<p>I'm thinking about applying to Cornell next year because I'm considering going into engineering, and I've just always had a high view of the school. But through recent research, my impression of the school has sort of been tainted by information I found about the school culture. For example, I hear that it's a huge party school. I'm not really interested in that scene (I develop my social life elsewhere, like through clubs and other activities) so I'm wondering if I'll end up being part of a minority. I know that the school is large and diverse, but if its known as a party school and the students live up to that, maybe I'll have some trouble finding my place. I also hear that there's a large hook-up culture, so it's not that great for relationships. I'm just not a fan of that either.</p>
<p>Before I give up on a school that I've always liked, I'd like to hear from people here about what Cornell's culture is really like. Would students like me feel like a minority in the school, surrounded by kids who like partying and hooking up?</p>
<p>I’m a current freshman at Cornell and I can say that because there are so many students here, you find a lot of people with different interests and personalities. I’m not really a party or hook up type of person either, and most of my friends aren’t, however there are also a lot of people who do party a lot, which is fine. Sometimes I do feel like a minority, but its not like it hard finding other people like you. Hope that helps :)</p>
<p>It seems like most of the Engineering students at Cornell don’t party (or don’t have time to). And CoE is a bigger school among the seven so you will find many like-minded students.</p>
<p>Haha I guess it’s true that engineering kids won’t party as much. But I do want to make friends outside of my major and school. I don’t want to become a part of an engineering bubble. </p>
<p>How accepting are people of kids who don’t want to go to parties? I’m just concerned about finding like-minded people, but becoming sort of shunned in a corner with them. </p>
<p>Really one’s college isn’t the primary social engine there, it’s more the dorms. Initially, which is when this is most important. Social relationships there routinely pierce college boundaries.</p>
<p>As bross37 pointed out , there are a lot of people with different interests and personalities there. They will all be in the dorms, and there may well be a shake-out period before you find your preferred social network.</p>
<p>Let’s say you have a lot in common with only 20% of the undergrads, that’s almost 3,000 people!
Once you ferret them out, whether via the dorms, or through shared activities, or whatever, there should be plenty of people to hang out with. Whether or not they constitute a majority. The same may be said about life after college too, BTW.</p>
<p>However there is no absolute guarantee that you will ferret them out, though most people do. And it is virtually a certainty that there will be people in your freshman dorm who you have nothing in common with (and hopefully others that you do like). After freshman year you can choose to live with friends and then this becomes moot.</p>