第26天，我们要去往美国南方的“首尔”——佐治亚州的亚特兰大。

这所学校被称为**“可口可乐大学”**。为什么？因为它的校董会里坐满了可口可乐的高管，学校的捐赠基金也大都来自可乐股票。它是美国南方最精致、最有钱的私立名校之一。

地理位置： 佐治亚州，亚特兰大 (Atlanta, GA) —— 德鲁伊山 (Druid Hills) 富人区
中国留学生昵称： 埃默里、可乐大学
学校类型： 私立研究型大学 (“南方哈佛”之一，以生物医疗和商科著称)

埃默里主校区的大方院 (The Quad)。这里的建筑非常有特色，几乎全部由粉白色的佐治亚大理石建成。阳光打在白色的大理石上，整个校园白得发光，显得极其优雅和贵气。]

学校气质与“人设”

埃默里的气质是**“温柔的精英”**。

南方淑女/绅士： 这里的学生给人的感觉非常温和、有礼貌。相比于纽约或波士顿的快节奏，埃默里的生活节奏稍微慢一点，但学术标准一点都不低。
健康与商业的双轮驱动： 埃默里有两个绝对的王牌——医学/公共卫生（因为CDC就在隔壁）和 Goizueta商学院。全校一半的人想当医生，另一半想进投行。

埃默里偏爱什么样的学生？

“牛津”校区的特殊通道： 这是埃默里最大的特色。申请时，你可以选择Main Campus (主校区) 或 Oxford College (牛津分校)。
- Oxford College: 位于离主校区45分钟车程的乡下，只提供大一和大二教育。大三自动转入主校区。
- 策略： Oxford校区的录取难度通常略低于主校区。对于成绩处于边缘的中国学生，勾选“Both”或只选“Oxford”是进入这所Top 25名校的绝佳捷径。
社区关怀： 埃默里非常看重学生的Kindness（善良）。它的校训不仅是做学问，更是服务人类。

1. 录取：不仅看分，还看“分校”

ED策略： 埃默里非常分控，且非常保护入学率。ED1和ED2的录取率远高于RD。如果你把埃默里当保底（RD申请），很大概率会被“全聚德”（被拒）。
标化成绩： SAT 1500+ (主校区)，1450+ (Oxford校区)。
文书： 题目通常很短，比如“你在读什么书？”。别装深沉，写出真实的你。

2. “中国圈子”与生活 (图解)

Lullwater Park。这是校园里的一座私家公园，有湖泊、瀑布和吊桥，甚至还有校长的豪宅。学生们跑完步会在这里喂鸭子。]

生活方式：
- 吃在亚特兰大： 亚特兰大是美国南方的美食之都，且韩国移民极多。离学校车程15分钟就有全美最好的韩餐（Duluth区域）和非常棒的中餐。
- 可乐崇拜： 在校园里绝对不能喝百事可乐。这是一种“政治错误”。如果你在食堂拿出一罐百事，可能会被全校师生“鄙视”。
中国圈子： 埃默里的中国学生非常多，商科和心理学专业尤甚。大家关系紧密，生活非常便利。

3. 签证与职业前景 (CDC的后花园)

公共卫生与生物： 美国CDC (疾病控制与预防中心) 的总部就在埃默里校园隔壁。这意味着学公卫、生物、统计的学生有全美最好的实习资源。这是其他任何藤校都比不了的优势。
Goizueta商学院： 虽然规模不大，但在美国南方的统治力极强。它是亚特兰大作为商业中心（达美航空、可口可乐、UPS总部）的人才输送基地。所有商科专业均为STEM。

4. 安全与环境

安全系数： 4/5 (校内安全)。
现实： 埃默里位于著名的富人区 Druid Hills，这里绿树成荫，豪宅遍地，治安非常好。
- 注意： 但亚特兰大市中心（Downtown）的部分区域治安较差。只要不深夜去那些区域，在学校周边生活是非常惬意和安全的。

5. 奖学金政策

政策： Need-Aware for Internationals.
埃默里学者 (Emory Scholars)： 这是一个非常著名的全奖项目。每年都会从申请者中挑选最顶尖的学生给予全额奖学金。虽然竞争激烈，但对国际生开放。

给中国申请者的建议 (Verdict)：
如果你想学医学、生物、心理学或商科，喜欢温暖的气候和精致的校园环境，并且想利用“Oxford分校”这个策略来冲击名校，埃默里是最好的选择。记住，来了这里，请改喝可口可乐。

30 Days Deciphering 30 Top US Universities

Day 26: Emory University

Location: Atlanta, Georgia (Suburban) — Druid Hills neighborhood
Chinese Nickname: 埃默里 (Āi Mò Lǐ), “Coca-Cola University”
School Type: Private Research University (Southern Elite, famous for Bio/Med and Business)

The Quad at Main Campus. The architecture here is unique, built almost entirely of pink and white Georgia marble. When the sun hits the white stone, the entire campus glows, looking incredibly elegant and aristocratic.]

The “Vibe” & The Persona

Emory’s vibe is “Gentle Elite.”

Southern Charm: Students here feel mild-mannered and polite. Compared to the fast pace of NY or Boston, life at Emory is slightly slower, but academic standards remain brutally high.
Driven by Health & Wealth: Emory has two absolute aces—Medicine/Public Health (thanks to the CDC next door) and the Goizueta Business School. Half the school wants to be doctors; the other half wants to go into investment banking.

What kind of student do they prefer?

The Oxford Option: This is Emory’s unique feature. When applying, you can check Main Campus or Oxford College.
- Oxford College: Located 45 mins away in a rural setting. It serves only freshman and sophomore years. Juniors automatically transfer to the Main Campus.
- Strategy: Admission to Oxford is generally slightly easier. For Chinese students on the borderline of Top 30 stats, checking “Both” or just “Oxford” is a fantastic shortcut into an elite degree.
Kindness: Emory values community service deeply. Its mission is not just scholarship, but service to humanity.

1. Admissions: Not just Scores, but “Which Campus?”

ED Strategy: Emory is a stat-lover and protects yield. Acceptance rates for ED1 and ED2 are significantly higher than Regular Decision. If you use Emory as a backup (RD), you will likely be rejected (“Yield Protected”).
Stats: SAT 1500+ (Main), 1450+ (Oxford).
Essays: Prompts are usually short, like “What book are you reading?” Don’t fake depth; be authentic.

2. The “Chinese Bubble” & Social Life (Visualized)

Lullwater Park. A private park inside the campus with a lake, waterfalls, and a suspension bridge. It even houses the University President’s mansion. Students jog here and feed the ducks.]

Lifestyle:
- Food in ATL: Atlanta is the food capital of the South, with a massive Korean population. 15 minutes away is arguably the best Korean food in the US (Duluth area) and great Chinese food.
- Coke Cult: You cannot drink Pepsi on campus. It is politically incorrect. If you pull out a Pepsi in the dining hall, the whole school might silently judge you. (Coca-Cola’s HQ is in Atlanta and funds the school).
Community: The Chinese population is large, especially in Business and Psychology. The community is tight-knit and life is convenient.

3. The Visa & Career Pathway (CDC’s Backyard)

Public Health & Bio: The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) headquarters is literally next door to the campus. This means Public Health, Bio, and Stats students have internship access that no Ivy League can match.
Goizueta Business School: Small but dominant in the South. It is the feeder school for Atlanta’s corporate giants (Delta, Coca-Cola, UPS). All business majors are STEM-designated.

4. Safety and Location

Safety Rating: 4/5 (Campus is safe).
Reality: Emory is in Druid Hills, a wealthy, leafy neighborhood full of mansions. It is very safe.
- Note: Downtown Atlanta has some rough areas. As long as you don’t wander there late at night, life around the university is pleasant and secure.

5. Financial Aid

Policy: Need-Aware for Internationals.
Emory Scholars: A famous full-ride merit scholarship program. They select the top tier of applicants every year. While competitive, it is open to international students.

Verdict for the Chinese Applicant:
If you want to study Medicine, Biology, Psychology, or Business, love warm weather and a refined campus, and want to use the “Oxford Campus” strategy to secure a spot at a top university, Emory is your best bet. Just remember: switch to Coca-Cola before you arrive.