<p>How does it compare to Georgetown??</p>
<p>Georgetown is going to be more applied; Cornell is going to be more theory. Other than that, it’s a wash, but departments are relatively strong.</p>
<p>D.C. and Ithaca are very different. As are the student bodies of Georgetown and Cornell. I would let that be the decision maker.</p>
<p>Hi, thanks for your input. I have already visited both schools, so I understand the difference in location. How highly regarded is Computer Science (for a double major/computational linguistics approach) at each?</p>
<p>Other than that (important) criterion, my main concerns have been narrowed down to the work load – which, I have heard, is much more intense at Cornell – and the opportunities available after graduation. For this latter category, D.C. seems promising.</p>
<p>CS here is top-notch!..which you can confirm with anything from typical rankings, course listings, research opportunities, and so on. Linguistics is definitely a popular double major with Computer Science, and we have several courses related to computational linguistics, and several professors doing research in these areas so you can have your pick. John Hale for example seems to be looking for students, according to his website. He teachers the computational linguistics class as well as LING 1101. I have a friend taking LING 1101 with Hale and he says that Hale is a good prof & funny. I don’t have any experience with the other professors in this subfield; look on the CS website…Shimon Edelmann’s research might interest you as well? </p>
<p>Also within CS, every student must choose a “vector” (kind of like a concentration within CS), and Human-Language Technologies is an option: [CS</a> Vectors - Spring 2010](<a href=“http://www.cs.cornell.edu/ugrad/vectors.htm#HLT]CS”>http://www.cs.cornell.edu/ugrad/vectors.htm#HLT) . HLT includes several linguistics courses, so I bet that’d make it easier to double major in CS/Linguistics.</p>
<p>…What kind of careers do you envision yourself in? I don’t think Georgetown’s location would necessarily give you more opportunities, except maybe during the school year (part-time jobs). I have a freshman friend who got an internship at some technology consulting firm in DC this summer, and he doesn’t have any connections to DC at all…So companies from all over the country/world are recruiting at Cornell, regardless of our location.</p>
<p>I hope that helps!</p>
<p>Wow, thanks for your very detailed response, sarahdolly! Your comments are indeed confirmed by various rankings, etc., and the vector choices are a nice feature which would directly apply to what I am considering at present. I’m unsure as to what career I will end up pursuing, though for now I am assuming that I will be majoring in Linguistics with a possible double-major in Computer Science. However, I want to go to a school which has enough breadth and depth in many programs should I change my mind. </p>
<p>Are you then majoring in CS? If so, how do you find the majority of your peers? Have they been interested in computer programming and computers in general for years and years, and are therefore having no trouble, while those who had acquired very little of the basics are struggling? </p>
<p>Also, in general terms, how do you find the work-load?</p>
<p>Cool. You can also get a CS minor if you’re interested instead of majoring. And Cornell is definitely a great place to completely change directions if it happens.^^ I’m sure the admissions propaganda has hammered that fact into you…and it’s definitely true!</p>
<p>Yes, I’m a freshman though so I haven’t officially declared the major yet. Next semester I’m hoping to begin research, I had a meeting with a professor and he said I should e-mail him in August and he’ll set me up (which is apparently a very good sign, haha so hopefully that will work out^^) I considered trying out some research in computational linguistics before, but I’ve decided to explore a different subfield of CS now.</p>
<p>Prior experience in CS ranges widely here - there are kids who have been programming since childhood and have passed out of CS 2110 and even CS 2800 from prior experience, others (like me) who started recently before college, and others (particularly in COE) that took the intro Java course sometime freshman year and found they enjoy it a lot, and decide to pursue it further to see where that path goes. </p>
<p>One of the intro Java professors, Lillian Lee, took her first computer science course (intro Java) at Cornell Spring semester, so it’s definitely not too late to pick up CS! People tend to think that CS is just programming when it’s much more like math (problem solving) past Intro Java (CS 1110), so the vast majority of people with experience aren’t even that far ahead at all.</p>
<p>With that said, CS 1110 is a really difficult course for some. I guess it’s just hard for some people to “get” CS at first. But really, the course is designed for someone with no prior experience, and there are many, many TAs and consultants ready to help you out if you’re confused. The two professors also held special appointment sessions in the first month for those who were having trouble and needed more explanation, which is great! And there are AEW tutoring sessions (a pass/fail “class” that means once a week to review concepts, etc.) also. So, it’s just up to you from there to use the resources to clear up confusions IMMEDIATELY if you don’t “get” it 
That’s probably the mistake most people make, putting off getting help. Sigh.</p>
<p>The workload is fine, especially since (it seems) you’re in Arts & Sciences, which means you don’t have your schedule bogged down by three semesters of Physics + Chem, engineering distribution, and an intro to engineering. You do have to take a foreign language…but I like foreign languages myself, and I suspect you do too? Just…keep a manageable courseload & work schedule! People complain (including myself at times…but it’s my fault for taking Engineering Physics instead of pre-med physics, oops), but things are very doable. Reasonable courseload (14-16 credits per semester, mayyybee 17, but not freshman year), ONE extracurricular, partying & friends, and you’re good. I won’t be able to compare to Georgetown though…There are also plenty of other threads on the workload at Cornell, check 'em out.</p>
<p>I took the Computational Linguistics with John Hale. The guy is awesome. Though a bit, erm, eccentric. </p>
<p>If you’re good with logic/math, intro to java should be easy. Most people in the class are absolutely terrible at it (at least most of the people I graded), so the mean is usually… generous for the people who learn it well. But the workload first year is nothing to complain about. Now, junior year will have you howling in pain, but that’s way off in the future.</p>
<p>Well, I guess I’ll be okay then. I’m taking a Java course this year and though it doesn’t seem that I’ve learned that much, I feel as if I understand more fully the logical component of computer programming. </p>
<p>
Yes, I think more than anything this is what I will have to change in college. :)</p>
<p>
I love foreign languages! ;)</p>
<p>Thank you for all of your help!</p>
<p>
No problem with that. :D</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Great… :rolleyes:</p>