<p>Honestly, I don’t think the U.S. News rankings for a program like environmental science are all that important. But if it matters to you, the Gourman Report considers Cornell’s undergraduate Natural Resources program to be the best in the country.</p>
<p>Cornell’s teaching and research in the fields of natural resources, environmental science, earth systems, etc. are outstanding. While the other Ivies may joke about Cornell’s Ag School, they should probably be jealous of the quality and breadth of it’s offerings. From the Shoals Marine Lab to all of the different research stations around Upstate New York, there are tons of opportunities for undergraduates to have hands on experience in the field.</p>
<p>I would read as much about the different programs as you can to see which ones seem to best match your interests in terms of classes, research opportunities, etc. And beyond that, consider which school will offer you the type of student life that you will be most comfortable at. Stanford and Cornell are pretty different when it comes to student life. And above all, visit the campuses, if at all possible, and talk with current students, professors, etc.</p>
<p>Here’s some reading material I was able to dig up on Cornell’s natural resources program with just a little use of Google:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.cals.cornell.edu/cals/prospective/admissions/academic-programs/upload/060278G-NaturalResourcesFactSheet-PP1.pdf[/url]”>http://www.cals.cornell.edu/cals/prospective/admissions/academic-programs/upload/060278G-NaturalResourcesFactSheet-PP1.pdf</a></p>