<p>i guess he either means A) Transfer to Wharton once you're there (which is damn near impossible with an engineering curriculum as the transfer is purely GPA based) or B) Go there because you can take classes at Wharton</p>
<p>Beware of West Philadelphia</p>
<p>Penn is a great school. However, I think Cornell is stronger in the sciences for undergrads. West Philly is a dangerous city and even though my husband and I did our graduate work there, I wouldn't send my kids to Penn! I'll be fair and say that there are some nice places, however I doubt you will be able to afford to live there. Really, the only good thing about Philadelphia is that it's between NYC and Washington, DC. The campus is so much nicer at Cornell : ) You'll have fun playing in the snow and it will be CLEAN!!!</p>
<p>Thanks fedmom. I'm trying to decide between Penn and Cornell too. I've visted Cornell, and it has a beautiful and safe campus. I've never visited Penn, and I wondered if it was as good as Cornell's. I guess I have one person's opinion.</p>
<p>Thanks again.</p>
<p>Penn's campus is actually really safe now. They've been doing a lot of developing within the past decade, and it's resulted in a grand 260 acre campus. Although it may still carry a reputation for being dangerous, West Philly is much safer than it was. And if you're interested in internships and a multicultural city, Philly is a great place. Internships are basically non-existent in Ithaca.</p>
<p>I think the point is that even though the campus might be safe, the surrounding area has a poor reputation for safety. I would guess that upperclassmen probably live in apts off campus? If so, that might present a safety concern.</p>
<p>Having visited Penn's campus during summer, I remember quite a noticeable security presence there, even though it was hardly peak there. From what I've heard, security certainly is a concern vs. Cornell, however not a massively significant one.</p>
<p>More personally... I really would like to hear some more about Cornell's life science/pre med vs Penn. So far I have:</p>
<p>Pros: (Cornell)
- More undergraduate focus
- Stronger according to some (anyone have evidence)</p>
<p>Pros: (Penn)
- Medical school close by, offers additional research opportunities etc.
- Several special programs with appropriate focus targeted at undergraduates</p>
<p>*Cornell's FA package has not yet arrived... Penn's is looking decent</p>
<p>Yes the neighborhood has improved and it is still relative. Why do you think the police force has a dominant presence? The med school does provided research opportunities as well as the Wistar Institute which is afflliated with Penn but don't kid yourself the faculty is obligated to the grad students first (Ph.D., med, vet, dent etc). I still wouldn't want to be walking around West Philly at night. If you are looking for multicultural experiences the best place to check out is "The City" ie NYC, where Weil is located. Most students don't stay at school and look for other places to do work such as NIH in Bethesda, MD. To be quite honest it really doesn't matter because at both places you will be getting a wonderful education and it is still just a BA/BS degree.</p>
<p>Cornell feeds a lot of money into it's science and engineering research making it definately one of the top 10 engineering schools in the country. It can be a stepping stone to a professional school, but it also puts a HUGE emphasis on a future as a professional engineer, offering a one year Masters of Engineering program after your BS and a Co-op program that allows you to graduate in 4 years, and an extensive career services office that helps you search for summer internships and jobs after college. If you want an interesting number: Cornell spends over 400 million on research a year and 100 million of that goes to the College of Engineering. I would say Cornell Engineering over Penn, but I guess I'm biased?</p>
<p>Actually, looking at some interesting facts, Cornell Engineering grads are credited with a wide array of inventions, such as the pacemaker, the iPod, the air conditioner, Bill Nye went there, the Engineering department is launching the first student-built satellite into space soon (Cornell won that competition, btw). We have a nanotechnology building, and did you know that an Engineering grad is currently head of DreamWorks visual effects department?</p>
<p>Penn is much more respected than Cornell by the public.</p>
<p>I forgot to mention, Cornell is ranked first in engineering physics.</p>
<p>The public doesn't say much. The public won't be the ones hiring engineers for a job.</p>
<p>ps wow the ipod! That's awesome!</p>
<p>Engineers are part of the public too, though they are hardly typical.</p>
<p>See, the thing about prestige is only relative. Wharton is a great school, Penn is a great school, and I must admit we are splitting hairs between schools when it comes the chosen field--science. I may be biased about Cornell, but in all humility, science is part of Cornell's founding principles and the university makes every effort to stress its importance. If there is a field that Cornell beats every other Ivy--it's science, except perhaps Harvard. The world is changing--people are looking to the best schools for a chosen field, and no one university can be everything.</p>
<p>Also, I believe that Cornell is part of SUNY, which detracts from prestige.</p>
<p>No it isn't. Cornell has a weird agreement with NY state. It has nothing to do with SUNY, but we DO get some extra money from the state as a special, one-university agreement. Cornell is completely private in all respects regarding the running of the university. If offered some money by the state that contained stipulations, and we didn't agree those stipulations, we wouldn't HAVE to agree.</p>
<p>This is a moot point. Mensa (which I think reflect your obsession with prestige), since you're so obsessed with prestige--and so sure of Cornell's lack thereof--why keep posting on these boards? You've got a sad, sad future ahead of you, one with disappointment and surprise. (Little known fact: pick the college that best suits you. Prestigious institutions don't MAKE you who you want to be, that only comes from inner-drive.)</p>
<p>Cornell is not part of SUNY in any way...they only recieve funding from the state! otherwise, Cornell has absolute control over these 4 colleges, the statutory colleges!</p>
<p>mensa, Penn is not more respected than Cornell by the public. Sweeping statements like that usually aren't accurate. Wharton is highly respected by the public. But omitting Wharton, Penn isn't better in Arts&Sciences or Engineering. (Cornell doesn't have a nursing school so you can't compare that.) I don't know where you get your information.</p>