<p>hey guys...i was ecstatic to get into the hotel school and put columbia engineering a lot lower on my list, but now, when i weigh the pros/cons, it seems like columbia is winning</p>
<p>afterwards, i would ideally like to do finance/management/ibanking...any type of business really...is hotel too limiting? at columbia, i would do engineering and management systems, which incorporates economics, business, computer science - basically technology and management...</p>
<p>how boring is ithaca? i love nyc and think columbia has a very nice campus...i went to cornell in november and it was so friggin hilly and dreary...</p>
<p>so what do you guys think? everyone's been saying columbia, for location and reputation...</p>
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columbia has a very nice campus...i went to cornell in november and it was so friggin hilly and dreary...
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<p>Actually they're both really beautiful in their own way. If you're just worried about the environment I don't think it's an issue... you'll learn to love whichever campus you end up in.</p>
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is hotel too limiting?
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I think there is an element of truth in that. At my hotel interview, the guy said this and I'll try to recall his words exactly, "The courses really are hotel-based and if you're looking for a more finance-oriented education you'll be disappointed." People go to Wharton because it has a great program for aspiring businessmen. Likewise, Cornell is THE place to be for those who aspire to dedicate themselves to the service/tourism industry. (what the heck, it's not called a hotel school for nothing :rolleyes: ) The hotel school is my unparalleled first choice because I've been a hotel intern and I know that the level of job satisfaction in this field for me is something that cannot be substituted by a good location or prestige. But then again, it's a personal thing.</p>
<p>That said, I'm sure there'll still be great career opportunities at the hotel school since 85 companies recruit on campus each year, and there's a good alumni network.</p>
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how boring is ithaca?
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Some NYC kids there love it, some complain that it's boring. I guess it's about what you make of the opportunities there.</p>
<p>Ok after all that rationalizing, lemme just say this: I'm dying to get into the hotel school. Ahh if you don't want the place help me get off the waitlist! ;)</p>
<p>Wow. You couldn't have picked two programs that are any more different. You should be more concerned with what type of education you want ... one that's focused on hotel management (and not necessarily business) or one on engineering.</p>
<p>Hotel school does give you the fundamental skills to enter the business world and succeed, you only have to look at the courses offered by the school to realize that.</p>
<p>The Hotel School also commands an extraordinary amount of respect in its field, and your degree will raise eyebrows and allow you to go right to the top. It is a truly unique school and is a part of a top Ivy League university.</p>
<p>However, go with where your interests lie, engineering may be a better fit for you. Only you can answer that question.</p>
<p>Shizz and other Cornellians, would it be hard for a Hotelie to transfer to the college of Engineering or to CAS or to the B School (I think it is part of the College of Agriculture)? If it is easy to do so, perhaps hunkafunky can go for his dream school (Cornell) knowing that the options are unlimited.</p>
<p>It's harder to go from Hotel to any of those schools than it is the other way around. The transfer process itself isn't difficult, but you'll need to basically take engineering courses (intro math, physics, etc) for a semester to prove that you can actually handle it as an engineer.</p>
<p>I would say it's harder to transfer from Hotel to Engineering. But, it's definitely possible. If you want to transfer from Hotel to AEM, that's easy as hell. I think AEM is probably the easiest major to transfer in to. By the way, if heckafunky really wants to do finance, management or ibanking, I think Cornell Hotel school is really a great place to go. I believe in the past few years, companies like Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley..etc recruit heavily from the Hotel school. If you concentrate in finance at the Hotel school, you will be able to get into one of the top firms. By the way, if I remember correctly, the last Cornell undergrad got recruited by McKinsy was a hotelie. Hotel school has a really strong alumni network and the alumni tend to help out hotelies as much as they can in any way.</p>
<p>it feels like im leaning towards columbia because it has a broader base and perhaps the business world certainly IS looking for science-based people...but taking like property management, and cooking and being able to open by own popular restaurant in the city or doing finance later is definitely awesome...</p>
<p>i will have to ask columbia where their students go afterwards, more specifically from my major...im visiting next week, but ive spent a month there already during summer after sophomore year...</p>
<p>we shall see...</p>
<p>i imagine something big will have to change my mind...</p>