<p>So I'm mainly deciding between Duke and Cornell, but also considering Northwestern, University of Virginia, and Vanderbilt as well. I applied for Statistical Science (in Arts & Sciences) at Duke and Operations Research and Industrial Engineering at Cornell. Basically, I'm interested in applied math, and these were the two majors that I thought best fit that interest. I'm planning to go to grad school after college as well and then probably business. Which program seems right for me? Is there a difference in prestige between the two schools? And I want to have fun in college! Thoughts?</p>
<p>bump…</p>
<p>Statistics is one of the newer and less popular departments at Duke, but it’s fairly strong. Either would get you into a good graduate program.</p>
<p>Have you visited either? How do the financial aid packages compare?</p>
<p>i’ve visited both, but will also attend their visiting days this month. i didn’t apply for financial aid, so that won’t be a problem.</p>
<p>Cornell’s applied math programs will generally be stronger than Duke. Cornell’s ORIE major is custom made for applying math to business, but there are also the biometry/statistics programs, the applied math program in the engineering school, as well as just Math in Arts & Sciences.</p>
<p>Here’s the applied math minor:</p>
<p>[Cornell</a> Engineering : Applied Mathematics](<a href=“http://www.engineering.cornell.edu/student-services/academic-advising/engineering-handbook/2007/minor-am.cfm]Cornell”>http://www.engineering.cornell.edu/student-services/academic-advising/engineering-handbook/2007/minor-am.cfm)</p>
<p>In terms of breath/depth, Cornell would probably be a better fit, but it’s possible you would prefer the student culture at Duke to Cornell. That’s why the student visits will be important.</p>
<p>ah why are all the other decision threads getting more responses? someone pleeease help me :)</p>
<p>I imagine there is greater opportunities in this field at Cornell (actually a very highly raked field there). but that’s jsut one aspect of college life. Maybe after you visit you will see yourself thriving and loving one plave more than the other.</p>
<p>sometimes these things are overanalyzed, human nature.</p>
<p>I don’t think there’s any meaningful difference in prestige between Duke and Cornell. Does the sports scene at Duke hold any attraction for you? How about being closer to big urban areas?</p>
<p>^Valid questions, as are more specific ones regarding majors. I believe Cornell has the edge in that regards, though you may want to poke around the departments at each school (if visiting is fiscally possible) and ask students.</p>
<p>BTW Cornell has a very good sports scene, for those who are into it. Traditionally this has centered on college hockey, though it would seem basketball has become somewhat popular recently as well. They are not winning national championships these days, nevertheless there is still an excuse provided for people to watch games and act like fans, enthusiastically. If they want to. They were in the NCAA tournament in both sports for the last two years or more. To get there they first had to do very well in their division, which no doubt offered plenty of excitement for those who care, along the way. The hockey games are always sold out, or at least that was the case when I attended.</p>
<p>thank you all for your input! i realize that cornell is more renowned in engineering, but right now i’m feeling like i might want a broader undergraduate liberal arts education and then get more specific for grad school. i’m still wondering, though, if i would be more at an advantage coming from cornell looking for business jobs. but i have heard that duke is a top wall street feeder school as well?</p>
<p>one major plus for duke for me is that i’m a very social/happy person, and i love the whole sunny, basketball atmosphere. i know that greek is bigger at cornell though. which school would be more fun?</p>
<p>314159: before or after tonight, lol!
I would say Duke, no real explanation, just better location, happier students, etc
Go Blue Devils!</p>
<p>haha any more thoughts?</p>
<p>Both schools are almost equally prestigious. Basketball at Duke can be fun, but keep in mind that it only lasts a couple of months out of the year. Cornell is located in a gorgeous city (Ithaca), while Duke is located in a crappy (but bigger) city-Durham. Duke does have much better weather, though.</p>
<p>Make a list of the pros/cons of each.</p>
<p>Cornell has no advantage over Duke in terms of “looking for Business jobs”, as you ask. You actually might get more personal attention in the Duke placement office than at Cornell’s.</p>
<p>Cornell engineering has its own career services office, in addition to the university wide office. The engineering college brings in a lot of recruiters…for the career fair in the fall there is a science/engineering day and a general day and the Engineering day is visibly larger than the general day. A Cornell engineering degree is highly sought after, regardless of whether you actually go into engineering or want to go the business route. </p>
<p>The nice thing about the College system at Cornell is it really makes the university smaller. There are only about 2100 students in the entire college of engineering, so only 700 per class, so you do get a smaller college experience.</p>
<p>daughter went to cornell…would not repeat that mistake. very weak school spirit. ya have to love ice and snow to put up with the weather. school accepts a high depression rate among it’s students and makes no apologies for the high level of anxiety among the students</p>
<p>Sorry your d didn;t dig it, on the other hand my D2 is at Cornell now… having the time of her life, I’m so happy for her.</p>
<p>We all know there has been a tragic suicide cluster there this year, and we all know this was preceded by years with none whatsoever and the long term rate there is at or below average. The linked references to this have been posted numerous times on CC.</p>
<p>But I’ve never seen any links regarding comparative depression rates of admitted students at various colleges,that show that Cornell’s level of same is high, as you allege… Please post the links that form the basis underlying this assertion. I assume you have some, surely you wouldn’t be pulling completely unsubstantiated and baseless assertions out of your ***.</p>
<p>I think the school spirit there is just fine, I don’t know what you’re talking about there either…</p>