Ithaca, NY: Perched atop Connecticut Hill, the campus of Cornell University embodies the beauty of upstate New York. With stunning gorges, waterfalls, streams, state parks and, of course, lovely Lake Cayuga, Ithaca is the perfect backdrop for the university. The thousands of college students in the area take full advantage of College Town, a fun neighborhood full of restaurants, bookstores, theaters and off-campus housing.

Cornell's 13,000 undergraduates choose from more than 4,000 courses within seven colleges, including the world-renowned College of Engineering and the School of Hotel Administration. The campus houses the Statler Hotel (a convenient site for "Hotellies" to gain firsthand experience and for visitors to stay), and offers a delicious menu at each of the many dining halls. Over 500 registered clubs and organizations and 36 Division I varsity athletic teams provide innumerable extracurricular activities for students.

Despite the school's relatively large population, Cornell students rally together during the cold winter months to show their energetic "Big Red" spirit. Among a warm and friendly "work hard, play hard" atmosphere, Cornell students benefit from both an Ivy League education and boundless social opportunities.

Reviewed in 2003