<p>My D really loved Villanova but has been accepted to Cornell as well. Villanova is closer to home but Cornell is tough to turn down, so she is very torn right now. Is Cornell very competitive and stressful in comparison to Villanova? Does anyone have any advice?</p>
<p>You should assume that if your D has been accepted to Cornell that she is capable of doing the work.</p>
<p>Villanova and Cornell are both ABET accredited, (I think) meaning that that the curricula will be very similar. To the extent you work harder at one rather than the other – well, I assume you get out if it what you put into it.</p>
<p>Otherwise – as you imply Cornell is widely viewed as the better school – By far. Unless cost is an issue, or the intangibles (e.g., closer to home, etc.) Cornell is the better school</p>
<p>My husband is a civil engineering graduate of Villanova. Our sons go to Cornell, but not in engineering. He loved Villanova, it’s a great school, he got a great education and was very successful but he’d say Cornell for your D. I am assuming that cost and the intangibles are not make or break decision points.</p>
<p>The cost at both schools is going to be pretty close. Haven’t received the Cornell Fin Aid info yet but I calculate that it should be slightly less expensive than Villanova so we told her not to factor the cost into her decision. She is leaning toward Cornell but I hear alot of conflicting info about the grading practices/curves. She isn’t a kid that will be comfortable with having a low GPA.</p>
<p>Cornell’s median GPA level of roughly 3.4 is very much in line with peer schools. Its median GPA has risen quite substantially over the past couple of decades. There is no grade deflation at Cornell – that is a myth that has been repeatedly, and correctly, debunked on these boards.</p>
<p>I had a few friends who were ChemE and it’s a rigorous workload. To get A’s in classes you’ll need to be an above average student, and that’s no small task at Cornell, where “average” is still at a high level. </p>
<p>Now, it all depends how she can deal with a “low GPA.” Most students at Cornell probably redefine the definition after their first semester or two. If the B-range is going to be too tough a pill to swallow, then maybe Cornell isn’t the right place. However, I would urge her not to base your decisions off that. Maybe that matters if you daughter had prelaw/premed aspirations, but I’ve always felt what matters in college is learning, not grades, and there is no doubt there will be a lot of learning at Cornell. I’m skeptical of the value of high grades for the sake of having high grades. To me, that seems a bit vain (although who am I to talk, since in high school I considered anything below a 95 not good). </p>
<p>I think it all comes down to the desire to have a high quality education with a wide variety of opportunities. Cornell certainly offers that.</p>
<p>I’d like to put an addendum to my post #5 about Cornell’s very reasonable 3.4 median GPA. Mikeyc is right that ChemE’s are likely have a somewhat lower median GPA than the university wide aggregate. I’m not sure if figures for the ChemE major are available, but it is likely true that its average GPA level is a bit lower than 3.4; but it should be noted that ChemE is a challenging major at any reputable school – including Villanova.</p>
<p>I think the two schools will most likely have a pretty rigorous workload. The avg GPA at Villanova School of Engineering is 2.8(that’s what they told us at EA day) so I guess the Cornell program is in that range also. I thought the grades would matter more for placement in Graduate schools, so that was really my concern.</p>
<p>Thanks to all for the input. I think she will most likely decide on Cornell.</p>
<p>Congrats and much luck to your daughter collegequery2012 !</p>
<p>I don’t know about Villanova, but Cornell makes it fairly easy to transition get your Masters in 5 years and all my engineering friends went that route and stayed an extra year.</p>