Promt: How have your interests and related experiences influenced your selection of major?
Selected Major: Communication
I have never known how to respond eloquently when asked to name my favorite subject, and I usually end up mumbling something inaudible about lunchtime. The truth is that bits and pieces of each subject appeal to me in different ways. I don't lean heavily towards math and science or the liberal arts. Rather, I am like a balanced scale or a symmetrical bell curve, capable of thriving in multiple subjects. I like the concrete, black and white elements of mathematics, but there is something fascinating about arranging words to create a perfectly constructed sentence.
Until I came across Cornell's Communication Program, I oscillated frequently between different majors. Like the aforementioned "favorite subject", multiple topics appealed to me, and I knew that my college studies would reflect my developing interests. Through elective courses in high school, I dabbled in the worlds of Photoshop and Commercial Art. My Marketing course showed me the unique combination of economics and psychology, and my current AP Statistics class continues to surprise me with its applicability in multiple fields of study. The course which has had the most impact on me, however, was CS1305: "Computation and Culture in the Digital Age" at Cornell University Summer College. During those three weeks in Upson Hall, I was exposed to the diversity and importance of digital communication. Through the study of technology and its relationship with society, I became aware of the impact of new technologies on accepted customs and behaviors. A memorable lesson was the debate over teleological or social determinism, which essentially asks the age-old "chicken or egg" question in regards to technology. One case supports the view that society and its culture are shaped by new advances in technology, while the other argues that technology is heavily influenced by social norms. What struck me about digital communication was its dynamic nature and universal presence.
Cornell's Communication program, to me, is the ideal combination between traditional courses and contemporary fields of study. Unlike Communication majors at other colleges, Cornell's concentrates on the broad impact of digital communication rather than journalism or broadcast media. The four focus areas, combined with the available majors in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, create a wide range of possibilities. If I discover a hidden interest in environmental studies or a desire for an analytical edge, I can focus on the Communication of Science and Health and minor in Biometry and Statistics. Or, I can entrench myself in the world of computers and pair a focus on Communication and Information Technologies with an Information Science minor. Whichever area I choose, I know that Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will provide me with a well-rounded yet personalized course of study.
Selected Major: Communication
I have never known how to respond eloquently when asked to name my favorite subject, and I usually end up mumbling something inaudible about lunchtime. The truth is that bits and pieces of each subject appeal to me in different ways. I don't lean heavily towards math and science or the liberal arts. Rather, I am like a balanced scale or a symmetrical bell curve, capable of thriving in multiple subjects. I like the concrete, black and white elements of mathematics, but there is something fascinating about arranging words to create a perfectly constructed sentence.
Until I came across Cornell's Communication Program, I oscillated frequently between different majors. Like the aforementioned "favorite subject", multiple topics appealed to me, and I knew that my college studies would reflect my developing interests. Through elective courses in high school, I dabbled in the worlds of Photoshop and Commercial Art. My Marketing course showed me the unique combination of economics and psychology, and my current AP Statistics class continues to surprise me with its applicability in multiple fields of study. The course which has had the most impact on me, however, was CS1305: "Computation and Culture in the Digital Age" at Cornell University Summer College. During those three weeks in Upson Hall, I was exposed to the diversity and importance of digital communication. Through the study of technology and its relationship with society, I became aware of the impact of new technologies on accepted customs and behaviors. A memorable lesson was the debate over teleological or social determinism, which essentially asks the age-old "chicken or egg" question in regards to technology. One case supports the view that society and its culture are shaped by new advances in technology, while the other argues that technology is heavily influenced by social norms. What struck me about digital communication was its dynamic nature and universal presence.
Cornell's Communication program, to me, is the ideal combination between traditional courses and contemporary fields of study. Unlike Communication majors at other colleges, Cornell's concentrates on the broad impact of digital communication rather than journalism or broadcast media. The four focus areas, combined with the available majors in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, create a wide range of possibilities. If I discover a hidden interest in environmental studies or a desire for an analytical edge, I can focus on the Communication of Science and Health and minor in Biometry and Statistics. Or, I can entrench myself in the world of computers and pair a focus on Communication and Information Technologies with an Information Science minor. Whichever area I choose, I know that Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will provide me with a well-rounded yet personalized course of study.
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