Okay so I got into both Cornell and Ohio State and had to pick one. I know people always say Ivy League is the way to go, but let me tell you how I actually figured this out.
First step: campus vibe check
I drove out to both places last October. Cornell’s campus felt like Hogwarts with all those gothic buildings, super pretty but isolated AF. Tried talking to students near the coffee shop – everyone looked exhausted carrying those massive engineering textbooks. At Ohio State, tailgaters were grilling burgers right on campus lawn, music blasting from every direction. Some dude in a Buckeyes jersey threw a football at me shouting “Catch!” Totally different energy.
Program digging
Sat down with admission counselors at both. For agricultural econ, Cornell had this old professor bragging about their 100-year-old research farm. At Ohio State, they showed me drone footage analyzing corn fields and said “We break tractors for fun.” Checked required courses too:
- Cornell: Theory-heavy classes with names like “Metaphysics of Soil Composition”
- Ohio State: “AgTech Startups 101” plus mandatory internships
Financial reality slap
Printed both aid packages side by side. Cornell’s “generous” offer still needed $50k loans per year after scholarships. Ohio State’s in-state tuition plus work-study came out to $12k. Did the math at 2am using pizza-stained napkins – graduating from Cornell would mean owing more than my dad’s house.
Spontaneous experiment
Last Tuesday I called both admissions offices with the same question: “What if I fail Chem 101?” Cornell’s answer took 3 transfers and ended with “Consult page 87 of the handbook.” Ohio State picked up immediately: “We’ve got free tutoring 24/7 at the library basement – bring your failed tests, we’ll fix’em.”
How it played out
I was literally filling both acceptance forms when my dog chewed up Cornell’s envelope. Took it as a sign. Sent Ohio State’s deposit that night while watching their basketball team crush Michigan on TV. Three months in now? Learning to code agri-drones by day, screaming my lungs out at football games by night. Zero regrets.
