Binghamton or Albany Honors?? (Class of 2015)

<p>Alright, so I've been accepted to both UA and UB, and I'm having mixed thoughts about which to attend. UA has a strange campus with awful dorms, but I hear the environment is nice, and it's great to have a big city near-by. Binghamton's campus is large and pretty hilly, but they have attractive dorms.</p>

<p>I got accepted to Albany as an Honors student, and they gave me an awesome financial package--one that would make me save up to $10,000 in loans if I choose it over Bing, but everyone keeps telling me, Binghamton, binghamton! With the deadline approaching fast, I just want to get the opinions of college confidential members before I make my final decision.</p>

<p>I visited both colleges. I liked them both--although Albany can get pretty scary, and Binghamton seems to be in the middle of no where...</p>

<p>So--can anyone help? Anyone who actually attends those schools (although the opinions of people who don't would be much appreciated!)</p>

<p>Also-- I plan on majoring in English.</p>

<p>Any advice?</p>

<p>Oh! Just got accepted to NYU too. x]</p>

<p>Unless you are desperate to be in NYC and got an awesome package from NYU, ignore NYU. It is not worth the cost at all. </p>

<p>If money is the biggest issue, go to Albany, but if you can deal with the extra loans Binghamton is much more worth it. The campus is much better and Vestal (the town Bing is in) is very nice. Bing the city is so-so, but you don’t have to go there unless you want to. </p>

<p>The English department is decent (I’ve taken two classes- I’m not a major) and the professors are nice.</p>

<p>The honors college at Albany has advantages. As an honors student you will live in Melville with other honors studets…suite style. The dean of the honors college lives in the building and is a terrific resourse for those who desire his counsel. He will also meet with each of you and tries to get to know you. There are several honors events, you;ll be required to attend a certain number. You’ll have to take, on average, 3 honors courses each year from a variety of professors and different departments…these are only open to honors students. You’ll have priority registration for classes, this is indeed a tremendous benefit so you don’t get shut out of classes that fill up. You’ll have a special contact at the library for honors students.</p>

<p>The main campus is actually quite utilitarian, but larger than it may seem at first. Also, Albany isn’t as big as you might think. However, city bus services is free for students. Many students travel to the downtown campus, downtown, and to the crossgate common mall…which is terrific. Albany also has a consortium of colleges that offer cross registration…should a course you need or want is not available at UAlbany. Lots of different colleges in town so that UAlbany is college town.</p>

<p>They have quite a series of speakers through their student led speakers series…they just had Bill Clinton this month. They have also had Colin Powell, Karl Rove v Howard Dean Debate, and Barbara Walters. The Writers Insitute just had Maureen Dowd from the NYT this month, and the list of speakers they have had is impressive. You should check out their website.</p>

<p>I think that the savings financially significant, the college clearly wants you more, and it’s actually quite a good school…especially for english. Be sure to check the course schedules and try to find courses you are interested in.</p>

<p>I know Binghamton has better rankings, and it is a fine school. But in the end being wanted more, the honors college, the speakers series, the writers institute, a college town, and substantial cost savings are reasons to give UAlbany serious consideration.</p>

<p>Wow thank you so much Caemin and Isd87. However I’m still torn. Is it difficult to become an honors student at Binghamton? I feel like if I go to UA, I’ll be starting from the top, but if I go to UB I might have to work my way up there, haha. </p>

<p>I don’t know.</p>

<p>Also, can anyone give me any in depth details about the English department at Binghamton?</p>

<p>im in the same situation, almost. i got accepted into both binghamton and albany (honors). so what are you deciding, Sasoue? i plan on majoring in business though.</p>

<p>I’m still not sure. I’m going to visit Binghamton this saturday, and NYU on the ninth. I already visited Albany and i thought it was great. </p>

<p>I keep asking people where they think i should go but they all have different answers and different reasons for those answers. And then I go on facebook and find out that housing information has already been put up, which means I need to hurry up, haha.</p>

<p>This is one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make—where do you think you’ll go?</p>

<p>my guidance counselor and ppl around me are telling me to decide between bing and stony because they are better academically. i will be visiting stony on the 9th and bing during spring break. still not sure yet. i heard bing is slightly better academically in everything but sciences compared to stony. but the pro for stony is that it is close enough to go home on weekends. whats going through your mind? are u considering stonybrook?</p>

<p>forget about stony brook. so how was binghamton? one of the bad things i heard about bing is the weather. constant rain/snow… i heard the honors program at albany is just a gimmick to get top students into their school by providing a few benefits. this really is a hard decision, lol.</p>

<p>WOW, this is a no brainer, if you are deciding between Binghamton and Albany ( idc if they give you full ride), its Binghamton. </p>

<p>I know plenty of people in albany, and it depends what you value most. It is basically a party school, its academically OK, but not even comparable to Binghamton in my opinion, and most peoples opinions. </p>

<p>Students I have met from albany, all about having fun , and school work is never a large priority. </p>

<p>Students from Binghamton, school is a large priority, and they still party pretty hard ( the partying at albany I assume is better though). </p>

<p>SO which ever you value more, go with that. Binghamton for academics, and Albany for partying. </p>

<p>IN the end of the day, even if you go to albany honors, you graduated albany or binghamton. Honors to me personally, is somewhat meaningless once you graduate. Unless the program places you into an amazing job or grad school ,its just there to make you feel special.</p>

<p>The only reason I don’t go to binghamton university is because I already live here and need to get out.</p>

<p>Haha, I haven’t responded in a while, but I just wanted to update you guys on my decision—I choose Bing! =] I chose it because it seemed better than all the other schools as a WHOLE. it has it’s bad points like the weather and the fact that it’s almost in the middle of nowhere, but in the end I think the most important thing is academics, yeah?</p>

<p>I hope all you guys are happy with the choices you’ve made, and I’m sure wherever you go, you’ll make the most of it, = ].</p>

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