<p>hey guys..
when i was growing up i always thought cornell was top notch
dont get me wrong.. it is still really good.. and by that i mean..
REALLY good.. but it just seems that it is being trumped by schools such as columbia, penn, duke, and even schools such as northwestern.
while i know that cornell has a great engineering school, it just seems like the combination of its location and other factors have made its reputation decline significantly..
well i guess you guys are on the cornell board and must be really defensive about htis.. i was just wondering whether you guys have any opinion on it.. is it true that cornell is slipping?</p>
<p>um, considering the acceptance rate declined significantly this year, I'd assume it is doing the exact opposite of what you claim</p>
<p>and what "other factors" are you referring to?</p>
<p>if location is the problem, the Dartmouth should be "slipping" as well</p>
<p>some people actually like Cornell's location</p>
<p>How old are you? That's the question I have.</p>
<p>U.S. News isn't the Bible. When I was applying, Cornell was in the top 10 and Caltech was #1, but now, it's totally different. Schools don't magically change that much in a course of a few years.</p>
<p>Cornell's reputation is not going down, and it's not slipping. If you are judging your decision on US NEWS, then that's not wise. Though Cornell is ranked currently at number 14 for National Universities, Cornell is an extremely prestigious university, and has prestige not only in the United States, but across the world. In the THES London Times ranking of World Universities, Cornell was ranked number 23 in the world, higher than Duke, Brown, Dartmouth, Northwestern, Penn, etc. In addition, if you are basing your decision on selectivity, Cornell's overall acceptance rate (ED and RD) has dropped from from 29% to 26%, closing in on the gap. Btw, what other factors are you referring to by saying that it's "reputation" is slipping?</p>
<p>The College of Arts & Sciences saw a 30% increase in applications to a total of 12,268. If they accepted the same amount as last year then the acceptance rate for A&S is 19.6%, which is lower then Duke's rate of 22% this year.</p>
<p>Wharf</p>
<p>well
COrnell is STILL a very very good school, but:</p>
<p>look at the percentage of cornell students in top 10% in their high school, not taht high, is it?</p>
<p>The percentage of cornell students in top 10% in their high school is around 87%(class of 2007).. I personally think it is very high when Cornell's special situation is taken into account. Cornell's undergraduate colleges like Hotel Administration and Architecture school select their student based on their interests and devotion to the fields rather than test scores and GPA's. If you look at Engineering or A&S, you'd realize that it is not low at all. For example, the percentage for A&S class of 2007 was 92%. Also, the percentage of students in top 10% in their high school is not very significant as 50% of the applicants did not report rank.</p>
<p>85% graduate in the top 10%. I would say that that is VERY high. In addition, Cornell has 7 undergraduate Colleges. Some of those colleges don't rely on stats so much as portfolios, work experience, and extreme devotion.</p>
<p>geary86,</p>
<p>You took the words right out of my mouth... Cornell overall is 87% for students in top 10% of H.S. class... Arts & Sciences is 92%...Engineering 92%...Human Ecology 92%</p>
<p>Dartmouth 88%.. Duke 88%...Columbia 85%...Northwestern...82%.</p>
<p>But statistics are just numbers... all these places provide a great educational opportunity... its what you do with that opportunity that counts...</p>
<p>Wharf</p>
<p>well, i agree w/ wharf, it's a truly great school for a lot of things, mainly science/engineering</p>
<p>however, the problem that Cornell is facing might be that it has too many students? i dont really know. anyway, some people in my school think it's one the easiest ivy leagues to get into.</p>
<p>i like it a lot, but turned it down b/c its business program is not that good(it's still going thru a developing stage)</p>
<p>Cornell is, in all reality, going up.....a lot more people know of cornell than 20 years ago, and plus it has the highest number of apps of any Ivy. In next 10 years, it will displace many other Ivies due to;</p>
<p>1) recent performance in alumni giving, placing it #1 several times in a row
2) surge in applications, due to joining common app...i.e. following the sneaky tactics of other Ivy schools.
3) being the best science/engineering ivy gives it a boost that others don't have
4) having a much better name recognition than at least 5 other ivies is pushing the school forward.....the sacrifices it made 20 years ago are starting to pay huge dividends.
5) .....last, but not least, being part of the Ivy league!!!...this ensure thats cornell will forever be in the top echelon, while other top schools have to continuously work year after year to keep their posts, which can drop much more easily.</p>
<p>...remember, nobody bashes a dead horse!!</p>
<p>Thom Yorke,</p>
<p>So hard to generalize... you're right about science and engineering - they're top notch...but humanities are aslo VERY strong... I'd put Cornell's History, Government, English, and Philiosophy departments up against anyone. College of Arts & Sciences is basically a smallish (4,000 students - same size as Dartmouth) LAC in the middle of a major research U. You get the best of both worlds...</p>
<p>Then when you looks at some of Cornell's other colleges... well Hotel, ILR, and Human Ecology... they really are leaders in their areas...it all depends what you're looking for...</p>
<p>Wharf</p>
<p>Well, I'm from the Brown board, so I'm not defensive at all...</p>
<p>but I think Cornell is AWESOME!!</p>
<p>I'm not sure how Cornell got a reputation for not being selective, because you have to be amazing to get in (at least from my area). And Cornell's programs, from engineering to hotel to English to architecture, are respected internationally.</p>
<p>Location? Cornell has to have one of the most beautiful campuses I've ever seen, and Ithaca is a pretty cool town. (Personally, I like the Wegmans!)</p>
<p>Sorry, benshen, but Cornell isn't slipping. It's at the top and getting better.</p>
<p>Funkyspoon,</p>
<p>Now that's a cool post... Brown is likewise an awesome school... I love Rhode Island! For some students the open cirriculum at Brown is the perfect match.</p>
<p>Thanks for stopping by!</p>
<p>Wharf</p>
<p>I really tired to people equating selectivity with quality of academics. I say we blow up half of North Campus so we won't be able to accomodate as many freshman, making Cornell more selective. Apparently, Cornell with half of North Campus in rubble would be a better school than it is now.</p>
<p>I think that's what this thread needed, Funkyspoon. Nice post. When people come out of their way to make a comment like that, it deserves to be commended... The truth is the truth, Cornell is at the top of its game so to speak, and it's not showing any signs of slowing down either (the campus is bustling EVERYDAY). And yes, Rhode Island is always a nice place, and Brown is really cool too, I am also applying to Brown (Cornell is still first choice), but their open curriculum seems like it may take some getting used to.</p>
<p>That's a little harsh norcalguy, lol. But I guess it got the point across... Hahaha</p>
<p>norcal...</p>
<p>you take Risley, I'll get Balch...</p>
<p>"If they accepted the same amount as last year then the acceptance rate for A&S is 19.6%, which is lower then Duke's rate of 22% this year."</p>
<p>Yeah, but you're comparing Cornell A&S with Duke's overall acceptance rate. Duke A&S and Cornell A&S have the same AR (more or less). </p>
<p>I think the perception of Cornell HAS declined (though not the quality) cause admissions has done a lackluster job of promoting the school in recent years (compared to other Ivies, Duke, G'town etc.). Ugly brochures, unaggressive marketing, etc. But I hear they're finally getting in the game.</p>