<p>I keep hearing this everywhere!</p>
<p>you can say, "Duh, it's an IVY league school". But it is Cornell that is particularly called the hardest school.</p>
<p>I also heard that Cornell has the lowest graduation rate for the ivy league schools.</p>
<p>this is sad news guys...</p>
<p>just go look at some cornellian blogs. all those people talk about is their excessive workload. "can't sleep tonight. NEED CAFFEINE!." "Why is cornell so hard!"</p>
<p>My response to that would be: SO? </p>
<p>Cornell is hard. Duh. If you don't want to do work in college, why pay $40,000? It doesn't mean you can't have fun. It just means you get your $$$'s worth out of your education. </p>
<p>And, no, I'm not a robot. I complain just as much as everyone else around prelim time. But, in the summer and winter, when I get a chance to reflect on things (and when I get my grades), I can't help but feel proud of the fact that I had to work hard to earn everything that I've received.</p>
<p>BTW: I'm on pace to graduate early w/o having taken more than 16 credits in any semester (while having taken as low as 12 credits).</p>
<p>Okay... so for a Biology major, does anyone know how many hours someone should study every day to get A's in classes? If I studied in high school for approximately 5 hours a day, then would I be fit for Cornell's academic pressures? I understand it's an Ivy League education but come on... I want to be human and have time to at least chill at the end of the day.</p>
<p>It all depends on how you manage the material. I know people that have been driving themselves up the wall just to make the mean or above the mean on exams; others have been working a moderate amount (MUCH less than 5 hours a day, lol) and are still making A's. Every person is different.</p>
<p>really depends on the person. You'd be doing yourself a favor by learning how to study efficiently here. The only times where you may find yourself overwhelmed is the week before a prelim (test). You'll have a social life, you'll join a few clubs, you'll hang out with friends and get trashed on friday and saturday nights. And you'll rest easy knowing you're getting a superior education.</p>
<p>I agree with Gomestar, the only times I feel truly overwhelmed are right before prelims when there is work due for other classes. Despite what you may have heard, it is possible to go out on the weekends and have a social life and still do well here. I average going out one night per week, and I'm actively involved in numberous clubs and activities. Despite this, I still have between A- and A+ in all of my classes. </p>
<p>Do I feel stressed at times? Of course. Just the same as an Ivy League student should who is striving to do well. But is the workload so excessive that it makes it impossible to enjoy life here? Absolutely not.</p>
<p>Word...AJKates, it's nice to see you living down hall from me after talking on CC last fall...it's kind of cool how that happened.</p>
<p>I agree with both of you. It's absolutely true that Cornell is hard work. I find it hard to believe, however, that it could be that much more work than any other top school. I didn't come here with the best study skills, and while I have improved a good bit, it is absolutely true that you are NOT STRESSED AND OVERWHELMED MOST OF THE TIME. The week before prelims--aka tests--(there are usually around 3 prelims per semester) you will find yourself stressed because they usually happen around the same time. However the rest of the time, there is plenty of time for me to go to my 16 credits of classes (12 min, 18 max; 14-16 recommended; you can petition to have above/below 12/18--my next semester is 19 :o), practice my trumpet, participate in the ski club administration, eat, sleep, chill with friends in the afternoon, and go out on weekend nights (and sometimes thursdays haha).</p>
<p>Cornell will prepare you to work hard in life, but it will not kill your social life by any means. I am having 10x as much fun as I did in HS, while working twice as hard.</p>
<p>spart, i play trumpet too.</p>
<p>how's the music program? i hate to hijack the thread but are you involved in the CUJE?</p>
<p>not this semester, i'm just taking lessons to get better...i'm completely restructuring my embochure; the process sucks. The music program is good in my opinion. It has it's own building--i can swipe my card and get in to use the practice rooms 23/7. Most of the music majors are double majors like myself. I'm playing the kent kennan sonata. take a look at it. it's awesome!</p>
<p>Thanks for your posts everyone. :)</p>
<p>So Thursday night parties are not the norm?</p>
<p>No they are, just not for everyone. I, for one, have chemistry lab at 9:00AM on fridays, so no thursday partying for me...</p>
<p>Thursday parties are certainly the norm. I have Tonal Theory at 9AM fridays, but I still go out on some thursdays.</p>
<p>i have yet to go out on 'thirsty thursday.' Thanks in part to three sections in a row starting at 10 and ending at 1:30. </p>
<p>the option to go out on thursday is certainly there ... but compared to other colleges, much less prevalent here at Cornell.</p>
<p>as far as parties go- </p>
<p>all welcome or invites only?</p>
<p>drinking- it would seem to me that cornell students wouldn't have too much of a problem with the amount of alcohol consumption, but i've been surprised before. seems like you guys would need your brain cells with full strength?</p>
<p>fun?? with the general trend of the stereotypical ivy league students and cornell's female attractiveness (or lack thereof) reputation don't hinder having a good time?</p>
<p>lol i know these things aren't really the most important as far as college education goes but they do raise some thoughts.</p>
<p>most parties are all welcome. all welcome means all welcome if there's room. If the place gets packed, only the posses of friends of the brothers can get in until the place gets a little less packed. Now and then there are more formal invite only parties like on homecoming weekend.</p>
<p>BTW: I'm a freshman, and while I'm a pretty social and outgoing guy, I still think it says something about the friendliness of the people here that there are several frats where I know brothers who will always let me and my crew in (even if we forgot to dress up on halloween :)), and I was invited to a dressed up closed party on homecoming. </p>
<p>Drinking- lots of it happens. if you go to a party, there will be much alcohol available for free consumption. beer is the most readily available, but mixed drinks and shots are often around, especially if you know brothers in the house.</p>
<p>Fun- yes, it's a college party, regardless of location. Ithaca College kids come to the cornell parties because they are actually rather good. Cornell knows how to party, bottom line. Imagine all the sickest parties of HS combined, garunteed to happen at least twice a weekend. The kids who you might think wouldn't be fun at parties oftentimes don't go because it's not their scene. the more attractive girls come out at night...seriously...and it's not just beer goggles. the girls are decent at the parties. either way you'll have your crew to go out with and you'll go with some girls who are your friends.</p>
<p>Lets face it, we go to college to learn, but the social scene is still important. these are legit questions bluedevil! :) hope to see you next fall haha</p>
<p>drinking- it would seem to me that cornell students wouldn't have too much of a problem with the amount of alcohol consumption, but i've been surprised before. seems like you guys would need your brain cells with full strength?<br>
Survival of the fittest braincells ;), ever read that thing? Shots and mixed drinks are always available if you pregame, which is necessary, unless you can stomach beast while sober. </p>
<p>fun?? with the general trend of the stereotypical ivy league students and cornell's female attractiveness (or lack thereof) reputation don't hinder having a good time?</p>
<p>Sparticus is right, parties tend to select for the better looking people. There are also problems with the overall male attractiveness, but what do you expect? It's Cornell. There are some good looking people, selectively forgetting who you hooked up with last night, or beer goggles...take your pick.</p>
<p>if you really want to meet some girls who are hot, easy, and dumb as rocks, check out a party with alot of ithaca college girls. They do a nice job of rounding out the overall social scene here at Cornell.</p>
<p>or TC3. theres a joke that you should always ask an IC girl if she goes to TC3 so she feels smart telling you about IC ;)</p>
<p>aahhahaha!</p>