I got into Binghamton’s advantage program and I’m just wondering if it is worth it. I plan on majoring in psychology. I’m curious as to what the Advantage program is like for students. Is it harder making friends? or is the only difference the fact that you have to take a bus to class. Would it be better just to go to Stony Brook so I can live on campus AND take classes on campus? Thanks
Would like to hear answers as well. Not too happy that I couldn’t get in to main campus. But how does advantage work? Do I still live on bing campus?
Yeah from what I’ve read you live on Binghamton’s campus you can eat on campus and join clubs but u just take classes at the community college near by.
There are many other threads about this program. Is it true that they are pressuring people to sign up before May by saying that only the first X number that sign up first who have been offered the program will be admitted? I hope that is not true. Take your time to make sure you are making the best decision for you.
Do you feel that you need community college classes? Did you do poorly in any particular type of classes? Would you benefit from remedial classes? Have you read up on Broome Community College to find out what the academics are like? You are going to college for academics right? Of course the social part is important too but the academics are the most important part.
Do you care if the other students in your classes are very strong students or is it ok with you that they are students attending a school with open admissions, as long as you can socialize with the honors students? Me, I’d rather take classes with honor students but wouldn’t care if I was socializing with non-honors students. You will have few Advantage students in each of your BCC classes. At BCC your classmates would be students who did not have to take any AP classes, or the SATs or any honor classes in high school. I suppose for some people the idea of easy As and then getting into Binghamton to have a Binghamton degree is what it is all about. If you don’t care that your classmates are the same kids from high school who took no honors classes, then maybe this is a good program. If you got into Stony Brook, especially if your plan is STEM, then you probably haven’t been in classes with non-honors students since elementary school. BCC will be a change for you.
Binghamton does a lot of PR about being a public IVY. Attracting applicants with that sort of PR but sending them to community college is puzzling.
And for this reason, it is important to encourage those considering Binghamton to do their homework. A lot about Binghamton is not transparent. That may be true about other schools too. Do your homework and read up on BCC.
Yes, they told me to make my decision quickly since spots fill up fast. I do not feel i need community college classes. I took AP Language and Composition, AP Statistics, and AP Gov. I got all As in those classes and I also took Sociology through Syracuse University and a college composition class. I have been taken college and honor level classes and done very well in them so i don’t understand why Binghamton wants me to go to Broome Community College. Thank you for your reply. You gave me a lot to look into.
The students I’ve advised- own included- worked very hard in high school and were up for the challenge. They were not about to drop down to community college. They don’t want to spend 2 years or even one year in classes with students who aren’t academically inclined. When they wrote essays about wanting to be in a college with others as motivated they were not talking about in a couple or few years. They expected that if they were accepted for the fall.
Students just wanting an easy time to a Binghamton degree may like the Advantage program. Students who were late bloomers and were not ever very engaged in school may benefit from community college. I know lots of people who started community college with few interests and a history of doing poorly in school. Often it was just what they needed to get to where peers who took honors classes were when they started taking APs. But if you are there already,what would the benefits of community college be?
I’d welcome admissions staff to discuss the advantages here.
I guess they think you are qualified for Binghamton and will be willing to cool your heels for a couple of years treading water at community college with the hope of getting that degree that says Binghamton. And they get to fill their dorms that were over built and expensive without having to offer you a place in a classroom. The place already has a poor faculty student ratio so they can’t shove more students into their classes but need to fill those dorms. But then they will have room for you when other transfer out. So they will invite you to the last 2 years of their classes.
Good luck with your decision Jjoseph2015. Do your homework. Get information from independent sources not just from the schools.
@Njoseph2015, unless you really, really, really have your heart set on going to Binghamton, go to Stony Brook.