<p>Hello, everyone! I am really confused now about choosing between Rice and Cornell.... I plan to major in humanities and social sciences, especially wanting to do international relations/studies, also I am interested in mathematics... Yeah, it's true that I know these two schools probably are not the very top-notch ones in this field(IR), but they're the only choices that the college decisions have left me with. I did notice that Cornell can offer me more research opportunites,though. I am wondering if anyone can be kind enough to tell me which school can provide me with a brighter future outlook if I graduate with a B.A. in this area, in terms of post-graduate employment and/or continuing my schooling in graduate schools. As an international student,and being very realistic, will the Cornell diploma mean that much different from a Rice one? Any comments and ideas will be really appreciated!! Thank you~~! =)</p>
<p>I noticed you are from China. Are you interested specifically in Asian foreign relations? If so, Cornell’s probably one of the best places in the U.S. to study foreign relations with an Asian-focus in the world. </p>
<p>[Undergraduate</a> Programs - Department of Asian Studies](<a href=“http://www.lrc.cornell.edu/asian/undergrad/]Undergraduate”>http://www.lrc.cornell.edu/asian/undergrad/)</p>
<p>Cornell also offers a very unique China and Asian Pacific Studies Program:</p>
<p>[CAPS</a> - China and Asia-Pacific Studies<em>-</em> About CAPS](<a href=“http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/caps/about/]CAPS”>http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/caps/about/)</p>
<p>Our Northern Europe and Latin America is pretty good as well… where we probably lack relative to some other schools is in Middle Eastern and African studies. A lot of Cornell’s international affairs programs are actually run through other department on an applied basis. So, for instance, we have an outstanding international labor program through the ILR School, and an outstanding international development program through CALS.</p>
<p>You can get a sense for everything that is happening at Cornell with an international focus through the following document:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/pdf/Programs2009.pdf[/url]”>http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/pdf/Programs2009.pdf</a></p>
<p>Cornell’s alumni network, being around ten times that of Rice, will also be of an advantage to you. There are 100s of Cornell alumni clubs across the globe, including many throughout Eastern Asia.</p>
<p>Rice will definitely offer a more intimate educational atmosphere than Cornell. You need to balance that against the additional opportunities that a big research university like Cornell will offer you.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Thank you very much,CayugaRed2005！！ That really helps. I am interested in either Asian or Latin American foreign policy …haven’t really decided yet,but what you said about Cornell assured me of its advantage! And thanks for the heads-up for balancing between other factors.~~ </p>
<p>Anyone else? Thank you!!!</p>
<p>As I mentioned, Latin America studies is very strong as well:</p>
<p>[Latin</a> American Studies Program - ](<a href=“http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/latinamerica/]Latin”>http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/latinamerica/)</p>
<p>I’ll note that once you get immersed into these communities at Cornell, it begins to be very intimate. It’s just that the guy sitting next to you in the dining hall might be an engineer or a business major and you might have less to talk about with him, academically speaking, than you would at Rice, where the undergraduate education is more cohesive.</p>
<p>CayugaRed2005,thanks a lot!~Ha,now I’ve pretty much made up my mind to go for Cornell! Peace~</p>