Hey guys! I got into Binghamton and I am struggling with whether I should go or not. I have gotten in Maryland, Indiana, Penn State, and Delaware as well. I want to double major in Criminology and Psychology. I want a big, sporty, spirited school and Binghamton isn’t exactly what I was looking for socially wise, but is it just as good as the others academically? I’m having a hard time passing up the opportunity to save money- though we are well off enough to pay for the other state schools. Just wondering if by going to the State Schools I would get a better education, or just be spending too much.
Thanks!
Binghamton has significantly higher SAT scores than three of your other choices, so in terms of the academic preparation of its students, at least, Binghamton should be regarded as stronger than those schools. Maryland’s scores are also impressive.
Choose any of the other four over Binghamton if you want a real college experience.
Which of those schools offers a criminology major?
The students who attend Binghamton are strong students. Very often they are stronger than the NYS students who attend some of the other schools on your list (certainly not all the time). My daughter is a strong student who refused to attend some of the schools on your list- not because they are bad schools (they are wonderful schools), but because she sees the kids from our area who attend and they are party kids who are only out to have a good time. These kids would not get into Binghamton (not that kids at Bing do not party- they most certainly do).
Maryland, PS, and Indiana are big, rah rah, spirited schools with nice campuses. Delaware is not quite as spirited, but the campus is beautiful and the town, which is right on the campus, is amazing. When we looked at Delaware the 75% ACT score for the honors college was 31. Many of the kids at Binghamton who are not in honors would be in the honors program at Udel.
Have you visited these other schools? If not, I suggest that you do if you have the time. This way you have a chance to compare these schools to Binghamton. You will get a good education at Binghamton. You will not have the rah rah sports culture. You will not have a cool college town or an 8 minute ride to DC. You will not have the pretty campus that these other schools have (although this is very subjective), and some say you will not have the same academic experience because Bing’s academic buildings need quite a bit of updates. You will, however, have a strong student body and the opportunity to engage with smart students. Will Bing feel like HS? Maybe. But kids at other state schools feel that way too.
LBad96 refers to the “real” college experience that you would have if you attend these other schools. Every school in the country has a real college experience that is unique to that particular school. My daughter is at a “top” OOS state school and has zero interest in the “real” college experience that some refer to (parties, Greek life, etc). Why did she choose her OOS school over Bing? Because of the research, internships, professors, class size, guest speakers, town, majors, etc. The clubs are very spirited, if that makes sense. Often they are hard to get into because the interest is so high and the students are so passionate.
Binghamton has strong students. Therefore, you will get a good education at Binghamton because you will be with peers who also want a good education and are there to learn. I have a family member at Bing who graduated from HS in the top 10% with a strong SAT score. He went to bing interested in pre-med and has since changed majors (still in a health field) because he said the pre-med classes were too hard and the other kids were doing better than him. Does that sound like a school with weak academics?
These schools will offer you a different experience than Binghamton. If you are looking for a big, sporty school than you may not be happy.
I’ve worked with several people who graduated from Binghamton, and they seemed just as competent as anyone else. So there’s nothing academically inferior about Binghamton.
If you can afford it, and you want a big, sporty, spirited school, then it seems perfectly reasonable to pick one of the other schools you’re considering. But the academics won’t be any better.
I also think that this does not matter and of course should not be taken into account, but as life is - it can be. I also would recommend you to take that school that you feel best with concerning the courses, social life and your feelings.
I agree that academically you won’t lose anything by going to Bing, it’s an excellent school.
But the sense of spirit/experience won’t be quite the same as any of the other places, even Delaware.
Bing is a very popular college that is hard to get into. It is very highly rated in terms of return on investment. The kids around here who go to Bing LOVE their school. I think it has about 13,000 students. If you can’t find friends and have fun with 13,000 students to choose from at Bing, then you can’t do it at those other schools either. I am not sure, but I think Binghampton also has a higher average median salary than the other schools. What is your goal in going to college? To party, to get a good education, or to do a little of both? I think you need to be logical about it.
Agree with the others that going to an OOS school will not provide you with a better education. If you prefer the football/school spirit/size/vibe of the OOS schools that is another thing entirely. Since it comes down to finances v personal preference, this is a decision you and your parents must make together. If you want your parents to fund grad school, that should be a consideration as well.
I wouldn’t call Bing “very popular”, but they do seem to get quite a bit of apps year after year. I feel that Maryland, Penn State, and Indiana are all better than Bing academically for sure - but it is equal to Delaware.
You’d be spending too much for the OOS schools. If you love big time sports, why isn’t SUNY Albany or SUNY Stony Brook on the table?
Can you visit Maryland, Penn State, and UDel? Schedule a visit with the Psychology and Criminology dept, see if they can have to meet with a current major or freshman. Attend a couple classes (a freshman humanities class and a large “intro” lecture class in criminology, to see the contrast between those, but also to compare the experience at each campus - take notes about your impressions, students’ behavior, state of the classroom/lecure hall/lab…) Eat in the cafeteria. Read the college paper. Visit the library and talk with someone at the desk: are they helpful? What can they say about their library? Talk with students (are they friendly? what do they have to say?) Do an “overnight” if you can. Take pictures of specific things on each campus as well as random things you find distinctive or that catch your eye. Look at resources, opportunities, outcomes, and comfort. Then, compare, objectively, side by side, but don’t be afraid to be swayed by intangibles (so long as these aren’t related to perceived amount of beer available, etc. There’ll be parties at each of these campuses. but you’re going to college in order to learn and get a degree, so focus on what can help or hinder that objective.)
Bring a parent for each visit, discuss your respective impressions over lunch or dinner. Pay attention to what they say, as their perspective is likely different from yours.
In addition, the visits will let you get an idea for what you want: very large campus or compact campus? Great college town or not-so-great town but right outside of DC? Lots and lots of students, or lots of students? Develop your own criteria. 
Then, return to Bing. Do the same thing there.
Finally, when you’re done, look at all your notes, pictures, and impressions, and make a decision.
Beside Bing, which is obviously cheaper, is there one among the three above that’s cheaper than the others for you?
SUNY Binghamton Average GPA 3.6
SAT math 620-700 (mid 50%)
SAT reading 590-670 (mid 50%)
ACT 27-30 (mid 50%)
UMD-CP GPA 4.15
SAT Math 620-730
SAT reading 590-690
ACT not reported
Penn State Average GPA 3.6
SAT math 560-670
SAT reading 530-620
ACT 25-29
Indiana Average GPA 3.63
SAT math 540-660
SAT reading 520-630
ACT 24-30
UDel GPA 3.65
SAT math 560-660
SAT reading 540-640
ACT-24-29
@twogirls keep in mind that Binghamton is much smaller than all those schools except Delaware…
^^^^I don’t think smaller has anything to do with what was posted by @twogirls. If the small size and multiple SUNY options in NYS means that Bing has somewhat higher stats for their smaller student body as compared to some of the other schools, then that is simply an attribute of the college and the SUNY system. It does not make the statistics meaningless. Nobody here is saying that there are not smart people at all of the OOS schools.
^The PSU average is with the branch campuses - the bottom 25% is 3.55 at University Park, which I assume is what we’re talking about.
Strictly for University Park, the numbers would be 3.55-3.97/4 for the 25-75 range, and 1750-2000 /25-30 ACT.
http://admissions.psu.edu/apply/statistics/
(This being said, unless money truly is no concern, Penn State is known for being expensive and stingy, so it’s probably not the best cost-smart choice.)
Thank you happy1 - I was trying to form an answer but could not come up with one as good as yours.
OP- you will get a good education at all of these schools. If money is not a concern you should pick the one you like the best.
@LBad96 , I live in NY state. Binghamton is very popular in NY state, and certainly at our very competitive high school and those in the vicinity, it is very popular. I once met a girl at the comm college I volunteered at, who burst into tears when she learned of her admittance to Bing.
Re #13, it appears that the GPAs listed may be a mix of unweighted and weighted scores.
Agree that enrollment size is not relevant. Hundreds of smaller schools have unremarkable SAT score averages.
Amid the positive comments regarding Binghamton, I still feel the school is being under-recognized as being “as good as” the others. Their students do not just have higher, but significantly higher, entering scores than three others in the group.