<p>OK, so what about these two schools? Which do you think is better academically? How about reputation?</p>
<p>They are both exceptionally well respected academic institutions. Their graduates are highly successful. One can't go wrong at either. So it is important to visit both, talk to a cross-section of students who go there to find out what it is like to be a student there on a day to day basis (and post specific questions about the schools on CC), and figure out which would provide the best undergraduate experience overall for you.</p>
<p>@ OP.. what do you want to study</p>
<p>Judaic/Near Easter Studies (but this could change). I understand that the Chicago program is very well regarded. I don't know much about Cornell's program.</p>
<p>I think Cornell is strong in these areas as well. Maybe you should post a new thread asking specifically about your area of study. </p>
<p>As I have said before, they both are highly regarded academic institutions so I'm not sure you can say one is "better" than the other academically. I think the students you would find at each are quite similar. But because Cornell is larger and has several specialty schools you wouldn't find at Chicago (Engineering, ILR,Hotel, ILR and perhaps others), there would be a more diverse group of people in terms of academic interests. This is a strength, I believe. You get an incredible selection of class offerings.</p>
<p>Try to have your daughter contact Professor Ross Brann - one of the most brillant and sought after professors at the univerity.<br>
<a href="http://www.arts.cornell.edu/nes/faculty/brann.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.arts.cornell.edu/nes/faculty/brann.html</a></p>
<p>I got accepted to both a few years ago and ended up at Cornell. Now that I am here, the most important factor for me is proximity to home. Not that I live in NY, but Chicago isn't in the NE. They are both good schools and both challenging. I don't think you can really decide between Top school A and Top school B without visiting.</p>
<p>thanks Tahoe. That's helpful</p>
<p>How do the two schools compare for Biology? I'm torn between Cornell, Chicago and Penn. Cornell and Chicago have Bio majors with concentrations for what I want to study (Neuroscience), but Penn has a specific major for it (sorry about bringing yet another school into the equation). But on the whole, how strong is Cornell's Biology program (regarding the Neuroscience concentration in particular) and how are the research opportunities?</p>
<p>I don't know about neuroscience in particular, but Cornell's biology program (with many subfields and all those majors in the life sciences) is huge and widely respected. In its recent mission statement, Cornell promised undergrads more opportunities for research than any other university in the nation.</p>
<p>Cornell bio is the way to go. And the neurbiology and behavior concentration is HUGE. There's a whole building just devoted to neurobiology (Corson Mudd) and part of the psych building (Uris Hall). Cornell's psych department is also really good and you'll probably meet some of the professors here that were mentioned in your psych textbook (if you took psych). You might want to email some of the neurobio professors if you want a more detailed explanation. I believe that my neurobio advisor told me that Cornell offers the most undergrad neurobio courses in the nation because the school is bigger and that the department is so big. There's a lot of research opportunities and if you search for it, you can begin as early as spring semester of your freshman year. Finding research is relatively easy. I'm sure some of the labs are competitive, but if you want to do some research here, you'll find a lab.</p>