<p>^^There is a good campus bus system for the faint-hearted. And, of course, the dog-sleds. :)</p>
<p>One of my best friends there, an engineer, used to bike all over the place there. Come to think of it I can think of several people who did. I can safely say that those were people who were in a lot better shape than I was. There are some pretty significant elevation changes there.</p>
<p>Probably Dec-March not so much, I would agree with that.</p>
<p>But the rest of the time it would be a pretty good way to go, if you’re in good enough shape that is. It’s beautiful there, and biking through the scenery would be quite pleasant I imagine. Not to mention faster than walking. And healthy.</p>
<p>But people do do it, there even used to be a bike rental shop in collegetown when I was there.</p>
<p>It’s such an oft-spouted cliche that one is left, essentially, to die at Berkeley, parched and unloved. I am a former physics and world lit major (the latter of which didn’t even have its own dept. and was an amalgam of many departments–Japanese, German, English, French, Classics, etc.). At no time did I feel like a number. My needs were addressed, and I had a superabundance of resources and research opportunities. In fact, even the “Nobelers” were kind. </p>
<p>And I know classes like Intro. Chem. and Physics and Calc. to be large, lecture classes at both schools. And I don’t know that Cornell offers more support than CAL, given the fate of some mighty unhappy, stressed-out students at Cornell. I also think that isolated, freezing winters can serve to make stress worse, and I speak as a daughter of a Cornell alum, by the way. </p>
<p>I have heard complaints that CAL has grade deflation (it does!), but I have never heard it referred to as the “pressure cooker” to which Cornell is referred.</p>
<p>And before the haters get nutso and over-react, I consider Cornell a very fine school, academically. I just don’t think its the place of high nurture that is being touted here, and I don’t think the CAL administration and profs. step over their students while they lay comatose or dying.</p>
<p>Someone once posted on CC that a good litmus of a balanced student sensibility is to observe how many students are outside on a gorgeous day/the first day of real Spring weather, after a brutal winter (N.B. the Hopkins campus is known for being empty on the first real day of Spring weather, for example; the Hopkins libraries are full, however)–something to think about. The CAL campus was carpeted with wall-to-wall students, today, talking, laughing, napping,eating, tossing frisbees, and reading their Kant and Nietzsche. The sun was shining brilliantly, and the Bay sparkled.</p>
<p>Sucks for Hopkins, not one of OPs choices though.</p>
<p>Cornell’s no cake walk,for many, but I imagine the frisbees and dogs have been out on the arts quad, and with the new buds budding it has again resumed being one heck of a gorgeous place to be.</p>
<p>Probably fewer frisbees with finals imminent though.</p>
<p>Lol, ironically, Hopkins actually was an option since I got accepted, but it cost way too much in the end.
@UCBChemEGrad
Thanks for you insight. Fortunately the difference in the cost of attending Cornell and berkeley is only around 4k more so it is a feasible amount. My parents are going to spend that 4k on my education or on going out to dinner more often, so either way, that money is going to be gone.</p>
<p>Snow is a good change in scenery. I miss it after living in Germany for a few years before moving to the US. Quite frankly, Im sick of the sun, sunburns, and the ever prevalent heat. 
</p>
<p>Thanks Collegehelp for the advice. Im really interested and considering doing what you suggest. But how and where to I find these online listings? Do I just browse the ECE department website at Cornell? Also, around what time should I be applying for internships next summer? How far in advance? Thanks!</p>
<p>“I had two concurrent campus jobs at Cornell ECE, one as a TA for the Engineering Physics instrumentation class …”</p>
<p>wattya know, here is a newsflash, new information.
collegehelp is actually very smart.
Who knew…</p>
<p>UCB, why are you wasting your time? This is CC: Ivy League + SM > any other school, regardless of all the other factors. We all know that Berkeley is living off its past reputation (that’s why it has, along with Stanford, the best average graduate school ranking in the world in 2010), the professors are inaccessible (that’s why I and everyone I know had no problems with setting up an appointment with even the most revered professors), there are major budget cuts (I mean, only the UCs experience this, no other university lost 20-30% of its endowment), the class sizes are huge (except that after two weeks into even the biggest classes the amount of people coming to lecture will be reduced to 50-80 - it makes so much difference when I have just 30 students sitting behind my back, as opposed to 50).</p>
<p>If your selection process is indeed done, it would seem you might be better served heading over to the Cornell sub-forum at this point, just a suggestion.</p>
<p>Yea, thanks monydad. You’ve been a great help. Oh and BioE25, thanks for your wonderfully positive comments. To tell the truth, you might be right about all those things, but then again, I dont want to take the chance if you’re wrong. Furthermore, the thing that pushed me over the edge to Cornell was because of the some of the people that Berkeley accepted from my school this year. Of course there are some wonderful people, including one of my best friends that will be going to Berkeley next year, Cal also let in like a dozen people whom i consider not deserving of their spot. Personally, I had hoped that Berkeley had a little more selectivity in its students(in ethics/morals especially), but apparently admissions requirements for in-state students are lower than I anticipated. Im not trying to flame Berkeley, I agree its a great school, but if these types of people from my school are even slightly representative of the student body, I would like to avoid it if I can. Sure Cornell probably/definately has people like that too, but at least I dont know about them.
I stick with my choice 100% :)</p>
<p>To search online for student jobs, you will have to get a Cornell ID number. As I recall, I got mine in late August. You might be able to get an ID number earlier. </p>
<p>[Cornell</a> University Student Employment](<a href=“http://www.studentemployment.cornell.edu/]Cornell”>http://www.studentemployment.cornell.edu/)</p>
<p>Summer internship assistance can be obtained through Career Services. But, you are mostly on your own to identify opportunities and process your application.</p>
<p>[Job</a> Postings for Cornell Students](<a href=“Career Services | Student & Campus Life | Cornell University”>Career Services | Student & Campus Life | Cornell University)</p>
<p><a href=“NRAO - Arecibo Observatory Landing Page”>NRAO - Arecibo Observatory Landing Page;
<p>[NASA</a> - Undergraduate Student Research Project](<a href=“http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/descriptions/Undergraduate_Student_Research_Project.html]NASA”>http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/descriptions/Undergraduate_Student_Research_Project.html)</p>
<p>BTW, I had my summer internships after my junior and senior years. Not sure how easy they are to secure after the freshman and sophomore years. I took courses at Cornell during the first two summers.</p>
<p><<<personally, i=“” had=“” hoped=“” that=“” berkeley=“” a=“” little=“” more=“” selectivity=“” in=“” its=“” students(in=“” ethics=“” morals=“” especially),=“” but=“” apparently=“” admissions=“” requirements=“” for=“” in-state=“” students=“” are=“” lower=“” than=“” anticipated.=“” im=“” not=“” trying=“” to=“” flame=“” berkeley,=“” agree=“” great=“” school,=“” if=“” these=“” types=“” of=“” people=“” from=“” my=“” school=“” even=“” slightly=“” representative=“” the=“” student=“” body,=“”>>></personally,></p>
<p>Whoa, not so fast, here. Hope with your exalted expectations of the Cornell student body you don’t run into the 2 recruited athletes with their 3.2 and 3.3 GPAs, from my daughter’s school, who are attending Cornell (they’ve already been promised supplemental help) or the girl in her class, sweet and unacademic, again, below a 3.5, in non-rigorous classes, who didn’t get into Univ. of Wisconsin at Madison or any of the UCs. We’re all scratching our heads at that one.</p>
<p>Of course, engineering, largely, at either school isn’t going to serve as the major for the academically-challenged, but to say that Cornell is so much more elite in their selection of its undergraduates is not true; in these parts, it’s the safety for the kids who are highly competitive for UCB, UCLA, the top-notch LACs, Stanford, and the Ivy Leagues.</p>
<p>But, I hear you when you say that some uninspired students from your school got CAL acceptances. I feel that way about Wesleyan, this year, having seen some unremarkable kids get into Wesleyan (which I used to respect, hugely) but which this year accepted some low data kids who had, as their common denominator, being “drama queens.” Really made me rethink the school.</p>
<p>And, finally, we know kids, this year, who did not get into UCLA or CAL who got into Stanford, Penn, and Brown.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This is only because UCLA/Cal are more formulaic and Stanford/Penn/Brown are more holistic. At the undergraduate level, Stanford and most of the Ivies are much, much more selective than the UCs.</p>
<p>And I wouldn’t cry for the kid who didn’t get into Cal but got into Stanford. There’s a 95% chance that this is the result s/he would’ve desired:</p>
<p>[The</a> New York Times > Week in Review > Image > Collegiate Matchups: Predicting Student Choices](<a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2006/09/17/weekinreview/20060917_LEONHARDT_CHART.html]The”>The New York Times > Week in Review > Image > Collegiate Matchups: Predicting Student Choices)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>You won’t get much more “resources and individual attention” at Cornell than Berkeley. Because of its SUNY affiliation, large student size and vocational focus, Cornell definitely has a “state school” feel to it.</p>
<p>Cornell doesn’t feel like a state school at all. This simply isn’t true. The SATs at Cornell are about 150-200 points higher than at the best SUNYs.</p>
<p>The 25th percentile SAT score at Cornell is 90 points higher than at Berkeley. Cornell does not reach very low into the applicant pool.</p>
<p>The rural campus filled with drunken frat boys add to Cornell’s “state school” feel. The environment at Cornell is more “public” than “ivy.”</p>
<p>In 2008, the most recent campus security data available, both Cornell and Princeton had 10 liquor law violations (although Cornell is three times as large as Princeton). I think there is a little drinking everywhere. At Cornell, the labs and library and study areas were filled with students on Saturday night. I never joined a frat but went to a few frat parties. They were fun. I did not perceive drinking to be a general problem at all. I never saw any rowdiness but I did see some silliness and heard some laughter.</p>
<p>By the way, I think the frat boys cut down on their drinking once they are in med school, law school, business school, grad school, and so on.</p>
<p>“The rural campus filled with drunken frat boys…”</p>
<p>Please don’t rag on Dartmouth on this thread.</p>
<p>Some of the drunken frat boys at Cornell would’ve probably preferred to be at Dartmouth:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2006/09/17/weekinreview/20060917_LEONHARDT_CHART.html[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2006/09/17/weekinreview/20060917_LEONHARDT_CHART.html</a></p>
<p>More to the point of this thread, that link suggests that 2/3 of Berkeley admits would prefer to be at Cornell.</p>
<p>However, one can look at the “ranking” of schools such as Notre Dame and BYU to see that there are some flaws in the Revealed Preference approach. The most definitive “dispreference” of a school is to not even bother to apply there, but this study does not capture the ranking of non-applicants. Besides each applicant has his/her own unique situation and criteria.There is certainly no reason for an individual to pick Cornell over Berkeley simply because of that Revealed Preference study.</p>
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<p>You’re the one who went off-point by bringing up Dartmouth. The chart I posted does not take into account exogenous factors such as cost, distance and field of study, etc. I imagine that the typical student who shares the OP’s characteristics (e.g. from California w/ Regents Scholarship, interested in EECS, etc.) would heavily favor Berkeley over Cornell.</p>
<p>FWIW, I have no affiliation with UC Berkeley whatsoever, so I am not defending it just for the sake of defending it. But for EECS: Berkeley > Cornell. When you factor in the cost difference, Berkeley >>> Cornell. That said, I respect the OP’s decision, although I disagree with the reasons behind it.</p>