<p>Dude, Cornell is a f***in ivy.</p>
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<p>I know this thread is now dated, but I just read that and could not let it go unchallenged. I was at Tulane for 4 undergrad years, and these statements are absurd. Well, not the corrupt govt. one, although that is much less than it used to be as well, with all the Federal scrutiny. But first of all, the murder claim. Virtually all those killings are criminal on criminal, and occur far from the campus, which is in a very upscale part of New Orleans. In fact, I can say with certainty that fewer Tulane students have been murdered on or near campus in the last decade (zero), than Cornell students that have committed suicide. So should people not go to Cornell because there is an unusual rate of suicide? Of course not (Yes I know suicides are down at Cornell and it probably isn’t even a higher rate than many places, but it is higher than Tulane, for example). There was one Tulane student murdered in 2002, but he was living in a private home well off campus and it was a tragic act of random violence. Using Dewdrop’s logic, no one should attend Penn, Columbia, Yale, Johns Hopkins…you get the drift.</p>
<p>He also is wrong about the student that was raped, she was not abducted from campus, although it was unfortunately close to the campus. With that one exception, the handful of rapes of Tulane students that have occured (and they occur at Cornell too) were all at times like 2 or 3 or 5 in the morning to women that were alone and off campus. I am not blaming the victim, but I am saying they were needlessly vulnerable.</p>
<p>Finally, the statement about muggings on campus is beyond absurd. Tulane, more than most schools, publishes EVERY SINGLE REPORT of a crime on campus and within the vicinity of the campus, and even patrols an extra 0.5 miles off campus in coordination with the NOLA police. Looking at these reports going back 2 years, there are no reports I could see of muggings on campus, and maybe 3 or 4 off campus. Most of the campus crime is exactly what you would expect: bicycle thefts, drugs, minor burglary charges like stolen/lost credit cards, etc.</p>
<p>Dewdrop is obviously unhappy, but that is no reason to slander the school with misrepresentations and lies.</p>
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<p>While I am at it I might as well respond to this also, although it is hard to since I am nearly overwhelmed by the eloquence.</p>
<p>First, yes Cornell is an Ivy. That is the entire argument for why someone should pick one school over another? Cornell is an amazing school, and so are Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc. None of that means any one of those schools is the right fit for any particular student. I doubt I need to elaborate further, the vast majority of people at Cornell or considering it are smart enough to get that. There are always a few exceptions.</p>
<p>Specifically comparing Cornell and Tulane, at least using standardized test scores there is not much of a gap at all, and this year’s class at Tulane is looking like it will improve by about 20 SAT points across the board.</p>
<p>Cornell:</p>
<p>SAT:
Reading Middle 50%: 630 - 730 Math Middle 50%: 670 - 770</p>
<p>ACT: Middle 50%: 29 - 33</p>
<p>Tulane:</p>
<p>SAT:
Reading Middle 50%: 630 - 720 Math Middle 50%: 620 - 700</p>
<p>ACT: Middle 50%: 29 - 32</p>
<p>So OK, Cornell wins on Math, not a big surprise since Tulane is more known for humanities, and they eliminated some engineering majors after Katrina. But undergrad BME is pretty highly ranked at Tulane, for whatever that is worth. I don’t put much stock in rankings, but I do know Tulane BME is considered very good and they were pretty early to get into the area. Cannot comment about Cornell in that regard.</p>
<p>I know there is a lot more to it that SAT/ACT scores, and I would not say that Tulane has quite the level of undergrads Cornell has, most likely. There is NO question the Cornell name carries more weight in general. I am just saying that I don’t think there is probably as much of a gap between the two student bodies academically as people might think based on name recognition.</p>
<p>My friend’s locked car was broken into…parked on campus in the middle of the day. </p>
<p>My feelings regarding tulane aren’t the highest, but I admit I was harsh. For that I apologize. I think that post was written the day that a man was murdered about 5 minutes after I walked past him. My comment was directed more at the statement that nola is an exciting magical place. I don’t consider myself too bitter, especially as many people I’ve met (including those who’ve been here their entire life) share my sentiments.</p>
<p>Contrary to what you may believe, I like living here. It’s just not what I expected.</p>
<p>I’m still not impressed with the quailty of education, but I’ve been told that the prof I have isn’t a good one to beging with.</p>
<p>dewdrop - fair enough, although breaking into a car is not a mugging. New Orleans definitely has its seamy side, as does New York and many other cities. New York can be magical, and it can be horrible. And as you say, you are downtown at the medical center, not uptown where clearly the atmosphere is quite different.</p>
<p>And I appreciate what you are saying about the prof. Unfortunately every school has its share of less than great ones. I wish I could say every prof I had was the best, but some weren’t. On the other hand some were life changing, as I am sure is true at most schools, especially the better ones like Cornell and Tulane. Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>Haha…I am aware that breaking into a car is not a mugging 
</p>
<p>I do live uptown and I’ve had some seedy encounters, but definitely not as bad as downtown.</p>
<p>I think I’m going to be in new orleans for a while and I’m sure things will better as I settle in.</p>
<p>Tulane or Cornell for Engineering? No doubt Cornell has a far better program. As to whether Cornell has a BME major: Undergrad you can get a BEE degree (Bio Envior Engineering) & can also minor in BME if you take a few elecrives. My son is in the program and works hard, but I imagine engineering isn’t easy anywhere. In terms of cutthroat, that isn’t his experience at all.</p>
<p>In terms of picking college by the weather, while I know Ithaca’s weather is not ideal, I’d rather be cold at a top school that felt right to me, than warm at a school I didn’t love except for the weather. You have the rest of your live to choose to live in a warm climate.<br>
Good luck with your decision!</p>
<p>i too chose cornell over tulane but mostly b/c of the financial aid package oh and because ithaca was a safer city(tulane had just reopened after katrina)…and though ithaca does have worse weather…i always wanted to experience 4 seasons (although the winter season is the longest here)</p>
<p>i think coming cornell has been a growing experience for me…there are still changes happening as we speak…</p>
<p>I chose Cornell over Tulane.</p>
<p>Actually, Tulane wasn’t even in my list of “top schools.” I never thought that choosing Cornell over Tulane would be hard.</p>
<p>The quality of education at Tulane isn’t the same as in Cornell. It’s good, but I’m sure you’ll have more opportunities at Cornell.</p>
<p>Unless you want to take part in “rebuilding New Orleans,” or some weird **** like that.</p>
<p>As a Tulane alum who has taken classes in biology (Genetics, ect),chemistry, and physics, I can attest to the fact that the lower level classes aren’t taught by great professors and your classmates aren’t “top caliber.” Some are, but a lot aren’t. Once you get into higher level coursework and specialize more you will find that the students get more academically motivated and become more intellectually stimulating and engaging. The great professors tend to teach upper level classes. That was my experience at least. I ultimately switched majors away from sciences and into finance and it was the same way with that major as well. Cornell will probably have more engaged students at the entry level classes but once you get into your major coursework, my guess is there isn’t much difference at all. Statistically their isn’t that much difference either and frankly, I doubt too many ‘slackers/party animals’ will be majoring in Biomedical engineering.</p>
<p>In terms of crime in New Orleans, I don’t sell drugs. That fact alone cuts down my chances of being shot 99.99999%. Violent crime is typically confined to gangs fighting gangs. New Orleans is not any worse than any other city in terms of car theft either. I haven’t even been murdered once and I’ve lived here for 17 years.</p>
<p>Weatherwise, Tulane never gets that bitter cold. Tulane will get very hot closer towards the summer months though. If you hate hot weather it’s something to consider.</p>
<p>Funny you mention genetics…it’s the class I’m in now 
It’s certainly a change from what I experienced at Cornell.</p>
<p>Seriously, if a tough workload and the thought of turning down an ivy league school which is ranked in the top 5 for engineering so you can have more “fun” in a crime-riddled neighborhood is going through your head, then just save your future classmates the headache of dealing with that mentality and go to Tulane.</p>
<p>For the record, while there are some poorer areas near Tulane, the average home price in that area is $650-800k and upwards. It is not crime riddled.</p>
<p>By the way, New Orleans has some of the cheapest home prices of any city in the country yet the homes near Tulane run that much. It’s a very nice part of town. The houses that are in Uptown New Orleans, especially the Garden District which is where Tulane is located, are gorgeous. St. Charles Avenue, which is the New Orleans’ equivalent to Park Avenue in New York City, runs right in front of Tulane and Gibson Hall. I would still choose Cornell, I just think you can be more challenged there. I also think this crime ridden city thing is a little overblown in the media and it’s seeped onto Collegeconfidential. It’s no Mayberry, but neither is any major city in the US.</p>
<p>The Garden District lies within the boundaries of St. Charles Ave, 1st Street, Magazine and Toledano (I’ve also heard the boundaries are Carondelet, Magazine, Louisiana and Josephine…data comes from the City Planning Commission). Tulane isn’t in the GD.</p>
<p>Tulane is in a gorgeous area though (Cornell is still prettier!), I like to sit in Audubon Park while I wait for the streetcar to take me back to work. </p>
<p>I live on St. Charles…had the best view for Mardi Gras…and access to a restroom (a highly valued commodity ) </p>
<p>As for affordability of housing, that depends where you’re looking. My parents are looking to buy a home and it’s been frustrating. Obviously, homes in areas that had minimal flooding cost significantly more than homes that lie in flooded areas. I’m looking for my own apartment right now and I can’t find anything less than $1,000/month. Of course, I don’t have a car so my options are limited.</p>
<p>The cost of car insurance is insane (hence, I have no car), but the low income tax is pretty fantastic. Although, those two issues don’t really affect students :D</p>
<p>I’d heard differently for years but you’re right, the GD has a smaller official border than I realized. I hate to advocate these but have you considered a Vespa? They have a dealership on Julia Street (i think) and my guess is the insurance is very cheap. You could live somewhere farther off the streetcar route that might be cheaper. My gf just moved onto Annunciation and found a great deal on a gorgeous apartment near a park. </p>
<p>Sorry for turning this into a New Orleans discussion.</p>
<p>I briefly considered one…but I’m going to need a car in the next two years so I’m gonna save my money for one and in the meantime, reap the healthy benefits of walking :)</p>
<p>You say your GF is on Annunciation…is she by any chance at the Saulet?</p>
<p>I think a little New Orleans discussion is alright…I was a little harsh about New Orleans/Tulane so I figure it’s ok to promote some of New Orleans’ bright spots :)</p>
<p>New Orleans is definitely different. I grew up just outside of St. Louis. N.O. has its good and its bad. My gf is not at the Saulet. I looked at the Saulet for myself but I thought it was way overpriced for the size units. I would look on Carrolton Ave or just a few blocks away for an apt. near a Street car line. St. Charles Ave. has turned most apartment complexes into high end condos now. There used to be a lot more places to rent pre-Katrina. Good luck.</p>
<p>Cornell > Tulane.</p>
<p>hi</p>
<p>I got an admit for M.Eng BME fall 2009</p>
<p>I have a B.E degree in Electronics & Instrumentation. I have studied medical instrumentation</p>
<p>What do you say…should i accept the offer?</p>
<p>What is the starting salary for M.Eng BME graduates?</p>