<p>I admire greatly your beloved Dartmouth. Ive had numerous relatives attend that fine institution and through them (and you) have come to appreciate its intimate size and collegial atmosphere.</p>
<p>BUT we Cornellians love our alma mater as well. We think its size, scope and location are distinctive assets that make attending Cornell a rich, rewarding and unique experience. We appreciate the sometimes intense work ethic that some of our classmates brought to bear on their studies while they endeavored to make the most of their college education. No doubt you had similar classmates at Dartmouth.</p>
<p>So I ask you, please refrain from casting aspersions on our wonderful Cornell here on College Confidential.</p>
<p>In closing Ill offer an excerpt from a speech in 2003 by Cornells President Hunnter Rawlings:</p>
<p> Cornell is a university unique in its identity and scope. As Carl Becker well said, In the process of acquiring a reputation, Cornell acquired something better than a reputation: It acquired a character. Cornells character, though difficult to define precisely comprises at lease the following elements: a burning desire for intellectual freedom; a brashness that stems from its relatively recent founding; a skepticism, even iconoclasm, that delights in upsetting convention; and a moral vigor that challenges received opinion. </p>
<p>Competitive is probably a better word but "cutthroat" goes hand in hand with Cornell's reputation. Those who care enough about the school to dig deeper than comments from a Dartmouth alum will find out the truth anyway.</p>
<p>BTW: I wish there'd be a sticky about these things such as Cornell's cutthroatness and its suicide rate, etc. so we can finally leave the dead horse alone.</p>
<p>cut·throat (ktthrt)
n.
1. A murderer, especially one who cuts throats.
2. An unprincipled, ruthless person.
3. A cutthroat trout.
adj.
1. Cruel; murderous.
2. Relentless or merciless in competition: a cutthroat business.
3. Sports & Games Being a form of a game in which each of three or more players acts and scores individually: cutthroat handball; cutthroat bridge.</p>
<p>Cornell is not cutthroat. In fact, a lot of people there are quite stupid. My last two years there was spent primarily in a lab as an undergrad tech, then drinking and all that implies, and then going to class. Magna cum from the bastard child of the Ivies, baby!</p>
<p>But it is a fun place to go (if you meet up with people that similarly don't care that much), you can learn a lot if your single-minded focus is not getting into med/law school, and it is fantastically beautiful (you'll see at least two postcard snapshots a day).</p>