<p>yeah^..............I don't think even the blodest & the most indefatigable person would commute 2.5 hours</p>
<p>I was faced with the Cornell/Columbia decision a couple years ago.</p>
<p>I was in at Cornell engineering, and got off the waitlist for Columbia. </p>
<p>Both are good schools, but I just liked Cornell better. There's a since of community and campus life that I think is lost in urban campuses. Ithaca has everything I need.</p>
<p>First of all, I didn't like how engineering at Columbia is regarded as a completely separate school....when I talked to admission staff, they said that if you were in the engineering school and decided you wanted to major at something in the college instead, it was almost impossible to transfer into the college (I wasn't sure if I wanted to be in biology or biomedical engineering, so that was a big deal to me). Also Cornell allowed me to take electives that I want to take instead of "The Core", which I also considered important, becase engineering doesn't leave a ton of opportunity to take other electives.</p>
<p>I would still consider Columbia for grad school....but cannot imagine going there for undergrad. I have the rest of my life to live in a city. I like living in a collegetown, where the school is big enough to meet new people all the time, but at the same time there is a vibrant campus life that feels..well, kind of cozy. </p>
<p>So if you really can't live without a big city, then Cornell's not for you. Take a trip out to Ithaca, stay overnight if you can...that should help you figure things out.</p>
<p>how is the engineering school completely seperate? Isn't it like Hotel administration at Cornell or Wharton at Penn? && just to be sure, we're talkinga bout Columbia's Fu school right?</p>
<p>while most of StPlyr's comments are well considered, the differences between CC and SEAS are fairly minor (course selection and alumni events are really the only two that matter), and transferring between the two is fairly easy. It's certainly a lot easier than going from Penn CGS to Wharton undergrad.</p>
<p>I know this has almost nothing to do with where the conversation is now but when I was reading over the beginning of this thread New York State of Mind got stuck in my head. Thank you guys. :rolleyes: </p>
<p>My aunt lives practically right next to Hamilton College (near Ithica...somewhat) and I can tell you I hate being up there. Yes it's nice to take a 2 week vacation and take our quads and horses out on a trail. During the winter there is nothing like riding a horse through snow in the woods. But really, I can't stand it for much longer than that. It just feels like I'm too far from civilization. I can't stand it.</p>
<p>Cornell, hands down. It's a bigger school and the Ithaca community, though small, is vibrant and refreshing. And gorges.</p>
<p>But hey, they're both amazing schools, and for most people it's just a matter of personal taste.</p>
<p>well you're certainly impartial on this question, bre. thanks for playing.</p>
<p>Hey, don't be mean, it's posted in the "columbia" forum and so needs a little Cornell help. Besides, I think it's valid because I did have this choice at one point, and the reasons for choosing to apply to Cornell are still applicable to the topic of discussion.</p>
<p>It's nice to side representation from the other party. After all this was getting to be a very one-sided debate.</p>
<p>Yeah, I don't really think this is even debatable because, like I said, they're both amazing schools, and considering that most people switch majors and many switch colleges within a university altogether, even comparing the nitpicky differences in academic strengths is hardly a valid argument for saying one is better.</p>
<p>For me, location and school size are the "real" differences, and I'd like to see people get anywhere 'debating' which place is better or which size is better. I mean, people like different things.</p>
<p>As a side note, I'm surprised at how rude people can be on these forums. This is a columbia vs. cornell thread on college confidential. I have trouble understanding why anyone would get at all worked up about it.</p>
<p>If Cornell's acceptance rate suddenly dropped to Columbia's ~10%, I don't think comparing the two would be such a travesty anymore. Cornell has a lot to offer. I personally prefer Columbia, but I think the schools are very comparable and that Cornell's greatest weakness in these discussions is its acceptance rate, though it is slowly dropping.</p>
<p>"My aunt lives practically right next to Hamilton College (near Ithica...somewhat) and I can tell you I hate being up there."</p>
<p>..And I'm sure many people who love Cornell would share your feeling.</p>
<p>Hamilton College is about 2 hours away from Ithaca. It is near Cornell about the same way that SUNY New Paltz is near Columbia. It has under 2,000 students, and is in the town of Clinton, population also under 2,000.</p>
<p>While Ithaca does not closely resemble New York City, it is not Clinton either.
It is a regional cultural center. Population 30,000 in the city proper. + about an equal number of students; however the Ithaca metro area has a population of just over 100,000. Ithaca often appears in "best small cities to live" lists, due to its quality of life, natural beauty and cultural activities. It is blessed with the Finger Lakes and some of New York's most beautiful and useful state parks. There is an active local music scene, relatively unconnected with the colleges.</p>
<p>Walking through Cornell's campus to classes every morning can feel like walking through a vacationland. There is nothing like the feel of the fresh air in your lungs, or the beauty of the leaves turned every color in early October.</p>
<p>Going to school in a vacation/park-like setting, in a campus-centered environment, is quite a different experience than attending an urban university. Ithaca will never be like New York City but it has its advantages for those so disposed.</p>
<p>Lots of city-folk and suburbanites just can't imagine life in a small city. Some don't like it. But lots of people get there and never want to leave. The town of Ithaca abounds with ex-students who chose to stay on.</p>
<p>Since I graduated, I've taken my wife up there at least four times, for vacation, and once with my kids when they were little. Would have been more, but we moved away for a long time. If we could make a living there, I would gladly move there.</p>
<p>It's great that there are such great choices available for people who have different preferences.</p>
<p>Of course, my own kids will have none of this and want to stay in New York City. But I know that's their loss. They have lived in and around New York City before, and will probably live there again, anyway. By just staying on they are not broadening themselves, in that regard anyway.</p>
<p>By the way, none of the above is intended to mean that Cornell is "better" than Columbia, or vica versa.</p>
<p>I also love New York City, a lot. Though in my experience it's a lot more fun living there with money than without money.</p>
<p>"Walking through Cornell's campus to classes every morning can feel like walking through a vacationland. There is nothing like the feel of the fresh air in your lungs, or the beauty of the leaves turned every color in early October"</p>
<p>don't forget waterfalls. Its just that Columbia has something cornell doesn't in my opinion. Being at Colunbia is etremely convenient. At Columbia you have the subway to take you everywhere. On top of that you have malls and stores almost everywhere you go. I don't know if Cornell has that but....</p>
<p>monydad- I haven't visited Cornell in 8 years so I'm sorry I didn't judge distances correctly. That two hour ride from Ithica to Clinton didn't seem that long back then.</p>
<p>8 years? woowwww</p>
<p>well we went up when my brother was looking at colleges. that was 8 years ago. =/ all i remember is driving in and the person at the front gate asking him what his intended major was.</p>
<p>columbia. simple as that. that's why we are on this forum.</p>
<p>cornell's engineering program is far above columbia's, but cornell engineers are also notorious for working all the time nonstop, cutting into social and EC time</p>
<p>Please put this away!!!!</p>