Emory University welcomes first students into the Class of 2023


See the excited reactions of some of the first students admitted to Emory's Class of 2023.

For yet another year, Emory University received a record number of applications for the first round of Early Decision admission. A total of 1,910 students applied to the university, selecting to apply to Emory College of Arts and Sciences, Oxford College or both to start their Emory University experience.

Early Decision applicants commit to a binding decision, meaning if they are admitted and receive adequate financial aid, they will enroll.

On Dec. 12, Early Decision I notifications were announced. Emory College admitted 559 students and Oxford College admitted 256 students. Some students who were admitted to both campuses now have the option to select where they want to enroll.

“We continue to be excited about the number of talented students interested in Emory, signaling that top students seek us out as the university in which they can best pursue an education,” says John Latting, dean of admission.

“Within the group of students admitted in Early Decision is a wide array of voices that will enter Emory’s classrooms, given the range of circumstances from which they come,” Latting says. “What they have in common, though, is proven ability to gain new knowledge, a curiosity to explore academic opportunities, and a wish to contribute to the community and the world around them.”

Kelley Lips, dean of enrollment services for Oxford College, says that the students admitted “have demonstrated high levels of engagement in the classroom and in their communities. They are an impressive cohort, and we are thrilled for them to bring that to the Emory family.”

Oxford College, home of Emory’s original 1836 campus in Oxford, Georgia, provides a distinctive liberal arts environment along with unique leadership opportunities for students during their first two years of undergraduate studies. Oxford offers an opportunity for students who seek a more intimate environment to begin their Emory experience. As juniors, all Oxford students move to the Atlanta campus to complete their degrees either in Emory College, Goizueta Business School or the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing.

Another strong year of QuestBridge Match Scholars

In addition to the increase in students who applied in Early Decision, the university also had an increase in the number of students applying through the QuestBridge National College Match program. QuestBridge is a national non-profit that links highly qualified students from low-income backgrounds with 40 of the nation’s leading universities.

Students in the match program can select from any number of elite institutions to attend, but they specifically listed Emory as a top choice. QuestBridge Scholars receive a four-year financial aid award covering full tuition and fees.

This year Emory University matched with 32 students from across the nation, an increase over last year’s cohort. Nationally, 1,044 students were matched with a participating university.  

Timothy Fields, associate dean, says that partnering with QuestBridge “allows us to provide access to Emory, and places like Emory, to students who may not have ever thought beyond their home city. These are exceptional students who will bring diverse perspectives to the classroom and to our campus community.”

Emory continues to see QuestBridge as an important partner in helping to enroll the most academically-talented and most diverse class, year after year. Many of this year’s QuestBridge Scholars will be the first in their families to attend college.

Emory University is home to one of the largest on-campus QuestBridge Scholars networks in the country, with about 400 students at the Atlanta or Oxford campus. Members include previous years’ match scholars as well as other QuestBridge students who choose to enroll at the university through Regular Decision.

The deadline for Early Decision II and Regular Decision applications is Jan. 1. Based on the students applying and admitted thus far, admission leadership believes applicants will remain competitive in achievement, scores and community engagement.