What is Cornell University Known for: Quirky Secrets & Facts About Cornell University

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Getting into any Ivy League is a big deal, but Cornell has a campus where your curiosity takes the lead — a community that celebrates diversity and thrives on out-of-the-box ideas. For this blog, we want you to buckle up to learn all the weird and wonderful about Cornell University. And with a history that long, there’s bound to be some great stories! Don’t you think?

In this blog:

1. Facts About Cornell University
• Chicken Nugget Chronicles: Cornell’s Culinary Legacy
• Underground Tunnels: Campus Adventure Awaits
• Ghosts, Hauntings, and Spooky Tales
• CU on the Hill: Literal Campus Alphabet Art
• Musical Steps at Olin Library: Making Tunes with Footsteps
2. What is Cornell University known for?
• About Cornell University
• Tuition at Cornell University
• Financial Aid at Cornell University

Facts About Cornell University

Let us take you on a wild ride through the whimsical and unexpected wonders that make Cornell’s campus truly extraordinary. We are about to spill the tea on some seriously mind-blowing facts that will leave you both amused and intrigued. At Cornell, there’s always something new to discover!

Chicken Nugget Chronicles: Cornell’s Culinary Legacy

Let’s kick things off with a taste of Cornell’s culinary claim to fame. Imagine sinking your teeth into the crispy goodness of a chicken nugget—now imagine it was a Cornellian who first mastered this mouthwatering creation! 

Robert Carl Baker, a proud Cornell graduate from the Class of 1943, not only crafted the original chicken nugget recipe but also served as a Food Science professor for a whopping 32 years. Move over, McDonald’s; Cornell is the true nugget pioneer.

Underground Tunnels: Campus Adventure Awaits

Forget secret passages in Hogwarts; Cornell’s got its own network of underground tunnels, adding a dash of mystery to campus life. Picture this: Ezra’s Tunnel, weaving its way between Risley and Rand Hall, offering a clandestine route for the curious. Then there’s the exclusive tunnel connecting Olin and Uris Libraries, accessible only to the library elite or those lucky enough to befriend them. There’s also a tunnel running from the Plant Science Building to Weill Hall beneath Tower Road, open to anyone with the courage to explore. Perfect for dodging snowstorms or feeling like a character in a campus spy novel.

Suggested Read: 10 Interesting Facts About Harvard University

Ghosts, Hauntings, and Spooky Tales

Join the paranormal party happening at Cornell! The campus is brimming with ghostly tales, from the eerie aftermath of the 1967 fire at the Ecohouse to tuxedo-clad ghosts waltzing through Willard Straight Hall. Auntie Pru makes appearances in Risley Hall, a mysterious stalker spirit lurks in Olin Library, and Alice Statler, the resident ghost of Statler Hotel, once scared an employee into quitting on the spot in 2004. Intrigued? Dive into Kitsch magazine, The Sun, and the Cornell Chronicle for the spine-chilling details. Who said college life was all textbooks and lectures?

CU on the Hill: Literal Campus Alphabet Art

Ready for some unintentional campus art? Picture this: Balch and Dickson, two colossal freshman dorms, were once destined to be connected, forming a mega dorm. Though it never materialised, if you take a bird’s-eye view, Dickson looks like a “C,” and Balch resembles a “U.” Voila, a giant “CU” materialises on North Campus! Check it out on Google Maps before your August arrival for a sneak peek of this unintentional alphabet artwork. Who says architecture can’t be fun?

Musical Steps at Olin Library: Making Tunes with Footsteps

Now, let’s talk about making music without the instruments. Back in the day, Olin Library’s steps were musically calibrated, allowing Cornellians to create tunes by, believe it or not, throwing stones at them. It was like our very own campus concert, step by step! Safety concerns may have silenced the stones, but you can still find videos of this quirky activity on Vine, Flickr, and YouTube. Who needs a piano when you have musical steps?

What is Cornell University known for? 

Cornell is known for many things, but above all, we believe it’s the breadth of quality programs offered in numerous fields of knowledge. As a privately endowed institution and a partner of the State University of New York, Cornell has an emerging research reputation globally and within the Ivy League. Now, let’s quickly go over the things that truly matter to you as a future Cornellian from India. Shall we?

About Cornell University 

Cornell University is a privately endowed research institution and a proud partner of the State University of New York. Established in 1865, Cornell University, situated in picturesque Ithaca, New York, boasts a sprawling campus spanning 745 acres. With a vibrant student body of over 15,000 undergraduates as of fall 2022, Cornell offers a diverse range of academic pursuits across its seven undergraduate colleges and schools. 

Suggested Read: Demystifying the US Education System

Tuition at Cornell University

At Cornell University, the tuition stands at $66,014, a figure that might raise some eyebrows when compared to the national average tuition cost of $43,477. Yep, it’s a bit pricier.

Now, let’s unpack these numbers a bit. When you’re crunching the numbers and comparing different institutions, it’s crucial to factor in the total cost and the net price. The total cost is like the whole shebang – tuition, room and board, books and supplies, and those random trips to satisfy your midnight snack cravings. At Cornell, this grand total hits $83,296.

Now, the net price is where things get interesting. It’s the average cost after subtracting aid and scholarship funds from the total cost. For the typical student benefiting from need-based aid at Cornell, this net price sweetens the deal to a more palatable $30,883.

So, while Cornell might seem a bit steep at first glance, considering the bigger financial picture and the aid thrown into the mix might just make that Cornell experience more affordable than you think.

Financial Aid at Cornell University

Let’s chat about financial aid – that magical pot of money that can make college dreams a reality. There are two main types: need-based and merit-based.

Need-based aid dives into your or your family’s ability to foot the college bill. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) does the heavy lifting in calculating this. At Cornell University, they’re pretty generous with it. According to U.S. News, the average need-based scholarship or grant that first-year students received was $55,325. And get this – over half of the first-year crew, a promising 51%, got their hands on some need-based financial aid in the fall of 2023.

Now, when we talk about need-based self-help aid, we’re talking about federal loans and work-study opportunities. For those diving into their freshman year at Cornell, the average self-help aid weighed in at a reasonable $4,823.

Here’s the grand finale – Cornell University is like the fairy godparent of financial aid. They meet a full 100% of their student’s financial aid needs. So, when it comes to making college dreams come true, Cornell’s got your back – financially speaking!

We covered so much today! Thank you for making it to the end of this blog. You can take a step further and learn about your next steps from where you are in your study abroad journey. Our experts are just one free call away.

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