Community College/Guranteed Transfer or Straight to 4 year? (Comp-Sci)

College Search & Selection
1

How’s it going everyone, so I understand this platform isn’t the end all be all when gaining responses, but I am primarily looking for advice for my decision.

Recently I’ve been admitted to both of my dream schools, Stonybrook University, and Binghamton University however I applied as a business major, not knowing at the time my passion and drive for Computer Science.

Stonybrook University, when asked if I would be able to transfer into their Engineering school, said no, and said that a way to get into their program was to go to Nassau Community College for 2 years, and then I would be guaranteed entrance into their Comp-Sci Program.

Binghamton, however, said (since I am EOP) that if I performed well in their 2-week testing phase, I would most likely be able to be admitted into their Watson School of Engineering from the start, and if not within the first year, then certainly in Sophomore Year.

Now, my Dilemna stems from 2 things, the first being the fact that in Binghamton in the first year I am not guaranteed entrance into their Comp-Sci program (although having a high chance of getting in and if not in the second year since they reserve spots for EOP students), and that in Nassau Community College by doing 2 years I am guaranteed transfer, however (as long as I reach the 3.5 GPA minimum) although, missing the “college experience”.

The other issue is that on the US News rankings, Stonybrook is ranked #40 whilst Binghamton is ranked #103, however on Niche and other sites Binghamton is ranked higher then Stonybrook (in Comp-Sci). Of course I would love to go to the “better school” to advance my opportunity in the job market. Once again thank you guys, and hopefully I’ll be able to make a decision by May 1st.

(Edit: Also I have received an incredibly generous scholarship by Binghamton, which will only require me to pay out of pocket around $4000.00)

2

@sybbie719 is one of our NY State experts and is familiar with the ins and outs of EOP. I hope that she will chime in on this.

Basically, you have changed your mind about your major. If I understand correctly, your options are to:

  1. Take a gap year or apply for January admission at places with that major.
  2. Start at a community college with guaranteed transfer for the major.
  3. Start at the university that has told you that changing majors would be possible provided you follow certain steps.

What is your financial situation like? Does the Binghamton aid package include any student loans or work study? Is that package affordable for your family?

Have you run the numbers for the Nassau to Stonybrook option? Would that be as affordable/more affordable/pretty much the same as going straight to Binghamton?

The overall university rankings are meaningless once you have a specific major. At that point, what matters is if the degree program is solid and if it will lead to a job after graduation. You can communicate directly with the career centers at each campus and ask where Comp Sci graduates find internships while in college and employment after graduation.

3

https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/ceas-undergrad/current_students/major_entry_requirements/?accordion=panel-d13e211 describes Stony Brook’s process for admission to the CS major. Note that “Fulfilling the requirements does not guarantee acceptance. Admission is competitive and contingent upon program capacity.”

Also, note that earning a 3.2 or 3.5 GPA in college is typically more difficult than earning that GPA in high school.

4

I appreciate the comment! So my family does fall under the category for Excelsior Scholarship, and we have received a package from Binghamton. The numbers, if I were to go to either school, would look something like this.

Binghamton University:
-$5000.00 out of pocket
-$3500.00 Subsidized Loan (which my counselor and I have run numbers, and come to the conclusion that I would be able to pay this off, myself through the money I acquire working on campus)
-We are also trying to see if I’m able to get any extra help from the university since myself, and my family would greatly be appreciative of it, however, my family has assured me that paying $5000.00 to go to Binghamton would be fine with them, even though I still worry about it.

Nassau Community College (First 2 years):
-Essentially Free, assuming that tuition is covered through Suny Tuition Credit/Excelsior
-And books are hopefully covered through any other grant that is hopefully provided to me

Stonybrook University (Last 2 years):

-I do not know the financial aid that I would be able to receive, but assuming I would be commuting there and back 1 hour every day, books and gas would primarily be the cost-heavy thing, and Excelsior/Tuition Credit would hopefully cover the tuition.

I would love to hear more of your thoughts, and especially from the Expert, you’ve told me about above.
Thanks once again! Any advice or opinions I could is really appreciated on behalf of myself, and my family!

5

That’s my fault for not being more specific, I am primarily referring to this - https://www.stonybrook.edu/undergraduate-admissions/apply/joint-admissions/

6

This is the dilemma the way I see it.

You only get one opportunity to be admitted into an opportunity program (this is as a first time freshman). However, once you are in , as long as you are in EOP, you can transfer to another school’s HEOP (Private schools in NYS - University of Rochester, RIT, Columbia, Cornell,NYU, NYIT, etc) or CUNY’s SEEK program (City College, etc) if there are seats available.

If you plan on attending graduate or professional school in the SUNY system, and you graduate from EOP, you would get free tuition through the Graduate Opportunity Program (GOP). I agree with @happymomof1 that the rankings are meaningless, as long as the program is ABET, you will get an engineering job.

Should you attend Nassau Community College, you would be giving up your EOP seat with no way to get it back. Remember EOP is a 2-step process, where you must be both financially and academically disadvantaged. If you go to Nassau community college, you would not be considered academically disadvantaged and would not be admitted to their EOP program.

The program that they are telling you about is a joint program with Nassau Community College

At this late stage, does Nassau Community College even have seats available in their joint degree program (I would doubt it). Again, if you go this route, you would most likely loose your EOP.

If you take a gap year, check with your school because you are usually giving up your EOP seat in the process. There are really no Opportunity program seats in January for incoming freshmen because most have a mandatory summer program.

EOP does not mean free. At SUNY there are loans in the financial aid package. That is just the way it is with limited funding.

Did you get into both schools through EOP? If not, I would follow the money and go to Bing. Do well, and you will have more opportunities if seats are available to transfer to an affordable option through HEOP/EOP.

7

Thank you for the responses and I truly do appreciate it, I just wanted to ask, if I go into Binghamton and say they don’t allow me to transfer within the first two weeks, however in Sophomore Year I am able to make the switch from Harpur to Watson, I won’t be set back a year in terms of required courses for a CS Major?

And if it’s not too much to ask, would you be able to expand on the whole EOP to HEOP process, what does it mean, and how could it benefit me in the future?

8

Sorry I forgot to pin you @sybbie719

9

@FallenExion

If you only got Bing as EOP, follow the money and go there.

Binghamton EOP

start here

https://www.binghamton.edu/eop/

https://www.binghamton.edu/eop/services.html

https://www.binghamton.edu/eop/opportunities.html

https://www.binghamton.edu/eop/bep/faqs.html

https://www.binghamton.edu/eop/bep/bep-courses.html

Roster of HEOP programs (you can transfer out of an EOP program into a HEOP program if they are available seats)

http://www.thewcs.org/documents/college/Roster%20of%20HEOP%20Programs.pdf

10

Thank you so much, I truly do appreciate it. Because of all your help, and responses, along with extensive thought, I’ve made the choice to go to Bing!