Cornell 1L taking questions Forum

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LeahNic

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by LeahNic » Mon Dec 08, 2008 1:02 pm

neskerdoo wrote:3.5/177 should be just fine in the generosity dept....
yeah most definitely.

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by 18488 » Mon Dec 08, 2008 2:32 pm

amyLAchemist wrote:I have a few questions, as I was recently admitted. :) It seems like people really love on Cornell, which makes me happy to see.....

1. Scholly chances for a 3.93/168 person, with adv degree?

2. Cornell v. Berkeley. Any comments? Might be moving to NY state for personal reasons....

3. Is having a car OK? Seem like it should be in the middle of nowhere..... Also, Ithaca....what is there to do in the rare moments you aren't studying?

4. This might be a silly question, but the weather. I cannot comprehend what 22 degrees means. I literally put my head in my freezer a few days ago. Would this be accurate? Any special clothing recommended? I don't have a real winter coat, so I'd probably have to get one of those, except a very lightweight ski jacket...was thinking a wool pea coat, knee-length? ....what about snow boots? (I am from southern California....)

5. How long does it take to get to NYC in reality?

Thanks :)
First of all congratulations, though I'm not surprised at all given your credentials.

1. You should probably get some scholarship, but Cornell's a little unpredictable with the amount of money; they base it partly on need also.

2. I think the choice between Cornell and Berkeley is highly personal. Careerwise, I think that both will offer you excellent opportunities on their respective coasts. Berkeley might travel better to the east than Cornell travels to the west, but I don't know. Berkeley will be warmer, but Cornell will probably be prettier.

3. Plenty of people have cars, and plenty of people don't (like me)--people seem to do fine either way.

4. This morning it was 9 degrees, and last night for a few hours we had windchills of -13. It's chilly, but we also have plenty of days where it's above 40 or 50. I'm from GA originally and did my undergrad in Ohio, so I know what it's like to transition from warm to cold climates. Really, you do get used to the cold and it stops being a bid deal. I have a heavy wool trench coat--when I wear that with hat, gloves, and scarf, I can be pretty comfy down to about 10--and I'm pretty wussy about the cold. If it's colder than that, just wear lots of layers

5. about 4 hours.

Hope to see you around next year :)

LeahNic

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by LeahNic » Mon Dec 08, 2008 3:41 pm

amyLAchemist wrote:I have a few questions, as I was recently admitted. :) It seems like people really love on Cornell, which makes me happy to see.....

1. Scholly chances for a 3.93/168 person, with adv degree?

2. Cornell v. Berkeley. Any comments? Might be moving to NY state for personal reasons....

3. Is having a car OK? Seem like it should be in the middle of nowhere..... Also, Ithaca....what is there to do in the rare moments you aren't studying?

4. This might be a silly question, but the weather. I cannot comprehend what 22 degrees means. I literally put my head in my freezer a few days ago. Would this be accurate? Any special clothing recommended? I don't have a real winter coat, so I'd probably have to get one of those, except a very lightweight ski jacket...was thinking a wool pea coat, knee-length? ....what about snow boots? (I am from southern California....)

5. How long does it take to get to NYC in reality?

Thanks :)
to add my perspective to sbrowns...

1. It is unpredictable-- and I think a lot of it is need based. That said, they seemed fairly generous to me as far as need/merit goes. You can PM for specifics if you like.
2. Berkeley is obviously ranked higher, but I think either would be fine. Like you, I partially based my decision on coming here on my significant other. I have no regrets. (full disclosure: I didnt have berkeley as an option)
3. Having a car is fine. I dont have one, but sometimes I wish I did. I live pretty far from campus. If you live near campus either way is completely fine. (having one gives you the luxury of living farther away which is cheaper)
4. All the snow stuff you need to buy you will have plenty of time to buy once you get here since Aug-Oct is really pretty and nice. I bough an above the knee down coat and I wear it and am fine. Sbrowns post is a bit scary keep in mind this is by FAR the coldest it has been since I moved here 4 months ago. this week it will get back up in the upper 40s too. I'm a Texan and was terrified of it, but I'm actually rather enjoying it. We are having distinct seasons and I like that.
5. 4 hours. Philly is 4 hours and niagara falls is 3.5. There are some pretty cool things to do near by the city especially if you have a car. Skiing/tubing (snow)/hiking/wineries etc. If you dont have a car...well find a friend who does, or the buses take you to some parks nearby, the farmers market, the movie theaters and the downtown/bar area.

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by TammyG » Mon Dec 08, 2008 3:57 pm

Darth Topher wrote:The whole Cornell setting seems like some "harry potter hogwarts" type shit
OMG that's all I needed to know. I'm totally sold. HP owns my soul!

titles

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by titles » Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:02 pm

Cornell looks awesome. That said, my wife isn't as convinced since she wouldn't be living in the same sweet digs as me (reading room, etc.). How is life for husbands/wives at Cornell who aren't associated with the university? Are jobs reasonable to come by for them?

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LeahNic

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by LeahNic » Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:34 pm

titles wrote:Cornell looks awesome. That said, my wife isn't as convinced since she wouldn't be living in the same sweet digs as me (reading room, etc.). How is life for husbands/wives at Cornell who aren't associated with the university? Are jobs reasonable to come by for them?

My SO is another grad student, but nesker's SO works about 15 minutes away in another little town. I know of about 5 other couples off the top of my head that have SOs that work in Ithaca, so I'd say its alright job wise. I mean, I dont think you will make a ton of money but its definitely doable. It seems like most ppl were able to get a job, even if it was not their dream job. And, then they just come along any time we have activities so you can easily meet ppl and make friends that way.

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by titles » Tue Dec 09, 2008 10:05 am

LeahNic wrote:
titles wrote:Cornell looks awesome. That said, my wife isn't as convinced since she wouldn't be living in the same sweet digs as me (reading room, etc.). How is life for husbands/wives at Cornell who aren't associated with the university? Are jobs reasonable to come by for them?

My SO is another grad student, but nesker's SO works about 15 minutes away in another little town. I know of about 5 other couples off the top of my head that have SOs that work in Ithaca, so I'd say its alright job wise. I mean, I dont think you will make a ton of money but its definitely doable. It seems like most ppl were able to get a job, even if it was not their dream job. And, then they just come along any time we have activities so you can easily meet ppl and make friends that way.
My wife's concerns are career oriented, and go along the lines, "What the heck will I do for three years?" Fair question. Make snowmen was not TITCR, by the way. Thanks.

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Paichka

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by Paichka » Tue Dec 09, 2008 10:20 am

Hmm...that brings up a good question. I wonder if Cornell has an ROTC department? Once the hubs gets back from his deployment, he might be able to snag a job like that.

I need SOMETHING for him to do to keep me in the lifestyle to which I've become accustomed while I'm in school. You know...eating, having hot water, that sort of thing. :)

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by rickstar » Tue Dec 09, 2008 12:32 pm

Back on the topic of owning a car: For anyone who drives into campus each day for classes, how convenient is parking? Is there a student lot or garage where one can easily find a spot? Is there any cost for a parking permit? Although Ithaca is a rural area, is there ever congestion/traffic during rush hours for one trying to get around campus?

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Goliadkin_Jr

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by Goliadkin_Jr » Tue Dec 09, 2008 2:37 pm

rickstar wrote:Back on the topic of owning a car: For anyone who drives into campus each day for classes, how convenient is parking? Is there a student lot or garage where one can easily find a spot? Is there any cost for a parking permit? Although Ithaca is a rural area, is there ever congestion/traffic during rush hours for one trying to get around campus?
Good question. I'd also like to know about the parking situation.

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jayhawkai

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by jayhawkai » Tue Dec 09, 2008 2:56 pm

How far away from the slopes? Any recommended mountains to ski?

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kn6542

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by kn6542 » Tue Dec 09, 2008 4:15 pm

amyLAchemist wrote:
Goliadkin_Jr wrote:
rickstar wrote:Back on the topic of owning a car: For anyone who drives into campus each day for classes, how convenient is parking? Is there a student lot or garage where one can easily find a spot? Is there any cost for a parking permit? Although Ithaca is a rural area, is there ever congestion/traffic during rush hours for one trying to get around campus?
Good question. I'd also like to know about the parking situation.
Same here. Also, how much is a parking permit for the semester/year?
More than any sane person would pay. Parking is very limited and I think if you get a permit you still have to park kind of far from the LS. Nesker drives and has a pass, ask him. He'll tell you it sucks donkey musket.

Parking in Ithaca is tight, but not impossible. This town is not made for trucks, so if you have a larger sized automobile, you'll notice the pinch, but with a normal car, it's fine.

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by hoosier1508 » Thu Dec 11, 2008 12:27 am

.
Last edited by hoosier1508 on Sat Dec 13, 2008 12:07 am, edited 1 time in total.

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woeisme

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by woeisme » Thu Dec 11, 2008 3:02 am

amyLAchemist wrote:I have a few questions, as I was recently admitted. :) It seems like people really love on Cornell, which makes me happy to see.....

1. Scholly chances for a 3.93/168 person, with adv degree?

2. Cornell v. Berkeley. Any comments? Might be moving to NY state for personal reasons....

3. Is having a car OK? Seem like it should be in the middle of nowhere..... Also, Ithaca....what is there to do in the rare moments you aren't studying?

4. This might be a silly question, but the weather. I cannot comprehend what 22 degrees means. I literally put my head in my freezer a few days ago. Would this be accurate? Any special clothing recommended? I don't have a real winter coat, so I'd probably have to get one of those, except a very lightweight ski jacket...was thinking a wool pea coat, knee-length? ....what about snow boots? (I am from southern California....)

5. How long does it take to get to NYC in reality?

Thanks :)
1. Depends. You might be able to leverage some money if you get money elsewhere. But yeah, ... it's hard to say. You could potentially get nothing. If you get money elsewhere, let them know though... they might try and match or at least give some.

2. If you want to end up on the east coast, Cornell is a more secure option. If you want to end up on the west coast, Berk is going to be more secure. As far as midwest, ... I think perhaps Cornell, though I'm less certain. Really, though, both schools are national and portable anywhere in the country. Cornell is smaller than Berk. Do you like more intimate academic environments?

3. Ithaca isn't *actually* in the middle of nowhere. Having a car is okay, of course. And when you're not studying you can do anything you can do most places. Whatever you want ... what exactly do you WANT to do?

4. Yeah, I mean, .. I don't know. It gets cold, ... not much colder than elsewhere on the east coast, though.

5. Like 3.5 hours maybe? 3? 4? Thereabouts.

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by woeisme » Thu Dec 11, 2008 3:03 am

hoosier1508 wrote:Is there any significant disadvantage to having your application reviewed at the beginning of RD compared to EA?

Do they cap the # of people they will admit under EA?
Call admissions? I have no idea! :P

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by woeisme » Thu Dec 11, 2008 3:07 am

rickstar wrote:Back on the topic of owning a car: For anyone who drives into campus each day for classes, how convenient is parking? Is there a student lot or garage where one can easily find a spot? Is there any cost for a parking permit? Although Ithaca is a rural area, is there ever congestion/traffic during rush hours for one trying to get around campus?
Parking on campus is tricky, I think. I leave my car at home and walk to school. And while I still wouldn't call Ithaca (at least where Cornell is) "rural", I've never seen much traffic, ... if any, ever.

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by VictoryFord » Thu Dec 11, 2008 3:09 am

woeisme wrote:
rickstar wrote:Back on the topic of owning a car: For anyone who drives into campus each day for classes, how convenient is parking? Is there a student lot or garage where one can easily find a spot? Is there any cost for a parking permit? Although Ithaca is a rural area, is there ever congestion/traffic during rush hours for one trying to get around campus?
Parking on campus is tricky, I think. I leave my car at home and walk to school. And while I still wouldn't call Ithaca (at least where Cornell is) "rural", I've never seen much traffic, ... if any, ever.
so how much housing is within walking distance? easy to get? pretty cheap?

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by wuhoo » Thu Dec 11, 2008 6:16 am

Housing is a grab bag. I think that apart from dormitory-styled housing, most popular apartment complexes are vastly overpriced, like $1000+ for a studio apt w/ some cushy amenities (2 min away from school, concierge, etc.) but I found that to be outrageous. If you're willing to walk a little bit (5 min?) up a hill, prices drop by hundreds of dollars. Granted, I haven't done any apartment hunting yet, so I'm sure the other Cornellians will be better-equipped to handle this question. Dorm housing is all right, though. About $700/month at Hughes Hall (uber-convenient, highly recommended), maybe $600/month at Schuyler (smaller rooms, 15 min walk? more diverse community). The Commons are in downtown Ithaca (way down the hill, waaay down), there's some nice housing there, very quaint atmosphere, buses go there all the time, maybe a 10 min. ride up to campus. Transportation all over Ithaca is all right, so long as you're not staying at the law school until 1 AM, you'll be able to catch a bus to wherever you need to go. Shuttles run from the major apartment complexes to campus fairly often. If you're entirely against living in a dorm, it's possible to find housing in April/May, but you might have to search a bit more. Most leases are signed by November for the next year, and all the overpriced locations close to school go fairly quickly, but you can probably sublet-hop for each semester if you really wanted to. =)

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by woeisme » Thu Dec 11, 2008 9:31 am

VictoryFord wrote:
woeisme wrote:
rickstar wrote:Back on the topic of owning a car: For anyone who drives into campus each day for classes, how convenient is parking? Is there a student lot or garage where one can easily find a spot? Is there any cost for a parking permit? Although Ithaca is a rural area, is there ever congestion/traffic during rush hours for one trying to get around campus?
Parking on campus is tricky, I think. I leave my car at home and walk to school. And while I still wouldn't call Ithaca (at least where Cornell is) "rural", I've never seen much traffic, ... if any, ever.
so how much housing is within walking distance? easy to get? pretty cheap?
Yeah,... fairly easy to come by and not too expensive. I live like 3 minutes from the law school (and there will actually be openings in my house next year...). Prices range from 300-1200 ... it really depends what type of housing it is and where it's located. The earlier you start your search, the better, obviously, ... but yeah, it's not too difficult to find something you'll be happy with. At least not in my experience.

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Paichka

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by Paichka » Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:14 am

What's the situation like in Ithaca for students with children? If I'm admitted, I'll have a munchkin to put in daycare -- does Cornell have a daycare on campus (like Georgetown, for example) or do most people use daycares off campus?

$1000 a month doesn't seem so bad to me. (DC brat :)) Is there family housing available, or do most students with families live off campus?

What do you think is the BEST thing about going to Cornell? What is the worst?

Thanks!

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by woeisme » Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:44 am

Paichka wrote:What's the situation like in Ithaca for students with children? If I'm admitted, I'll have a munchkin to put in daycare -- does Cornell have a daycare on campus (like Georgetown, for example) or do most people use daycares off campus?

$1000 a month doesn't seem so bad to me. (DC brat :)) Is there family housing available, or do most students with families live off campus?

What do you think is the BEST thing about going to Cornell? What is the worst?

Thanks!
I don't have children so I'm probably not the best person to ask. I don't think that Cornell has a daycare program, but it very well might. I'd have no reason to know about it I guess. Same answer for family housing.

the best and worst thing... hard to say. I think the best thing is the people (... both students and faculty. It feels like a community, ... very supportive, ... very welcoming, etc). I don't know what the worst thing'd be ... I'd want to say the bad reputation that Ithaca gets from people on these sites, but that's not really a bad thing about Cornell exactly. Let me think of something after I study for civpro for a bit (exam tomorrow) :P

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LeahNic

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by LeahNic » Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:57 am

Paichka wrote:What's the situation like in Ithaca for students with children? If I'm admitted, I'll have a munchkin to put in daycare -- does Cornell have a daycare on campus (like Georgetown, for example) or do most people use daycares off campus?

$1000 a month doesn't seem so bad to me. (DC brat :)) Is there family housing available, or do most students with families live off campus?

What do you think is the BEST thing about going to Cornell? What is the worst?

Thanks!
I think Cornell does have a day care center-- but I am not positive. I think I remember reading something about it in a newspaper they sent me after I got admitted. I believe there is graduate student housing that is family oriented. ( I think it is in North Campus though which is the opposite side from the law school. but the buses run ALL the time through campus and your first year the bus is completely free to you as a student which is great.)

Best thing is definitely the people here ( students are great and the professors are brilliant and just awesome)

Worst thing-- for me its having no direct flights from anywhere near here to Texas. I hate to fly. That's about all I can come up with.

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neskerdoo

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by neskerdoo » Thu Dec 11, 2008 11:32 am

Paichka wrote:What's the situation like in Ithaca for students with children? If I'm admitted, I'll have a munchkin to put in daycare -- does Cornell have a daycare on campus (like Georgetown, for example) or do most people use daycares off campus?

http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Oct ... Opens.html

I've only driven past this place, which is near the grad housing on the North Campus, but it looks pretty awesome form the outside... That article says it has limited space (I assume most child care places are usually at capacity?), but in that event:

http://www.cornell.edu/search/index.cfm ... are&id=134

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by nessie31 » Thu Dec 11, 2008 12:02 pm

I am thinking about applying to Cornell. I am from a small town in North Dakota. How do you think Cornell compares to a small town life? I once heard it described that way.

and honestly, do many people go to NYC a lot to visit or get summer internships/jobs there?

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Paichka

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Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by Paichka » Thu Dec 11, 2008 12:23 pm

neskerdoo wrote:
Paichka wrote:What's the situation like in Ithaca for students with children? If I'm admitted, I'll have a munchkin to put in daycare -- does Cornell have a daycare on campus (like Georgetown, for example) or do most people use daycares off campus?

http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Oct ... Opens.html

I've only driven past this place, which is near the grad housing on the North Campus, but it looks pretty awesome form the outside... That article says it has limited space (I assume most child care places are usually at capacity?), but in that event:

http://www.cornell.edu/search/index.cfm ... are&id=134
Nesker, I appreciate it! I feel like a chump, I searched on the site and couldn't find anything. Obviously the complexities of the "search Cornell" button were beyond me. :)

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