<p>I'm debating between the two. I know they are very different. I'll say now that NYC is more appealing than living in a college town (which I do now) but I don't want that to be my deciding factor, because I know i can travel to NYC easily from Cornell or do an ILR (my school) program in NYC. I'm looking for more in terms of graduate placement, internship opportunities, academics, etc. I'm in ILR now. If I were to go to Barnard, probably a history or polysci major.</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>As a threshold matter, the curriculum in ILR is not the same as the curriculum at Barnard, the most equivalent college at Cornell is CAS not ILR. You should examine ILR’s required courses, in-college credit requirements and other requirements of the ILR school to make sure that is the program of studies, and specific courses, that you most want to study. </p>
<p>IMO, people should have a preference about what courses they will be required to take in college, and what they are going to have to learn about. If you prefer ILR’s program, then go to ILR, there is probably no place better in the country for that particular program of studies. If you don’t, I personally would not attend a college with a specialized curriculum that I was not sure I wanted. YMMV.</p>
<p>Ditto “nine ways of Knowing”, if you strongly desire to duck some aspect of an Arts & sciences college’s distribution requirements, and ILR would facilitate that, this too can be considered. But you should have a preference about what you will be required to take in each case.</p>
<p>As for relative appeal of the respective locations for a college student, there are those who have come to the completely opposite conclusion from yours, after trying both. But to me that’s a secondary matter compared to what you are actually setting yourself up to study.</p>
<p>Just a suggestion, in addition to ILR students & alums on CC, there are a couple current “Life on the Hill” bloggers who are ILR students, perhaps you can gain some insights from them.</p>