College of Human Ecology

Colleges & Universities A-Z Cornell University
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<p>Hi! I'm a girl (from CT) and I was recently accepted to Cornell's College of Human Ecology. I'm thinking about the Human Biology, Health and Society (HBHS) major. I'm hoping to set up a visit during the Cornell Days, but I would really appreciate somebody's insight about this college.</p>

<p>I know that HE is one of the land grant schools, so the percentage of New York students will be high. I also know that HE has a higher percentage of girls than boys. I guess what I'm wondering is, am I going to feel overwhelmed by New Yorkers and Long Island accents? Also, is one typically housed with people attending the same college within Cornell? Am I going to be able to interact with people from other colleges, or do you end up keeping to your own college? Also, can anybody tell me the atmosphere within HE? Is it as competitive and challenging as the rest of Cornell is reputed to be? What are the professors like? What about the research opportunities? </p>

<p>Any insight will be much appreciated (from students, alum, people who have visited, etc)...</p>

<p>Thanks, and sorry for the long post.</p>

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<p>Cornell has a lot of NYer and LIer in general. The housing is totally random, so you can have roommate or hallmates from all other colleges. I can tell you from my own experience that I have friends from all 7 undergraduate colleges at Cornell. ABout the atmosphere within HE, I believe students enjoy HE very much. Almost all the HE students I met are quite happy about their college. As of research, if you contact professors and if they have openings, they are usually very willing to take in undergraduate students.</p>

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<p>Thanks ecc. </p>

<p>I keep thinking of more questions. I will ask these when I go visit, but I'll throw it out there anyway:</p>

<p>There's no core curriculum, right? Will I still be able to work classes like French and Spanish into my workload? </p>

<p>What is the advising system like? It seems like it could get pretty hairy, being such a huge university and all.</p>

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<p>there are distribution requirements and certain other major requirements, but they are sooo minimal (i placed out of most of the distribution requirements through AP) and only 40!!! credits need be in HE (with 30 in your major) so you can definitely take pretty much any other classes you want. please remember that you are only allotted 21 endowed credits to take, so use those wisely, after that you will have to pay for them.</p>

<p>I meet with both the pre-med advisor (Paula Jacob) once a month, and my own HD advisor (Judy Ross-Bernstein) about twice a month (she's also my professor, so that helps). the advising so is great, a LOT better than CAS in my opinion b/c the college is smaller.</p>

<p>The professors are absolutely amazing. For HD: From Segal (from Psych, but he is cross-listed with HD) to Haugaard to Hazan (although she will no longer be teaching boo) they are very dedicated, and wonderful professors. They LOVE interacting with their students (and have dinners with them OFTEN) and they teach in such a way that really encourages, motivates, and entices the students. Sure there are professors that aren't that great, but if you were to look up the professors at ratemyprofessors.com, more likely than not, they will have glowing reccomendations. People say HD is easy, and it is, because most of us LOVE what we are learning, and it shows. Don't get me wrong, the professors aren't easy! They demand a lot, but it isn't unmanageable, and the topic is fascinating and easy to understand if you just apply yourself. </p>

<p>It's not as bad as Hotel school in that ALL their classes are in one building, and the feel is like High school all over again, but the atmosphere at HE is truly diverse. We have food labs on the floors above, to the Day Care (Early Childhood Center @ Cornell), to research labs in the basement. We are hopefully getting back our computer lab in the near future, so that would be great too.</p>

<p>You won't be disappointed in the research opportunities. I haven't yet done it only because I just transferred into the college this semester, but I plan on doing it. look up HERA, that should give you a lot more information that I can.</p>

<p>Congrats, and have fun.</p>

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<p>Thank you!</p>

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<p>cbxc10, I'm a fellow Connecticutian and I am also planning to apply to Hum Ec. But I also heard that since Hum Ec is a state contract school, they only accept 20% outer-staters. If you wouldn't mind, could you post your stats so I can compare myself to you. Thanks.</p>

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<p>i just submitted my early decision app to Human Ecology! HE sounds amazing!!!! Im a new york state resident applying to the biology and society major.</p>

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<p>You're so lucky you live in NY, BrooklyntoCornell.</p>

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<p>dont worry man, lets pray we both get in.</p>

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<p>drinkingmilkalldaylong : wait.. only 20% for outer-state gets in the HE??? oh man...could someone confirm this and how hard is it to get into this school compared to other schools in cornell?</p>

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<p>I'm disgusted, too.</p>

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<p>depends on where from out of state, if cali, it'll be slightly more tough than say...alaska. I remember getting into UCSD and UCLA (as a NY resident) even though their student body is like 5% out of state, and a total of 2 people from NYS went to UCSD, and must have been partly because I was from NYS? but, just show you really match well with HE, and it shouldn't be too worrisome. I'm afraid that a lot of OOS people who apply to HE don't really understand it as well as Engineering, hotel, or CAS, and so are at a big disadvantage.</p>

<p>do you know that the MVR (the main buidling) is the BIGGEST academic building in the Eastern US? It allows for a LOT of things to go on. What I love is that the research opportunities are plenty, and BEG for you to be on their projects, and the college is really accommodating. I still haven't turned in my forms to get credit for my research this semester, but I have until finals week to get it done! it allows for people who join a research lab late to still get credit for that semester. </p>

<p>Anyhoo, if you could talk about your excitement learning under a few prominent professors (you can ID them if you come to Cornell and look at the Distinguish Professor's board in the first main hallway)...the school will definitely know that you want to go here.</p>

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<p>Wow...reading these posts...makes me want to go here more than ever before! Why arent so many others motivated by and interested in HE?! I dont get wats wrong with people! (maybe its cus the college has such specific majors that only certain people want) (like ME!!!!)</p>

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<p>I want to get into HE in cornell, but like quynh2007 said, im from cali,,, the human ecology sounds so interesting and a lot of uc's don't have it.. wel the one i want to take... :( but i'm not super dinstinguished so I don't know if i could beat the chance and get in - :(</p>

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<p>STILL TRY! WRITE AN ESsaY SHOWING YOU REALLY FIT AND WANT TO GO THERE!</p>

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<p>BTW, HE doesnt as much hype as it deserves on CC. They barely talk about it here on these posts. This thread is like the only one ive ever seen focusing on HE since being a member in April.</p>

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<p>BTW, HE doesnt get as much hype as it deserves on CC. They barely talk about it here on these posts. This thread is like the only one ive ever seen focusing on HE since being a member in April. Reading this post is a final relief and it makes me happy to read such good comments about the school that i fell in love with.</p>

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<p>But remember that it was I who took the time and work to resurrect? this dead thread from the grave.</p>

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<p>Thou hast resurrected thy holy spirit of Human Ecology. Thou art blessed. LOL. (sorry, im in Bible mood cus of AP english) AMEN! Hallelujah to HE!</p>

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<p>Human Ecology Rocks :) if you ever visit martha's cafe, you'll see why. even in the face of exorbant pricing, the employees there are motivated, and always happy, and they give you breaks, if you forgot your ID, that's okay, the drink's on them (er..cornell anyway) and if you get two of something, they sometimes charge you only once! they understand that college students are poor.</p>