Cornell University

"I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study,” is the motto of Cornell University, words first uttered by its co-founder Ezra Cornell. Cornell was founded in 1865 with the then radical intention of teaching and making contributions in all fields of knowledge. 

Since its founding, Cornell has been a co-educational, non-sectarian institution where admission has not been restricted by religion or race. These are liberal traditions that Cornell holds dear: a recent article in the Cornell Chronicle heralded the first all-female class admitted to its famous Farrier program in veterinary science. Cornell was also the first university to offer degrees in journalism and the first to teach modern Far Eastern languages. 

The main campus of Cornell is on East Hill in Ithaca, New York, overlooking the city and Cayuga Lake. It spreads over 2,300 acres and comprises laboratories, administrative buildings, and almost all the campus' academic buildings, athletic facilities, auditoriums, and museums. 

The architecture is an eclectic mix of Collegiate Gothic, Victorian, and Neoclassical buildings, international and modernist structures. There are other campuses and facilities in New York City itself such as the medical campus Weill Cornell in Manhattan, and the engineering campus Cornell Tech. Outside New York, Cornell has an outpost in the gulf state of Qatar, which is the first American medical college to open outside of the United States. 

Ithaca campus sits at the heart of the Finger Lakes region, surrounded by green space and natural beauty. Students here are as likely to be found sitting under a tree with their nose in a book as they are taking advantage of the many clubs, societies and activities Cornell has to offer. 

First-year undergraduates live on North Campus, while upper-level students often hone in on the communities that they have found, opting for a fraternity or sorority, a co-op, a themed residence hall, or an apartment off campus. 

There are more than 1,000 organizations on campus, ranging from skateboarding to volunteer programs. Sporty or outdoorsy students can take part in courses as diverse as caving and rope climbing, and there are four sports centers for the fitness inclined. 

Food lovers are also well catered for, with Cornell voted in the top ten universities for food, with more than 30 dining facilities across campus.