wanted to peg Emerson students as the artsy young adults with an offbeat fashion-forward style and a cigarette in one hand and Starbucks in the other, it wouldn't be horribly inaccurate"). Almost all students find a common thread in a love of the arts, which often results in a unifying ambition amongst "people wanting to 'make it' in their field." One film student remarks that Emerson is filled with what she refers to as "my 'type' of people." This "friendly, eclectic, and fun" group of students leans pretty far to the left politically, and there is a large gay community at Emerson. There seems to be one student in every class that "can be pretentious and annoying," but these souls are in the minority. Overall, Emersonians are a "very accepting community" of driven individuals.

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