Cornell University Top Questions

Cornell is the perfect size. Opportunities abound; there is always someone new to meet or something new to do.

Most frequent student complaint, and the thing I dislike most about Cornell, is the "Big Red Tape" that administration and campus agencies make us jump through to accomplish things, especially as student groups. "Where is the money going?" is a huge issue- recently Cornell finally reformed its financial aid policy, nearly 5 years after peer institutions such as Harvard had reduced or eliminated loans in their need-based finaid packages. And while many professors are inspirational, talented, and just all round good teachers and mentors, the few "bad apples" that continue to teach the same course (badly) for many years really puts a damper on the quality of education. I suppose the best thing about Cornell is the sheer amount of opportunity to do whatever you want, inside and outside the classroom. Also, the name Cornell can open doors to internships, interviews, and employment. Honestly, after surviving 4 grueling semesters as a physical science major here, I can appreciate why the Cornell name seems to vet candidates- Cornell will push you to your limits, academically and emotionally, and you (as a typical Cornellian) will react by pushing yourself even harder. I just finished my finals, so take what I say with a grain of salt. That said, I believe this is worth it.

It has SOOOO much to offer! definitely a big school but the many clubs and activities, whether they are academically oriented or more social, or volunteer type, give people a place to meet others and find a smaller group of friends. I feel like being in the college of engineering has been SO demanding that I haven't really had time to take advantage of all that is at my fingertips at Cornell - shows, club performances, volunteer activities, speakers, concerts, Ithaca events, etc etc. I spent a lot of time studying and doing work, though there is a substantial collegetown with about 8 or so bars that get crowded on weekends. There is a good deal of school pride, especially when it comes to 2 of the sports that we are good at (hockey and lacrosse), and within my major there is a lot of pride too!

Cornell "nickel and dimes" its student population, and many students complain about this, but I guess we have to assume that they have to. It is the right size. Socially, it relies heavily upon its large Greek system, seemingly to a fault. This seems to be another complaint of some students.

The best thing about cornell is the outstanding education and the connections you'll have after graduation. I love the large size of it because Ithaca is kind of isolated, so having a large student body doesnt make you feel as distant from the rest of the world. The social life at cornell is mostly greek life dominated. Frat parties are very very popular and common.

The school is large, but you always see the same people so it seems small. It also depends on what your major is. Some people are impressed by Cornell, others have never heard about it. The school has pride, but is not a State School type of atmosphere if that is what you are looking for.

The best thing about Cornell is the great mix of academia and fun. Students here know how to work really really hard, but they also know how to let loose and have fun when they can afford to. One thing I would change, is to somehow lessen the school work and place more of an emphasis on more experiential learning. The size of the campus is perfect, large enough that you can be relatively anonymous when you want to, and small enough that I can walk to class from my residence off campus and will be sure to see at least ten people I know.

The campus is too large. In order to get from collegetown to north you have to take a twenty minute bus, or a forty minute hike. Because of this most of the time is spent in one location or spent running around.

The best thing about Cornell is the student body. Students are diverse and incredibly down to earth, and the Cornell community is so large that there is always something going on.

Very pretty campus.