<p>Again, I want to know how Cornell treats its undergrads. This time, I'm inquiring specifically about the profs, or lack thereof. At Cornell, are most intro classes taught by TA's? Are they uncaring jerks? Will the professors be happy to answer questions, or too focused on their research?</p>
<p>i don't think any classes are taught by TA's - I've never had a class taught by TA's, and neither have any of my friends. </p>
<p>I have, however, had dinner with about 7 of my professors over my time at Cornell. Mostly genuinely enjoy teaching and welcome students to office hours.</p>
<p>The only classes I have had, taught by TAs are the freshmen writing seminars. Half of FWS's are usually taught by professors and half by grad students. However, I thoroughly enjoyed both my grad student instructors, and I dont even think its necessarily such a negative thing. I almost wish I took more classes from grad students some times. But, otherwise, its really not an issue. I had a professor who I was talking to about his experiences teaching at Harvard, and he felt strongly that Cornell is much more undergrad-focused (just as one comparison point).</p>
<p>Some of your writing seminars will be taught by grad students. But, I personally think most of the writing seminars are BS anyway. If you want to learn to write, take an upper level English course.</p>
<p>Otherwise, you won't find TA's teaching courses. Out of 30+ courses, I only had 1 course where I felt the professor wasn't accessible. In fact, many times, the professors are begging us to come to his/her office hours. The difference b/w Cornell and a LAC isn't in the accessibility of the professor but rather in how much initiative you have to take. At a LAC, the professor may take the initiative to get to know you. At Cornell, you have to take the initiative to get to know the professor. Many times, students are very intimidated but if you make an effort you will find that most professors are very friendly (although brilliant).</p>
<p>oh, yeah, freshmen writing seminars are taught by some TA's, but that's just so they can have hundreds of classes. Besides, the only real point of the class is to produce good writer, the have a Cornell degree and be a crappy writer is a sin.</p>
<p>I think LACs tell their profs to coddle students.</p>
<p>Some 21 year olds still need that pat on the head once in a while.</p>
<p>Everybody at Williams, Amherst, and Middlebury?</p>
<p>Well they still wet their bed and need to have their hand held to cross the street.</p>
<p>Far above Cayuga, we're hairy chested men.</p>
<p>In all seriousness, the quip about Harvard is true. I know a fair amount of Harvard grad students who serve as 'Teaching Fellows' and they all say that the professors are pretty much non-existent if you are an undergrad. </p>
<p>Also think about the ratios of undergrads to graduate students -- at Harvard there are 6,000 undergrads, but 14,000 graduate students. At Cornell, those numbers are reversed. Princeton and Dartmouth are the only schools in the Ivies to offer a comparable ratio. Brown and Yale are half decent as well. But Columbia, Penn, and Harvard are really graduate student focused institutions.</p>