Hi, my son’s final choices are coming down to Binghamton or SB for physics for fall '23, but it’s been hard to weigh. Binghamton has better campus life but I’m reading that their physics dept isn’t as good as SB’s, and that there are some horrible physics professors at Bing, whereas SB has horrible campus life. can anyone weigh in on either school?
People continue to say on here SB is suitcase. Given where it’s located it makes sense.
I would choose campus life over quality of program every day of the week. I mean you have to be there four years, day after day.
1 Like
Thank you. I should also mention that he got into RPI with good merit aid, and some merit from Bing and SB, annual cost would be comparable for all three. He didn’t like RPI for some reason, I wish he’d give it another chance.
Binghamton seems like it would have the best campus life, but I’m concerned reading that some of their physics classes are taught really badly. he’s had amazing physics teachers at our top public.
If RPI cost is comparable with SUNY then it’s better to go to RPI. RPI is very good college for engineering so it will be very good for physics too. But he has to study/work hard at RPI. RPI is similar to MIT for engineering. He is very lucky if he can go to RPI with the same cost with SUNY colleges. My son got accepted at RPI too but we have to pay 4x SUNY college cost. If he is a very good student and willing to work hard then RPI is his best choice. Also is he planning to go to graduate school/PhD for physics too?
2 Likes
I just looked at the rate my professors for Bing. Mostly positive. I think you have good and not so good at all schools.
Is he geographically flexible ? What’s his unwightrd hs GPA ? What’s the budget ? Arizona is top rated in physics, still taking apps, and has great merit - if none of these suffice.
I think RPI, while strong, you need to be a certain type of student and want a certain type of environment.
1 Like
Did he get into Honors (University Scholars, Watson Scholars) at Bing? Because he’d have Priority registration and could thus avoid any “terrible” professor.
Binghamton is a truly residential campus and I don’t think all professors can be that bad and on the other hand there’ll be bad profs everywhere (or professors that don’t mesh with some students while they mesh with others.)
RPI is really good but is a “fit” school, so perhaps see whether he’d attend a student day to make up his mind but if he still says it’s not for him, it’s probably a matter of fit.
no honors program, he didn’t apply though I don’t know if he would’ve gotten it.
yeah, I really liked the RPI name and their program, but unfortunately his experience was colored by a couple of interactions that I think were more individual than cultural at the school. still, I could see why he felt like he wouldn’t enjoy it socially.
he’s not willing to go too far outside the NY metro area.
Best to go where he’s comfortable but I’m guessing Bing would be fine and would likely be residential vs. a Stony Brook, where lots of kids will go see their families on the Island each weekend (so they say anyway).
This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. If you’d like to reply, please flag the thread for moderator attention.