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Cornell University
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Cornell University - Academics - Academics - College ProwlerCollege Prowler4.62

Academics

A
Where does this grade come from?View all Academics rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Academics Grades:

Quick Stats

Student-Faculty Ratio 12:1
Full-Time Student Population 20,540
Part-Time Student Population 69
Full-Time Instructional Faculty 1,783
Part-Time Instructional Faculty 182
Total FT Faculty 2,704
Faculty with Terminal Degree 92%
Average Faculty Salary $117,985
Full-Time Retention Rate 96%
Graduation Rate 93%
Programs/Majors Offered 141
Average Course Load 5 courses (15 credits)
Academic/Career Counseling? Yes
Remedial Services? No
Class Sizes
  • Fewer than 20 Students: 58%
  • 20 to 49 Students: 25%
  • 50 or More Students: 17%

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Cornell University provides access to many top-notch professors. Some professors are more focused on their research than on their students, but it varies considerably from college to college, and department to department. All professors are highly qualified and are experts in their respective fields of study, but not all are heavily invested in their students. TAs provide more hands-on, individual teaching and are generally very knowledgeable in their field, but not all are as proficient as professors.

Overall, it is up to the student to take the initiative to visit professors and TAs in office hours. Professors and TAs are happy to explain material in-depth, but getting their attention can be difficult in larger courses and majors. Cornell is notorious for its intense workload. Most professors are unsympathetic, and while willing to accommodate personal needs, they make sure their students are kept very busy. If you go to Cornell, be willing to work hard, weekdays and weekends.

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Cornell Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Academics at Cornell University

canakcevin

Operations Research '13

3.1
B-

Operations Research

Operations research at Cornell is extremely theoretical and math-based. Applied classes are usually left to senior year. Even then, they are not very applied.

Apr 17, 2012

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Academics at Cornell University

cornell2015

Mathematics '15

5.0
A+

Endless Options

Cornell's academics are unique in that they offer every major you can think of and then 20 more you have never heard of. All programs are of high quality and many such as engineering, architecture, and hotel administration are ranked nationally as some of the best programs in the country. Workload is heavy as a result, however.

Mar 26, 2012

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Academics at Cornell University

stevemarcott18

Pre-Medicine Studies '15

4.6
A

Grade Distribution

Everyone here is very smart, but there's a wider distribution of grades than you'd expect at a school where the percentage of acceptance is slimmer. I like that not because its "easier" but because I have the ability to help my friends out or show up at office hours and be able to help people that I've never met who are having trouble, and I've made a lot of friends that way. I wouldn't have had that opportunity at a school where everyone knew everything, I feel like I have something to offer the rest of the people who go to my school and it's a great feeling.

Mar 09, 2012

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Page 1 of 15
User rating for Cornell University - Academics is 4.6 out of 5 based on 44 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate your school’s professors on the following topics

Rate your school’s academic environment on the following topics

Facts

Instructional Programs Occupational: No
Academic: Yes
Continuing Professional: No
Recreational/Avocational: No
Adult Basic Remedial: No
Secondary (High School): No
Special Credit Opportunities Advanced Placement (AP) Credits: Yes
Dual Credit: No
Life Experience Credits: No
AP Test Score Requirements Possible credit for scores of 4 or 5
IB Test Score Requirements Possible credit for scores of 6 or 7
Undergraduate Schools/Divisions
  • College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
  • College of Architecture, Art, and Planning
  • College of Arts and Sciences
  • College of Engineering
  • College of Human Ecology
  • School of Hotel Administration
  • School of Industrial and Labor Relations
Degrees Awarded
  • Bachelor's degree
  • Certificate
  • Doctorate - Professional practice
  • Doctorate - Research/scholarship
  • Master's degree
Most Popular Majors
  • Biology and Biological Sciences: 3%
  • Business Administration and Management: 4%
  • Hotel and Resort Management: 2%
  • Labor and Industrial Relations: 2%
Special Study Options Study abroad
Best Places to Study
  • Mann Library
  • Olin Library
  • Uris Library
Did You Know?
  • Cornell is the only Ivy League university that is also in the state's federal land-grant institution. The motto in English is "I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study" (Ezra Cornell). The board of trustees includes student, faculty, and staff voting members. It was the first among all U.S. colleges and universities to allow undergraduates to borrow books from its libraries.
  • On October 8, 1997, an astonishingly large, voluptuous pumpkin appeared nestled atop Cornell's McGraw Tower. The pumpkin was thought to weigh up to 60 lbs. and sat pinned to the 173-foot tower for several weeks. It was an incredible prank that made national news.
  • Cornell's Uris Hall displays brains in jars. One of the brains is of murderer Edward Rulloff (now the name of a Collegetown restaurant). Also among the 70 pickled brains is a pickled piece of the pumpkin mentioned above.

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Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Mandy Kain and Radhika Arora
Hometown
Hewlett, N.Y., and Ithaca, N.Y.

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

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How do we get our information? Find out here or report an error here. The statistics on our site are from the National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS database.
We update this information twice annually, most recently in May 2012, but it may not be the most recent information available for a particular school.
For additional information we encourage you to visit school websites or contact the schools directly.