Cornell University is an incredible place that offers a perfect blend of top-notch academics, beautiful scenery, and a vibrant campus life. Nestled in Ithaca, New York, the campus is absolutely stunning, with breathtaking views of the Finger Lakes and plenty of green spaces to enjoy.
What really sets Cornell apart is its academic reputation. The faculty are some of the best in the world, and they’re genuinely passionate about their fields. The range of programs and courses available is amazing, so whether you’re into engineering, the arts, or anything in between, you’ll find something that excites you. The resources and facilities are top-tier, giving you everything you need to dive deep into your studies.
But it’s not all about academics. The campus community is incredibly diverse, with students from all over the globe bringing different perspectives and experiences. This diversity makes for a really rich and inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome. There are tons of clubs, cultural organizations, and activities, so it’s easy to find your people and get involved in things you care about.
Cornell also stands out for its commitment to sustainability and community service. There are lots of eco-friendly initiatives and opportunities to give back, which adds a sense of purpose to the college experience.
I read all the reviews and they are very accurate. This school is tough and you need to be smart as well as prepared to just survive here at the very least. It helps if your family is wealthy and has plenty of cash resources. However, the emotional and mental challenge here, especially if you're from a background of limited financial means and not a natural fit for this culture, can add to an already ultra-competitive, cutthroat environment. Many people are friendly, but at the same time very capable and can be very cold and competitive. This environment is not good for anyone who is looking for college years to be just fun and is not serious about academics, which the admissions process usually filters those people out. If you're out to have fun, plus are serious about excelling academically (plus have proven yourself capable in high school), then it will be a much better fit. There is a more Long Island New York, Rural-vibe, to this campus than other ivy leagues (naturally as this one is in New York), but being an internationally prestigious university, you will find students from every part of the globe and background. That being said, it may be trying to be diverse in numbers, but a lot of the students tend to self-segregate, naturally. Whites will tend to gravitate towards similar students who are often whites, though I felt many are open to other diverse backgrounds--it is just human nature. If you are from a far-distant corner of the globe, and no one else is, you may find yourself "naturally isolated". Many students are open to learning and new experiences and meeting new people, I was welcomed to join others to watch movies or attend this restaurant or gathering in college town (the name of the local social town just off campus), however I never really felt that I fit here overall, as the vibe is very upperclass, rural, and for the most part white. Being a student of mixed background from a very diverse big city who came from an excellent school with people from diverse economic and ethnic backgrounds, I have friends from high school from many backgrounds. Here, I felt like many did not come from the same diverse background/experience, and it was not a very naturally-accepting of diversity (in culture and accepting and appreciation of other diverse backgrounds) campus, though you will look around and see people from all areas of the globe and walks of life. So, in the numbers, they are diverse. But this campus is geographically in a not diverse, not urban environment that is very hard to get to (had to take a minimum of two planes to get to their very, very small airport. There are opportunities to self-segregate, especially for minorities who (for whatever reason) just don't want to embrace the larger population, such as Indian American, African American, or international students, etc. Looking back, I should've at least been open to those (instead of shunning them, and thinking they were extreme and ridiculous, was being pretty naive!) as I certainly could've used the emotional support (though I did entertain it by reaching out to them at meetings, though I found many of these minorities to be from very upper class financial background that frowned upon my middle class upbringing), but coming from a very diverse background I never had to, I had friends growing up from all economic backgrounds and many cultural and non-cultural groups. This area in upstate New York, is not naturally as accepting of different backgrounds. I tried to join several clubs that are non-culturally related, however I was not prepared for the extra layer of segregation that was enforced by more rural staffers (typically from Ithaca and surrounding very rural backwards parts of this upstate region) that treated me as a second class citizen. Also, many professors who were white themselves tend to prefer promoting achievement and excellence of white students over minority students, especially in small seminars where people are graded subjectively on a bell curve, rather than through academic achievement. If Cornell wants to truly embrace the "any person, any student" motto, try to practice what you preach through equitable treatment, and less favoritism. That being said, for a very rural, mostly white, mid-atlantic area of the country, they have overcome that obstacle by leaps and bounds as an international, super-star research university that truly lives up to their reputation. But as a student coming from a very diverse, urban major metropolitan area (who loves rural settings, by the way, as I've often loved visiting my grandparents farm growing up), I found the diversity and acceptance of diversity lacking and was given so many extra cultural layers of barriers to overcome (in addition to an already very challenging academic workload). So please be mindful of this when considering this place. I would've had a better college experience at a place such as UC Berkeley as I love diversity and a cultural melting pot--both on and off campus. But after 4 years of coming here, I became more skilled at dealing with discrimination when encountered and aware of the larger problem at hand than my other high school counterparts who attended the likes of UC Berkeley, etc and remain oblivious in their bubble of diversity. That being said, I have had the pleasure of knowing and kept in touch with some of the most wonderful and incredibly talented smart students I had the pleasure of meeting and we've kept in touch throughout the years. Even years after graduation, I am amazed at the resources provided to Alumni and community that goes beyond the campus. They truly practice what they preach, once a Cornellian, always. They offer a lot of resources and personalization to alumni, in addition to a larger scale community, unmatched at other prestigious International Universities. But like being a successful student, you must be a proactive person and reach out to these resources. That being said, if you are a passive person and want things just handed to you, while you have fun during your college years, and want to just slide by with minimal studying and just average grades, this place isn't probably for you--though because everyone else was so smart, you sort of just sink into trying to just slide by anyway (though you may be incredibly smart and already accomplished)! Here, in addition to academic excellence and grit, you need to be humble (because most everyone else here were super stars at their High School too), have maturity (to co-exist with others from very different backgrounds and deal with many less than idea situations / while still getting things done), determination (to survive the long walks, challenging terrain, long winters, and less resources available in this rural town), and a proactive, no-holds barred approach (going after things, despite odds).
I think the financial burden I placed on my family going here was a little much, as this school is not good at providing adequate financial aid as other very prestigious schools are. If Cornell wants to truly live up to their founding motif of any person, any study, they need to provide more need-based assistance as the financial obligations were so overwhelming. I could not focus on my academics as much as I wanted to. I was so stressed out about the financial burdens as well as the emotional isolation of being so far away in this rural, low resources environment. I am from a solid middle-class background, so I was not poor enough to have most of the cost taken care of, or rich enough where the amount of tuition really didn't matter to my family. It is tough for a middle class family to come here. I would recommend that Cornell raise financial aid to middle class families. It was such an incredible added burden to my family, and added another layer of struggle to an already competitive environment (it really affected me academically as well as emotionally, I couldn't visit my family often enough for the emotional support (living thousands of miles away), and the academic performance affected my ability to attend graduate schools and get jobs (though prestige of this university has opened doors, I sometimes wonder if its best to just go to a crummy college and get straight A's there) that are grade-based. The richness and challenge of the environment allowed me to grow, learn, and develop in a way I never would have (if I had gone to an easy college right next to home), and it is a once in a lifetime experience I will never forget. However, I love my family very much, and despite all the benefits of coming here, and how much my mom and dad loved me and encouraged me to go here if I wanted, I think I would not (if I could go back in time and do over) due to the overwhelming financial burden that was placed on my family and stress on my older parents. Since graduating, I have committed to being very kind to my family and helping any way I can...but the years of stress, and the damage was done. I feel very guilty for putting them through that.
If you can afford it (and they give you a manageable financial aid package ...please factor in other expenses which are travel, food, electronics, recreation, etc), I believe the campus is beautiful, the rural setting is charming, it is an excellent academic environment and you will get an incredible education and experience here. You will be in a collection of some of the most talented students found anywhere in the world, in an environment where you can study practically anything your heart desires, the vast resources of learning a vast array of academic subjects and the level of study these professors are at (basically, the forefront of study, research in their respective areas) is an incredible experience and left quite an impression, you will be challenged like no other and it will help you realize the incredible things you yourself can do as you rub shoulders with these professors who I found often make themselves available to you if you reach out. I love learning and this place gives you more than ample opportunities and resources to learn just about whatever you want to.
