ryguy904 wrote:
IHateTheGMAT wrote:
Here is how my visit went:
Get to the office - actually running late, speed to the lot, sprint to the office. Where's the office!! Couple friendly students show me the way...
In the office it was just one admissions guy and 2 other visitors waiting for a class visit. A student guide showed up and walked us to class, which gave us an opportunity to chat with him a bit on the way. Then we sat in on a terribly boring finance class (I thought it was boring and I'm in finance!). Afterwards the student took us back, but since we had some time to kill since our next scheduled event me and the other visitors hung out in the atrium for a bit.
Next we went to the office for our admissions presentation. I was a bit surprised when 3 new Cornell students walked into the office. It turned out they would be giving the presentation. First, we went and picked up some lunch and drinks (paid for by adcom) then they took us into some small conference room and we went through a slide presentation. But the slide presentation was mostly just to make sure they hit some key points. For the most part it was just a free wheeling discussion between the current students and the visitors. We talked about everything - classes, recruiting, living in Ithaca, the party scene, etc. Afterwards the same 3 students took us on a tour of the school and we continued to chat about various topics. And then that was the end of the official visit.
Sounded a little so-so, at least from your short description (perhaps it's just how I read through it, though). Did the visit make you MORE interested in attending??? Or same or less interest after the visit?
Overall - more interested. Also, check out my response to solaris on the social scene a couple posts below the one you quoted. I really had a great time. I had a better time here than at any other visit. I also was impressed with the recruitng there. Every single student I met had landed an impressive job or internship. The staff was also amazing and everyone seemed pretty happy. It was just a great place, I didnt want to leave. And for an IM guy, the Parker Center was awesome (though a little 80s looking). One thing I will say is that I visited Columbia, Cornell and Tuck during the same week and I would say there was a noticeable dropoff in the quality of the students at Cornell compared to the other 2 schools I visited (in terms of apparent intelligence, ability, etc). Basically, the students were less impressive. Columbia and Tuck were very equal, I was extremely impressed with the students at both schools. However, to be fair to Cornell I have to say that I was sitting in on a very boring lecture based finance class that even I would have sat back during looking bored and not participating. So someone may have had the same thoughts about me. At Columbia and Tuck I sat in on case discussions that were very interesting and where students were forced to be engaged (cold calling by the professor and such). So, in reality I really don't think it's a fair comparison. But, nonetheless that was the impression I had. But.... it didn't stop me from having a strong impression of the school overall. I really did like the students, the staff, Ithaca. I think I would have fun there. And the recruiting looked strong so I think I would land a good job afterwards. Those are my 2 most important criteria. Fun during. Great job after.