Cornell University Reviews

"Cornell was an amazing place to study. I did a lot of hands-on work and had professors who were leaders in their fields. The campus is beautiful, and the town is really geared towards college students, so it is a truly welcoming place to study."

"Cornell is a wonderful place, both academically and socially. Its diverse student body allows you to explore any interest you desire."

"The school is very large, but is a great place for someone who knows exactly what they want to study. It is not for the faint of heart."

"Unlike some other Ivy-league schools getting in to Cornell is not the hard part. You will get a fantastic education but you will work your A$$ off for it."

"I had trouble learning to balance school work, paid work, and other activities, but I muddled through slightly above average in an engineering program while working two jobs and holding officer positions in multiple student groups. Yes, college is hard, but you can do it, and you could probably do it better than I did if you focus on the school work aspect."

"The program at Cornell is truly a unique experience. Being in Ithaca, NY offers a monastic setting to delve into your studies whole-heartedly. The faculty is very involved and with a high ratio of faculty to students, it is very personal; this being furthered by the small class size. The facilities are like nowhere else and I am very gratefuly for my time here."

"Cornell University provides a great education in a variety of disciplines. The University has both endowed and state colleges- the latter allowing a Cornell education at reduced tuition for residents of New York State. Introductory classes are often large, which can make it a bit more difficult to form close relationships with your professors or many of your classmates. However, Cornell offers additional support resources, and as you proceed to higher level classes, there is often more personal interaction. You have to be proactive in taking advantage of what the school has to offer and in distinguishing yourself as one from many, but that's a good lesson for life after college."

"The problem-based learning can definitely be considered both a pro and a con. As someone who learned mainly from lectures in undergrad, this type of learning was definitely a change! But the benefits outweighed the challenges, because the integration of knowledge with the cases that we studied allowed the knowledge to "stick" better than I believe learning from lectures would have achieved."

"The Johnson School of Management has an excellent business program. I particularly like it for its emphasis on sustainability and social impact in business."

"Flexibility and independence to choose and design own coursework. Academics support collaboration among students. Strong exposure and encouragement for both academic and non-academic careers. Highly social and friendly department having a lot of sports, charity, and social events."

"Got to learn a lot and met a lot of intellectual people"

"Pros - Short, intensive program studying under world-class professors at a highly-ranked university, great for transitioning to a PhD program, access to research-oriented and other resources Cons - Short duration of program may be too intense for some students"

"I read the review from the student who graduated in 2014, and I will say that my experience 20 years prior was just about the same. "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times." I am a first generation college student from a rural area, and I felt completely ill-prepared for Cornell's academics. At times, I thought Cornell would break me - but I didn't allow that to happen! I muddled through and swore I would never darken the doorstep of another institution of higher education again! However, I went on to take a few classes at Harvard, one course at Boston University, and I received a master's degree from Case Western Reserve University. Cornell really prepared me for academics elsewhere - I didn't have a problem at all at any of those universities! I will begin my doctoral studies at Baylor University in June 2015, and I feel grateful to Cornell for teaching me how to study and how to love learning. Moreover, I left Cornell without owing a dime in student loans. If you have great financial need, don't let that stop you from applying. The school is very generous with grants and scholarships! Oh.. and Ithaca is awesome! Stay for the summer, and you will fall in love with the place just as much as I did!"

"Computer Science it particularly strong here at Cornell, and there are world renowned professors everywhere. The campus is beautiful albeit cold most of the year, and collegetown is a great place to find food and friends. If you put in the work and the effort to be social, it's a great experience. It's what you make of it that matters."

"Good, but they cut the program so I have to finish somewhere else"

"This is a fairly small department, but the network is strong. You would receive emails about job openings from alumni very often."

"Great resources available, opportunities for professional development and learning experiences outside of the classroom. Some professors tend to be more concerned with their own work but others are very available and willing to help. Not much diversity in the student population. Many speakers/valuable events held, yet extensive workload creates time constraints. Weather and housing market are less than ideal. Extremely limited options for commuter students."

"Cornell University has a culture that fosters a positive community that helps their fellow classmates. In addition, the attitude and maturity of the campus adds to its value as an Ivy League graduate program. It offers an intensive Master course that really pushes the limits of their students thinking and cultivates teamwork. The program does offer some amount of flexibility depending on the background and requirements fulfilled from previous undergraduate courses and experience. The down side of the program is how little time there is to spend at Cornell which limits what students can explore to see Cornell's full potential."

"Ithaca is incredibly expensive for no really clear reason; Cornell recognizes this by offering very generous aid packages, which greatly offset the cost. But the on-campus housing does not allow pets, and the competition for livable non-slum apartments is similar to NYC. Expensive, and often one has to sign a lease before the apartment is gone, as most are only available in the fall for the next year. This process is fairly ridiculous, as the housing rapidly becomes unlivable the longer the student has to wait. As far as education, the program is fantastic, if you have an already defined research interest and field of study. The faculty are dedicated in the best of ways, and expect a clear understanding of difficult material. Intellectual discourse is set to a very high standard. In such a short program there is little hand-holding, and students are expected to be self-starters. All very good things from my perspective, as this gives students the opportunity and flexibility to explore their own research interests and papers. Classes in specific research interests need to be offered more regularly, that is on a heavier rotation with the faculty teaching them at predictable times, ie every other year or every spring semester. The workload over-all is very intensive, and breaks often have double or triple the amount of work assigned--odd in comparison to other universities. Don't expect a break from the material, even if you end up travelling. It seems like no matter how much work is done during the week, a Sunday night email from professors will always creep up and add to your last-minute workload. I've been very satisfied with my education at CU, and Im excited to matriculate from this program with many avenues explored and opportunities on the horizon."

"Highly competitive but also great at getting students ready for their careers"