So right now I’m waitlisted at UChicago, and accepted at Cornell (College of Arts and Sciences). I know the waitlist thing sounds tough, but waitlisted folks from my school usually get into UChicago if they send them a first choice letter. I sent them a continued interest letter after I got waitlisted, but didn’t commit to going yet. I’m trying to figure out if I should do that this week.
I feel like the UChicago culture suits me more (super nerdy, quirky, “pointy” instead of well-rounded, to borrow my teacher’s expression for it) but their big downside is that they don’t really have an engineering program besides the new “Molecular Engineering” major. I’m not sure if I really want to become and engineer, but I at least want the option of being able to do engineering with me in college, and I’m not sure if how the Molecular Engineering major really is. I heard a lot of ppl on other forums say that it won’t be taken as seriously as a traditional engineering course, and I think I might want to study mechanical or civil or aerospace engineering anyways. Aside from that I think UChicago would be perfect for me (love the ScavHunts, Chicago, the Core).
I think if I went to UChicago I’d study Biological Chemistry (something else I’m really interested in) and maybe double major in Computer Science so I can study computational biology at some point later on. Either that or (double?) major in Physics or Applied Math so I can see if I can still try to engineering afterwards in graduate school.
At Cornell I’d like to study Chemistry and Biological Chemistry or Computer Science in the CAS, and maybe do a dual degree in the College of Engineering. I really like how they have a special program that lets students do an extra year and then graduate with a Master’s in Engineering. Other than that, I’m not completely sure how much I like Cornell. I’m not a huge fan of the Greek system or the Cornell culture and I don’t want to live in someplace as rural as Ithaca.
Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!