Cornell University Top Questions

Really, really good. Professors tend to know your name, students study a lot. Class participation varies, but you'll generally be in the middle of the pack. The Cornell Government department is really good, it's nice to wikipedia your professor and discover that he's a leading theorist in his field.

Students dont go to class, then end up cramming for the exams.

Some students study a loootttt of the time... and there are those who study a lot, but also play a lot, and they write papers hours before they are due and still get a good grade. I can't do that - I try to plan ahead. I also try not to go out three days in a row. My major is natural resources, which is environemntal science. I love it - its very flexible (not a lot of requirements) so I can take a lot of interesting classes. The first few required classes for NtRes are really boring and don't really teach much, so I think people who aren't dedicated environementalists coming into it drop the major. But past the intro classes, the major is amazing. I definetely think the majority of students at Cornell are geared towards getting a job.

My favorite class at Cornell was Bio 105, an autoturtorial introductory biology course. I mostly instructed from the whole text book based on guiding questions provided for the class. The best parts were the labs, where we got hands-on opportunities to explore the topics we were learning. In particular, we dissected rats (of which I named mine Mickey). Absolutely the best hands-on experience for pre-med students. This class was also not nearly as competitive as the majority of classes at Cornell, so everyone in the class is more than happy to help you understand certain topics, as it gives them a chance to review what they know as well. Overall, and amazing class where ones personal efforts really reflect in the grades received.

There are a lot of unique classes you can take and interesting classes to take for fun. Student's aren't competitive with anyone but themselves and often spend too much time in the library. Although that is not the case for everyone. Colleges vary but for Industrial & Labor Relations, professors definitely know your name and are very accessible.

Clearly, Cornell is challenging. But it's not impossible. Your first semester will be rough. And you won't feel intelligent enough. However, you will get the hang of it. Most departments offer "00" courses which are supplemental help classes. These will really help.

Academics at Cornell are quite varying. Depending on your school, you may have close relationships with your professors, or you may never speak a single word to him or her. As a sophomore biology major, I have had very few interactions with senior professors. On the other hand, I do interact with TAs (teaching assistants who are usually graduate students) on a frequent basis. In some ways, TAs are a nice intermediate between student and professor, however, they are not always quite as knowledgeable as the professor.

Academics at cornell are ok. Professors are more concerned with their own stuff than students and don't seem to particularly care to get to know the students personally. This is not the case at all colleges, and I know this because I transferred here from somewhere where the professors would ask students to come out to lunch and talk about stuff. Here a professor would never do that. Similarly, the large classes and the general environment stifle class discussion. people seem unwilling to speak up in class or ask questions. Much of cornell seems to not care about learning, just preparing students to be bankers so they can make gifts to the corporate cornell. students study a lot and are usually stressed out.

Fabulous! The classes here are second to none!

The problem with Cornell being such a big university is that intro classes are huge, making it hard to get to know a professor until you reach upper level classes. This also discourages students to participate, unless they are bold enough to speak among a class of 500 students. I think that one of the main differences between academics at Cornell compared to other schools is the competition. Many non-Cornellians think that Cornell's academics, classes, and professors are at a more difficult level. This may be true, but I think the academic stress is mainly due to competition with your fellow peers. Especially with the curving system, you have to compete with others to be one of the few with the A. There is also more competition when it comes to finding jobs. Cornell students are all qualified candidates, making it harder for one to get a job.