<p>I'm a Biology major. I was deciding between Binghamton and Stony Brook, and chose Bing because I liked the overall academic atmosphere better and the student vibe. Even though Stony is known for sciences, I strongly believe overall academic rigor is much more important for undergraduate because it shapes your intellectual curiosity and character. Stony and its student population, to me, was kind of mediocre.</p>
<p>Since I dream of doing Bio research, I would feel much better about my choice if I knew there are adequate resources to make me an appealing applicant to graduate schools.</p>
<p>So to all current students who are Bio majors or have taken science courses, what are the resources for the sciences like at Bing? Does the department offer many scholarships, summer programs, minority programs, etc.? Are there tutoring services for the sciences? What is the quality of the lab rooms and academic buildings for the sciences? Are there enough research opportunities on campus? And how were the courses?</p>
<p>Thank ya in advance!</p>
<p>I beleive that Binghamton does NOT offer any scholarships of its own but they do link to outside scholarships on their website. [Binghamton</a> University - External Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards](<a href=“External Scholarships and Undergraduate Research Center | Binghamton University”>External Scholarships and Undergraduate Research Center | Binghamton University)</p>
<p>For minorities, there is the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation but I’m not sure what they do for udnergraduates. [Binghamton</a> University - Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation](<a href=“Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) - LSAMP | Binghamton University”>Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) - LSAMP | Binghamton University)</p>
<p>bump</p>
<p>TL;DR How good is the biology department, and what makes a good bio program anyway?</p>
<p>Hi! My name is Rob and I’m a Binghamton University Student Ambassador.</p>
<p>Our programs for the “hard sciences” like Biology are very good. The lab rooms have top-of-the-line equipment that allows our students to get involved with practical applications of the knowledge they learn in the classroom from the earliest levels of the program. We have greenhouses on campus that are used for labs and research as well that include three different climates - tropical, temperate, and desert. We also have a 180-acre Nature Preserve that our Biology students call the largest laboratory on campus. We offer free tutoring on-campus to help you excel in your classes, as well.</p>
<p>One of the most important things for you for your ambitions to go into a graduate program is research, and we have that here. You can get involved with research from your freshman year. I have a friend, Samantha, who is a second-semester freshman doing Parkinson’s research. That’s pretty impressive for a freshman. All she had to do to get the position was reach out to a professor as soon as she came to campus. This wasn’t a professor Sam knew or had a class with - she just went to his office hours, expressed interest in his research, and explained to him why she was qualified to help out.</p>
<p>Let me know if you have any other specific questions!</p>
<p>Sincerely,
Rob Clark</p>