Cornell University Top Questions

Yes and no. Our campus is not filled with depressed, hopeless individuals, but I'm sure we have just as many "stressed out" people as any other demanding academic environment. To combat this image, everywhere you go you see programs sponsored by Cornell aimed at relaxing (university-sponsored massages, cousneling, etc.) Students may be perceived as over-acheiving in that a lot of them are hard-working and have high standards for themselves. As for overworked, you determine how demanding your own curriculum is and how hard you want to work.

No. While some students choose academics over social life, most Cornell students find time to socialize and have fun outside of classes.

Cornell may have farmland, but its a gorges campus. Most students are from the middle-upper class, but we've got liberals, conservatives, and everything in between. Engineers can be socially awkward and dorky, but most engineers are outgoing, social people. Hotelies don't have it as easy as it might seem. Archies do leave Rand, for Dragon Day. I know alot of sorority girls and they are equal to any other student on campus. And Cornell is the hottest Ivy!

some definately are.

Yes, all of them.

For the most part, these stereotypes aren't accurate. I don't know anybody who tries to sabotage other people to get a good grade in a class. All my friends are willing to work together to solve problem sets and discuss assignments. Also, students here aren't more depressed than students on other college campuses. Yes, there are a few depressed students, but the suicide rate at Cornell is about the same as the national average. There are plenty of psychological services to take advantage of in case students do have problems. Also, the stereotype of Cornellians being the dumbest kids in the Ivy League is false. While Cornell may have a higher acceptance percentage in admissions, Cornellians are bright and intelligent. The best part of my experience at Cornell has been getting to know other people on campus. I've met such fun and vibrant people here.

No, not usually. I'm in the Pre-Med track and although sometimes people you don't know (I call them "Problem Set Vultures") will make you feel like you're being attacked for help on homework (in a curved class..), you make vague friends with nearly everyone in common classes. Being an Agriculture school helps as well. There are a ton of kids from Dairies and farms who you just wouldn't meet at the other schools. What's cool about Cornell is our diversity includes not only other races, but so many other criteria. There are so many talented people here. In terms of the complex, it's true that many people applied to other Ivies and didn't get in. We are the youngest, biggest, and least expensive if you live in NY and are in CALS. I think this gives us something that many other schools would like to have, and eventually the kids who didn't apply ED come around and wear red all the time out of habit.

Certainly those stereotypes are represented, but there is so much more to the school than those. There are rich and poor (mostly your poor college students), there is PLENTY of life...although people usually work hard during the week and then play VERY hard during the weekend. There are snooty, rich, and preppy too, but with about 14,000 students...that is only one scene in MANY.

A friend of mine transfered last year after 3 semesters at Columbia and claims that Cornell classes are much more challenging. Of course this is just her experience, but I wouldn't be surprised if the rigor of Cornell's classes is generally underestimated. It is true that many students choose to devote their lives to studying. I heard a student the other day complaining about how Cornellians are "masochistic" when it comes to studying (not so sure thats correct). The majority of people I have met strike a balance between school and other activities. Ithaca is not the most exciting city, but I think the weather is its main problem. Since the campus is pretty big, walking in the snow (for what may add up to 1 to 2 hours a day) is something you just have to get used to. Students in the Hotel School tend to have the reputation of being less intelligent than other students. I honestly don't think this is true, since I have taken four hotel courses and have found the ratio of "smart" to "dumb" kids comparable to other divisions in the university. But yes, popped collars do run rampant.

1. This stereotype depends all on your perspective. TRUE that Ithaca is not a city, however, we are only 45 minutes away from Syracuse and 3 hours from NYC. Often times, there are so many events going on at Cornell (from concerts, to speakers; from parties to sports games) that one doesn't even realize that one is not in a metropolitan city. People also often forget that Ithaca has a lot to offer. From apple festivals to music concerts, Ithaca offers a culture that not many people get to experience in their lifetime. There are many cities in the world, but very few places like Ithaca. 2. If you look at overall acceptance rates, then yes, maybe you would think that Cornell is the easiest Ivy to get into. But if you look at acceptance rates for certain schools (for example, engineering), you will find that Cornell is actually a very hard school to get into. 3. Cornell may be an Ivy League school but it also has the second biggest Greek system. Cornell students know how to balance both sides of life which equals knowing how to study and party hard. Every weekend, there are tons of parties at fraternities, house parties or bars for those who are legally allowed to drink. We even have a school-wide party at the end of every spring system with a huge concert (Slope Day). 4. The suicide rate at Cornell is actually below the national average. Other top schools have surpassed us when it comes to annual suicides. This rumor is only around due to the fact that Cornell has many gorges, and to many people bridges + stressed out students = suicide. 5. The weather in Ithaca isn't as bad as everyone makes it seem. Yes, it does snow and rain here, but the average amount of snowfall here is less than Boston. We also get less snow than schools such as Syracuse and SUNY Buffalo. 6. Cornell student's may seem unfriendly if you expected a school full of people who party/go out 24/7, but we are an outgoing lot. Yes, if you try to talk to us during prelim (exam) season, we might be a little crabby, but don't you think that the University that contains the number one hotel school in the world would have friendly students? 7. All of Cornell is privately owned. Three of its seven undergraduate colleges (College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Human Ecology and College of Industrial and Labor Relations) are known as contract colleges. They receive funding from New York State. Residents of NY that are enrolled in the contract colleges pay a reduced tuition. Furthermore, the governor of the state serves as an ex-officio member of the board of trustees. Those students who attend contract colleges are no different than any other Cornell students.