Visit Report by posterX (Member since August 22 2005 with 2145 posts) Visit Date - January 2006
Visit to Cornell University in January 2006 by posterX (Other, HS Class of 2011)
Visit Activities:
Campus Tour:
Yes - The campus is very pretty, but is unbearable in the winter. I've also been in the summer, spring and fall. Classroom Visit:
Yes - Classrooms seemed generous and well-appointed.
Cornell University Campus:
Friendliness/Courtesy of Students: 3 - Good -
Students seem generally friendly, although there isn't a sense of friendliness and openness that you find at smaller colleges and universities.
Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff: 4 - Very Good Appearance of Campus: 3 - Good -
The campus is pretty, particularly areas away from the center (such as Cornell Plantations), but in the winter, is a frozen ball of ice.
Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness: 3 - Good -
Classrooms are generally nice. Some of the academic buildings, however, appear dated. The library isn't anything like, say, Harvard or Yale.
Dormitories: 3 - Good -
Cornell has built many new dorms, greatly improving the situation there over the past few years. But they aren't organized or laid-out very well - they aren't very close together.
Security/Safety: 3 - Good -
Good, but because there is very little activity on most parts of the campus, walking around quiet areas of campus late at night definitely needs to be done with caution.
Overall Campus Impression: 3 - Good -
Cornell is a great university.
Off-Campus:
Area Immediately Around Campus: 2 - Fair -
There is not much to do in the immediate area, and only a few decent restaurants. Student community is somewhat underserved.
City/Town/Community: 1 - Poor -
The region is very quiet, with little in the way of arts, culture, or community events. There are no nearby cities of any significance.
Campus Visit Notes for Cornell University:
Visit Description:
Cornell has a spectacular campus in the summer and early fall, especially in outlying areas such as Cornell Plantations and Sapsucker Woods, but for most of the academic year it is frigid, barren and somewhat unlivable. The steep hills, and the campus's location at the top of a very windy hill, only add to the feeling of suffering that you sense by walking around.
The campus is extremely spread-out, so it's difficult to compare it with more tightly-woven campuses where students are more likely to frequently interact with their friends. Luckily, Cornell has recently built new dorms and a major new dining facility on North Campus, which help create more of a centered community especially for freshmen.
Campus facilities are generally excellent, particularly the interior of classroom buildings; a few, however, appear dated.
Hotel/Lodging Recommendations or Comments:
There are a few affordable hotel chains.
Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments:
Moosewood Restaurant, in downtown Ithaca, is the only well-known establishment. Other options are your typical fare - small diners, cheap ethnic food, grease joints.
Other Comments (Transportation, local attractions, parking, etc.):
While not fully open for the entire year, there are a few wonderful local parks - Robert H. Treman, Buttermilk Falls, and Taughahannock offer good hiking opportunities along deep "gorges". Unfortunately they aren't really that close to the
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Students seem generally friendly, although there isn't a sense of friendliness and openness that you find at smaller colleges and universities.
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There is not much to do in the immediate area, and only a few decent restaurants. Student community is somewhat underserved.
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The region is very quiet, with little in the way of arts, culture, or community events. There are no nearby cities of any significance.