<p>I got into NU-Medill and then a few days ago Cornell took me off the waitlist. I have to let Cornell know whether I'm accepting within 6 days! In general, is NU stronger than Cornell in humanities and social sciences (which I'm interested in), while Cornell is stronger in math and science? Which school is better in these areas: literature, linguistics, and cognitive science/psychology?</p>
<p>well if you applied to medill, i assume you want to go into journalism and no school can really beat Medill's journalism program</p>
<p>If you are actually interested in journalism, like eternity1115 said, no school tops NU. That being said, I've also been told that most Medill students choose another major, usually a social science, and that it balances out quite well.
Besides, if location means anything to you, you may want to consider the fact that NU gives you access to the city, Cornell doesn't. I've been to the Cornell campus; it is stunningly beautiful but it is also incredibly out in the middle of nowhere. Perhaps, ideal for intense focus on academics in some sense.</p>
<p>I don't know they compare exactly in those three areas you mentioned; but in general, Cornell is at least as good if not better in humanities and social sciences and you don't have to go to a journalism school for career in journalism. So even though Medill is prestigious in that world, it would be a mistake to pick NU over Cornell if all you like about NU is just Medill.</p>
<p>NU VS CORNELL</p>
<p>At 2 academically similar institutions like NU and Cornell with large student bodies and broad, deep, strong faculty representation in hum/SS/sciences-math it is a mistake to focus on subtle differences in departments in determining which school to attend - save those detailed comparisons for graduate school considerations. While you certainly do not need to major in journalism to become a journalist, Medill carries enormous respect and name recognition in the field. The program's required courses in journalism constitute less than 1/4 of all those taken over four years, intentionally allowing for great flexibility to pursue a second major or a minor. The program's primary goal has long been to turn out well rounded graduates - up to half ultimately decide to pursue alternative careers in law, business, communication, etc. and are extraordinarily well prepared to do so.</p>
<p>Be careful not to lose the forest through the trees. The big picture is what matters most here. Your decision should ultimately come down to two key issues: (1) Which of these two schools (with very different settings and somewhat different cultures) feels more "right" and (2) How important is it to you to have the opportunity to pursue journalism classes/internships as an undergraduate.</p>
<p>Best of luck.</p>
<p>Oh and I miss the portion of your question where you mentioned cognitive science/psychology.
I think Cornell is generally considered stronger in those areas, psychology in particular, but I don't have any stats with me to back that up at this point. Nonetheless, you should probably consider your fit and personal interest in addition to academics. Clearly journalism at NU and social sciences at Cornell are two very different things. Journalism is a very specific area; you may want to consider whether you really want it or if it's sort of a whimsical academic interest.</p>
<p>i agree with the idea that you have to look big picture in this case, try visiting both campuses/reading as much as you can about the environment/student body/academic and social environments at each school and just go to the one where your first reaction is to go to</p>
<p>wbwa, your post about seeing the bigger picture was very helpful. I've come to the same conclusion that you and a few others have mentioned-that my choice should depend on the feel I get for each school and how much emphasis I place on the journalism program. </p>
<p>gd016: To be honest, journalism actually was a bit of a whim, and I'm still not totally set on becoming a journalist per se...though I am honored to be accepted to Medill, I really just applied because I love writing and I wanted to pursue that in some way in my career. However, I am starting to realize that social sciences are my main interests, and I can always publish research, articles, and/or books in my chosen field without pursuing full-on journalism. </p>
<p>And I agree that visiting/researching the campuses and social atmospheres is important. I am already very familiar with NU and I plan to visit Cornell tomorrow. Hopefully my impressions and instincts will guide me to pick the school that is right for my personality and interests. Thanks again to everyone for your advice!</p>
<p>olam36:</p>
<p>It's hard for me to speak on behalf of Medill because i'll be attending NU as an econ major so i've hardly done research on Medill, but I've read on a few threads and also on the Medill website that it emphasizes a liberal arts education for all of its students, so students are encouraged to do another major along with journalism, usually a social science like I stated. I remember reading that a large portion (there was a specific percentage, I wish I had the link, sorry) go into different fields such as business, acdemia and so forth, after Medill, that is. So take that into consideration too.</p>
<p>The Cornell campus is breathtaking. I've only seen pictures of the Northwestern campus so I'm not sure how nice it is in comparison to campuses like Cornell's.
At any rate, keep us posted on what decision you make!</p>