<p>Architecture and Hotel specifically look for many other things other than SAT. For Architecture, the portfolio you submit I believe has a much greater impact on your decision than your SAT score; just get a somewhat decent score and you'll be evaluated on the work you've done. Same thing applies with Hotel, except for they're looking for work experience in the hospitality industry. I don't know enough about ILR/Human Ecology/CALS to say much about admission to those, however, though I imagine only specialized groups of people would even apply to those.</p>
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I'd like to go back to the quality/focus of the departments a bit... since the examples you cited were applied phys, ILR, and Hospitality, can we generalize this by saying that Cornell might be a place in which you'd see a higher percentage of people interested in applied sciences rather than an overwhelming focus on theoretical work? (I know I phrased this in an awkward way, but I think you get what I'm saying)
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Not necessarily; I'm pretty sure that Cornell is going to be less theoretical than Chicago in the sciences (at least from what I've heard about Chicago; correct me if I'm wrong) as it seems like a lot of people go into the workforce right after graduation instead of staying in academia here. I think you'll both types here, however; the more I think about it, Cornell is a great place to be if you have no idea what you want to do coming in since even it's worst departments can still be considered great. We may not have the most of the best departments, but we have great departments in virutally everything. </p>
<p>One thing figgy said that I forgot to mention: an advantage of Cornell's size is the breadth of courses you can take. I believe we have the largest course selections in the country; at the very least it's going to be one of the largest. There may not be as much depth in some of those fields, but in many you will find strength that is comparable to or better than all of the top universities.
Cornell definitely isn't for everyone; it offers a unique environment and I can see how some people would not thrive in it.</p>
<p>Also, I know that Wharf Rat, Sparticus, Gomestar, and others have spouted out all or almost all of what I've said at some point. You just need to search hard in the archives for it...</p>
<p>I almost wish some of this stuff would be stickeyed so we wouldn't have to repeat it all the time...</p>
<p>amen, rapport. Seriously, people leave Cornell out of your, "WHICH SCHOOL HAS MORE PRESTIGE DISCUSSIONS", it's starting to really get boring, and if you really want to discuss it then either search this forum or talk to yourself and figure it out, because i do not want to hear it anymore!!!</p>
<p>first of all, the OP posted an extremely vague question. I'm sure there are thousands and thoudsands of words and sentences that have been posted before that answer this. It is hard to give an answer with such a vague question. I'm sure many on these boards, including myself, thought "well, of course it's a good school, you should already know that when you applied, what specifics do you want to know?" Cornell is a big place and cannot be summed up simply on a forum. We do our best to give people the info they are looking for: we just need some guidance to start out with. </p>
<p>"We did establish that the ILR and Hospitality schools/depts were the ones which were the best in the country... unquestionably so... but how can you use that as a bonus, yet still claim that, when it comes to analyzing student profile data, you should segregate these people from the rest of the university?"</p>
<p>Here's why. Fields such as hotel management, ILR, architecture, and so forth are highly specialized. I'm sure you'd agree with me on this. When admissions picks a student body, they must look beyond just the numbers profile of a student. Obviously a 4.0/2400 would look great to an admissions officer in ILR, but if they essays, EC's, courses, and recs do not show a particular interest in what ilr teaches students, they will not be admitted. On the contrary, admissions to these schools often places much more emphasis on other aspects in place of just numbers: for architecture it's the portfolio, for hotel it would be hospitality experience, and so forth. By picking a student body that is interested in what the schools have to offer, Cornell is in turn picking a stronger student body. I have worked with admissions in ilr for a while, and it's interesting to see how they select candidates. I have seen applicants with incredibly high scores get the boot while students with SAT scores around 1900 are admitted after the committee reads about a big internship they did with a high profile judge or attorney. By taking a more holistic approach to admissions, these specialized schools create a serious and driven student body that are very interested in what they are studying (rather than just some 1500+ SAT people who just want to get in and out of college). I think that admissions in a place like ilr does a great job: the yield for ilr is around 70% meaning they have picked the students who really do want to attend the ilr school. I dont have specific numbers for hotel, but I know the number is also insanely high for the architecture program as well. I hope this explains it a bit more...</p>
<p>The OP asked his question broadly. From his other posts, it seems that he is choosing between Cornell and Berkley, and he wants to go on to law school. So all of this stuff about UChicago, MIT, other ivies, is all irrelevant to the OP.</p>
<p>wow... if that is the case, I think we argued a lot for practically no reason... I think it that's his case, it comes down to essentially where he lives. Californian? Berkeley. Everywhere else? Cornell... unless he's an extreme leftist... the berkeley campus might appeal to him if that condition is true.</p>
<p>i think attack might be a bit harsh... at first i brought it under insincere scrutiny... followed by a very sincere attempt at trying to understand what is unique about it... and after all of this discussion I will most def. admit that I can better understand Cornell, and to an extent, understand why more people would want to go there than what I originally expected. I do thank everyone who posted constructively, and I'm sorry for offending anyone... especially since I'm sure that it was the root of most of the useless posts...</p>
<p>I see what felipecocco is trying to say. A lot of kids choose other top 15 schools over Cornell, eh? Well, I got into Upenn, Duke, Brown, Northwestern, Chicago, and some more but decided to go to Cornell from the very moment I learned that I got into Cornell. The main reason I chose Cornell over the other schools is that Cornell has everything I was looking for at a college: numerous course offerings, diverse student body, world wide prestige, rigorous academic scene, brilliant student body, great professors, beautiful campus, limitless research opportunities, huge alumni network, after college career, and all of those Cornellians who love their school. I never regret my decision and never will.</p>
<p>felipecocco,Thats not true. I choose Cornell over Cambridge U and Imperial and Chicago; and I know many who've choosen Cornell over many really good universities.</p>
<p>"The main reason I chose Cornell over the other schools is that Cornell has everything I was looking for at a college: numerous course offerings, diverse student body, world wide prestige, rigorous academic scene, brilliant student body, great professors, beautiful campus, limitless research opportunities, huge alumni network, after college career, and all of those Cornellians who love their school. I never regret my decision and never will."</p>
<p>I COMPLETELY agree with this. I applied to pretty much ALL small schools and then Cornell. I loved the sound of ILR so I wanted to apply. When I visited the campus to see if I would actually like it I was suprised to find it to actually be one of my favorites. I tell everyone that it is a large university with a small college feel. As you walk around you feel like you are in a small/medium college. Nature is everywhere and there is a small college town a short distance away. I love Cornell...</p>
<p>[It's funny that he mentioned pretty much everything that I love about Cornell (although I havn't attended yet! lol)]</p>
<p>Blah blah blah blah blah chicago blah blah blah blah i am a huge troll blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah i love chicago blah blah blah blah blah blah you all wish you could go to chicago blah blah blah blah blah blah chicago is so awesome blah blah blah blah blah i would pay money to perform sexual favors on chicago adcom officials blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah cornell sucks because it is not in chicago blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.</p>