<p>I also posted this in the Cornell forum to get current/former Cornellians' takes on this.</p>
<p>I am having a very hard time deciding between Duke and Cornell, so I figure I should add workload to my considerations. I was/am not a hard worker at all in high school, so I'm concerned that I won't be able to handle the transition to the notoriously difficult College of Engineering. I have always been been good at understanding concepts, so I haven't had to study much, but I can never get myself to do homework.</p>
<p>How is the workload at Cornell compared to Duke for engineers? I know this is difficult as few, if any, of you have attended both, but perhaps you've gathered an idea from friends at the other school.</p>
<p>My impression is that if you aren't a hard worker you will not or should not make it through Duke. Based on friends who've been to Cornell and Duke (I've a hadful at both) it's more likely that you'll be able to "float" through Cornell than Duke. But if you don't want to work hard, why are you even considering these schools? Its great that you got in, but it sounds like you'd be a lot happier at a school where the "work hard" ethic isn't played up as much.</p>
<p>I will work card if necessary; it isn't my main goal not to work in college. It's just that I've heard a lot about the rigor of Cornell's engineering workload and I haven't really heard too much either way about Duke's.</p>
<p>well, engineering can be alright if you do the bare minimum. most people, on the other hand, major in 2 things, resulting in stacked schedules every semester.</p>
<p>As a Duke engineer, I think (but cannot absolutely be sure as I've never gone to Cornell) that Cornell's engineering is a little harder, but you certainly have to do the work here to get a good grade. I put in a good effort just to keep my gpa above 3.0. To get a 4.0 for me would require a tremendous amount of work I'm simply not able or interested to commit.</p>
<p>Both are hard and require a lot of work. From what I hear, Cornell is a wee bit more work, though. But you need to either work hard or be insanely smart to get through engineering, or, else, I can guarantee you that you WILL transfer out of engineering at both Cornell and Duke.</p>