Michigan over Cornell?

[Anonymous]

DD has been accepted to both, LSA at Michigan & CAS at Cornell. She doesn't know what she wants to study, probably something in the social sciences. She assumed she would go Cornell, but we just visited UofM, and she LOVED it. She felt like there was infinite opportunities, the city was great, & the students were pretty friendly. She just seemed so happy and energetic about her visit. We visited both last summer, and she really liked Cornell, but we'll be back in a couple of weeks. It seems like part of her hesitancy about Michigan is that she got into an Ivy, so she feels like she should go. A lot of her classmates & their families at her high school are really into college prestige. I want to be supportive about her decision, & don't want her to feel pressured to go to Cornell. I think Michigan is only a slight notch below Cornell. Is this a crazy decision? And if not, how can I best help her in the decision process so she feels secure with her decision.

[Anonymous]

Both great choices. But consider this is where she is going to live for four years, so she needs to be comfortable there.

[Anonymous]

Michigan isn’t at all below Cornell. Stop letting the Ivy thing blindly bias you.

[Anonymous]

You must be crazy. Michigan is not even close. OMG!

[Anonymous]

Reputation wise, it’s not a big difference.

Quality of life wise? Ann Arbor over Ithaca any day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You must be crazy. Michigan is not even close. OMG!

Evidence please?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reputation wise, it’s not a big difference.

Quality of life wise? Ann Arbor over Ithaca any day.

Yea, if she loved Michigan, then it’s a good choice.

- Cornell grad

[Anonymous]

What major OP?

[Anonymous]

Cornell: The easiest Ivy to get in and the hardest to graduate.

The classes are tough and the competition even more tough. It is not like Harvard, Brown, or MIT - easier grading and more collaborative.

My daughter has two friends at Cornell. One is a 2021 Class and is pretty happy. She is in a pretty easy major, was pretty lucky to get in, and has been grateful and enjoying being able to be there. Hates the weather, not a fan of Ithica, but not regrets.

She also has a friend that is 2022 and is very smart and worked her butt off to get there. She has had a very tough year. She was also accepted to Rice and has very much regretted not going. She is anxious, stressed, depressed, and thinks it is tougher than most other kids at other schools taking the same courses.

She also has a friend 2022 at Michigan. She worked her butt off to get there. She is still working hard, but she is enjoying every aspect of the school. Sports, clubs, parties, sorority, etc... She is extremely happy there.

Michigan will have more various types of kids. It is a better college town. And overall kids seem happier there. If Cornell is a dream or a school she was crazy excited about getting in, then she will probably do okay. My gut is telling me she would regret not going to Michigan though if she really loved it there.

If you and her switched which one was "ivy" my guess is she would be 100% in Michigan.

Which one is she going to WANT to do everything at that school. Which one will make her happy for 4 years. Which one feels like home?

Cornell may have the Ivy name, but you can not beat Michigan alumni when looking for employment.

Good Luck. What a lucky decision she has to make!

[Anonymous]

I’d take Michigan over Cornell in a heartbeat.

[Anonymous]

I have a cousin who picked an Ivy school because it was an Ivy and has basically regretted it. My sense is Michigan is not going to “hold her back” in any way and she should go where she’ll be happy.

[Anonymous]

My DC visited Cornell and just didn’t like it. DC still considered applying because it was not much of a reach compared to a couple of other schools DC was considering. We asked if DC would apply if it wasn’t an Ivy and he admitted no. Ended up going to Michigan and LOVED it.

[Anonymous]

Mich grad here. Can't speak to Cornell, but can say that if you do well at U of M, you are well placed to get into top grad schools. My immediate group of friends went to Harvard, Yale, Stanford as well as schools like NYU and Berkeley. The main advice I would give is to work on being known to teachers and to go to office hours etc. And soak up the offerings.

Indeed, the school has something for everyone. The important thing is to stay serious minded enough while still having fun.

Ann Arbor has lots to offer. Most people rave about it and have fond memories

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You must be crazy. Michigan is not even close. OMG!

Evidence please?

Ivy cachet vs dime a dozen 50,000 public U alum

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cornell: The easiest Ivy to get in and the hardest to graduate.

The classes are tough and the competition even more tough. It is not like Harvard, Brown, or MIT - easier grading and more collaborative.

My daughter has two friends at Cornell. One is a 2021 Class and is pretty happy. She is in a pretty easy major, was pretty lucky to get in, and has been grateful and enjoying being able to be there. Hates the weather, not a fan of Ithica, but not regrets.

She also has a friend that is 2022 and is very smart and worked her butt off to get there. She has had a very tough year. She was also accepted to Rice and has very much regretted not going. She is anxious, stressed, depressed, and thinks it is tougher than most other kids at other schools taking the same courses.

She also has a friend 2022 at Michigan. She worked her butt off to get there. She is still working hard, but she is enjoying every aspect of the school. Sports, clubs, parties, sorority, etc... She is extremely happy there.

Michigan will have more various types of kids. It is a better college town. And overall kids seem happier there. If Cornell is a dream or a school she was crazy excited about getting in, then she will probably do okay. My gut is telling me she would regret not going to Michigan though if she really loved it there.

If you and her switched which one was "ivy" my guess is she would be 100% in Michigan.

Which one is she going to WANT to do everything at that school. Which one will make her happy for 4 years. Which one feels like home?

Cornell may have the Ivy name, but you can not beat Michigan alumni when looking for employment.

Good Luck. What a lucky decision she has to make!

Easier grading? Apparently you aren’t a MIT grad.