Brown or Cornell?

<p>Hi,
I’ve just been accepted to both Brown and Cornell. When I received my admission package from Brown (after I was notified from Cornell), I knew that I would choose Brown over Cornell. Now, I’m not so sure. So if anybody has any advice that would help me out it would be much appreciated. I would especially like to know about the social scene and the general atmosphere of the two universities, and which you think is better. Thanks!</p>

<p>I would go to Brown in a second. I have hung out at both, Brown is a really fun school. Cornell was too big for me, its hard to get to know as many people. Also, Brown is an undergrad focused school. </p>

<p>Brown for sure (I am a Dartmouth alum, so I am unbiased)</p>

<p>It would depend on what you are looking for from both universities. You should visit both campuses, and then decide which one you see yourself more at.</p>

<p>I would like to visit, but cannot. Firstly, I live too far away. Second of all, I'm in the IB Program and have exams through the month of May. I cannot afford to miss even one day of school in April.</p>

<p>Lucy,</p>

<p>You haven't visited either school? To be honest, I'd pay to fly in and visit both schools, even if it means missing a day or two in April. You're talking about deciding where you're going to be spending the next four years of your life and the friendships you will forge for the rest of your life.</p>

<p>Who cares about missing a few hundred dollars or a few days of school?</p>

<p>Lucy, I'm in the same situation except I am leaning far more towards Brown. I was accepted to CALS for Biological Sciences back in February and I didn't think I would get in anywhere else so I just told myself I was going there. However, once I got into Brown, I realized how much more I love Brown. Here are some of my deciding factors:
1. I can't deal with being in the Ag school at Cornell. I applied there b/c it would be cheaper as a NY resident but I honestly do not want to spend time taking classes about farming. My interests are extremely wide and I really want to focus on psychology/philosophy/political science as well as bio. At Brown, I can basically do whatever the hell I want to do. I have a pretty good idea of what my concentration is going to be but now, I am seriously considering a double concentration. Obviously, your choice in this area is going to depend on what you want to major in. Cornell is a lot stricter than Brown.
2. Ithaca might be gorges but it's such a terrible middle-of-nowhere location. Providence is right in the middle of New Haven and Boston and it's a city. I won't feel like I'm isolated from civilization.
3. Cornell has killer competition. I'm doing premed. I don't want to have to worry so much about who my competition is going to be, or basically, repeat the last 4 years of high school.
4. Brown has one of the highest percentage of happy students among the Ivies. Cornell (especially for premed) does not. I want to be happy.
5. This might be a stupid reason but there are quite of few people from my school going to Cornell. I know them and I also know that I am smarter than them. I didn't bust my ass for the past 4 years to go to the same school that these kids didn't do anything to get into. I deserve Brown. I've worked for it. I won''t feel like I'm going to a safety or even a match school.</p>

<p>Ok, so after listing only some of the reasons why I'm going to choose Brown, I must say, Cornell is still pretty awesome. Cornell has amazing research opportunities and I'm big into research. Cornell is amazing for the sciences too and that's also very important. But overall, I think it's going to come down to where I would be happiest. When I did an overnight at Cornell, I felt like it was very average. Almost like high school. I do not want to repeat high school. I want something new. I will have to agree with JustPeteHere that the most important thing you can do while making your decision is to visit both schools. You will be spending the next 4 years of your life there. I think that's a bit more important than IB exams.
Feel free to PM or IM me if yuo need to discuss this further. Good luck with your decision! (And I apologize in advance if some of what I wrote up there doesn't make sense gramatically b/c I have a tendency to leave words out when I'm typing really fast.)</p>

<p>Definitely visit both. It's more than worth the time. If you can't decide based on viewbook material and statistics, then it's time to reach for the intangibles, which you won't get except on campus.</p>

<p>I would visit both, but personally I would pick Brown. Cornell is too big.</p>

<p>I've decided I'm going to Brown. I guess I knew after I was accepted that I would be going there. And as I talked to people and did research, I always seemed to ignore the bad stuff I heard about the Brown and would just focus on the good stuff. And vice versa about Cornell. Not really sure why. I guess that "voice inside me" is telling me to go to Brown. I won't be able to go to ADOCH, but I'll definitely be at Brown in the fall.
Thanks for all your help.</p>

<p>Congrats! Can't wait to see you in September!</p>