Staying overnight-worth it?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Cornell University
1

<p>I am going to visit Cornell for my second time sometime in the nex few days.
I am going to focus mainly on my school, attending an ILR information session and lunch. However, I really want to learn my about the quality of life of the school, so I'm also contemplating staying over, even though it will be an inconvenience for my parents. Would you say it will be worth it? Am i really going to see what Cornell life is? After all, it seems like it's going to be whatever I choose. I'm actually worried I might have onr bad experience, which will turn me off to Cornell. </p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>My daughter did not do the Cornell Days, but she did go to other school’s admit student days. She enjoyed going to classes and info sessions, but sleep overs were not a big hit with her because it was uncomfortable and students that hosted her were often not her type (there was one where she stayed in the dorm all night because the host didn’t like going out). I think unless they pair you up with someone you would socialize with, you wouldn’t experience YOUR Cornell. If you get a bad host, which my daughter did at some schools, you could very well have a bad experience.</p>

<p>I would try to eat at a freshman cafeteria, you could get a better sense of what kids are like at Cornell. People are most relaxed when they are eating, see if you could see yourself fitting into any group of kids eating together.</p>

3

<p>it could also be a bad night for your host b/c she might have something due the next day or even that same night…</p>

<p>cornell is very diverse…i think visiting ILR classes (especially big lectures) will give you the best idea of the type of people you will be interacting with…</p>

<p>i find that ILR culture is very distinct from the rest of cornell…</p>

4

<p>As a current ILRie just finishing my first year here, I would not recommend staying overnight for several reasons.</p>

<p>Depending on exactly where you stay makes a huge difference. During your four years at cornell, you’ll be living all over the place, north campus, west, collegetown, etc. Even the different buildings on each part of the campus make a world’s difference (balch’s all girls hall and the townhouses for example; they’re very close to each other but total opposites). Attempting to recreate those experiences in one night won’t happen. I think you’re experience will be negative because many students, myself included, didn’t like the first couple of nights in college away from home, etc. It’s just difficult to adjust (to any school) and I think it’ll most likely be a turn off.</p>

<p>By sleeping over, one can assume that you want extra time to take in as much as you can about Cornell to make a solid decision, but I feel that the whole approach is inherently flawed because Cornell is huge and you won’t be able to even take in 5% of the “experience” of being a Cornellian given the vast array of classes, dorms, student types, weather, etc.</p>

<p>For example, the first night I stayed here I was totally turned off by the food–in reality I had no idea where to eat and was eating at the completely wrong places. Six months later and I like the food better than that at home. </p>

<p>I hated my dorm. I switched the next semester and I love it here; I don’t go home at all anymore.</p>

<p>I even think tours are messy, too. Over the past week I’ve watched tons of tours come through Cornell. The weather has been changing to different extremes literally everyday: one day it’s sunny and absolutely gorgeous, the next it’s pouring and dull. I think students’ perceptions are drastically altered by this.</p>

<p>Just as a fyi, I never visited Cornell before I accepted. I had too many friends, articles, sites like this, etc to give me a good enough perception and just signed up. Not recommending it, just putting it out there.</p>

5

<p>I didn’t stay over night before I decided to go to Cornell… From the prefrosh my friends have hosted, its often a pretty awkward experience… I’d go to the lunches that are hosted by ambassadors, its more interesting to talk to a handful of people, since one will more likely be like you! Spending a legit amount of time on campus does help you get the pulse better though…</p>