<p>I took orgo and genetics in the same semester last year. I only took two other classes, and things turned out fine.</p>
<p>I would never claim my schedule is/was the hardest, though. I try to keep my schedule manageable because I do not enjoy a sustained high stress level.</p>
<p>faustarp: well you’re my hero 
</p>
<p>I just can’t fathom how I’m supposed to do a lab report every week, go into lab usually 5 or so days a week, have 2 lab prelims, 3 regular prelims, 1 final, and 1 or 2 quizzes each week in addition to doing problems and reading. /whine off.</p>
<p>Norcalguy: I don’t think that’s true at all. Maybe science majors or engineers think that (and also arch students). <em>Everyone</em> knows that humanities/hotelies etc. are way easier.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>You’d be surprised. I’ve heard hotelies, ILR students, English majors, even AEM students ***** about how hard their majors are. Everyone thinks they’ve got it tough and it becomes a scapegoat for pure laziness.</p>
<p>Yeah, hotelies’ 4000 advanced napkin folding is one of the toughest classes. Haha</p>
<p>No, that isn’t it a real class here for non-Cornellians. Well, then again, it wouldn’t surprise me if it actually was.</p>
<p>So sometimes easier major students minor in other stuff. My ILR major D minored in IS (Information Science, ie computer science) She took a few very hard programming courses where she was they only non engineering or computer sci major. She also took accounting and finance courses.</p>
<p>She graduated in May and is working as a trader in derivatives in currency. </p>
<p>I would be willing to bet that most of you thinking your majors are so hard would not have a clue as to understanding what this stuff she is working in is about. My D had to pass several long national tests to work in her field.</p>
<p>I guess one of the major reasons of why this is so exclusive is because they usually only hire from the most selective schools The IVYs and Standard, Duke, MIT, etc. </p>
<p>So take your smug attitude of hard majors and stick it where the sun don’t shine.</p>
<p>^lol. Hence, I said everyone thinks they have a hard path in life.</p>
<p>Every time I come on one of these posts and express my feelings, someone (like momma-three) always gets offended as if I’m degrading their child’s accomplishments by saying that Cornell isn’t as hard as people make it out to be. </p>
<p>Here’s my point:
Regardless of what you end up doing in life, Cornell will likely not be the most difficult thing you do. We covered 2/3 of BioBM331 in my first 3 days of medical school. 2/3 of a Cornell biochem course reduced to 3 days. And that was only the beginning. Currently, I work from 6AM to 7PM each day at the hospital for 6 days/week and I’m still expected to read for another 2 hours when I get home. I take call every 4 days where I stay until 11 PM so some weeks I work 7 days. </p>
<p>All of this: Cornell, medical school, law school, whatever is manageable. The only thing that matters is your attitude. The people who think Cornell is absolute hell are the ones who burnout the fastest when they hit med school or law school and realize that competition is even more fierce. Those that see the challenge that lies ahead and think of solutions to overcome the challenge, rather than spend their time *****ing about things they can’t control, are the ones who end up being the most successful.</p>
<p>So, it really annoys me when some impressionable teenager comes on here asking about Cornell’s legendary (and undeserved) reputation for being unfairly difficult and a bunch of students bitter about their low grades end up discouraging the student from applying to what is a great college. It really doesn’t matter whether you’re a Arch student, a hotelie, or an engineer. Everything is manageable if you have the proper work ethic and if you make an actual strategic effort to prioritize academics in your life.</p>
<p>I didn’t read it as momma-three was offended that someone didn’t think Cornell was that intense. She was just giving a point of view from her son’s experience. OP wouldn’t be asking if there was a definitive answer. Just because one person thought it was relatively easy, doesn’t make it so.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t assume all teenagers are impressionable. I think most of them are smart enough (especially the ones who are considering Cornell) to get different opinion from different source and come to their own conclusion, and CC is just one source.</p>
<p>I didn’t mean to single out momma-three. But, I think she and I have had multiple conversations in the past about this very subject.</p>
<p>There’s no definitive answer as to how hard Cornell is but I think most definitely this</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>is not true. </p>
<p>and this</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>is not true.</p>
<p>[Median</a> Grades on the Rise | The Cornell Daily Sun](<a href=“http://cornellsun.com/node/23297]Median”>http://cornellsun.com/node/23297)</p>
<p>[Cornell</a> University](<a href=“http://www.gradeinflation.com/cornell]Cornell”>http://www.gradeinflation.com/cornell)</p>
<p>[Cornell</a> University Registrar: Median Grades](<a href=“http://registrar.sas.cornell.edu/Student/mediangradesA.html]Cornell”>http://registrar.sas.cornell.edu/Student/mediangradesA.html)</p>
<p>If you’re really worrying about the grades (as I assume you are when asking about grade deflation) you really have to look at your major. It’s not like engineering classes and music classes are going to have the same median grades.</p>
<p>It depends on what you mean by “intense”</p>
<p>In general, I personally think Cornell is pretty intense. I currently just returned home from studio and seem to have reached that point of being past any sleepiness which is why I’m answering this post. I think that the work is intense, but so is the play. The work might be manageable (still a lot, but manageable) with a decent sleep schedule if all I did was work. But of course I don’t, I’d be miserable. I’m in various clubs and organizations, a sorority, I have friends, I have a boyfriend, I go to concerts, I go to parties, whatever. I’d say my weekend was “intense,” in that I was always doing something and there was always something to do without a moment to rest. The point is, that I think Cornell is, for the most part, as intense as you make it out to be. </p>
<p>There are definitely some majors that are more work than others. But I think save for a few especially easy ones and a few especially difficult ones, most have a manageable level of work. It’s a lot of work, but it’s not ridiculous. It obviously piles up and becomes stressful at times, other times its easier, but it’s not insane. You might make it seem insane with the amount of other things you do, however, since there is just soooo much you can do if you want to. It’s tempting to do everything, especially since a lot of people are used to being able to balance everything, but that would seriously be impossible.</p>
<p>harder majors might be sciences like chemistry, physics, engineering, etc. particularly because of the competitiveness between students</p>
<p>a major like architecture is not hard in the same way that chemistry is hard, but its hard because of the amount of sheer effort and time it takes to complete projects. it’s a different sort of work thats just extremely time consuming and project-oriented, so you’re constantly working on large assignments rather than just studying for a test the night before. while people only ever reference architecture (probably b/c its such a well known school and relatively large) this idea of time consuming work is true for any sort of art/studio major. (for instance, I knew that no matter how much time I put into this project this weekend I would be pulling an all nighter tonight, because its type of work where you’re never done…there’s always something you can fix)</p>
<p>That was helpful! I now have the impression that people at Cornell are just intense. Intense when it comes to studying or partying, doing anything really. It seems like the complete opposite of Brown. Brown is extremely laid back, as I’ve heard.</p>
<p>Personally I have a hard time believing Brown, or any top school really, is all that laid back.</p>
<p>I got into Cornell ED in fall 2005, and started fall 2006. It was a friendly place, in class, at Greek parties, and in the dining halls, when I started, but got progressively meaner. 95% of people at Cornell are competitive, but you only really see this side if you strive for more at Cornell. If you’re okay with Bs and Cs, don’t join student groups, don’t get a student job, and just casually get your IVY league degree, you’ll find it a nice place.</p>
<p>If you do want more, as you should, you’ll see Cornell’s meaner side. Especially when it comes to jobs and internships, kids will do almost anything to get ahead of another. If you want that A and your grading is curved, as most classes are, it’ll be intense. Same goes for interviews on campus, and any higher sort of positions. </p>
<p>For some reasons, maybe the proximity to NYC, Cornell attracts a highly intense student body. Little sleep, lots of late hours, a diverse party scene, and hoards of Asian students smoking outside the library every night are just things you’ll get used to. Message me w/ any Qs ;)</p>
<p>"If you do want more, as you should, you’ll see Cornell’s meaner side. Especially when it comes to jobs and internships, kids will do almost anything to get ahead of another. If you want that A and your grading is curved, as most classes are, it’ll be intense. Same goes for interviews on campus, and any higher sort of positions. "</p>
<p>Yes, I agree it’s intense. But your tone makes it sound like it’s cutthroat- it is not like that at all.</p>
<p>I think some things are cut-throat. It seems if you are pre-med, the competition is rough. Since Cornell is known as a “lesser” ivy, most students want to go on to Harvard, Princeton or Yale’s medical or graduate programs.</p>
<p>I’m pre-med sophomore year and have taken or am taking all the premed required classes besides physics and I wouldn’t say it’s cutthroat at all. Cut throat in my opinion is like stealing someone’s textbook or giving someone the wrong answers or notes. Intense, yeah. </p>
<p>About being the “lesser” ivy, maybe the incoming freshman thinks about that…but no-one else does. Princeton doesn’t have a medical school by the way.</p>
<p>I don’t believe Cornell is any more intense than most other elite universities. All such schools have many smart, motivated students. I think Cornell’s setting, a beautiful campus in a great collegetown with a uniquely relaxing vibe, affords one many places to chill.</p>