<p>I must admit that I am conflicted about going to Cornell because I hear it is very competitive, very difficult (more so than other top schools), and depressing. I really liked Cornell when I visited but when I visited the weather was perfect and I was not really immersed in the social/academic scene. Can someone please give me some reassurance that Cornell is the right place for me? I am very nervous about going there since it has a shady reputation in certain regards.</p>
<p>Cornell is competitive, there is no question about it. It ain’t walk in the park, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.</p>
<p>All top schools are competitive. Heck, you will soon realize that life is competitive. If you think Cornell is competitive, just wait until you apply for jobs and observe how the process for landing top jobs is like 5 times more competitive than any competition for any final exams you’d have to face at Cornell.</p>
<p>FWIW, I graduated from Cornell in Econ, and now attend NYU law school. From what I’ve seen, NYU law, in terms of grading curve, caliber of student body, amount of workload, and in terms of sheer competition among students for top grades and jobs, is 4-5 times more competitive than anything I’ve seen during 4 years of my tenure as a college student at Cornell.</p>
<p>So yes, Cornell will be a competitive place and it will challenge you. However, don’t let that scare you in the least bit. As long as you choose the major that is within your interest and capabilities, and as long as you place honest effort into your coursework, you will come out more than fine.</p>
<p>You don’t come to Cornell to have an easy time.
As a matter of fact, that applies to any other top universities.
If you’re searching for an easy time, go to a state school.</p>
<p>Is Cornell hard? Compared to high school, it’s a definite yes.
Do I regret coming here? No. Not at all.</p>
<p>PS: Only complaint is that professors are either a hit or a miss at Cornell.
Asian Languages Department is absolutely horrid and Chem 2070, well…
let’s just say the Prof is so bad that there’s internet memes about him xD</p>
<p>This reputation is, in my experience, completely unfair.</p>
<p>Cornell can be challenging, yes. Why would you pay to go to a school that won’t challenge you? (That said, it CAN be a walk in the park if you choose to take all easy classes). But competitive? I didn’t think so. It depends on what classes you take, but even the classes that are supposed to be competitive (large premed weed-out classes, i.e.) aren’t so bad. Most humanities and most social science classes aren’t cut throat at all. That’s not to say they’re not challenging, but you won’t feel like you’re competing with the kid next to you for a limited number of top grades.</p>
<p>Now, is Cornell more difficult than other top schools? I highly doubt it. Experiences at Cornell are variable depending on which college you’re in, what your major is, and even what professor you have or who your TA is, but my experience was that Cornell, as a whole, is completely manageable.</p>
<p>By the way, this is coming from someone who almost didn’t go to Cornell because of the reputation it has for being, as you say, competitive and depressing.</p>
<p>Edit: I just want to clarify that challenging does not mean that you can’t do well. It just means that you’re going to have to put in more effort than you did in high school to do as well as you did in high school. But I’m pretty sure that’s the case anywhere. College professors have higher expectations than high school teachers, as they should.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>None of those are true. Well, it is competitive, but any good school is. It’s not cutthroat by any means.</p>
<p>
What regards? Social scene is 99% what you make of it, and academics are fine, they are not as grueling as some people make them out to be.</p>
<p>It’s all relative. All of it. It boils down to your capabilities, what you are interested in getting out of college, what you make of college as well as your attitude. For example, to counter the point above (and no disrespect), several of my D’s friends got an A in Chem 2070. Was it easy? No, not at all, but they suffered through somehow. </p>
<p>There’s no one size fits all to the college experience.</p>
<p>Life is competitive and if Cornell is competitive, it can only mean Cornell is preparing its students for the brutal competition that is life. Embrace the opportunity to attend Cornell! Good luck on making your decision on which college to attend!</p>
<p>While I appreciate the responses the majority of them are just reiterating that Cornell is difficult and competitive. I am looking for unique positives about Cornell.</p>
<p>No one is saying Cornell is “difficult” because most students are up to the task. Competitive, yes. You can’t expect any Ivy League school to be otherwise. As I remind my D, you don’t get the bragging rights of Cornell without putting forth effort for them!</p>
<p>Cornell is a very diverse school, set in a beautiful, yet rural location with many unique opportunities for all types of students. My D fell in love with Cornell. There was no talking her into it or out of it. If you aren’t seeing the unique aspects of Cornell, and you don’t want any competition, then perhaps you have your answer.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what kind of unique perspective you’re looking for, but here goes. Cornell is an absolutely incredible place. My four years at Cornell were transformative; I left Ithaca much wiser, more mature, and experienced than I came. Although I was sometimes overly stressed, I’m very proud of what I accomplished during my four years in Ithaca (as you will be when you graduate). I’m thankful everyday for having attended a school that challenged me, that pushed me, and that didn’t accept the minimal effort that high school me would have put into something. And outside of academics, I met amazing people from all walks of life (and from all over the world), and I had a great time. I wouldn’t trade my Cornell experience for anything, and I’m jealous that you’re potentially about to begin yours. Embrace it and enjoy it. You won’t regret it.</p>
<p>Cornell is not depressing. The campus is beautiful. The people are great. The classes are challenging, but you bond over that and at the end you feel like you’ve accomplished so much, it’s very rewarding. The opportunities are amazing. The alumni network is fantastic. We work hard, we play harder. Or at least I do. This is an Ivy League school with a great reputation where you will learn a lot, can accomplish great things, and also have the chance, if you so choose, go out every night and have a great time.</p>
<p>I am 25 years out so won’t post advice other than to say that it is a wonderful place, with less than ideal weather, but many good schools in the Northeast have similar winters.</p>
<p>This has been posted many times before, but it warrants a repost, as it is a wonderful tribute to the university.
[This</a> Is on Vimeo](<a href=“http://vimeo.com/23897683]This”>http://vimeo.com/23897683)</p>
<p>A fun winter photo from Cornell today: <a href=“Redirecting...”>Redirecting...;
<p>The best part of Cornell for me is the unbelievable research opportunities for undergraduates. I never did research in high school, but at Cornell I’ve done some pretty awesome things. Last summer, I worked in a lab where I did genetic engineering of a human ion channel receptor that responds to heat and capsaicin, the molecule in chili peppers that makes them hot. While I didn’t finish the project, the professor said I would be included in the publication if he decides to publish. In my current lab that joined at the beginning of the year I study human leukemia. I am the first person to look at this drug that was synthesized 3 years ago and its potential to enhance the current treatment of leukemia with retinoic acid. I have gotten really far with my research and will probably publish my results by the end of the semester in a well regarded scientific journal. I don’t think I could have done my research as an undergrad at any other school</p>
<p>Eh, I’m not sure we’re helping address OP’s concerns. So I’ll have a go.</p>
<p>The academics are about the same as any other top tier school. Challenging, but not competitive (in the sense of your peers competing with you). Won’t kill you, but will make you stretch. You’ll give up some weekends, and a few nights. Whether you go on to grad school or a professional life, the learnings will mean something, and for some people the Cornell label will give an extra 1% credibility. Is that worthwhile? Your call.</p>
<p>(Don’t believe the folks who tell you that an Ivy degree is a free pass to the boardroom, or even to a cushy job, it isn’t. But the network might help now and then.)</p>
<p>Pros: Gorgeous (yeah, it says so on the tshirts) area, tons of stuff to do if you like the outdoors. Great food of all kinds. Great people, you’ll make wonderful friends. Out of the way small town, if you happen to like that.</p>
<p>Cons: Long winters, often dreary weather, just a very few lovely days during the academic year. Apparently high stress in some parts of the student community, has a reputation for higher suicide rate (I blame the weather, not the curriculum). Out of the way small town, if you happen to dislike that. Far from your favorite big city (doesn’t matter which one).</p>
<p>Hmm. Guess I didn’t help much.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Nobody really said that; obviously it won’t be easy (for most people) but if you want a school that is objectively easy, then go to some lower-tier state school or community college. No good college is going to be “easy.” Unique positives are that there is a ton of academic freedom (at least in A&S) and thousands of options for courses which anyone can take. The scenery is nice and I like the fact that it isn’t in an urban environment. Cafeteria food is very good - for cafeteria food. The professors I’ve had have mostly been pretty good and all of them have been nice. But the bottom line is if you don’t want to come here, then you don’t have to. (Unless you got in ED.)</p>
<p>I would describe Cornell as challenging in a good way, not a bad way. Will you be stressed at times? Sure, but that’s just one component of an overall amazing experience. I’ve taken courses at other schools that weren’t top tier and I didn’t think they were worth the money I paid for them.</p>