<p>hey guys well I’m starting my freshman year at bu this fall in CAS, majoring in biochem and mol bio. I’m not premed but I do plan on going to eventually get my PhD to do research. So my problem is that I was just offered guarunteed fall 08 transfer admission to cornell as a sophmore. Now I love Boston etc, but I hear from some ppl that I shouldn’t think twice before taking the transfer. So please, any feedback, advice, or anyone in a similar position? Thanks</p>
<p>well i would wait to see how you like BU's program. i have a friend who is a neuroscience major and is taking extremely advanced courses and has been getting job offers before the start of her jr year. i have no idea how good cornell's biology program is, but if after a semester at BU you decide that it isn't what you were hoping it would be, then i would transfer. remember, the name of the school isnt everything. dartmouth is an incredible school, but if you want engineering you should look at drexel, or BU (happens to be ranked 7th i found out). look at how the bio programs are at BU compared to cornell. and also consider your happiness. cornell is very isolated (alone with ithaca) in a much smaller city with much fewer college students while boston is boston. you may find you prefer a more small-town setting. the decision is yours, but i would at least wait until after the first semester to decide.</p>
<p>Ithaca and Boston are VERY different locations. If you want an urban setting, you will not find it at Cornell. Do you have to commit to this transfer acceptance immediately? If not, I agree with the others...wait.</p>
<p>Hi Swans,</p>
<p>I spent my first year at Boston University last year and transferred to Chicago. As an English major, my case probably doesn't have much relevance to yours unless you have questions as to what I liked or disliked about the school itself, independently of any specific program.</p>
<p>I did, however, have a dorm-mate whose situation aligned almost perfectly with yours. He had a guaranteed transfer to Cornell's Ag school; he's a biology major, I believe -- something to do with life sciences. In the end, he chose Cornell.</p>
<p>I'll say this: both BU and Cornell have tremendous programs in what you wish to study, from what I can tell. Give BU a fair chance; try to imagine yourself there and see how you like it. If you find that you're disappointed with BU's teaching, facilities, atmosphere, etc., rest assured that you have Cornell in the bag.</p>
<p>In a nutshell, you should be able to do great things with an education from either school. What your decision really comes down to is how happy you are when you're outside of the classroom (and inside).</p>
<p>yea the thing is, i had applied to other schools over BU, but got waitlisted at the really competitive ones, so i finally had to make the choice to go to BU. and at first i let the admission decisions i received from other schools overshadow my opinion at BU. but now that i've gone to orientation and gotten more comfortable in my position, i've grown to accept and like BU and what it has to offer. and no, accepting the transfer isnt binding. i can accept and then backout before the end of 2nd semester i think? so yea i guess the best i can do would be to weigh my options. cuz cornell has an amazing life sciences program, but i absolutely love cities, thats a huge reason why i chose to attend BU in the first place. so i guess im just torn between the social atmosphere i prefer, and what may give me a better standing later on down the road. does anyone know any more about bu vs cornell in terms of research?</p>