If you can't already tell, I'm one of the few MBA students who came to Cornell with a family. My wife and I have three kids so location was a HUGE consideration for us when we were deciding which school to attend. I wanted my family to enjoy the two years and not be crammed in a one-bedroom apartment in the middle of a big city. Ithaca has been the ideal location for us - in fact my wife has been surprised how attached she's become to this place.
If you've ever been to Ithaca, you won't have to look longer than a couple minutes before you see a bumper sticker or t-shirt with the saying "Ithaca is Gorges". There are more waterfalls, lakes, gorges, and trails around here than you could possibly have time to visit in two years. The finger lakes area of upstate NY is one of the most spectacular parts of the contiguous states. I have to admit though, it does get painfully cold here in the winter time. But with places to go like Wegman's, the ScienceCenter, and the Museum of the Earth, there's always somewhere for the family to have fun no matter how much it's snowing outside.
And you don't even have to have three kids to like Ithaca! The Johnson School has such a close-knit community since nearly all of your classmates live within a mile of campus and you're always hanging out together. NYC is only 4 hours away, and it's easy to hitch a ride since there's usually a classmate or two taking a trip down on the weekends. Ithaca even boasts a small airport that will connect you directly to NYC, Philly, or Detroit. Of course there's a trade-off of not going to school in a major metropolis (like being further away from recruiters and industry events), but the quality of living and the intimate social environment have definitely been worth it.
If you've ever been to Ithaca, you won't have to look longer than a couple minutes before you see a bumper sticker or t-shirt with the saying "Ithaca is Gorges". There are more waterfalls, lakes, gorges, and trails around here than you could possibly have time to visit in two years. The finger lakes area of upstate NY is one of the most spectacular parts of the contiguous states. I have to admit though, it does get painfully cold here in the winter time. But with places to go like Wegman's, the ScienceCenter, and the Museum of the Earth, there's always somewhere for the family to have fun no matter how much it's snowing outside.
And you don't even have to have three kids to like Ithaca! The Johnson School has such a close-knit community since nearly all of your classmates live within a mile of campus and you're always hanging out together. NYC is only 4 hours away, and it's easy to hitch a ride since there's usually a classmate or two taking a trip down on the weekends. Ithaca even boasts a small airport that will connect you directly to NYC, Philly, or Detroit. Of course there's a trade-off of not going to school in a major metropolis (like being further away from recruiters and industry events), but the quality of living and the intimate social environment have definitely been worth it.
