Cornell University Top Questions

Look at what your needs are. I chose my university because I wanted to be challenged. Do not choose a college or university just because your friend goes there, or because your parents went there, or because it looks nice. I would suggest looking at how well a student would "fit", that is, be compatible with the school both academically and socially.

With all the events and programs available at Cornell, make sure you organize and plan your time and schedules well. It?ll definitely be worth it in the end.?

Try a lot before you decide-- that goes for visiting colleges, taking courses, choosing activities, etc. As tempting is it is to settle in where you first feel comfortable, don't narrow things down too quickly.

I?ll never forget career day. Our puerile responses were spontaneous and simple. One student proudly proclaimed to the teacher, ? I want to be a fireman.? Another smugly shouted, ? I want to be a doctor.? I always thought that my answer was the coolest, and most profound for my young first grader status, ? I want to be an astronaut.? That bold statement never traipsed across my mind as something that was out of my range, something that was unachievable. I didn?t stop to fret about the many applications I would have to pound through, the hours, days, and weeks waiting for a response from that reach school, or even the money that it would cost. I truly believed I was going to be an astronaut, sipping tang and wearing space boots, but after watching Armageddon I was singing another tune. Although I no longer have the desire to become an astronaut I realize I had made a pivotal decision on that day. Young age is a catalyst for the imagination. I set no limits because I foresaw none. Parent?s and students shouldn't see college is unattainable, forget the naysayers and work hard.

There is no easy way to make such a daunting decision. No matter where you go you will second guess yourself and you will have friends who appear to be enjoying their experience more than you are. After completeing one year of school I have realized that it is far more important to choose a university based on the availability of both classes and activities that involve your interests than to choose a school based on the climate, social environment, appearance and reputation. There is diversity everywhere and you will always be able to make lifelong friends put in a little effort to find them. Ultimately college is about learning new things and developing your mind with the addition of information you will not be able to recieve anywhere else other than a college campus. As such it is far more important to be in an intellectually stimulating environment than where you can get a nice tan and love every person you may meet.

Do an honest assesment of what kind of person you are and what you want. Fitting in on campus and being happy are much more important that going to a school that is ranked slightly higher. Going to a 15th ranked school over a better fitting 20th ranked school can mean the difference between being happy and being motivated to do well or barely passing.

You should definitley visit the school before going. I thought I would hate cornell before coming up and was not really even considering it. I thought it was too big, but i realized it was just the right size (big enough for good research facilities, but small enough to not get lost, and i dont mean in terms of directions). Visiting other schools i realized i did not like them at all, so it is very important.

Make sure you're making the choice for yourself and not for your parents. If it's between just a handful of schools, go with the place you think you can be at for 4 years and know that you will have the same opportunities regardless of which similarly ranked school you go with.

The best advice would be to actually check out the schools that the student is interesting in attending. The brochures and facts and peer experiences can be misleading and exxagerations. Take a trip over the weekend and see if the campus is a fit for you and your personality. If there are programs where you can sit in on some classes or stay the weekend at at a dorm with a student, I would highly encourage prospective students to take them.

In terms of selecting the right college for you, availability of particular areas of study and location, should be important factors to consider. Finding a school that offered the somewhat unique major I wanted to go into (landscape architecture) was hard, so that narrowed my choices significantly. From there, I took geographic location into account. I could have chosen the school in my home town, or a school that was a 4 hour drive away. I chose the farther one. While both were good schools, I wanted to get away a little bit to broaden my horizons. Because I love my family and home, it was very hard for me to adjust, but after two years I've decided it was a good decision. I appreciate the unique opportunities that the small but ecclectic town of Ithaca, NY offers. On the other hand, it's not so far that I can't drive home in case of a family emergency. Overall, it is most important that the student, and not the parent, is the main decision-maker when it comes to choosing the best college.