<p>Hey, just trying to figure out a few more things about my top choices, so I’m posting a thread with a few questions in each school’s forum. I know a few answers, but I wanted to hear from current students or recent alumni.</p>
<li><p>Do you feel the professors at your university are open to and care about undergraduate students? Are there professors who would go out to lunch with their students to talk or seem to only be open during class?</p></li>
<li><p>How is housing decided in your university? Is there a lottery system or does it go by seniority?</p></li>
<li><p>How easy would it be to travel to NYC from the university? Is it costly or inexpensive or somewhere in between?</p></li>
<li><p>Do students on campus have a sense of activism? Are there volunteer opportunities available in the surrounding neighborhood?</p></li>
<li><p>Are there any quirky campus traditions?</p></li>
<li><p>What can a student who is not into parties do for fun on campus?</p></li>
<li><p>Is there help available for students struggling to make the transition from high school to college?</p></li>
<li><p>How is the pre-med counseling at the school? What is it like for a student to be pre-med at your university? Difficult/competitive? How likely is it for a premed to be able to move on to a top medical school?</p></li>
<li><pre><code>What is the general attitude on campus?
</code></pre></li>
<li><p>How easy is it to get involved in research? Will you be able to delve in freshman/sophomore year, or will you have to wait till junior/senior year? </p></li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><p>Professors in ILR seem to be more available than CAS professors. In fact many ILR professors have often been the one to open up their lunches for students. </p></li>
<li><p>Housing for freshmen and sophomores is guaranteed. It’s a random lottery. </p></li>
<li><p>There are direct flights to NYC from Ithaca (check prices for yourself) there’s also a roundtrip coach bus for $70? </p></li>
<li><p>There are plenty of outreach activities and the campus is certainly active though i’d say there is no 1 big club. </p></li>
<li><p>Slope Day, Dragon Day, Prelim Howling, and then there are things that pertain to certain majors, clubs and dorms. </p></li>
<li><p>There are fellowships on fridays if you’re religious. There are also decent artsy activities on campus and at IC and Ithaca. </p></li>
<li><p>Talk to the Learning Strategies Center. The student mental health services is great too…but one can also talk to their major’s student services office. </p></li>
<li><p>Med school is competitive what should matter is a high gpa and high mcat and the research opp. here doesnt hurt either. </p></li>
<li><p>There are tensions between frat and non-frat. But you should be able to find your niche regardless.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Resurgam Bell - about #1, totally untrue. The Arts college is a huge place! How could you make such generalizations, especially when you’re not a member of the college? The specificity of the majors within Arts actually allows smaller classes, a greater variety of professors, and many opportunities to have great relationships with teachers who really want to help.</p>
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<li><p>As a humanities major in CAS whose classes are all small, I can say that all of my professors have loved working with students and are very helpful. Not only have I had lunch with most of them, but they’ve invited us to events outside the college with them. This has been the case ever since I was a freshman.</p></li>
<li><p>Yes, there are various volunteer clubs and many political groups. Ithaca as a whole is an active, political place.</p></li>
<li><p>Don’t worry, there’s a gray area between frats and the Christian groups ResurgamBell mentioned… besides many, many various clubs for about anything you can think of (go to the Student Activities website and do some searching around - there’s just about something for everyone), lots of people just hang out in their dorms or houses and do, well, whatever - movies, games, talking, various ridiculous college student activities.</p></li>
<li><p>Honestly, the transition is very tough for most people. About half the people I knew in my freshman hall seriously considered transferring. The university does make resources available (especially the student help desk in Balch, which is geared toward helping students with this exact problem), but my honest advice would be to expect some pain, loneliness and existential angst - not much, not necessarily enough to make you severely depressed, but some - for the first semester, but to persevere, because as you go on in school the amazing opportunities here will make themselves more evident.</p></li>
<li><p>I don’t see any tensions between “frat and non-frat” - they just don’t generally interact as much. I find Cornell students on the whole fairly laid-back and accepting, but lots of people are also shy and introverted, so make it your goal to take the first step (in beginning a conversation, for example) sometimes.</p></li>
<li><p>The best way to get involved in research is to ask a professor you like if he/she has any work you could help on. This can happen any year at the university, because luckily, small classes are available any year at the university (although it’s a bit harder within pre-med - just try to take the extra steps to get to know your professors).</p></li>
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<p>lianri you make some good points…the OP could do well to read the CornellSun this semester to understand about some of the controversies on campus…including within the cornell administration…</p>
<p>i guess i was a bit biased with my response to #1…i should clarify and say that i find that big CAS lectures can seem a bit cold…</p>
<p>regardless it’s up to you to make the moves whether it’s lunch with a prof or research opportunities.</p>
<p>The prof of the lab I worked invited everyone to his house annually during the spring.</p>
<p>It’s not impossible to gain some connections at Cornell. Sure there is less hand holding here relative to small LACs, but I find that being in that type of environment, where people coddle you all the time, isn’t necessarily good for you in the long run.</p>
<p>Wow I was reading the first post and marveling that I had many of the same questions, and then I realized that Vivolay had made the thread. :)</p>
<p>I had another question to add to your list but I forgot… haha I hope I remember it soon! But even if I don’t I want to make this decision by tomorrow so hopefully everything works out. Like she said, thanks for the answers everyone! They’re really helpful.</p>
<ol>
<li>Do you feel the professors at your university are open to and care about undergraduate students? Are there professors who would go out to lunch with their students to talk or seem to only be open during class?</li>
</ol>
<p>Some are. Because the university is huge, there are always those who don’t want to. A lot are though. I always randomly see my orgo lab professor randomly hanging out with students out of class.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>How is housing decided in your university? Is there a lottery system or does it go by seniority?
Lottery. Seniors go first and go down to fresh but fresh prob get better dorms because there are a lot of rooms reserved for them. </p></li>
<li><p>How easy would it be to travel to NYC from the university? Is it costly or inexpensive or somewhere in between?
I go back during every break. It costs 72$ roundtrip on bus during breaks. If you want to go back during the middle of the school it would cost more.</p></li>
<li><p>Do students on campus have a sense of activism? Are there volunteer opportunities available in the surrounding neighborhood?
Big campus with lots of students. There are students with activism. Volunteer opps are common.</p></li>
<li><p>Are there any quirky campus traditions?
No idea.</p></li>
<li><p>What can a student who is not into parties do for fun on campus?
Depends on what you think is fun. I never been to any party and I’m doing okay. Theres some stuff to do like pool pingpong, bowling, swimming, wii games etc</p></li>
<li><p>Is there help available for students struggling to make the transition from high school to college?
Go to advisor? Advisor talk to you about anything.</p></li>
<li><p>How is the pre-med counseling at the school? What is it like for a student to be pre-med at your university? Difficult/competitive? How likely is it for a premed to be able to move on to a top medical school?
I heard counseling is fine. Competitive sort of. Top med school students from Cornell have about 3.8 GPA and mid MCAT and up. The acceptance rate is high.</p></li>
<li><p>What is the general attitude on campus?
Too many. Dont think theres a general.</p></li>
<li><p>How easy is it to get involved in research? Will you be able to delve in freshman/sophomore year, or will you have to wait till junior/senior year?
Most start sophomore year/junior year. </p></li>
<li><p>Are students able to balance work and play? Or is there generally too much work or too much play?
Yes. Depends on person and major. Very different.</p></li>
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<p>-How is the Counseling and Advising program at Cornell? Is it available all 4 years or is it primarily for Freshmen/Sophomores? And does it require an extra fee, or is it free of charge?</p>
<p>And another 2 I just thought of:</p>
<p>-How are the creative student groups at Cornell (such as acapella and dance groups)? Are there auditions to join these, and if so do interested students have to be insanely talented, or are members of said groups willing to teach those interested?</p>
<p>-I know bus passes are free during freshman year, but how much do they cost afterward?</p>
<p>NJBkitty - Cornell has some fantastic a capella groups, along with a wide range of other extra curricular options. A few links, including a capella, can be found here:</p>