“Emerson is amazing - if you know exactly what you want to do for
your career,” says a
sophomore. At Emerson College, students immediately plunge into their
chosen fields of study, leaving other subjects by the wayside. One senior theater major
calls Emerson “basically a trade school for the industry.” Emerson alums
can expect a first-class education in communications or performing arts
disciplines, but it’s not a school for the undecided.
Classes at Emerson are small, and professors take the time to
engage with their students. One creative writing major says, “Most professors have real-life experience, they have written, published, or designed books and magazines. I've had [teachers who were] a current playwright, a former editor of Boston Magazine, a prize winning poet, a science fiction author-in-residence…” However, students say the
school is about much more than just getting a classroom education. Students
agree that you’re cheating yourself if you’re not participating in the many
major-related extracurricular activities available. A sophomore film and media studies
major says, “Emerson has a very do-it-yourself mentality, meaning that while you will certainly learn essential skills in class, it is up to you to practice them outside of the classroom. Clubs are also a great way to make connections in the highly-competitive fields
students hope to break into after graduation. “It is called the Emerson Mafia,”
a sophomore writes, “because alums are everywhere.”
If forced to describe the stereotypical Emerson student, one sophomore says they’re known as "Smokers. Homosexuals.
Deviants. Potheads. Cell-phone overusers. Rich bitches. But,” she continues, “in a mostly endearing way." The school’s unofficial
motto is “gay by May,” and students say that the GLBT population at Emerson is
much more active than at most other schools.
Students try to embrace each others’ differences. The typical “big dog”
on campus, the quarterback or fraternity president, would probably find
himself feeling out of place here. “I didn't really realize we had fraternities
or sororities until halfway through the year,”
says a senior. Most students agree that the school attracts a certain kind of
person, and they don’t necessarily consider this a bad thing. In fact, most
students cite their dedicated, unique classmates as one of the best parts of Emerson.
“People here are weird but very smart and creative. They know what they want,” says a sophomore journalism major.
Since Emerson is in the heart of Boston, the entire city is
at students’ disposal. “Because there is so much to do in Boston, exploring is your best option. From the indie theater houses to the Lowes movie theater to the various restaurants and fun shops, you can find plenty to do,”
a senior says. And on-campus activities abound. A senior theater major writes,
“The Emerson Stage season is very inclusive, everything from the big spring musical to the Newfest play festival, featuring the student winner of a playwriting contest.” Still, students with a
thirst for parties may have a hard time finding them. The campus is dry, and a
sophomore writes, “Boston is very much a 21+ city, so it can be hard to find things to do on weekends.”
Students are most vocal in their complaints about the pricey
tuition and lack of financial aid. “There's a lot of talk about money in the administration and how it's being spent, and teachers and students aren't too thrilled about it, especially with the recent increase in tuition,”
reports a freshman. Still, most students say the school’s amenities are
first-rate, and you absolutely do get what you pay for. One junior says, “There are not many schools that can say they have Avid editing suites or a professional television studio!” And students who have had the chance to study abroad encourage everyone to take
advantage of the LA program or to spend a semester in Emerson’s castle. One
senior writes, “Emerson has a castle in the Netherlands. It's called Kasteel Well and it's a 13th Century castle in this tiny little town in the Southeast of Holland. It has 2 moats...and black swans...and ROAMING PEACOCKS! WTF?!?!?!”
