Brown or Cornell?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I'm not sure if I should apply to Brown University or Cornell U for undergrad, and more importantly, which one I should go to (if accepted). I also want to go to medical school. From what I've heard, students at Brown on average earn a 3.7 GPA while those at Cornell get around a 3.4 GPA (correct me if i'm wrong). </p>

<p>I like Cornell more because of the food and the rich character of Ithaca. However, Brown is more selective; more importantly, students there earn a higher GPA, and I've heard that Cornell academics are very difficult (probably more so than Brown I'm guessing).</p>

<p>So, if I get a 3.4 GPA at Cornell, would it be looked more down upon by medical schools, as opposed to if I get a 3.7 GPA at Brown (with the same MCATs at Cornell and Brown)? Also, if I get accepted to both, which one should I go to? Any additional insight would be greatly appreciated!</p>

2

<p>If you like Cornell more, you’d be silly to apply to Brown instead.</p>

<p>Incidentally, the mean GPA at Cornell for pre-meds is 3.6.</p>

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<p>Medical schools recalculate your GPA based upon the mean MCAT score.</p>

<p>if the mean MCAT scores from your institution is really low like a 28, a really high GPA like a 3.9 is almost meaningless.</p>

<p>If the mean MCAT score from your institution is high like a 34 or 36, then a 3.6 or a 3.5 actually not that bad.</p>

<p>Then again, there are plenty of ppl with high MCAT/high GPA combo but it’s the interview that separates those types of ppl.</p>

4

<p>Medical schools are probably well aware that the average GPAs are lower at Cornell than at Brown, so you should go to the one that you believe suits you best. Obviously, both are outstanding.</p>

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<p>To which college at Cornell would you apply? Cornell Arts and Science is only slightly less selective than Brown. Cornell Engineering is more selective than Brown.</p>

6

<p>Go where you want to be, you’ll do better there whatever the average GPA is.</p>

<p>That being said, I think choosing a school for food is pretty funny, and while Brown’s on campus dining is just average, Providence has an amazing food culture.</p>

<p>But if your only reason to go to Brown is the potential for a higher GPA, I can only hope that we don’t admit you because you probably won’t do well here.</p>

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<p>

The OP also said that (s)he liked Ithaca. Many people, including me, greatly prefer Ithaca to Providence.</p>

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<p>I saw that, and I can understand that for some people (though the longer I stay in Providence the more I feel it’s underrated), but the cafeteria food thing always cracks me up.</p>

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<p>[Cornell</a> University Registrar: Median Grades](<a href=“http://registrar.sas.cornell.edu/Student/mediangradesA.html]Cornell”>http://registrar.sas.cornell.edu/Student/mediangradesA.html)</p>

<p>Check yourself.</p>

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<p>But if chesschocolate named him or herself chesschocolate, then chocolate would be one of two pretty important things, and food would definitely be of consideration here. Or, chesschocolate, if you’re from the South, you might be named for the simple but oh-so-alluring chocolate chess pie, in which case food would have top billing all to itself! :)</p>

<p>All joking aside, Cornell is consistently ranked #1 for having the best food of any campus, and I’m not sure that there’s a close #2.</p>

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<p>BTW, if you take as a sample the first grade on each page of the 2009 median grades to which kwu links and average them out, you get 3.59.</p>

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<p>Why don’t you apply to both? It would be premature to decide now which one you prefer when there is no guarantee that you will be admitted to either or both.</p>

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<p>“Why don’t you apply to both? It would be premature to decide now which one you prefer when there is no guarantee that you will be admitted to either or both.”</p>

<p>Let’s be honest, it’s a little fun obsessing over these things early.</p>