<p>To currently enrolled students:</p>
<p>Exactly how difficult are the classes at this 'academically intense', one of the most demanding ivies? Is it really the pressure cooker that the Fiske Guide says it is? I"ve been admitted to Vanderbilt,Cornell, Bucknell and Lehigh (with a Dean's Scholarship) and have different reasons for liking them all. But after reading about Cornell, it is hard to get psyched up for four years of a grind when I just did that in high school. Sure I'd love to go to an Ivy, but is 4 years of intense work to get a C worth it?</p>
<p>I know someone that parties Thursday-Sunday, goes out of town several weekends missing Monday's classes a couple times, and still manages a 3.75. In the sciences and engineering it's a little harder, but not impossible.</p>
<p>With a moderate amount of work and coming from an OK public school I managed a 3.7 first semester at a biological engineering major, probably about the same this semester depending on how calc comes out. I still have time to go skiing with the ski club, do a bit of community service, play sax (though not in any official group yet), and go out most weekends.</p>
<p>There are classes that are steeply curved, like intro bio that curves to a high C+ low B-. But most curve to a B or B+ and some upper level clases even had a median grade of A-.</p>
<p>So, my point is, if you really put in "4 years of intense work" you will not end up with a C.</p>
<p>You might get the occasional B/B- when you were trying really hard, but I think you'd really have to be either overly busy or unfocused to have a C average here.</p>
<p>Exactly how difficult are the classes at this 'academically intense', one of the most demanding ivies? they can be very difficult</p>
<p>Is it really the pressure cooker that the Fiske Guide says it is? At times, yes, but the really intense stuff tends to come in waves. I've had weeks were i've done absolutely nothing but play guitar and screw around in my room and ride my bike, then i've had other weeks where i've done absolutely nothing but study and work. </p>
<p>Sure I'd love to go to an Ivy, but is 4 years of intense work to get a C worth it? StPlayrXtreme's post had a great response to your question. Putting in less than average effort might get you a C in a few classes, but overall your average probably wont be that low. If you put in the time and effort, you'll be fine. I transfered in to Cornell, and this place is 10X's as hard as my other school was (a US-News top-50 school none the less), but i'd come to Cornell again in a heartbeat. My first semester here my gpa dropped form a 3.85 at my other school to a 3.69-ish at Cornell, but I had to put in so much more time and effort at Cornell than my other school. It's a tradeoff that I think is worth it.</p>
<p>Thnks so much. You both make it seem doable, and that's what I wanted to hear. I'm used to hard work; 4 AP tests tomorrow. It's also comforting to hear that when there is hard work, it feels worth it. I just start freaking out when my high school friends act like Cornell is a big mistake. That I will never have a life. But then again, they are going to Pitt and Penn State, schools I didn't want. BTW, I'm using my mom's username here, too busy to make one right now.</p>
<p>Intense work to get a C is a gross exagerration. Are there people who get C's? Yea. But those are typically the ones who work less hard than others. You should have no problem getting B's if you're a hard worker and if you have avg-above avg. intelligence you might even get a few A's:)</p>
<p>but of course, dont say any of this to your friends and then claim you're just brilliant when you pull a 3.8 ;)</p>