Ask A Current Student!

<p>Whats there to do in Binghamton on the weekends? I heard the students sometimes get bored.</p>

<p>Do admissions criteria vary for the different colleges at Bing? Ex. Harpur GPA required for admissions vs. School of Managment GPA required for admissions? What GPAs are required?What is acceptable ACT score? Any info on the Athletics - do most athletes live in the same dorms - which ones are they?</p>

<p>I find Binghamton far less boring than my former university, which was in New York City. I think the big reason for that is that Bing is a residential school. There are always people around to hang out with. On the weekends, I generally spend most of my time on campus hanging out with friends, catching up on homework, etc. There are plenty of house parties in the area, there's a hookah bar, a few nice restaurants, a movie theater. There are also things going on on campus most weekends: a play, a concert, whatever activities Late Nite Binghamton is sponsoring. It can get a little dull, but I would say that there are things to do here, if you look.</p>

<p>Springisintheair:
I think the chances threads give a good impression of what's needed to get into Binghamton. I got in as a transfer with a 3.3 GPA, but ymmv. Things are getting more competitive every year, and the standards for transfers aren't the same as the standards for freshmen.</p>

<p>Admissions criteria do vary between the different colleges. For example it's easier to get into Harpur than the business school. I also know it's pretty much impossible to transfer from another college (at Bing) into the business school, so don't plan on doing that.</p>

<p>Athletes generally live in Mountainview and Mohawk. These are the newest and nicest buildings on campus. Mountainview is the newest dorm community and I guess they live in whichever building up there is open during vacations. There's one of these per community. Mohawk is the newest building on campus and is part of College in the Woods.</p>

<p>I do get a little bored most weekends, but you can read the post above for some things to do.</p>

<p>hello students,</p>

<p>does anybody know anything about suny new paltz and its music program..i'd like to transfer there for a music performance <em>contemporary music studies</em> or <em>jazz studies</em> either one, my audition is scheduled for march 28..</p>

<p>just like to know what people think about the school and or the music program!</p>

<p>You might want to check out the New Paltz threads in the "Suny General" category. Lots of info there. Briefly, It is smaller than Bing, about 6000 students. It known as the creative, artsy, left leaning SUNY, with an up and coming reputation. The town is right next to the campus. It is small and artsy also. The surrounding area is beautiful.</p>

<p>Why is the food so expensive? I remember at the Nite owl a hamburger cost me almost $5.00! WHY!?</p>

<p>Does anyone ride bikes around campus?</p>

<p>Status: Yeah, the Nite Owl is hideously expensive. Why? Because you are a captive audience. If you're on campus at 3 AM on a Friday, where the heck else are you going to eat? And many of the people who frequent the Nite Owl are in a less-than-sober state, cash isn't exactly the first thing on their minds. I suggest stocking your room with snacks so that the temptation is less, that's what I do. But sometimes you just need a bacon double cheeseburger at 2:30 in the morning...</p>

<p>PShap: Lots of people ride bikes here! We're having a thaw right now, and everyone is bringing their bikes back out. When you're going from one side of campus to the other, a bike is quite handy. If you don't have a bike of your own or if you can't bring yours up, I believe the Outdoor Pursuits office is working on some sort of bike share program.</p>

<p>Hey Orcas! I am actually going to visit Bing soon like in March I think. Is there any substance free housing there? Because I kind of get revolted by drugs and alcohol kind of. And will I be able to fit in while not drinking alcohol? How is like the peer pressure at Bing and is Greek life really big?</p>

<p>mcvcm: There is substance free housing here, yup! When you fill out your housing form, you can request to live on a substance-free floor. I've said this before, but it bears repeating: there is a social scene even if you don't drink. I'm not a big drinker, and I still go to the occasional party. There are also school-run Late Nite Binghamton events. And hopefully you'll make friends with other non-drinkers, so that you never run into the problem of being pressured to drink at all. I have never been pressured to do something I didn't want to do in terms of drinking or drugs. People will offer things, but a polite "no thanks" is generally an effective deterrent.</p>

<p>I'm a transfer student and part of why I left my former university was the fact that the place was dominated by Greek life. At Bing, Greek life is there if you want it, but absolutely, 100% avoidable if you're not interested. You'll see fliers for parties and events, but the school is not dominated by Greek life, at all.</p>

<p>People keep bikes in their rooms during the winter or leave them at home?</p>

<p>Most people keep them in their rooms. I believe some buildings have bike rooms. I live in Hinman, and here people seem to just leave their bikes in the common room of their suite. It can get a little cluttered when there are more than three, but people deal.</p>

<p>I haven't read all of the pages, so I hope these weren't asked already but these are the things I'm worried about:</p>

<p>I'm from central Jersey and I'd like to meet students from different areas in the country and the world. How diverse is the population in terms of region? Is everyone from NY?</p>

<p>I go to a boarding high school in Northern MI and I've learned that cold,long winters depress me terribly. How harsh are Binghamton winters?</p>

<p>I'm very into tight knite communities, but I also like wide opportunities to meet new people; that's one of the reasons I'm looking at Binghamton. </p>

<p>I don't want to be in a city but I like arts culture--poetry readings, open mics and spontanious concerts, literary publications and events more than once a year. Are these things prevelant at Binghamton? How often?</p>

<p>Are the undergrads payed less attention to than the grads? Are there disadvantages to being and undergrad? And do the math/science type departments take more focus than the arts?</p>

<p>I'm interested in the writing minor, psychology, religion, and visual arts. Any information on these would be much appreciated.</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

<p>Hey Lyric!</p>

<ol>
<li><p>I wouldn't say that everyone is from NYS, but Binghamton is a state school. There are lots of New Yorkers here, from all over the state. I also know people from Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, California. But the majority of students here seem to be in-state. I don't have hard and fast numbers for you, just my own experience.</p></li>
<li><p>I'd look at the weather.com trends for the various months and compare it to where you are! Binghamton can be really gray and rainy. It snows, and it gets pretty cold. It gets windy. I was recently starting to wonder if it would ever get better - and then yesterday, it got up to 55! Now it's back to the 30s, and it's raining. Tonight, it's going to snow. That's Binghamton for ya.</p></li>
<li><p>There are plenty of tight-knit communities here, and plenty of opportunities to meet new people, I would say. There are things like the radio station and the food co-op, where everyone seems to know everyone else who's a member. But new people seem welcome at every organization I've checked out (and I've checked out quite a few: Amnesty International, Irish Student Union, Women's Student Union, Food Co-op, radio station, tv station, Newman House)</p></li>
<li><p>Gorgeous</a> Washington Street - First Fridays is the First Fridays website. I've talked about this before, but basically on the first Friday of every month, the galleries and shops in Downtown Binghamton fling open their doors, you can check out art, there are readings, things like that. It's pretty cool. There are plenty of buses from campus to downtown, so it's easy to get to. There are also LOTS of readings on campus, generally at least one a month sponsored by the English department. There are a few houses downtown that bring in bands once a month, and there is nothing quite like a punk concert in the living room of an old Victorian house inhabited by social anarchists. If you actually come here and you're interested, PM me and I'll tell you more about that :)</p></li>
<li><p>Undergrads VS grads: I feel like the undergrad programs are completely distinct from the grad programs, I never feel like less attention is paid to me because I'm an undergrad. I've also found that grad students and undergrads sometimes socialize here, which is really cool. I'm planning to go to grad school, and it's great that I'm friendly with people who can give me advice from their own experience about the process of applying to and being in grad school.</p></li>
<li><p>As for the math/science departments getting more attention, I don't really know. I'm a history major and I feel like our department is well-funded, but I don't know about the visual arts departments. </p></li>
<li><p>Religion here would probably fall under philosophy, politics and law - I have a friend in that major who likes it. English is a popular major here, and there are various concentrations w/in the department. I'm taking a creative writing class right now and I really like it, but I don't know much about the programs other than that. Don't know much about visual arts or psych, either. Sorry.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Do you recommend buying snacks at the Nite Owl or Walmart?</p>

<p>And while we are talking about Walmart, do I just wait at any bus stop for the bus to Walmart to come? I would be able to get back the same way correct?</p>

<p>I generally buy my snacks at Walmart. Occasionally I'll go to Wegman's. I think the Nite Owl is way too expensive to buy snacks from, for the most part. I stock up on the basics at Walmart every couple of weeks - Cup Noodles, cereal, things like that. Those things are considerably more expensive at the Nite Owl. But you know, sometimes the Nite Owl is tempting. They've got a hot grill there until 4 AM on Friday and Saturday night (1 AM the rest of the week), and if you're coming back from downtown, hot food is sometimes a very nice thing.</p>

<p>The busses are pretty easy. You can catch the Shopper's Special, 47 or the "blue bus" Town Square Mall Shuttle to get to Walmart. The 47 and the blue bus will both take you back. If you time it right, you can take the Shopper's Special, have about 30 minutes to do your thing at Walmart, and then hop the blue bus back. I generally just take the blue bus and spend an hour at Walmart, and catch the blue bus back. Blue bus schedules are available at Off</a> Campus College Transport, Inc, Broome County bus schedules are at Routes</a>, Schedules, Maps & Bus Stop Locations | Broome County, NY</p>

<p>when i took a tour of the school, my tour guide said that there was food room service. is that true and if it is can you elaborate on that for me please?</p>

<p>I've heard that you can order food from the Food Court and have it delivered to your room late at night - they have Taco Bell, Sbarros, a chinese place, and a couple of other things. I've never done it myself, and I don't know anyone who has, so I can't tell you any more than that. Sorry.</p>

<p>They definitely had room service last year. I never used it or knew anyone that used it. I haven't seen any signs or anything for it this year, maybe it isn't available anymore. Check out Binghamton</a> Dining Services - Home for what's available on campus, hours, menu, etc. Personally, I would rather order food from off campus to be delivered. I get kind of sick of eating the same stuff every day for every meal for months. Off campus food is a nice change. ;)</p>

<p>The Nite Owl is very expensive, but it's also convenient. I would definitely get snacks from off campus and keep them in your room, but the night owl is there for when you want hot food, a milk shake, fresh cookies, etc. I know people who walk across campus to get cookies at the Hinman Night Owl.</p>

<p>You can get on buses in front of the Old Union. At Wal Mart just go back to where the bus dropped you off and you can ask the bus drivers if they're going back to BU. Most of them do, but sometimes they'll suggest waiting a minute for the next bus that'll be faster. Some other places (Target) can be more complicated. There are at least 3 drop off locations that I know of there. The bus stop to go back to BU seems to be on street (have to leave the parking lot).</p>