runforlife08

HELP! i need to choose between both, i visited them, and each seem to have their ups and downs .... i mean i like that UVA is warmer, and seems more relaxed and not so cut throat, but then again Cornell is amazingly beautiful and the food is amazing, the housing seems great too. people seem friendly at Cornell, but UVA students are mega friendly. my parents seem to like Cornell a lot more, for the typical reasons of " it is more well respected, and such". Is that really true, I mean, is UVA not that well known? i think i might see myself more at UVA, i heard some say that you are just a number at cornell. I also heard that the amount of work at Cornell is suicidal. I asume the work at UVA is also difficult though. I am going to be a bio major. i thought getting in was the hard part... too bad i can't even decide. Any input regarding UVa and deciding would be appreciated.

db123

this came up in the UVA vs. _______;I think powderpuff turned down cornell so she would have some great info about the two.

powderpuff

I did turn down Cornell for UVA. Cornell seemed so big, so cold, so far away from my southern home. I was awarded the title of Meinig Family scholar that has it's perks. But I just couldn't go there. I've heard that it is fairly cut throat and one of the hardest schools in the Ivy League. I never did visit the campus though. It's supposed to be beautiful in warm weather. During the winter though, I went to their webcam and to me it looked like Siberia. It was obviously freezing, tons of snow, gray, people bundled up fighting the weather. A Cornell grad at my Mom's work told her that he wouldn't recommend Cornell unless a student had a real strong support network close by; he was from NY. He said it can get real lonely there. That influenced my decision to some degree.
I'm sort of a romantic though, and and fell in love with the Grounds at UVA. I love it's history, the preppiness, the southern mystique. I haven't declared a major, but it will probably be biology. So I'm taking courses that you'll probably be taking next year. It's a lot of work, but not impossible, if you stay focused. I was happy with my first semester grades. UVA is friendly and very well-known.
Either school is a great choice, both prestigious. Good luck. Personally, I'd follow your heart.

powderpuff

Also, there's some bridge or something at Cornell that is supposedly linked to student suicide. Beneath the bridge is a concrete surface, and people jokingly will paint a target (like bull's eye) below the bridge>>according to the same guy my Mom knows.
I don't know anything real about the suicide risk, so take it with a grain of salt.

crs1909

The suicide bridge thing is true.

My father used to live in Cornell and while my family and I were up in the NY area a few years ago, we checked out Cornell and my dad took us by the suicide bridge. I know we drove by it, but I'm not sure whether we actually drove over it. According to my dad, that bridge has been known as a suicide bridge since before he went to college back in 69.

I can't really comment on the campus because we only drove by briefly in the summer, in the rain, and I didn't really want to be there.

vicente

How about going to UVa for college and applying to Cornell for graduate school?

When you're an undergrad, being a number really sucks because you don't get to talk to your profs and the school couldn't care less if you need help. Plus the prestige of your undergraduate school doesnt really matter unless you're planning to get a job right after college.

I can confirm that UVa isn't really well-known outside the U.S. Here in Canada we know of Cornell but most people haven't heard of UVa.

lisieux

Ah yes! That's my concern too! I don't think many employers here in South East Asia have heard about UVA... Which is a pity really, since if I don't consider the prestige/popularity, UVA wins Berkeley and Carnegie Mellon in my considerations hands down. Sigh I still can't choose!!

jags861

my guess is that cornell's popularity in canada is due mostly to its close proximity to canada. if cornell were in florida, i wonder if it would be as well known.

phdinee

It is generally true that Cornell, being a part of the Ivy League, is more well-known than UVa to public, whether it is US or abroad.
Also, it is probably safe to say that the overall academic quality is an inch higher. However, when it comes down to choosing between the two, one must be very careful and should consider all facts. That is because the two schools have more uncommonalities than simliarities. The differences include school culture, climate, student body, location, college experience and etc.
It is generally said that Cornell is more cut-throat competition than at UVa and I think it is true. Students seem to be having more tough time there whereas in UVa they seem to be enjoying the life more.

crs1909

In my opinion, Cornell is more cut-throat than UVA because Cornell, more than likely, has a larger percentage of students who have Grad/Professional School aspirations than UVA. Now if this were true, which it probably is, then naturally Cornell would be the more cut-throat school.

Dean J

It's hard to gauge "Grad/Professional School aspirations" and I don't think that students with those desires engage in "cut throat" behavior.

Cooperative or collaborative styles are often fostered in the classroom. Perhaps that is where the difference lies. Remember that some students are motivated in that sort of environment and some students recoil from it. There's no "right" way to teach/learn...you just have to figure out which style works best for your personality.

db123

just a quick note. a lot of people keep using the term "cut throat." For the most part, this is talking more about the level of competition. Students at any top school are considered cut throat but it's because they have a high level of ambition and drive. It's not like there's actual throat slitting or withholding information for other peers just to make sure you're on top; it's referring more to the intensity.