<p>I've been on CC through college hunting for three kids. Near as I can determine my first post was April 11, 2004. #3 will be heading to college in the Fall, and #2 just graduated, so this is a good time to sign off.</p>
<p>I've signed off before, for "sabbatical" in December 2006, which I expected to last until #3 started looking. But then D2 decided she wanted to transfer, so I came back early, in December 2008 looks like. And stayed.</p>
<p>You never know, #3 could decide to transfer too, or I could get bored. But this time it is not planned as a sabbatical.</p>
<p>Best wishes to gomestar, who will be heading up to Ithaca soon for a very joyous event. I have very much enjoyed his posts over the years. gomestar, Cayugared2005, others have represented the Cornell perspective well on this forum, and I hope others of you will also choose to perform this public service for the benefit of prospective applicants to college who are facing a difficult decision with imperfect information.</p>
<p>As for Cornell, this brilliant video by two graduating seniors captures the spirit of what it means to me, and to those who love it: This</a> Is on Vimeo
Beyond numbers, this is what people considering the university should be inspired to understand.</p>
<p>As my prior posts evidence I regularly read the "Life On the Hill" bloggers. This final thought of one of them seems to me a good note to sign off with:</p>
<p>"..best of luck to all you prospective Cornellians out there— having just finished my Cornell experience, I can say with authority that it is worth it."</p>
<p>Monydad, I have enjoyed reading your posts for a long time now. You will be missed and the new students or prospectives will be missing the great info and insight. I hope to see you on board again. For now, I will just thank you for offering up your perspective as a former student, and parent of a Cornellian. These past four years have been a wonderful ride with our sons. Cornell and Ithaca never really leave you once its part of your heart…I will miss those Cornell weekends.</p>
<p>Thanks for your insights and information regarding the application process & making yourself a more attractive canidate! Our family is just beginning our Cornell experience & I’m already enjoying it!</p>
<p>Monydad … just wanted to wish you well … it was fun tracking threads about both Cornell and Barnard with you … I believe you provided a lot of valuable info to students and parents!</p>
<p>:( sad to see a poster I respect more than anybody else put the pen down, but bon voyage!!</p>
<p>I hope you get bored. And I mean that with sincerity. Thank you for your continued guidance to all, and best of luck to all future endeavours. If you poke your head back in, odds are i’ll be hanging out here and there.</p>
<p>Class act, Monydad. You represent the university well. After all the rankings bickering, there’s something intangibly incredible about the experience of Cornell that has only been reinforced as I’ve been to allegedly “better” schools. Few outsiders get to isolated Ithaca, so they only have third-hand myths. I don’t blame them for their ignorance, but there are few alumni I know who don’t think of their time on the Hill as something really special. The location, the gorges, the buildings, the vast array of cultures and interests… It’s just intangibly different and Monydad always captured that.</p>
<p>I agree that all should watch that video he recommended as it captures the experience well. “Here’s to you, saying hello.”</p>