<p>I am attending either University's of Chicago's College or Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences next year, and I don't know which one to attend.</p>
<p>I want to double major in art history and economics, and although, at the undergrad level programs aren't ranked, the undergraduate econ program at U Chicago is renowned because of the prestige of it's graduate and doctoral programs. However, I'm scared of the competitiveness of Chicago's econ program; 10% of undergrads major in econ, and as a result the university tries to weed out students. Chicago's program is also more quantitative than Cornell's.</p>
<p>Cornell, however, has the ivy name and the economics major requirement is easier to meet there, making it easier to double major.</p>
<p>I like that U Chicago is in the city, but I've consulted teachers in my school familiar with the UofC and they have emphasized the fact that it is HIGHLY academic; there isn't much of a social aspect to Chicago. I am also wary of the workload.</p>
<p>At the undergraduate level, does it really make a difference where I go?</p>
<p>Cornell's workload is famous as well.....its supposed to be the Ivy with the most work associated with it. And regardless, U of C's econ major requires only 12 courses, double majoring is very possible I think.</p>
<p>1) As a potential econ major myself, I asked a lot of people in the econ program about competitiveness, and they all said it's really not that intensely difficult. It's hard work, of course, but not cut-throat ridiculous. Furthermore, a double-major with econ + something else is pretty popular, and is what I'm considering. Again, it's quite a workload, but the payoff is absolutely worth it. </p>
<p>2) "I've consulted teachers in my school familiar with the UofC and they have emphasized the fact that it is HIGHLY academic; there isn't much of a social aspect to Chicago."</p>
<p>And yet another reason why we need the "Fun Goes to Die" topic permanently stuck to the top of the board. Read some of the other threads addressing this. Long story short, there is absolutely a large body of social people at the school - your teachers are probably familiar with the university as it was decades ago, and there have been massive changes in the student body and attitude since. There are lots of frat parties and such, people go out on the weekends. Plus, you've got the entire city of Chicago right there, so, you know...</p>
<p>I would say just go with your gut feeling. Undergrad really doesn't matter all that much in the GRAND scheme of things; you'll have the same pool of grad schools and careers open to you if you do well at either of the Universities you're choosing between. Go with where you think you'll have a better four years.</p>
<p>My brother graduated from Cornell econ/math, and I'm considering Art History as a major. PM me if you want to know more, but I will emphasize that both schools have rigorous academics and I think one would be able to make either school fit and you'll be able to do great work and have fun at both.</p>
<p>It's easier to disappear at Cornell if you want to, you can avoid small discussion classes and elect to take big lectures instead and get by on not doing the readings. At Chicago, however, you're going to be hard-pressed to try to disappear, especially with the Core curriculum and the tendency towards small, discussion-based classes.</p>
<p>Also, the neighborhoods of Hyde Park and Cornell's Collegetown say a lot. Collegetown is all about bars and pizzerias, Hyde Park is all about churches, bookstores, and coffee shops. I remember visiting Cornell and being upset that I couldn't find a cozy bookstore to lose myself in, in Hyde Park it's hard not to come across a bookstore.</p>
<p>I have the same academic plans as you, and I picked Chicago.</p>
<p>Granted I hate rain and a lot of people from my school are going to Cornell (good/bad thing? kind of wanted a fresh start), but there is no better place to study economics than Chicago , and because it's smaller and more "academic" there are more opportunities for us undergrads. And Ithaca cannot compare to Chicago, nor can the 4-hour ride down to NYC.</p>
<p>Wow, definitely UChicago. I'd say its prestige easily surpasses Cornell's. At least for people who know anything about colleges (ie. people who actually matter).</p>
<p>Yeah, I have friends at Cornell that sleep for 2 hours day because of the workload. They gain their nutritional needs through cigarettes, and barely eat a meal a day. Well, thats just them...</p>
<p>Look at the forest, not the trees. The prestige of the schools and their various departments are quite comparable, so you can pretty much take that off the table. (Although, yes, "I studied economics at Chicago" will inherently sound more smug than anything about Cornell.")</p>
<p>Cornell is a stunningly beautiful campus in a relatively isolated college town -- a great place to go to school, where the university itself generates most of the action. It is significantly larger (physically and population-wise) than Chicago, and has a number of specialized schools that attract kids who would never think of going to Chicago. It is therefore much more diverse than Chicago in terms of types of people and their economic background. It has Ivy League sports and associated traditions, and considerably more college spirit than Chicago. Probably more college spirits and other substances, too.</p>
<p>Chicago is a dream school for someone who wants to be surrounded by kids who have self-selected for intellectualism, no matter what their areas of interest. Among the great Chicago T-shirts I have seen is this very telling one: "The University of Chicago: That's great in practice, but how does it work in theory?" There's probably no other school in the world where that would make sense as a T-shirt. It is a lovely campus (but not as lovely as Cornell's) and, by and large, a safe campus (but not as safe . . . ). It is located in one of the most exciting cities in the world, with a decent public transportation system. Fun doesn't die there, but it lives a somewhat ironic, bemused existence (which may even include somewhat ironic, bemused attendance at athletic events, from time to time).</p>
<p>They really are two completely different packages, both perfectly valid, both capable of inspiring love and awe (even in the same person). You just have to choose one.</p>