<p>Some other points:</p>
<p>Regarding Columbia, another key feature is the Core Curriculum there. It is a mandatory series of "great Works" type courses that all students at Columbia College must take. Columbia's engineering school students must also take a portion of this Core Curriculum.</p>
<p>I would think this would be a very significant, and polarizing point among potential applicants. As it was for my daughter, who did not apply to Columbia for this very reason. I've read that among Columbia students there is a sort of "love-hate" relationship with the Core: many like the idea of a unified curriculum promoting a classic, "old-world"style liberal arts education;presumably they chose Columbia for this very reason. Perhaps fewer like the actual courses.
The University of Chicage is one of the few other universities that still has a core curriculum of this type.</p>
<p>Cornell's College of Arts & Sciences does not have a required core; it has distribution requirements typical of most Arts & Sciences colleges generally. The other colleges at Cornell each have their own particular requirements, distribution or otherwise.</p>
<p>Although both schools have fraternities & sororities, I believe Cornell's frat scene is proportionally bigger. It is not a majority presence at Cornell either, but its presence is felt.</p>
<p>As indicated before, to love Columbia one seemingly must fully explore and embrace NYC. But NYC is not a college town; it is largely a place for working post-college professionals, and the wealthy. Meaning everything costs. Taking the subway costs. The bars and restaurants cost. It is expensive.</p>
<p>Finally at some point between the time I left college and now, seemingly all the big city schools have become hot. Columbia has ridden this wave, as have NYU and Penn. As a result Columbia College has become virtually impossible to get into now, except by application ED. (Which is different than saying one should want to go there). Cornell's attraction has been more steady. It is also quite difficult to get into, but not to quite the same extent.</p>