I got an email yesterday saying i was accepted!!! I was thrilled about it…especially cos they said they mail decisions on April 1! I was surprised when i opened my inbox O_O !!
so anyone else heard from Union??
<p>Congrats Balonce_noles. Is Union your first choice?</p>
<p>Uh-oh for me though.. I applied, and haven't gotten an email yet. ::crosses fingers::</p>
<p>Congratulations! That's such a pretty college. I grew up down the street from it. :)</p>
<p>I haven't heard anything yet.</p>
<p>i hope you guys get in too! what were your stats?
i'm an international student btw. </p>
<p>Northstarmom- could you please tell me more about Union? Just anything.</p>
<p>My info on it is a bit dated, since I left Schenectady when I went away to college, which was before you were born.</p>
<p>However, this is what I remember about it from my experiences having a parent who was a staffer there, and having friend's parents who were profs, and knowing people who attended there.</p>
<p>The campus was small, but very pretty. I think it may have been the first campus in the country which was actually designed. Jackson Gardens was a fave spot of students, particularly for romantic strolls.</p>
<p>Union was known for having a strong engineering department. However, the other day, I was looking at books on tape, and I saw one that was read by a person whom I remember when he was a student at Union. He was quite dramatic and was, I think, a theater major, a rare bird at that college. He's now apparently a professional actor in NYC.</p>
<p>The campus was friendly, as is the case with Upstate NY. Professors had close relationships with students.</p>
<p>There were a fair number of students who came from Long Island, and they tended to stand out because of their assertiveness, cockiness and sophistication. They also complained about how small Schenectady was.</p>
<p>If you are not familiar with Upstate NY weather, I hope you like cold, snow and overcast skies throughout the very long winters, which are also known for sunsets at 4:30 p.m.</p>
<p>If you like glorious falls, you'll love the area. The leaf changes are beautiful in Schenectady, and if one wants to see even more spectacular beauty, drive 20 or 30 minutes outside fo the city in virtually any direction. </p>
<p>The nicest place in Schenectady is Central Park. It is a gem of a park that is a surprise in a city like Schenectady, which since the factories closed decades ago has been economically struggling.</p>
<p>If you're a nature love and sports lover, there's nice skiing, hiking and similar activities in the area. NYC is only about a 3 hour drive away. B Boston is only a 2.5 hours drive. There also is reasonably convenient train service to both places.</p>
<p>Union considers itself a Little Ivy and puts itself in the league with places like Colgate and Hamilton.</p>
<p>Wow, well I have quite the different view from Northstarmom. I live near Union as well (I go to Niskayuna High School). I, when looking at colleges, thought of adding Union to my list. Then decided no for the following reasons:</p>
<p>1) Tuition is close to $50,000. That's more than most ivy-league schools and the education isn't nearly that calibur.</p>
<p>2) The campus, in my opinion, is just plain ugly. The only pretty thing on campus is the Nott Memorial (which is likely to be plastered across the pages of their brochures). The surrounding neighborhood is crowded and not very friendly. This is probably due to the increasing amount of dive bars located around campus. Schenectady is really a mess right now, and although the mayor swears to be doing something about it, he seems to be making little progress.</p>
<p>3) The dorms are nothing to brag about.</p>
<p>4) The professors (and this is only what I hear from friends) seem to be more interested in making a name for themselves rather than actually helping students. They seem quite distant. A friend of mine is in their 7-year med program, and could use a lot of counseling and help from teachers as a result. She says they're almost impossible to contact and even less willing to help out. </p>
<p>5) Schenectady is boring. In order to do anything at all, you'll have to drive 45 mins into downtown Albany. There's no malls or anything like that unless you go to Albany. However, if you like Burger King and Grocery stores as your hangout, then Schenectady is the place for you!</p>
<p>6) If you don't have a car, don't come here. The public transportation system sucks. </p>
<p>Yes there's stuff to do in surrounding areas. Plenty of skiing in Vermont, NYC is 3 hours away. However, I hear Amtrak's having issues and the train station may be moved or closed.</p>
<p>Well, there's my opinion. As you can see, I'm not too fond of Union. But really, the only way you can form your opinion is to visit. Try and do an overnight if possible.</p>
<p>Natalya,
I am a proud NHS grad. What an amazing high school that is! I did not realize how wonderful a public high school its, and how unusual the academic opportunities and students' achievements were until I had long been graduated from there. </p>
<p>This included my attending a national meeting for Harvard alumni interviewers and hearing one of the Harvard adcoms comment on the "wonderful Niskayuna High School students." </p>
<p>I could have gone to Union for free since my mom worked there, but I chose to go elsewhere. It wasn't because I disliked Union, though. It was because I was tired of living in a small town, and I wanted to sample another state and big city life.</p>
<p>I, too, found Schenectady boring because I love the action of big cities. However, I remember that there were Union students from big cities who liked Schenectady, particularly the small town friendliness and beauty of the surrounding mountains.</p>