<p>Greetings everyone! So I got accepted to both Cornell and U Chicago, both of which were on the top of my college choice list. Thus, the question now is choosing between the two and I am utterly torn. To be frank, both the isolated setting AND the urban setting appeal to me. I am planning on being a physics major (with a possible dual major or minor in philosophy or econ) so some input on Chicago's physics department in comparison to Cornell or any other details would be appreciated! Thank you in advance!</p>
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<li>P.S. Apparently one of my family friends said that until you declare your major at U Chicago you don't actually take classes on campus or something like that. Can anyone clear this myth?</li>
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<p>You take all of your classes on-campus other than study abroad program.</p>
<p>I am officially a Cornell-hater because it deferred me and rejected me. I don’t plan to transfer; it’s their loss. :D</p>
<p>Chicago has an amazing economic department, as you may have heard. At Chicago, there are a lot of research opportunities. I know a first-year student working at a professor’s lab already!</p>
<p>What you heard from your relative is certainly a myth.
Chicago does not officially allow you to declare your major until you are done with the first third of your academic career. For that third, you mostly fulfill core requirements but you can certainly start heading down a path like physics by taking classes that will later count towards major credits. All of these classes, without a doubt, occur on campus. They can’t just have 1/3 of the school off taking classes in isolated places.</p>
<p>hmm…I was accepted by both too, and if it gives you any perspective I enrolled in UChicago already 
Cornell is a world class institution, with a beautiful campus and bright students, but there is nowhere else quite like Chicago. I want a challenging, Germanic, well rounded education that encourages the life of the mind. Cornell is the opposite - it’s much more pre-professional and much more of a party school.</p>
<p>QuarantineC</p>
<p>To be serious now, if I was accepted by both Cornell and Chicago, I would pick Chicago partly because I am not the party-type individual. I mean, I like to gather with friends, but just not intense partying, drinking, jumping around like mad(wo)men, shaking their heads like they’re on drugs, listening to the same kind of music for 3 hours, and killing off millions of brain cells due to pure stupidity.</p>
<p>In terms of competition, I would actually say that Cornell has more competition due to their large classes. Don’t get me wrong. I had a lot of respect (though not anymore after my deferral and rejection) for Cornell.</p>
<p>I know what’s on a lot of students’ mind when they are picking schools. They look at acceptance rates. They feel like it’s worth more to head to a school with lower acceptance rate. Chicago hired this guy who is extremely good at marketing and use of technologies in admission process. You’ll see Chicago’s admission rate falling below 15% sometimes soon. Ten years later, after I make my $1 billion-dollar donation to Chicago it’ll probably announce immediately to meet students’ 100% financial need (for both domestic and international students). You shall see its admission rate falling way below 1%. <3 <3 <3 <3 <3</p>
<p>Hey I just realized that I deserve a 4.01 GPA at Chicago due to my pure enthusiasm! :D</p>
<p>Jkin’</p>