Cornell University Top Questions

The location. I love the college-town setting, but wish that our campus was a bit closer to a big city; given that at times campus can feel suffocating.

Weather. It's always either raining or snowing. It's beautiful in the summer but no one's there for the summer. It's also in the middle of no where.

There are seven undergraduate schools, and it is difficult to take classes outside of the school you are in. I am interested in taking classes in the art and architecture field, but it is nearly impossible for me to enroll in these classes because I am in the school of Arts and Sciences.

Campus housing availability. After freshman year many students have to live off campus.

The weather and the pressure to do well academically. People are obsessed about their GPAs.

Cornell has two main extremes of people: the privileged trust fund legacies, and the introverted, antisocial nerds. There are a few people in between, but not many. Snobs abound here.

Cliques

There's very little to do. Ithaca has no fun areas to visit...almost feel isolated

That it costs so much. You do get a lot for your money but sometimes I feel that I could be just as well off at a state school where I would be paying a fraction of the price I pay to go to Cornell.

doesn't focus enough on vollunteering or the liberal arts

The classes are based on curves mostly, so the average GPA can be lower here than other schools. Having a low GPA relative to students from other schools can hurt your chances at getting a job or accepted to grad school.

Competitive nature of many of the students and the divide between different ethnic groups at the school. It is not that people are racist, but most of the minority groups at Cornell stick together and do not branch out. The members of those groups who do choose to associate with other people are completely accepted and welcomed.

Rural

The weather is not that appealing. A lot of rain, snow, and cold. Ithaca has a lot of outdoor things to do, but most of the social things I attend are "on campus."

The weather. You have to be ready for cold weather to enjoy the campus. Personally, I dont mind the snow but it is one of the biggest concerns of new students. The cold weather can make it difficult to travel accross the large campus.

The financial aid; it is REALLY expensive to go here, but it will be worth it once you get your degree!

Cornell University will work students to their limits, so if someone is looking to come here only to party, this may not be the school for you. True, one third of the student population is greek, but when classes start up, students must be proactive and make a choice of when to party and when to buckle down and study.

The price that everything comes with

The worst thing about the school is its distance from everything. The school itself is in Ithaca, New York which is basically the middle of nowhere. Once you leave the campus and the immediate surrounding college town, there is not much in the area. This campus would be 100 times better if it was just located near a major city or inside a major city.