cornell vs duke

Colleges and Universities A-Z Cornell University
1

<p>Hi, I'm a senior this year deciding between Cornell and Duke. I'm visiting the two campuses this week. I'm undecided in major but I'm interested in a combination of humanities and science such as the Science and Technology major at Cornell or Health Policy.</p>

<p>Here's what I'd like to get input on...</p>

<p>Location: I hear Cornell is surrounded by a nice college town but is otherwise isolated. Duke is in not-so-nice Durham but has a nearby college town too. I want to go to a college where I have things to do and options.. </p>

<p>Weather: Duke's weather is better but how bad is Cornell's weather really?</p>

<p>Size: I like Duke's smaller size but is it that much smaller than Cornell? How big of a diff is there? </p>

<p>Course options: I'd like a variety of courses since I'm undecided in major... Are Duke and Cornell equal in course offerings?</p>

<p>Happiness: Duke seems like the happier place. How happy are students at Cornell?</p>

<p>Greek scene: I might join a sorority but I don't want to go to a college where the Greek scene is too intense. How do the Greek scenes at Duke and Cornell compare?</p>

2

<p>Personal attention: Where do you get more personal attention? I want to feel like I have solid support from professors and counselors..</p>

<p>Research: How does student research at Duke and Cornell compare? I'd like to do my own research sometime, not only help professors with theirs. Is it possible to get funding for this at either college?</p>

<p>Cool programs: I really like Duke's programs.. such as FOCUS and Engage.. those really attract me to Duke because it seems like the school gives their students so many additional opportunities. is there anything like that at Cornell too?</p>

3

<p>The Science and Technology Studies major at Cornell is very strong, or at least when it comes to rankings of graduate programs.</p>

<p>Ithaca is a much better locale than Durham, in my opinion. Ithaca offers a lot of different options for students to get off campus, including the cultural offerings of the Commons and the surrounding landscape with tons of state parks and wineries to explore. Plus the off-campus living at Cornell, in Collegetown and in Cayuga Heights, offers some of the best off-campus living in the country. It rivals Ann Arbor and Madison. And Collegetown and Ithaca boast more restaurants per capita than any other city in New York State. Durham is... well Durham. Chapel Hill is fantastic, though.</p>

<p>Cornell's weather isn't any worse than any city in the Northeast. Yes, it will snow and be cold throughout the winter. </p>

<p>Both Duke and Cornell are sufficiently large; I don't think size should play a factor in your decision. Duke has one residential campus that is pretty well separated from the rest of the campus. Cornell has two different residential campuses a five minute walk from the central campus. Both schools will feature large introductory courses and small upper level courses.</p>

<p>At least at Cornell, you will get as much personal attention as you seek out. Everybody I know at Cornell who has wanted to engage a professor with research or independent study was more than able to do so. Cornell has a bunch of programs within the 'Cornell Commitment' that foster this type of interaction, but not being in these programs will not exclude you from obtaining the type of experiences you want. Funding is not difficult to come by.</p>

<p>If you want to constantly feel like you have "solid support" without seeking it out, a research university may not be the best location for you. A liberal arts college better fits this mold.</p>

<p>Duke is probably a happier place, on average. But unless you are a stressed out engineer at Cornell who voluntarily decides to get in over one's head and enroll in six or seven courses a semester, you will be just as happy at Cornell. </p>

<p>Cornell offers more course offerings than Duke. In terms of quality and breadth, there is no more comprehensive private university in the country than Cornell.</p>

<p>I can't speak much for the sorority system at Duke, but everybody I know who joined a sorority at Cornell loved it. The Greek scene at Cornell is as intense as you want it to be. Many people at Cornell are perfectly happy in their vegetarian co-ops, residential houses, or off-campus living situation and never give the Greek system another thought.</p>

<p>Cornell is a much more diverse place than Duke in terms of student backgrounds and student culture. Visit both and decide which campus you feel more comfortable on.</p>

4

<p>I agree with the above poster, except for the duke is a happier place part. I would think so, except 4 of my friends at Duke are pretty unhappy, and it's because of Duke. They say the atmosphere is very cliquish and stifling. I don't know, I've never been there. But that's just what I've heard.</p>

5

<p>On the Greek scene: It is much more intense at Duke. Almost every girl joins a sorority/fraternity there. Being Greek is the key to having a social life. At Cornell, the greek scene is active, but if you choose not to join one you are in no way excluded from social life and many, many other people do not join the Greek system.</p>

6

<p>I'm not enrolled in Cornell yet, but I have to agree with aloe about Duke.</p>

<p>One of my really good friends goes there, and she says it was and is extremely hard to make new friends, and she constantly feels like a loner.</p>

7

<p>It kind of seems like you're leaning toward Duke, but I think that may be because it seems like you know less about Cornell than you do about Duke. The people who posted before me did a great job with answering your questions. To be honest, with most of the criteria you set, it seems like Cornell is a better fit for you than Duke.</p>

<p>Like the others who have posted here, I think that Cornell is a pretty happy place. Of course, there are some students who are anti-social and hate the environment, but there are people like that at every school. The "pressure cooker" and "suicide school" stereotypes are misleading.</p>

<p>Also, Cornell's location in a rural city has nothing to do with the number of activities or opportunities offered. There are so many things to do on campus and so many ways to get involved. Every weekend, there's something big going on. There are parties, events and performances held by school organizations, athletic events, speakers, and concerts. If someone gets bored here, that person probably isn't taking advantage of everything that's available.</p>

<p>Duke is an amazing school, but I think it caters to a certain kind of person--mainly, someone who embraces the Southern lifestyle. Of course, people from other areas love Duke, but it's pretty cliquey, as others have mentioned. Also, from what I know about Duke, relationships between ethnic groups are kind of strained. The university and the town of Durham also have a lot of friction between them. It's definitely possible to make all kinds of friends at Duke, but you may have to work harder at it than at Cornell. Cornell has a lot of diversity, and most people are friendly and open. You'll have an easy time finding people with the same interests, and you'll be able to expand your appreciation for diversity by meeting people who have had vastly different experiences.</p>

<p>Another thing about the Greek system at Cornell: there are so many fraternities and sororities on campus that you'll probably be able to find your niche easily. I know so many girls who originally never pictured themselves going Greek, and they ended up joining a sorority and loving it. Some parts of the Greek system can be pretty catty, but you can avoid the drama if you want. As CayugaRed said, the Greek system is really what you make of it. You can be involved in everything that your sorority does or you can choose to make your participation limited. Also, non-Greeks can still have an active social life--as long as you have friends, you'll be fine. Again, it's about making that effort to take advantage of everything.</p>

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<p>Um there are more northerners at Duke than there are southerners first of all. Secondly, parties are open to everybody and you don't have to be Greek to have fun although that's a popular option. Duke is just as diverse if not more than Cornell and half of the student body is made up of minorities. Durham has a lot more cultural offerings than Ithaca for sure.</p>

<p>This is a lame attempt by Cornell students to undermine a superior university. Try harder folks.</p>

9

<p>^this post makes me laugh</p>

<p>The S&TS major is second to none...I'm a Biology and Society major so I take a lot of S&TS classes and the faculty is amazing. There's always something going on here and I really don't think of Ithaca as secluded. There's is so much to do here and the city is wonderfully diverse (culturally and ethnically). My own feeling is that if you've got nothing to do on a Friday or Saturday night...it's your own fault. </p>

<p>I only know of Duke in reputation and so I really have nothing add there.</p>

<p>bottom line...both schools are great and have much to offer. You are lucky to be able to choose between 2 great universities. Go where you are happiest and think you will succeed.</p>

10

<p>The District Attorney in Durham loved the Duke kids so much he falsely indicted all the Northerners on the LAX team on trumped up charges.</p>