<p>Assuming the comfort level at the school and the dollars are equal, which school is better for someone interested in life sciences and business?</p>
<p>Kind of an odd mix of interests. Which school at cornell were you/your child accepted to (if not waiting for notification)?</p>
<p>Cornell CALS is tops for life sciences, but the school is a pressure cooker and the winter lasts forever. Rice is VERY underrated in my opinion.</p>
<p>His actual dream program would be the Vagelos Program at U of Penn. Dual degree in life science and Wharton econ. He is waiting on Cornell and Rice as well, and I think he has a much better chance at being admitted to them.</p>
<p>Cornell is cold and Rice is warm. All things being equal, he would like th warm weather. I just don’t know if they are equal as far as selective graduate schools are concerned.</p>
<p>Grad schools would not differentiate between Cornell and Rice, but rather focus on the research done and faculty recommendations that result from the student’s time well spent at either.</p>
<p>I have a child who is a Rice grad and one who is a senior at an Ivy, and I would go with Rice. I think Rice offers just about the perfect college experience. It is in a great area and there is lots to do. The students are happy and the residential college system is excellent.</p>
<p>I think both are excellent schools but Cornell might be best tailored to his wants. If he applies to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell your son can major in the undergraduate business program: Applied Economics and Management (AEM) and double major in something like biology as well. Its a great fit</p>
<p>Rice does not have an undergraduate business major- but there is a minor and we do have a great MBA program. We also have a very strong biology department. I think at least a quarter of my friends here are bios of some kind.</p>
<p>Cornell, definitely, has the edge in prestige.</p>
<p>I really like Rice too. I liken it to a smaller version of Stanford. Academically, Rice is as good as Cornell and Penn, but the environment at each of those schools is different. I would recommend your son chose based on fit.</p>
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<p>Not for grad schools or people who know American higher education.</p>
<p>fafsa,
You mention business as an area of interest and this requires further explanation. Both schools can prepare you well for a post-graduate career in business and I don’t see material differences in their preparation and product output. But these schools will position you differently and that is not inconsequential as you consider where you are trying to get to. </p>
<p>If you want to go to NYC/Wall Street (which is unfortunately too often used on CC as a synonym for business—lol!), then Cornell is going to be the better choice just because its network there is big and established and relatively easy to tap into. Rice can also get you there and it is a respected name, but its graduates are far fewer in number there and this will require more initiative and effort on your part to break into that world.</p>
<p>In Texas there would also be a clear difference as Rice would definitely be the better choice. There is much more economic breadth in the Texan economy than most folks realize and there is enormous creative and constructive energy in the Texas economy (I deliberately say “constructive” because so much of what goes on on Wall Street is not and is merely designed to separate a customer from his/her wallet). I think that is potentially important as the Texas economy is strong with Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin being among the most dynamic cities in America and Rice is exceptionally well known and regarded there. Cornell is no where near Rice’s level in Texas and furthermore, most Texans couldn’t give a hoot about the Ivy League. </p>
<p>If you plan to live and work outside of the Northeast or Texas, then the two would trade places as you move around the country, but neither name would give you a decided advantage. Both are very good places. </p>
<p>As for grad school admissions…what gadad said. Both schools are very well regarded by admissions folks around the USA. From a gaming standpoint, Rice’s smaller size might give it a small advantage as there could be less competition from that college and grad schools want some geographic/college diversity, so this could incrementally help Rice vs Cornell.</p>
<p>For undergrad business programs, Cornell is ranked 10th by US News. Rice did not make the list (they don’t have a business major?). For GRADUATE biological sciences, Cornell is ranked 12th and Rice is ranked 48th. There is no undergrad ranking for biology. Cornell recently infused $400 million into its life sciences programs, including a new biology building.</p>
<p>I’d give the academics and prestige to Cornell and everything else to Rice. Personally, I would go for Rice.</p>
<p>Rice has one of the happiest and most spirited student bodies alongside top privates like Stanford, Duke and Vandy while Cornell has had 6 kids commit suicide by jumping off gorges this spring semester alone.</p>
<p>Go to Rice.</p>
<p>ldb,
That was an unnecessary cheap shot. For many, many students Cornell can be a great place. I also prefer Rice, but please don’t go there with your Cornell comments. It’s not helpful.</p>
<p>Lesdiablesbleus, your comment is disrespectful of those who died and of their grieving loved ones. </p>
<p>This said, Cornell’s suicide rare is in fact well below the national average. Ironically, Duke’s suicide rate (6.1:100,000) is in fact slightly higher than Cornell’s (5.7:100,000).</p>
<p>[Hopkins</a> suicide rate in line with national college trend - News](<a href=“http://media.www.jhunewsletter.com/media/storage/paper932/news/2006/04/20/News/Hopkins.Suicide.Rate.In.Line.With.National.College.Trend-2242150.shtml]Hopkins”>http://media.www.jhunewsletter.com/media/storage/paper932/news/2006/04/20/News/Hopkins.Suicide.Rate.In.Line.With.National.College.Trend-2242150.shtml)</p>
<p><a href=“http://tech.mit.edu/V120/N6/comp6.6n.html[/url]”>http://tech.mit.edu/V120/N6/comp6.6n.html</a></p>
<p>Yeah, thats a disgusting cheap shot. Get a life</p>
<p>I agree about the cheap shot thing. there are 20,000 kids at cornell, and while 6 deaths in the past few months is certainly a tragedy, the fact is that cornell’s suicide rate is about equal to similar institutions. data is data, and outliers (such as these 6 deaths) do happen.</p>
<p>lesdiablesbleus – congratulations, you’re the first person in my 3 years on this board that has earned the right to initiate my IGNORE list … what a putz.</p>