<p>I'm between Stanford and Cornell at the moment. No other "top" colleges really interest me at all. I haven't visited Stanford, but I feel like if I got into both schools, I would choose Stanford, maybe just for the reputation/rank/acceptance rate, I dunno if that's bad. However, because I'm rather picky about schools (Stanford and Cornell are really the only two I'd like to go to at all), I'm a bit inclined to "settle" for Cornell's ED30% acceptance is enticing. It's an unfortunate decision. I know the general philosophy is only ED if it's your number 1 choice, but when both schools are crapshoots, it just seems to make more sense to ED at 1 of thema bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Has anyone else had to go through this decision? Any thoughts?</p>
<p>Please don’t ED here if that’s your attitude. We don’t need that.</p>
<p>You seem unsure of your choice. Cornell’s decision is binding, but Stanford’s early action plan gives you more time to consider all of your options, should you be accepted.</p>
<p>I did that. I don’t know if I would have gotten into Cornell if I hadn’t (having like no ECs and all). But then again I don’t know if I would have gotten into my top choice school either(probably not).</p>
<p>Most people will disagree with me, but I’ll say look over your application. If you think you’ve got a decent shot at Stanford, apply there early. If it’s more of a huge stretch/dream school, then you might want to consider the “safer” route.</p>
<p>Saugus,</p>
<p>Sorry if you got that impression. I just really like both schools. I visited Cornell and loved it, and I’ve talked to some alumni and have done a lot of research about Stanford and really like it too. Unfortunately they both have difficult acceptance rates. I don’t want to be that guy who is trying to get into the most prestigious school possible and doesn’t care about anything else, and I don’t think I am.</p>
<p>Siliconvalleymom,</p>
<p>Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. The more and more I’ve considered it, the more and more I really don’t want to commit to a school before I see what my options are.</p>
<p>firecy,</p>
<p>Thanks for the perspective. That’s what I’m kind of thinking right now. It’s a gamble I suppose.</p>
<p>CYCYCY, I understand how hard its is to make a decision between schools…I’m doing the same thing but I don’t agree with your reason. Its seems your looking at academic reputation and what others think as it relates to prestige. I think there comes a point were you have to ask what’s right for you … all the top schools are excellent in their own way… I’m trying to look at that top list and find the fit for me.</p>
<p>Cornell, is an IVY with a very huge engineering commitment… the structure is traditional learning (stretch the mind & grind it with a lot of work) but in an Ivy environment.
MIT is not IVY but shares the same stretch & grind attitude.</p>
<p>places like OLIN have a more personal & unique approach to learning.</p>
<p>I’ve moved beyond looking at rank …I’m now trying to fine tune the choice to match a school to my personality & how I learn.</p>
<p>The choice to do ED is tough… a friend of mine last year graduated with 2 B+'s and a 2260 SAT score and was rejected for Cornell Engineering (Regular Decision) … his rejection has me taking nothing for granted.</p>
<p>Stanford is a great school, but so is MIT, but so is CALTECH, but so is Cooper Union, But so is HARVEY MUdd but so is OLIN… The question is which is right for you.</p>
<p>Payne,
I think you’ve got it…“I’ve moved beyond looking at rank …I’m now trying to fine tune the choice to match a school to my personality & how I learn”</p>
<p>With the above approach you should do well. Don’t ever forget that safeties fall in that category.</p>
<p>Good luck in your application process.</p>
<p>^^^
Which one would you rather be at?</p>
<p>On the other hand though, I’m of the opinion that anywhere you go you’ll learn well, and have a great time if you go in with a positive attitude. </p>
<p>Also, how can I judge as a high schooler how much I’m going to enjoy four full years? Even though when I went to Cornell I loved it and when I went to MIT and CMU I got a terrible impression, I really only spent 5 or so hours at each… Not enough to make this big of a call.</p>
<p>To me, it seems the most objective thing I can be sure of when heading into college is reputation. I know that doesn’t sound romantic, but it’s how I see it at the moment. </p>
<p>I’ve also looked into these school’s programs, and this might make it even harder… They all seem to offer fantastic programs. It’s a difficult choice.</p>
<p>Just food for thought. I know I’ll probably get hated on for considering reputation.</p>
<p>there is so much more than the visit. The campusis just the physical piece that holds the students. I really couldn’t get much from just walking around.</p>
<p>I’ve been doing a couple things: First, you tube videos of past commencement speeches. each university has its own view of what they consider important. The University President brags about what makes his school great. Then a top student summarizes there experience…then some key note person also shares a perspective tailored to the school.
MIT, OLIN and Cornell where all very different .
and second, I’ve studying the degree outlines and I was suprised how different some Universities where… Cornell engineering seems similiar MIT but both are very different from OLIN. Some schools put a priority on being Masters of Calculus I or Physics II. and some schools expect you to be able to pick up a book and learn how to extract the knowledge to figure out the problem… some schools are big classrooms with hard course material and a test…other schools are collaborative environments which put an emphasis on teaming.</p>
<p>I’m finding this to be exciting trying to understand each University… I think they are all very different.</p>
<p>oh yea …some put a premium on the undergraduate experience and other schools seem to put attention on the graduate students…so I’ve been looking at which School should I be an under grad and then which school should I be a grad student.</p>
<p>What impressed me about Cornell was that at the opening convocation & subsequent parent session with the Dean, they never brought up rankings, stats., etc… the Dean of the College of Human Ecology said that contrary to the old “look to the left of you, now to the right of you, one of you won’t be here in 4 years”, their philosophy was that if that held true, they as a college had failed. Instead the students speakers focused on how much they had grown from the opportunities presented to them & told the incoming freshman that at some point every student questions whether they can “cut it” , if the work is too hard for them. This really helped when my D had a particularly difficult semester & we could refer her back to her first day & what she heard.</p>
<p>It might be helpful if you posted your stats here lol.</p>
<p>35 ACT, 800 Math II, 780 Chem, .5 W 3.98 UW. 12 APs. White male.
ECs: good.
Research: yes
Recs: great
Essays: good
Hooks: no</p>
<p>That should he 4.5 W my bad.</p>
<p>Yeah I gotta be honest, unless your research/ECs are closely related to your field and demonstrate an extremely strong passion, I would go with Cornell ED.</p>
<p>Bro trust me, many people at Cornell “settled,” so don’t feel like there’s something wrong with it. People saying “we don’t need that kind of attitude here” are just being a little too harsh. </p>
<p>I myself didn’t have Cornell as my top choice, and I ended up going to Cornell just because it offered me more financial aid than my top choice. Needless to say, now I enjoy Cornell a lot.</p>
<p>EDing Cornell is def the safer choice…</p>
<p>Have you thought about ASU’s Barrett Honors College? Seems a better fit for you than Cornell. Go Devils!</p>
<p>I appreciate this thread… the words of the original post captured what many people think when the don’t get into their first choice. I was just interested in seeing the views from other high school students. and I was wondering if people were talking about their own custom tailored and personal first choice or the first choice based on rankings.<br>
There is definitely a strong opinion about best ivy league.
I’ve been trying to set up a constellation of schools … a little universe where I would be academically happy. and then visiting each planet to see If I was compatible.</p>
<p>I plan on Electrical Engineering So far my reach Universe is:</p>
<p>MIT, CALTECH, CORNELL, Stanford, Chicago, Cooper Union, Harvey Mudd, and OLIN</p>
<p>my favorites are going to MIT, CORNELL, Harvey Mudd & OLIN.</p>
<p>Now I have to deal with the reality of two things … first, getting accepted . and second choosing my best fit if I got accepted to all of them.</p>
<p>I have definitely moved away from the TOP Ranked mindset… The math of acceptance is more complicated than I thought ED throws a twist…EA & RD makes things easy but if I go ED then I may seal my fate. At some point I have to make a final decision, is it now (with ED) or waiting for everything to flow through and choose in May next spring.</p>
<p>I’m too young and stupid to know how to make my life changing decision…this sucks.</p>
<p>So to the original post…CYCYCYCY …I don’t think we are settling if we get into any of the schools. the hard part is if we get into a couple really good schools.</p>
<p>My younger one was between Yale and Cornell. Actually, it was me pushing Yale. She was graduating as the Sal at her international school. Historically her school has been sending Val and Sal to many top 10 schools, but Cornell hadn’t admitted any student from her school for 5 years. The only way for her to get admitted to Cornell was to do ED to demonstrate interest. At the end, the way my kid made her decision was to think about which one would pain her more if she didn’t get in. It was Cornell. She is a sophomore now and loving it.</p>