CCNY or University at Albany for CS?

Hello everyone, I frequently visit college confidential to get answers to any questions that I have about college, but now I need some advice for myself…I am going to be a first generation undergrad freshman in the Fall of 2018. I was born and raised here, but I am the first child in my family to be going to college in America. I do not know if I should go away or commute to college! CCNY would be a very cheap option for me, but the commute is almost 1.5 hours. University at Albany is 3 hours away from me, but I would get to live the real college experience. I liked the atmosphere of both colleges, but if I chose CCNY, I would mostly just go to focus on my studies and not much more. Albany would allow me to have a social life and a dorm experience, but I get intimidated by classes of 500 students! CCNY has smaller class sizes and I don’t mind commuting, I’m like a tourist in my own city. My plan if I went to CCNY, was to transfer to Stony or Binghamton after two years. I’m so confused, what should I do? Does anyone have experience at either college or as a transfer student? I know I said a lot, but advice would be highly appreciated!

You would save a lot if you went local for 2 years and then transferred. That would also still give you the collage experience that you want, but save you some $$$. If money is not a factor I would go to Albany. It is a good school with a lot going on.

A 1h30 commute is WAY too much. So I’d advocate for Albany.
Did you apply for Honors? You’d have smaller classes.