<p>I plan on studying math and chemistry or econ for undergrad and will be visiting both this month to get more of a feel of each place, but I wanted some opinions from CC.</p>
<p>Cornell: From what I've heard, Cornell is beautiful with a vibrant, exciting campus. I have no doubt that a Cornell education would be great. I'm interested in Greek life, which Wellesley does not offer. I also think a bigger school might be more diverse and offer the opportunity to meet more people, along with the whole Ivy networking. I'm a little concerned about bigger class sizes at Cornell, and whether undergrad research opportunities might be dampened by the presence of graduate students. Also, are all classes taught by professors?</p>
<p>Wellesley: Wellesley too offers a great education, with cross-registering available with MIT and entirely focused on undergrads. It's liberal arts, so there might be a better opportunity to work with teachers and a smaller class size. I've heard great things about the Wellesley network. However, I'm not entirely sure about the prospect of no guys at Wellesley and I've heard that parties aren't so great.</p>
<p>Also, I play the piano, and I'm interested in music programs. How are they at Wellesley/Cornell?</p>
<p>Wellesley has a party affiliation with the MIT fraternities. There aren’t any guys on campus for class, but there will be guys on campus to meet girls (and guys trying to get the girls off-campus). It always struck me as a weird dynamic.</p>
<p>All classes at Cornell, with the exception of some writing seminars, are taught by professors. The economics department is large, and frankly, a bit over-enrolled at Cornell, but the chemistry and math departments at Cornell are absolutely wonderful with tight-knit student groups developing within the departments. Both maybe have 30 or so graduates a year.</p>
<p>My senior year I lived with a chemistry major and a math major. Both had been doing research for professors since their sophomore year and both went on to top PhD programs in their field. Their class sizes were small after freshman year (and even my third and fourth semester calculus classes didn’t have more than 25 students in them). You can get a sense for class sizes by looking through the numbers here:</p>
<p><a href=“http://registrar.sas.cornell.edu/Grades/MedianGradeSP09.pdf[/url]”>http://registrar.sas.cornell.edu/Grades/MedianGradeSP09.pdf</a></p>
<p>The honors chemistry sequence (which most majors take) has only around 30-40 students in it.</p>
<p>I don’t think that undergraduate research opportunities at Cornell are dampened by the presence of graduate students. (Dampened is a great word, by the way.) If you look at the ratios, Cornell has a lot more undergraduates than graduate students. This is very different from places like Harvard or Penn or Michigan, where there are more graduate students. This actually gives undergrads more opportunities to get involved with professorial research.</p>
<p>I think at the end of the day you need to decide if you want to attend a small LAC or a large comprehensive research university. Both have stellar academics. If you come to Cornell, you will probably have to put a little bit more work and initiative into your education, but you will also probably have a broader array of options to explore, in terms of types of people, things to do, etc. Plus, do you really want to have to ride a 45 minute bus to go out to a party every Saturday night?</p>
<p>Wellesley was the bridesmaid in D1s college decision. She did a second visit there, with overnight, that helped her decide. IIRC she found the campus spirit somewhat lacking, in particular people just drifted off of campus particularly on weekends. She did not like the prospect of Babson boys (no offense), or having to go to boys’ campuses, esp MIT, in hopes of having a social life. By a truck with a foul, insulting name no less.</p>
<p>She was also interested in math, and sat in on a math class at Wellesley that did not impress.</p>
<p>Cross-registration with MIT may be viable, but you’d better be up for the challenge. also it seemed like there were some class timing/ scheduling incompatibilities between the colleges that were making this less appealing. Note that Wellesley is not in Boston, it is in a boring suburb and there is time involved in getting there.</p>
<p>Although these are some less positive aspects, actually I think Wellesley is a great school. It’s also beautiful. If you’re an econ, pre-MBA type I think you’ll have lots of company there. And at cornell, but cornell is so diverse.</p>
<p>Cornell will have much bigger classes, but on the other hand many more classes. </p>
<p>I believe Cornell would likely be better socially.</p>
<p>Cayuga - thanks for that link! How would I get into the honors chemistry sequence? I might be leaning towards a university education - it just seems that opportunities and social life are greater.</p>
<p>monydad- scheduling is a good point. I’m taking postsecondary math classes, and the scheduling was absolutely horrible. I had to fight to get them to offer a class after my high school ended, coupled with the extra driving time.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the imput though! I’ve been reading quite a bit of your guys’ posts and I think it’s given me a better feel for Cornell</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>You just enroll in it. None of the pre-med kids take it because the course topics are harder and it won’t be on the MCATs, but the course isn’t really that bad.</p>
<p>[Courses</a> of Study 2009-2010](<a href="http://courses.cuinfo.cornell.edu/CoSdetail.php?college=AS&number=2150%26ndash%3B2160&prefix=CHEM&title=Honors+General+and+Inorganic+Chemistry+(PBS]Courses">http://courses.cuinfo.cornell.edu/CoSdetail.php?college=AS&number=2150%26ndash%3B2160&prefix=CHEM&title=Honors+General+and+Inorganic+Chemistry+(PBS))</p>
<p>I forgot to talk a bit about the music programs at Cornell. It’s very strong for non-majors interested in the performing arts as well as for majors interested in composition, however I don’t know much about the piano specifically. I had close friends who were in a capella groups, the Glee Club, and the concert orchestra, and all loved it:</p>
<p>[Cornell</a> University Department of Music Performing](<a href=“http://music.cornell.edu/performing/]Cornell”>http://music.cornell.edu/performing/)</p>
<p>One final thing to note. Next year Cornell will be opening up its new Physical Sciences building, which will be an awesome resource to chemistry students:</p>
<p>[To</a> return to A&EP site close this window.](<a href=“http://www.aep.cornell.edu/eng10_offsite.cfm?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.news.cornell.edu%2Fstories%2FSept07%2FPSB.fence.html]To”>http://www.aep.cornell.edu/eng10_offsite.cfm?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.news.cornell.edu%2Fstories%2FSept07%2FPSB.fence.html)</p>
<p>Wellesley!!! AMAZING experience from what I’ve heard.</p>
<p>great series of anti-Cornell banter, InvisibleMan:</p>
<p>
Ironic since this was posted a few hours after posting this about Northwestern:
</p>
<p>Oh nice! I’ll check out the Physical sciences building</p>
<p>Hahaha InvisibleMan… I’m guessing you’re waitlisted to Cornell?</p>
<p>Give the guy some sympathy at the very least. If he feels that way towards the school then don’t bash him for it, especially when he’s just having a bad day. I’m sure many of you felt a little bitter to the schools that have waitlisted/rejected you as well.</p>
<p>why is he/she the only reject going around and spewing rubbish about the colleges that didn’t accept him/her? Based on this childish behavior, it appears as though the adcoms got it right yet again.</p>
<p>"
:Quote:
having to go to boys’ campuses, esp MIT, in hopes of having a social life." </p>
<p>irony… "</p>
<p>Yes this is part of the problem, they are reduced to chasing these guys who, let’s face it, in any other social situation in their entire lives, either before or after, could not themselves get a date.</p>
<p>Did not seem like an appealing state of affairs.
Though, in truth, those are probably the kind of guys D1 would like. She probably should have gone there. (BTW she did not go to Cornell either)</p>
<p>"I’m sure many of you felt a little bitter to the schools that have waitlisted/rejected you as well. "</p>
<p>I think the theory is, he’s not bitter at all, just trying to get some action so they’re more likely to get to his number on the wait list.</p>