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While Rice probably has a better academic program, Cornell has a bigger name and more diversity on campus. What do you guys think?

By Abz1986 (Abz1986) on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 02:41 pm: Edit

Haha I'm gonna say rice

cornell = grade deflation :p

By Wobudong (Wobudong) on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 07:34 pm: Edit

You are comparing apples and coconuts. These are totally different environments, although both are among the best in the nation academically. Rice is an oasis in the middle of an underrated major metropolis. Cornell is in a fairly isolated, albeit beautiful, section of New York. Rice is small (2700 undergrads) and has more of a family atmosphere with its residential colleges and a heavy emphasis on undergraduate education. Cornell is large, has a very large, broad-based graduate school, and offers majors in just about every discipline you could imagine. Both are outstanding in the sciences and engineering. Both are diverse, but not for diversity's sake. If you are interested in medicine or bioengineering, you should not overlook Rice's affiliation with Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world. If you want to be lost in space, Cornell heads up the Mars rover project and Rice has very close ties with NASA (as in "Houston, we have a problem") It boils down to which one fits you best. If you want small, warm and metro, though not a typical city campus, then Rice gets the nod. Prefer large, a chill in the air, mountains and lakes, go with Cornell. Neither is "better" (except for Cornell's clearly superior alma mater). You are very fortunate to have such a choice. Good luck, and be grateful.

By Original (Original) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 04:11 pm: Edit

I say you go to Cornell.

By Ulaia (Ulaia) on Friday, April 09, 2004 - 12:26 am: Edit

I live about 45 minutes from Rice and have had the opportunity to visit it on more than one occasion. You should go to Owl Day (I'm going too) and check it out. The campus is absolutely gorgeous and the environment is incredibly friendly. I know a lot of cool people that go there as well. Again, small classes are great...but then someone in my family is from Cornell, and they loved it too...so I can understand why it would be hard.

By Smartass1 (Smartass1) on Monday, April 12, 2004 - 12:27 pm: Edit

GO RICE... I see you have mentioned diversity as a factor in your decision and although Cornell is diverse on paper it actually is very segragated... I find Rice to be a hell of alot better than Cornell... Its has a great location, great environment and if you hate frats you're in luck cuz Rice doesnt have them...

By Raiti (Raiti) on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 01:09 am: Edit

Hey Smarhole, what do you have against Cornell? Everywhere you seem to bash Cornell. You are just another defferdude(I'm talking about the CC member). You go around and bash Cornell. Can't you see that it is a great school just like many other universities.

Back on topic: Both schools are awesome. It depends on what you want to do. Cornell is bigger, which means more selection of courses and bigger classes. Rice is smaller, which means less selection of courses and smaller classes. Cornell has the name recognition but Rice is also great. You can't go wrong with your choice.