Cornell University Top Questions

very diverse. In my opinion it's the best feature. Cornell does a great job of finding intelligent, personable people from a wide range of backgrounds.

Diversity- Racial: I would say predominantly Asian and White. I definitely wouldn't say that there is a HUGE population of African-Americans or Hispanics, but it's hard to say since I'm only in one college within Cornell and I don't see the entire student body every day. I come from a predominantly white hometown, so coming to Cornell was a big shock for me. As an asian, I discovered that there are many, many different types of asians (foreigners, bilinguals, American citizens, etc.) Because Cornell has such a large population I was able to get a good experience of meeting new people... it's been awkward at times, but Cornell places a VERY high value on respect. I feel very safe here; I'm just learning more about the nuances of differences in race and culture. Financial: A HUGE range! People from all walks of life here. Political: I would say predominantly right...but really, what college campus isn't? The Cornell Republican club is also pretty big here so I wouldn't rule out the conservative sector. It's not like people single you out if you're conservative.

The people are Cornell are amazing. Coming from all over the world, the students have a wide varieties of backgrounds, interests, socio-economic statuses, and lifestyles. Coming from a very homogenous hometown, Cornell pleasently surprised me with students of all races and nationalities. My core group of friends includes, 2 Indians, 2 Hawaiians, 3 from China, Japan, & Korea, 1 from Switzerland, and other from across North America. People in my classes have worked all over the world, and it's amazing hearing about all of their unique experiences and lives. I have friends who are extremely wealthy, and others who are on work study programs. People are very open to sharing their interests, beliefs, and ideas because most of the student body is very open and accepting.

Races don't tend to mix a whole lot. A lot of times there is a common language or cultural thread and you feel uncomfortable outside of this bubble. This is especially true of the african americans on campus although there are exceptions.

One of the reasons I enrolled at Cornell was the diversity of students. Since I've been at Cornell, I've also noticed that the students are friendlier than students at other college campuses I've visited. They are open-minded, environmentally conscious, and athletic. The student body is predominantly left. I've been at Cornell for a year, and I still walk around and think, "I LOVE the students at Cornell!" They are really awesome people, and I'm reminded of it every day.

One of the best things about Cornell is the students that go here and the diversity that they all bring with them. We have every race, ethnicity, whatever that you can think of. However, Cornell is pretty self-segregated: the black kids tend to stick together, the Asians tend to stick together (although not as much as the black kids do), the Latino kids tend to stick together, and the white kids tend to stick together. African Americans are the minority in the minority at Cornell- there are WAY more Asians at Cornell than there are black kids. This segregation is not imposed at all by the University, but it is self-imposed by the students themselves. I'm not really sure why this is, but I guess it's because kids want to find those most similar to themselves. The only type of student that would really feel out of place at Cornell would be emo/punk kids. Cornell has a lot of preps, a lot of hippies, a lot of jocks, and a lot of artsy kids, but there really aren't many punk-type students. The town of Ithaca itself does, but Cornell does not. Cornell on a whole is not overly political; however the political groups here that do exist are VERY political. Although most students would probably identify themselves as much more liberal than conservative, there is a substantial group of conservatives and Republicans, and they make their voices heard as often as possible. The same goes for the leftists and Democrats: they like to get their opinions known. There is often a rally or demonstration of some sort going on in Ho Plaza (right by the main student union, Willard Straight Hall).

No student would feel out of place at this university. There are so many niches into which anyone can fit. There are hundereds of extracurricular clubs and activities, and if you can't find what you're looking for, you can apply for funding and make your own thing. There are all kinds of races, classes, and religions represented in the student body, and quite a bit of support for everyone. I'm friends with billionaires as well as kids who are on full-scholarship. And then a lot of kids in between. The freshman experience was especially exposing as we were all living in the same residential campus and were thus in close contact with every type of student.

I do not really bother with this stuff.

There is very much racial self-segregation here. Asians, blacks, and other ethnic minorities will generally associate disproportionally with their own respective ethnic groups. We also have dormitories that house blacks, latinos, and native americans only, which might play into the lack of interracial interaction. The diversity numbers on our student body pie charts are very "good," but recognize that they do not guarantee you will be introduced to a motley of cultures at Cornell.

The student body is very diverse, but noticeably Asian-dominated. There are preppy, nerdy, social, quiet, etc students here- & everyone is accepted. Most students are from New York, New Jersey or California. Most are also wealthy and liberal.