<p>In hindsight, the environment at Princeton would have been a very drastic shock to my psyche and my sense of self. I know I would have felt very out of place as an undergraduate there. At Cornell, there were many more students who I could readily identify with -- students with similar family backgrounds and life experiences to mine. This manifests itself in a variety of ways at Cornell -- the sports scene, the social scene and the number of students who live off campus, and the amount of pressure that Cornell students place upon themselves. As a result, I feel I am more grounded in the 'real' me -- and that my values and outlook in life came out in tack after four years of college. </p>
<p>At another school the social cohesion and peer pressure might have been a bit too strong. Oddly enough, what attracted me so much to Princeton as a high school junior was what made me so very unsuited for the Princeton experience.</p>
<p>Princeton has done an admirable job of trying to improve its socioeconomic diversity, but that doesn't change its country club mentality overnight. But at the end of the day, there are still more students on Pell Grants at Cornell than at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton combined.</p>
<p>Yeah, what you just said makes a lot of sense. The whole eating club thing at Princeton seems very bizarre to me, and extremely clique-y and superiority-complex-filled.
What I love about Cornell is that is has a ton of different kinds of people and a ton of different areas of study.</p>
<p>What attracted you to Princeton as an HS junior?</p>
<p>Yes, I agree, but I think the general Cornell populace is much more down-to-earth and they're probably even more hard-working and not afraid to admit it.</p>
<p>Ironically, what attracted me to Princeton in the first place was the eating clubs and the general country club feel. It was at a point in my life where I wanted to reinvent myself into something I am not.</p>
<p>Haha, really? The eating clubs/country club feel is what deters me from Princeton. I can eat in a cafeteria, thanks.</p>
<p>Anyone who applies is eligible-my daughter was accepted ED last year into Human Ecology and was notified by email April 3rd that she had been selected.Each college submits candidates to the selection committee who makes the final decision so that is representative of the entire Cornell community.It isn't anything you apply for-we didn't even know it existed until we got the email saying she had been selected.Generally there are around 50 or so who are chosen-they had a reception for this years scholars when we dropped her off in August.If my memory is correct there were 57 totalfor the class of 2012 representing each of the 7 colleges and from all around the country (they really try to adhere to the national part of the program).Each student is assigned a smaller group with a mentor (usually a top level official at Cornell)and they are given leadership training opportunites,peer building seminars and I believe assistance getting internships and the like</p>
<p>Meinig is a great program, and I can't wait to do our spring community service project :)</p>
<p>And I love my mentor!</p>
<p>Well this thread doesn't apply to me anymore: I was deferred ED.
Jinxed myself, I guess.</p>