<p>I got accepted to SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering. I am planning on going there in the fall. Was anyone else accepted and attending? </p>
Hello, I was accepted to SUNY Poly CNSE for this fall. I was wondering if you are currently attending. If so, could you share your thoughts on the Nanoscale Engineering degree program?
Just wondering…
What are your stats (GPA , SAT, ACT, ECs, etc.) if you guys got accepted into this program?
Also, not trying to pull the string here but is there a somewhat bigger advantage in being a girl who is interested in engineering?
I had a 34 ACT, 4.25 wgpa (graduating valedictorian in a month), heavy involvement in extracurriculars w/ leadership positions (small school, was able to participate in a lot), over 200 volunteer hours.
I can’t say I know what they most look for in applications, but a current student I talked to said pretty much everyone attending was top of their class, close to perfect test scores…
As for being a girl, the CNSE junior class this year is about 60 students and only like 8 are female. Most engineering schools are lopsided like that. So I’m pretty sure they would appreciate having more ((>qualified<)) females.
I had a 36, 5.11 wgpa, eagle scout, etc. Can’t speak for anyone else, but I got a full ride. I just visited and it is a wonderful facility with approx. 3000 people working there, vastly outnumbering the students. If nanotech is what you know you want to do, this is the place.
My only complaint is that if you decide nanotech isn’t for you, none of the classes will transfer. They are all extremely specific (chemistry principles for nanotech, physics principles for nanotech, etc.).
This has been my number one choice college for a while and I’m going to be a rising senior… I don’t mean to turn this into a “chance me” thing but I was wondering if I could have some insight into what colleges are realistic for me. I haven’t been able to find a lot of statistics on CNSE either, so it would be really kind if someone could let me know.
-I have a 97 unweighted in the hardest classes my school offers.
-My SAT scores are my downfall…I have a total 1260 of math and cr but I plan on retaking it until I can get at least a 1350. I’ve already seen improvement with intensive studying, but I’m wondering if this will be a reason I am rejected.
-My main extracurricular is that I teach adaptive skiing for children with special needs, but I also do piano, violin, volunteering at hospitals, clubs etc
-VP of Chem club, class secretary, publicist of Science Olympiad
-I am from the area, so I went to their open house and afterwards continued to email some of the professors who teach there
-white female
Please let me know what you think
Sorry I’m late to the party, but I was also accepted and currently am attending CNSE this fall. I’m excited to attend this school, but this excitement is not without qualification.
I was attracted to this school mainly because of super-small class sizes (no lecture halls and actual professor-student interaction!), industry networks (companies are actually on-site!), and the truly unparalleled technical resources available. The only other university that I have visited that had any sort of clean-room was University of Maryland, which I attended as part of their summer Young Scholars program. I too received their full ride scholarship, which was another strong pull factor. The strongest one out of all of my college choices, actually. They also did a great job during the Open Houses. I distinctly remember one of the speakers saying this place is not for passive knowledge sponges but for people that grab their learning by the throat. Talk about vivid details. Lastly, the accommodations this year are quite nice. The Class of 2019 will be staying, for two years, in the nearby Crest Hill Suites, a rather nice hotel. All of these considered, CNSE was a no-brainer for me.
I was very surprised to hear that I received this full-ride offer. I didn’t think my profile would qualify for such a financial aid package. Such scholarships are like the holy grail in this tough time of rising college tuition. While my GPA is in the high 90’s and I got a 2160 on the SAT (32 on ACT), I’d have thought this statistics would be the norm for the pool of applicants. I don’t have a very strong extracurricular profile either: Outside of Cross Country & Track (in which even after years of experience I don’t have much competitive skill in) I didn’t really do much outside of school. I didn’t do any science research or anything outside of school, even though my school had a Science Research program. I think that goes to show that while CNSE is competitive, the standards aren’t as high as the Ivy schools. Maybe that will change when more people know about CNSE, and suddenly they’re receiving thousands of applications versus hundreds. Talk about great timing!
However, I recall reading another thread in which someone turned down admission to this college, even receiving the full-ride, because they claimed the college was “disorganized and amateurish” and did not have any sort of focus on the student experience. Unfortunately, because they’re a new school they indeed haven’t ironed out all the problems they are facing, the most recent of which CNSE’s split from SUNY Albany. As of right now I still haven’t been contacted by my academic adviser about scheduling my classes…and they start on the 26th! Perhaps they’re suffering from integration pains, but it’s still rather troublesome. I do have faith they’ll work out everything in time, though. In regards to the alleged lack of student experience, that didn’t really dissuade me, but brought up an important aspect of the this college: the student experience is definitely less developed than at another college, such as the neighboring SUNY Albany. Don’t get me wrong, there are clubs present there, and currently the students involved are trying to integrate with those of SUNY Albany. During the admitted students day, Dr. Kaloyeros (the head of the facility) immediately addressed this by showing a small video clip of a jazz band organized by one of the professors. Also, students can use the facilities at SUNY Albany, which was a nice bonus. As far as I can see though, don’t expect to have the plethora of student organizations or organized athletes available. I’m sure if you’re motivated enough you can find opportunities for that, though.
One peculiar thing I noticed is that Dr. Kaloyeros at one point claimed the education here is equal to or even better than that of Ivys like MIT and Stanford. One of the professors there, who himself had gone to UC Berkeley & MIT, concurred. Maybe it’s just bold claims, backed by the companies and facilities on-campus. I don’t know. Of course, any student motivated enough can get a quality education at nearly any university.
Another issue is the (somewhat) laser-focused curriculum. Several people have noted this as a major consideration: CNSE is for students who know from the bottom of their heart they want to do something related to nanotechnology. Luckily, this field is quite broad. Initially, I thought that this college was simply a recruitment & training center for future semiconductor company employees, given the substantial investments by such companies into the college. However they have a rather amazing (nano)biology wing and also are pouring substantial investment in clean energy. There’s a good amount of wiggle room for students, but definitely not as much as a larger university.
Sorry for the very long post, but I felt like talking about all my thoughts about the college. If there are any inaccuracies in my post please let me know.
It sounds like you are going to have quite an exciting adventure. Being among the first undergrads (to the separate CNSE) will probably have a lot of advantages and, as you have alluded to, some downsides. I bet the pluses far outweigh the minuses. The school will have a lot riding on the success of its initial graduates. That is a huge deal for you. Perhaps unlike at some of the SUNY university centers, the faculty will care about how you are doing post graduation which means they will attend to your training needs. That is a good thing.
I am surprised, however, about the claims and the comparisons that the director of the program is apparently making to places like Stanford and MIT.
You said “Dr. Kaloyeros at one point claimed the education here is equal to or even better than that of Ivys like MIT and Stanford. One of the professors there, who himself had gone to UC Berkeley & MIT, concurred.”).
First, neither MIT nor Stanford is an Ivy. MIT rejected Harvard’s offer to join them (as in merge) way back when and has never looked back. Yes, MIT rejected Harvard. Second, the western most IVY is Cornell. Both MIT and Stanford are not lessor schools than IVY schools. They just aren’t Ivys.
Second, CNSE is only about 10 years old and has only had about 2 classes graduate with an undergrad degree.
How can Dr. Kaloyerous compare CNSE to Stanford or MIT, which are vastly different schools themselves? And both are vastly different from CNSE.
Stanford is a very well rounded university with outstanding departments in just about anything. In contrast, while MIT offers undergrads a well rounded liberal arts education, its major focus is on STEM. Yet, both schools are over 150 years old. They both have a long track record of educating some of the most brilliant students in the world. And, that record began 150 years ago. Everything about them is based on 150 years of evidence and planning. Their traditions and their methods (for MIT, problem solving approach across all topics) are well tested. How can Dr. Kaloyerous claim that the education at CNSE is as good as that at Stanford and at MIT when it is so new. What is he basing his claim on? SUNY does not have a track record like MIT or Stanford. The system is over 50 years old. None of the schools come close to comparing to either MIT or Stanford on most if not any dimension. In fact, the SUNY system does not compare favorably to the university systems of many (or maybe most) states. That isn’t to say that students can’t get a good education at a SUNY. It just isn’t Stanford-not even close.
MIT is focused on STEM but students are broadly trained. They have stiff distribution requirements that ensure that they are broadly trained in their area of specialty and in STEM in general but also across other liberal arts areas. They get a broad education despite specializing in a specific STEM (usually) area. None graduates with a degree so narrow as nonotech. This is not a criticism. It is just a factual difference. Regardless of their major, MIT students take a series of rigorous courses that include Biology, Chem, physics (2) and calculus (2) and a string of (at least 8) courses in the humanities and arts. In contrast, CNSE’s classes are mostly technical and narrow. Besides math and nonotech, students need only take a total of 5 classes across any area (Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, American History,Western Civilizations, Humanities, The Arts. Foreign language). In other words, the program is more like a technical training program in nanotechnology.
Maybe more than in most schools, the experience of being an undergrad vs a graduate student is very different at MIT. It sounds like CNSE will offer an experience that is more like being a graduate student at MIT.
Neither MIT nor Stanford have to sell their soul to any private enterprise. Whether CNSE will have to (or already has) remains to be seen. SUNY has a very bad track record when it comes to integrity, of which the Research Foundation sets the bar-and it is very very low one (Google “Research Foundation” and “corruption”). The biggest negative factor that CNSE will have to overcome is being part of SUNY. Whether or not they can exceed the handicap of being in the SUNY system remains to be seen.
I am sure that CNSE will attract very strong students. There are a lot of strong students in NY. Some very strong ones, of which you are probably one, will attend and will likely be very successful. My guess is that CNSE will compete for students most fiercely with RPI. The differences between MIT, Stanford and CNSE are marked. That does not mean one is superior to another. However, Dr. Kaloyerous’s claim that the education at CNSE is as good as that at MIT and Stanford doesn’t seem to have a lot of evidence supporting it. Is it better at nonotech training? I don’t know but neither does he.
First off, thanks for replying.
The contents of your post are similar (although definitely not as developed) as the thoughts going through my head when I heard that statement. There is a marked difference between CNSE and MIT & Stanford, as you said, and it is a rather unfair comparison. I think he was basing it off of the fact that you get more technical involvement in CNSE, and that there are MIT people that come to do work here. And how CNSE is backed by a ton of money. That’s just my thoughts. You do raise a good point about CNSE’s recent inception; it lacks the reputation and VERY long track record. Perhaps that’s why the full-ride scholarship was offered: to encourage students to take the risk of putting their time and energy into a brand new institution. CNSE could definitely take a turn for the better or worse; it’s a huge gamble considering its early age.
In respect to having a broader education, I think because of the SUNY system I’ll still have to take GE classes. I did see them when I looked at the undergraduate classes for my major. Maybe the fact that they’re not as developed and sophisticated as those of MIT and Stanford make a CNSE education potentially less rounded. Oh, and I guess I’ve made the habit of defining “Ivys” as the super-competitive top-dog colleges of the US, instead of the actual colleges in the league.
One thing that, I guess, intrigues(?) me about the college is the overwhelming amount of optimism surrounding it, including that expressed by Dr. Kaloyeros. It’s supposedly part of Cuomo’s big plan to bring thousands of jobs all across New York State, and the institution describes itself as one providing “pioneering academics” and a plethora of amazing things. They are definitely true in that it’s attracted lots of research money. I’m sure the institution is very proud of being visited by Obama and Wozniak, as well.
It seems that, with the narrow technical courses, CNSE is like an up-scaled vocational school for nanotechnology rather than a more comprehensive college. Not that that makes it inferior but its a very specialized school. Then again, with a name like that it’s unsurprising.
Out of curiosity, why do you say that “the SUNY system does not compare favorably to the university systems of many (or maybe most) states.” I’m curious about whether it’s because of faults in student services, efficiency, red tape, etc.
BTW, just to set the record straight, MIT did not reject an offer of Harvard to merge and “never looked back.”
There were numerous discussions about a Harvard - MIT merger from 1863 on. In 1904, the Trustees of both Harvard and MIT approved a merger that would have made MIT Harvard’s engineering school, but the agreement was thrown out by the Massachussetts Supreme Court in 1905.
This link is from MIT’s museum’s website:
Hi UndisputedTruth, my son has been accepted into this program for 2016. It sounds like an interesting opportunity, but I am concerned with how unusual the circumstances seem to be. Now that you have been there for a full semester, would you mind updating us on your thoughts about the program? Pros, cons, inside look, etc.? Thanks!
It is indeed an intriguing opportunity to say the least, although I cannot offer the best insight (since I don’t think one semester is enough to give a complete and meaningful evaluation of this new college).
The most distinguishing feature of this college, if you are a residential student, is the housing. Unlike most college freshman, you’ll be living it up in an extended-stay hotel, complete with cleaning services and complementary laundry and breakfast/dinner. And a really nice dorm if you can call it that (compared to most dorms it’s like living in royalty). I am part of the first of the two years they are doing this before the actual dorms are built. I don’t know how they will accommodate the incoming freshman of 2016, but I am very sure they will be utilizing a hotel to house them. In regards to the student body, you won’t have to worry too much. They are all very helpful and friendly, and are definitely willing to study with others. I’ve met some pretty cool people in just the first semester. Hopefully this all is true for your son’s fellow peers.
The academics are really what you’d expect from a STEM college. General chemistry and physics, with their associated labs. (Ignore the colorful titles CNSE gives the courses). The professors are alright, and the small class sizes definitely make them more accessible (they were about 40-45 kids). Office hours is, as you’d expect, a good idea. Depending on your son’s math education, he will take any course from Calculus 1 to Differential Equations (one of my peers took that her first semester). The math professors are really good, by the way. The classes are much smaller, since an entire year will have a mix of students in regards to their math education. Other than these three (really five if you count the labs) you will also have a class like Nanotech Survey / Societal Impacts of Nanotech / some Gen Ed. Aim to get the Nanotech classes.
Social life is, I guess, what you make of it. The organized social life is very underdeveloped. They are only a handful of clubs and we don’t have access to recreational facilities save for the athletic ones in UAlbany. We MIGHT have a student newspaper this semester. The students of course will find their own ways to socialize, whether that is going to each other’s rooms, driving to a local venues, or enjoying the night life (or at least attempting to) in downtown Albany or nearby colleges (UAlbany, St Rose).
Prepare to hear the phrase “in transition” and its variations a lot. A lot. The college is still under construction in several areas, even in some policies. There were problems with meal swipes this semester (everyone was still fed though) and promises were not met (although that is probably not unique to CNSE). It has become a sort of inside joke here, actually.
One important caveat is that this is no ordinary college. The tours will make it sound like a good thing, when there is really much more to that. This is really a business with a small academic portion. Most of the activity and policies are directed toward the companies and to a lesser extent, the graduate students. All of these cleanrooms and labs you will probably not touch until late undergraduate and graduate years. And you definitely won’t be stepping foot into Nano FabX or the newer Fabs. That is probably not entirely true, but for the first few years it might as well be.
Though, maybe the very proximity of these resources and on-site companies are in fact a convincing selling point for people thinking really ahead, or graduate students. That said, I do think that this place will give you the experience of a graduate student more than an undergraduate student. The college originally accepted only graduate students, anyway.
If you or your son have any more questions please let me know.
Thank you so much for your response! It is very helpful! May I ask what “promises were not met” refers to? It sounds ominous. 
I am curious, too, about the caliber of the teachers and student body. In your opinion, do you feel like you’re surrounded by some of the “best and the brightest” as claimed? Are you being challenged? Thanks again for your willingness to answer questions!
Well it’s really not as bad as it sounds (although some of my peers may beg to differ). We were told that our dorms would be ready for next Fall and that they would be breaking ground on November. Both didn’t happen. We were promised a student lounge but the date is still largely unknown to us. That’s the only ones I can think of. They’re not terrible, but just things to watch out for. To be fair, building the dorms ended up being more complicated than previously planned since the location was right over some big gas lines.
As for the caliber of the teachers and student body, I do think they are indeed well qualified in their occupations and enrollment respectively. The teachers are definitely well-versed in their specific fields. There are also really smart (and colorful!) students too. Obviously, it will take time to get to know everyone very well. Whether that time is a week or several I guess depends on your son. I however don’t think you will be surrounded by Ivy League type people who have cured cancer or something (although several people here have some really good extracurricular profiles and internship experience). This may change as the years go by, however. CNSE is still not well known, but perhaps in time they will grow to be quite a competitive school. Maybe a UC Berkeley or George Tech.
I don’t feel super challenged (although this probably will ALSO change in the later semesters) since I am familiar with much of the coursework (save for the Gen Eds and Math) but the professors and students are definitely available to help you out. The online HW sites also feature really helpful studying resources (which I should have taken advantage of!).
Again, feel free to ask more as time goes on. There isn’t a lot of information about CNSE outside of the website so I’m happy to help out. Hopefully you can contact other CNSE students to get a more comprehensive student image of the college.