<p>Hello all. There weren't many (read:literally just 1) posts on my other (and only other) thread. </p>
<p>Now for the real meat of this topic: The reputation/brand recognition/prestige, as well as academic challenge of two other SUNYs;namely, New Paltz, and Albany. I got into Stony Brook but just didn't like it during my visit. So which is the better school? Do you know anyone who went or currently goes there and their experiences? Any help is much appreciated.</p>
<p>My son is a senior at New Paltz. He has really enjoyed his time there. He is a transfer student, so has some basis for comparison. The school is a really good size… classes are small and you get to know your professors. He calls many of them by their first names. The student body is down to earth and friendly. It didn’t take him long to feel at home. The town is geared toward students and has a young, funky vibe. It’s easy to walk to most things and there are buses to get around if you want to venture into Poughkeepsie.</p>
<p>I think both are good schools and have their own strengths. A lot would depend on your choice of major. My son would only consider New Paltz. He liked the campus, the location and the feeling he got when he visited.</p>
<p>We looked at both but my daughter is at a different SUNY. She found the people at New Paltz who led the tour and the admissions people to be incredibly arrogant. On the drive home, she said “It’s not like they’re Harvard, who do they think they’re trying to fool?” I was very unimpressed by their statement that they don’t give merit awards to individuals beause they prefer to use their money to “improve the overall program!” Offer merit aid and you’ll improve the program by attracting better students.</p>
<p>My DD’s bf came from the Albany area and she visited him. He took her to the campus and said it’s so awful that his parents refused to even let him apply there. She thinks he meant the partying. My junior son thought it was the ugliest place he’d ever been and he NEVER pays attention to his surroundings!</p>
<p>With that said, do you want a city feel or a small town feel? What programs are you interested in? Let that make up your mind.</p>
<p>My DD has friends at both Albany and NP who love their school.</p>
<p>Prestige, brand recognition and reputation are fleeting. It depends on who is doing the evaluation and what filter they use to judge. In this case your trying to compare a research university in a state capital with a medium sized college in a small town…quite different. These thinks can really depend on whats importatnt to you. What characteristics do you value? What elements are important to you? What will you major in? Are you interested in sports, or what clubs do you want to join? </p>
<p>I think LilyMoon is correct in her comments…New Paltz is very poplular school…especially in the last few years. </p>
<p>Albany has its advantages…its size offers a writers institute and Maureen Dowd was just there, their speaker series just featured Bill Clinton. It’s a college town and alot of students party. </p>
<p>They are both good schools…just different. Try talking to professors in your major, take a closer look at what classes your interested in, read the school newspapers, spend some time in the library, eat a meal there!</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>I think people would notice Albany more just because it’s the capital of new York; you know what I mean?</p>
<p>Because I never heard of new paltz before I started my college search</p>
<p>Hey, </p>
<p>So I realized the original post to this thread was months ago, but if your still in the market for some advice, I can probably help you out. I’ve actually attended both schools. </p>
<p>I actually attended Albany after completing one semester at my local CC. My major there, Communications, is one of the most popular majors they offer. So in turn, one of the best parts for me was a constant flow of opportunites such as emails about internships and many classes could apply to my major. There are good things about Albany, such as the nightlife and many different classes offered. There are so many different clubs and different kinds of people that your sure to find a niche. The main reason why I decided to transfer out of Albany was due to class size. When I first applied, I thought to myself a 500 person class wouldn’t bother me. Well, it does after awhile. My smallest class during two semesters was about 100 kids. Also, I wasn’t being academically challenged. Overall, I transferred out with 3.6 GPA with little effort. </p>
<p>To a previous poster, I agree that if you put SUNY ALbany on a resume your more likely that the interviewer will know the name but, for a quality education New Paltz is your best bet. </p>
<p>New Paltz is a completely new scene from Albany. Classes are smaller, more professor interaction, and also there are concentrations within my major which helps me choose classes more directed to what I want to study. New Paltz nightlife, while very different from Albany, is still very fun. I actually prefer it. Prestige for NP is growing! It is a selective school to get into and so far I’m being a lot more challenged in my classes then I was in Albany. I’m also completeing an internship in NP. </p>
<p>Hope this helped :)</p>
<p>Both are pretty average. Albany has historically had the better rep, but New Paltz has been getting popular because of its nice location and LAC feel.</p>