<p>Hi! I'm an international student trying to figure out which one of these two are better for an undergraduate education, and which one's more prestigious in the job market as well as to top grad school admission committees. Any comments would be much appreciated! Thanks!~</p>
<p>They are both AMAZING schools. One is a smallish "Liberal Arts College", while the other is a pretty large university. Cornell is very well recognized at grad schools and has many alum in the work force. Williams is easily one of the top "LAC"'s and is a great school. What are you going to major in?</p>
<p>(Williams is pretty much a LAC I think...)</p>
<p>But ya here's some info about Cornell: You can take classes in any of the colleges within it. It is extremely well known both in the US and internationally (-It's an Ivy). It has TOP programs such an Engineering, Hotel, Architecture, Idustrial Labor Relations, etc... In summary it is a very good school!</p>
<p>Since we are in America, we should say "Cornell is an EXCELLENT school", instead of just "very good". Excellent equals A or A+, Very Good is just B or B+.</p>
<p>Stop being picky lol...we will combine to make it a very excellent school! :P</p>
<p>That would be A+++ lol...</p>
<p>Certain schools within Cornell are seriously that grade so...lol YA</p>
<p>Curious why have u posted 100 ____ vs. Williams threads lol</p>
<p>Cornell's by faarrr the best choice. Williams is great place, don't get me wrong. But, its hard to beat an Ivy, which has produced 32 Nobel Laureates, won more RoboCups and SAEs than any other place, has a diverse campus, great academics, friendly students, awesome research oppertunities, great Frat scene, Large International presence, very good counsellors, has sooo many courses on offer, a great degree of flexibility, professors who would appear in the news each day, and btw which Bill Gates is investing millions in... Also, u'll be taught by John Cleese and Bill Nye if you goto Cornell and have a chance to work in the same labs that Feynman, Hans Bethe, Carl Sagan and many other worked in.
Did I mention bowling alleys, Collegetown (greatest density of restaurants in the world), beer...</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Both schools are top-notch academically, and admission is very competitive. Cornell's acceptance rate this year was 25%, and I imagine it was something similar for Williams as well (I do remember it was 21% last year). Both have great grad school placement rates.</p></li>
<li><p>Both have rural surroundings.</p></li>
<li><p>Williams is need-blind to internationals as well. If you can't cough up forty grand a year, then it might be better to go with Williams.</p></li>
<li><p>The two schools differ dramatically in size. Cornell is far bigger, something like 4 or 5 times as much, counting only the undergraduate population. You go figure out the advantages of big and small schools.</p></li>
<li><p>In terms of international brand recognition, Williams loses to Cornell big time. American LACs are almost unknown outside of US, whereas that Ivy League tag of Cornell's commands respect internationally. Also there are far more Cornell alumni than there are Williams alumni around the world.</p></li>
<li><p>Cornell has several specialty schools, such as ILR, HE and Hotel, which LAC's don't have. While LAC's stick strictly to 'liberal arts' or more academically-oriented subjects, Cornell has a more varied offering.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Curious, other than prestige, it might help to let people know your major, your career goals and the type of undergraduate experience you desire. And what is your status re: Cornell? Have you been accepted? Your posts indicate that you are waitlisted at Williams. Did you get into Williams off of the waitlist? When do you have to decide?</p>
<p>Williams is the number 1 liberal arts college. Cornell is among the best universities. The question is, are you looking for a liberal arts school, which is more of a place where you will study all sorts of things, be in more of an educational and learning atmosphere, or are you looking for a university in which you will be trained more to your major and more, instead of being taught to be a scholar, being taught to do your job or career. One is more work oriented, the other more ideological.
At this level, both schools are excellent, and for undergraduate, you really can't go wrong. But you should definitely consider the size factor in this too: cornell = really really big, williams = med.-small. Both have their ups and downs.</p>
<p>Cornell is ~ 6x larger than Williams and is more well known internationally. In the U.S., more people will know of Cornell, but for the most part, those who have heard of both would probably view Williams as more prestigious. Williams has lower acceptance rate, higher SAT, and does better on the WSJ survey and Brody prestige rankings. If you're planning to return abroad after college, you would probably be better off with Cornell. If considering staying in the U.S., both are will take you wherever you want to go and I would choose based on fit and academic focus. Cornell is strong in science and engineering (which Williams doesn't even have) and many specific specialties (Hotel school, ILR, Animal med).</p>
<p>it's really hard to compare the two, they are very different</p>
<p>I visited both and liked em both A LOT...</p>
<p>Williams is one of the best liberal arts colleges in the U.S.--I'm not going to say "the best" because there are other superb liberal arts schools like Amherst and Swarthmore. Cornell is one of the best universities. So, it depends on the type of atmosphere you are seeking. Williams has a smaller student body compared to Cornell. Cornell has a huge array of courses to choose, more than Williams. Both are excellent in my opinion.</p>
<p>Whenever I see a "Cornell vs --" thread...why do I always picture Ezra in boxing gloves?...(random post, but it needed to be said)</p>