<p>I figure the English programs at Ivy League schools are pretty strong in general (but correct me if I'm wrong!) Does anyone know what it's like at Cornell? How are the professors, what's the average workload like, and how is the atmosphere in the English department in general?</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>English is actually one of Cornell’s strongest ranked programs, though it doesn’t get a lot of hype about it. USNWR ranks it 7th nationally, alongside Princeton and University of Chicago. NRC, a more respected and thorough analysis of graduate programs, also puts Cornell 7th.</p>
<p>Thank you! Do you have any personal experience you could speak of about the program?</p>
<p>^^
What’s the difference between 1st and 20th for English at the undergrad level, though?</p>
<p>It also has UC Berkeley at #1, which in my opinion is kind of dubious.</p>
<p>Saugus - I suspect this is just a reflection of your bias for hard sciences over the humanities, but there’s an extraordinary difference, even at the undergrad level, just like any other field.</p>
<p>I was a science major myself, but took English classes and you learn from respected novelists, poets, and critics; you have classes alongside future writers. Classes are small and intimate - you get to know your professors and classmates quite well and the professors, in my experience, take a personal interest. </p>
<p>I’d also recommend this list of writers associated with Cornell: [Cornell</a> Writers | Ithaca, NY](<a href=“http://www.writers.cornell.edu/]Cornell”>http://www.writers.cornell.edu/)</p>
<p>Kurt Vonnegut, Thomas Pynchon, Toni Morrison, and E.B. White are probably the most famous, but the University actually has a strong international reputation for churning out quality writers.</p>
<p>Didn’t Kurt Vonnegut write Cat’s Cradle while in grad school at the University of Chicago? I remember them talking about it when we toured there. They even showed us where his room was! (As an anthropologist, I was also interested to know that he was in the grad program in anthropology–and submitted Cat’s Cradle as his thesis!)</p>
<p>The Cornell alumni magazine always has a list of Cornell authors, both fiction and nonfiction. Some, of course, are now professors at other institutions. It seems like there are also some recent best sellers by Cornellians.</p>
<p>^^
I’m a Gov/Econ major. I’m not taking any hard sciences.</p>
<p>Wait, so then is there a difference for Econ and Political Science then? Crud.</p>
<p>^
My bad - I misread your initial post. I thought you said 200th ranked school, not 20th. I don’t know what differences there are or aren’t. Stop being so insecure, though. Make the most of wherever you are and you’ll get where you need to go.</p>
<p>I’m not being insecure, I just thought it was a little weird to make the argument that “there is no difference between top schools” and then turn around and cite Cornell’s English ranking.</p>
<p>Are you in banking, by the way? What type of GPA and ECs do I need to get in? (I would PM, but your box is full.)</p>
<p>One of the best programs in the country</p>
<p>Has an excellent reputation</p>