<p>I have to decide between Carnegie Mellon and Cornell for Computer Science/Engineering. Anybody have any advice about the programs or just in general?</p>
<p>Program wise it's a toss up----even if you've already visited I'd suggest go back to both, stay overnight if possible. If you like a more isolated physically beautiful, large campus then Cornell. If more urban and smaller then CMU.</p>
<p>I think you have more flexibility at Cornell. You are slotted into a program when you enter CMU. At Cornell, you have more opportunity to choose according to your interests, once you get there and see the options up close.</p>
<p>On the other hand, if you are in the SCS, and you are sure that is what you want, then this does not matter.</p>
<p>I love them both for comp eng. </p>
<p>Cornell has the Ivy thing going for it. Idyllic campus, great teaching (usually), good food. Cornell engineering freshmen have a 95% grad rate from Cornell, 87-88% from engineering (i.e. they stay in engineering). I think I heard that the CMU engineering grad rates was about 81-82% (start in engineering, graduate from engineering). Cornell students seem to be happier with their experience...they stay and graduate more often. </p>
<p>But, let's face it, CMU's greatest strength is comp eng. It would be a thrill to go there.</p>
<p>This is called an "approach-approach" type of dillemma. If you are going to have a problem, this is the type to have.</p>
<p>IIRC, the Male-Female Ratio is unusually lopsided at CMU, even at Cornell.</p>
<p>Don't know that you care, just that it's another difference.</p>
<p>CS/ECE: CMU
General: About same</p>
<p>Cornell is in the middle of nowhere, while Carnegie Mellon is in Pittsburgh, which has over 2.5 million people. Don't go to Cornell just beacuse it is an ivy.</p>
<p>"You are slotted into a program when you enter CMU. At Cornell, you have more opportunity to choose according to your interests, once you get there and see the options up close."</p>
<p>I hope you are kidding. CMU is the best (next to Rice) for double majoring. They encourage it A LOT and every department at CMU is top in its field. Want to double in a top 5 business program? It only takes a simple application and above a 2.0 GPA (no restrictions). You are allowed to take classes in just about every school and double majors are made simple with the switching of electives for core classes.</p>
<p>accepted, that is not what i heard</p>
<p>i heard its so restricted, u can't even take classes in the other schools there unless u were admitted to them, crazy school</p>
<p>Then you'd be mistaken and I'm glad you read this thread. Learn something everyday huh? Even on Saturdays :) I'm taking some advanced computer science courses now and I am not officially in SCS.</p>
<p>w.e., i heard that CMU students are some of the most depressed students around...it's quality of life ranking by PR is horrible</p>
<p>Now it just seems like you are bitter. Cornell has always had rumors of suicide and unhappy students in "nowhere Ithaca".</p>
<p>CMU is a growing vibrant community along with growing Pittsburgh. If you weren't a troll I'd give you some links but obviously you can only spew opinion rather than fact. </p>
<p>PS: CMU is not in the "top unhappiest schools" so I don't know what ranking you are referring to. Princeton Review is pretty unreliable anyways as they put some schools in "top unhappiest schools" which are certainly not true.</p>
<p>Accepted, I think we are talking about different things. You seem to be referring to taking courses outside of your major. Every college offers this opportunity. I was talking about choosing your major after you arrive at college. I was drawing a distinction between enrolling at a college, then deciding what to major in after having a chance to take courses across the school, as opposed to enrolling in a major before setting foot on campus. The ability to take courses in other areas is great, but little help if you arrive and decide that you don't want to major in, say, computer science at all. </p>
<p>I suspect that the relative low, for an elite college, 6 year graduation rate relates to inflexibility students encounter when they realize that the plans they had made in high school are not working out as they expected, and they want to change majors. At some places this is as simple as changing course selection and signing up with a new department. At other places, apparently including CMU, it can mean applying to transfer from one school at CMU to another.</p>