Hey guys,
So, I’m torn between these two colleges. I was recently selected to be apart of Hunter’s Muse program (which I am still a bit unsure about; if anyone has more information on it besides the website itself please let me know!) and Binghamton. Bing is obviously a great school with solid academics, but I’m just unsure if I should choose that school over Hunter or vice versa.
Bing is a much better school than any CUNY can ever hope to be. It’s the obvious choice.
How are you just now deciding? The deadline was a week ago.
Have you thought about whether or not you want to live in the city or on a campus?
My office is near Hunter. I find it very depressing. The Lexington Avenue side is filled with kids smoking and the very limited residences are way uptown in the 90s. You will spend a fortune getting an apartment and eating on your own. Even after 6 years the graduation rate is only about 50%. 4 years it’s 22%.
Go to Binghamton.
Up to 2 weeks ago, you were torn between CUNY Hunter (full tuition scholarship) and SUNY Geneseo.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1885871-dorming-p1.html
The issue, as identified in the linked thread, was the $10K - $12K annual gap at Geneseo. When did SUNY Binghamton University enter the picture? Did you come off their waitlist after May 1? Did you commit to Hunter to meet the May 1 deadline? Is Bing more affordable than Geneseo? Hunter Muse Scholar Program is geared towards artistically-orientation students, yet your original major was directed to the sciences (undeclared). Would you be able to do both at Hunter?
Clearly, from reading your other thread, you really want to get out of NYC and have the full college experience that comes with living on a college campus, so I would highly recommend Bing if you can closed the gap that existed with Geneseo or be able to pay for Binghamton. What would your major at Bing?
Didn’t you have to decide by now?
But assuming both are affordable I’d go with SUNYBinghamton.
@Jamrock411 Hi there! Yes, I did come off their wait-list so I am currently considering Bing. The thing is, I am currently undecided on a specific major and I am unsure if Bing caters to students who are undecided.
I am interested in both science and art and I do hope to take classes in these two extremes. Evidently, Hunter is a tempting offer for me right now given that I do have a full tuition to the school (and no, the Muse program allows me to major in other subjects outside of art).
On the other hand, Bing is a lot more affordable than Geneseo and encompasses the dorming-life that I really want to experience. In addition, Bing has the campus atmosphere that Hunter ultimately lacks. In the end, I’m unsure if I want to turn down a full-tuition Hunter to Bing (or vice-versa).
@OnTheBubble Haha. I agree, it’s pretty depressing.
@Jamrock411 And also, could you tell me a little more about Hunter’s Muse Program? I know it is an art-orientated program but I’m unsure how it works out. Is it a super-competitive program? Or does Hunter randomly select students for it?
If Binghampton is affordable, then you should absolutely go there. You’ll actually have fun, besides getting an education. Hunter is one of those places where people come to go to class and then hop on the subway and go somewhere else. It’s easier to make friends when you live on a campus.
@citymama9 I agree. Lack of a campus atmosphere at Hunter is pretty depressing.
Just exactly how affordable is Bing? Run the numbers carefully. Don’t forget to include your commuting costs, meals away from home (or would you plan to pack lunch/dinner each day??), and all those bits and pieces that can add up for commuting students at Hunter.
Oh come on now. The CUNY schools are an absolute joke. This should be as simple a decision as possible.
I think CUNY is a good option for adults going to school or returning to school, for those who are not willing to leave NYC or for those whose families cannot meet the EFCs at other schools. The CUNY system actually has some brilliant professors. However, if you want a traditional college experience on a campus then Hunter would not be it. Come to think of it, if you want a campus, but don’t want to leave your home, you can have that at College of Staten Island and Brooklyn College
@LBad96 I know but it’s just that I have received a full ride to cuny hunter! I have to put that into perspective haha.
@LBad96 the CUNY schools (Hunter) may not be right for those students who want to be on a campus, but I would not say they are a joke. My friend went to CUNY and now collects an $80,000 a year pension after a 30 year career where she won various awards for excellence. This same friend recently obtained a part time consulting position at $85 an hour in addition to her pension- I would hardly call her education a joke. It is correct that CUNY has some brilliant professors. I worked at the Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing which was considered one of the best in the city, sending its graduates to major NYC teaching hospitals. The speech pathology programs at CUNY are highly competitive and difficult to get into.
If both schools are affordable I would go to Binghamton, but if not then I would go to CUNY and knock it out of the ballpark.
Take Bing without a second thought. The degree is quite simply worth much more even if Hunter is free (unless you’re in Macaulay Honors for CUNY).
CUNY is not a joke. It is a great option for many students (and not just “average” ones). I go to a top NYC public high school and trust me, Macaulay is taken VERY seriously.
That said, I agree that Hunter is pretty depressing. If you want to have a real campus experience, I would definitely pick Binghamton. One thing to keep in mind is that even if the tuition costs are lower at Hunter, the cost of living in the city will be way higher than upstate (not just in terms of housing).
@lalalemma CUNY is only good if you’re in Macaulay. Otherwise, it’s not taken seriously and isn’t worth attending.
I agree with other posters: take Binghamton’s offer. Academically it’s MUCH stronger than Hunter, it’s way less depressing, it’ll promote more personal growth, help with networking, and overall will take you where you want to go. Hunter may be free but won’t do all that. You have to think, not in terms of “free”, but in terms of best “value”. The best value is what you can afford and takes you where you want to go, just like for a car. What use is a free car if it breaks down in the middle of your journey (and a 22% graduation makes that analogy very auspicious).