Deciding between Cornell and Northwestern ED1
Hello, incoming 12th grader here dwelling on the question of whether to apply ED to either Cornell or Northwestern. I would really appreciate some help deciding between the two schools.
**Majors I’m interested in**: public health, biology, potentially anthropology as well. I’m currently interested in pursuing medicine and public health research long term.
**Minors**: Islamic studies
I’m a low-income first generation student from a small town public high school in Central NJ. I was born and raised in Chicago and lived there for 14 years before moving to New Jersey during my freshman year of high school after my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. A lot of my interests revolve around medicine, research, writing, and service/community impact especially with religious life, and my family experiences have played a major role in shaping those interests.
I really love both schools for different reasons. I love Cornell’s campus, traditions, and overall academic environment, especially for research and premed, but I’m a little unsure about Ithaca’s isolation . On the other hand, I really like Northwestern’s location near my hometown of Chicago, the balance between academics and student life, and the quarter system. From what I’ve heard, Northwestern also seems more flexible academically and socially collaborative.
I genuinely can see myself happy at both schools which is why this decision has been really difficult for me. Right now I’m mostly trying to figure out which school would be the better fit overall both academically and personally.
Would really appreciate any advice :D
**Also, my mother will be living with me so please take that into account.**