<p>I'm in Georgia and I really like the price rage of the SUNY's for OOS and would like to go to New York possibly. </p>
<ul>
<li><p>I really would like an urban/suburban campus and I would like to be close to NYC</p></li>
<li><p>Good academics and reputation</p></li>
<li><p>Hardish to get into</p></li>
<li><p>Good Print Journalism program</p></li>
<li><p>Small Class Sizes </p></li>
<li><p>Tier 1 School</p></li>
</ul>
<p>I liked SUNY Geneseo the best and Binghamton, but both schools are more upstate and rural. I liked SUNY New Paltz, but it may seem too artsy and hippyish for me. Any suggestions? Thanks!</p>
<p>I’d also like to add I would like there to be fewer commuters and not many TAs. A beautiful campus would also do lol.</p>
<p>i wouldn’t go to a suny over uga and i’m from ny lol but i think you might actually like new paltz if that’s what you’ve got your sights on. it’s just really laid-back, but you’ll find all sorts of people there. stony brook on long island has a fairly new journalism program but i don’t recommend going (PM me if you want reasons). i would apply to the honors program at one of the CUNYs if you want to be in the city. are you only looking at sunys? there are a bunch of random schools on long island that would give you merit money if you have good stats</p>
<p>Ironicallyunsure- I am still going to apply to UGA and I could go there for free because of the Hope Scholarship. I really do not like Georgia though, so I am looking other places. </p>
<p>I am not looking just at SUNY’s. I really want to end up in the Northeast or Southern California. NYU is my top choice, but realistically I can never afford it and it is rated for having terrible financial aid. SUNY Stony Brook looks fine, but I’ve read that it is a commuter campus. That is a reason why I didn’t like the CUNY’s either. I think the only con for the SUNY’s is the geographic diversity. SUNY New Paltz, Binghamton and Geneseo are all on my short list.</p>
<p>If you don’t want commuters, going to a public school in the NYC area is not the greatest idea.</p>
<p>SUNY New Paltz has a nice journalism program and is 90 minutes to NYC…a greqt location and a gem of a school. My son is a student there is you have any questions. He loves it.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! I agree most publics are probably commuters. How would you differentiate SUNY New Paltz, Binghamton and Geneseo? What makes them all different? What type of students are at each campus? I know New Paltz is more artsy, but how would you compare it to Binghampton and Geneseo.</p>
<p>I’d say Stony Brook seems to fit most, if not all, of your criteria. :)</p>
<p>[Stony</a> Brook University School Of Journalism](<a href=“http://www.stonybrook.edu/journalism/]Stony”>Home | School of Communication and Journalism)</p>
<p>Chris</p>
<p>My only concern is I’ve read that there are a lot of commuters and that the campus is dead on the weekends. Does anyone have anything to say about that? Thanks!</p>
<p>Binghamton and Geneseo are harder to get into than New Paltz. Bing is the supposedly the “ivy” of the SUNY’s and Geneseo is considered the honors college. However, even though my son had the stats to get in, he didn’t consider either school mostly due to location. They are both pretty far from NYC and very rural. He wanted a more lively surrounding area and proximity to NYC. He loves the down to earth and creative student body at NP.</p>
<p>Thanks. I will have to check them out whenever I’m in New York.</p>
<p>I’m not advocating for Stony Brook but I don’t think you should exclude any school based on what you’ve “heard” from a few random internet people…like everything else, your college experience is going to largely depend on what you make of it. Most large public schools, including SB, draw a lot of students from neighboring areas but many also come from other areas. To characterize a school as a “commuter school” based on this is just wrong…I’m pretty sure you would not find SB to be a commuter school in the way that a CC is! According to College Board, SB has over 16K undergrads and more than 50% live on campus, with 81% of freshmen living on campus. That seems to jive roughly with their housing space available. So, unlike a small LAC or CC, even if only half of their residential students stay on campus every weekend (and that’s just a random number I chose) that’s still thousands of people! </p>
<p>I have occassionally heard the same concern about UB…yes, there are a lot of students from Erie County who attend UB (which is closest size-wise to SB). Of the 19K undergrads at Buffalo, 82% of freshmen live on campus but only 34% of all students do. No, the campus is not dead on the weekend because of it - in fact, there are quite a few things to do on and off campus that many students just never have time for! Among my D’s residential friends/hallmates, she probably left for the weekend more than most students and that was only every 4-6 weeks. She has several friends there who commute and was happy to be invited home for dinner with them occassionally and to other local events. (Since they had cars and knew the local area well, their dorming friends also got to experience places they probably wouldn’t have found on their own…and I’m thinking that this aspect of knowing the territory could be a distinct advantage in a school near NYC!) The commuter friends participate in many on-campus activities as well, so it’s not like they just went to class and then scurried home! They were at the concerts, plays, and football games, ate in the cafes and dining halls, worked on/near campus, hung out in the dorms and libraries, went to parties, etc…and went home to sleep! </p>
<p>Basically, I think you have to look at what programs/culture they offer - both academically and socially. Are sports a big thing for you? Performing arts? What type of social scene are you looking for? If you had to use trains for access to a nearby major city how often would you really want to go/afford to go and for what purpose? Would you be happier at a university or a LAC?</p>
<p>Thank you so much sk8rmom! I definitely will not cross out Stony Brook. I’ve actually been to Buffalo/Niagara Falls two years ago and didn’t really like the area. I definitely do not want a huge sports school. If they do not have football, that is fine with me. If they have a lot of clubs and intramural sports that would be good. UGA is basically the opposite of what I am looking for, but I am open and I’m still looking to apply. I would also prefer a small greek life. I like smaller class sizes and more one on one attention. I have a friend who goes to Illinois U at Urbana- Champaign and she said most of her professors do not even know her first name. I want my professors to know my first name. </p>
<p>I would like to be close to NYC because I act and would be looking to get an agent. I plan on auditioning while I am in college. If I go to a school where that cannot happen (Geneseo) it won’t be a huge deal. I really want to go to NY or LA due to acting though. I’m also looking at schools in Boston and DC. I also do not want to go to a party school or a school that has a huge drug scene. I still want a good social scene, but would like other options besides drinking and smoking. </p>
<p>I’m also liberal so that is semi important, but since most schools are liberal it shouldn’t be a problem. I would really love to be in a urban or suburban place, but I am open. The school really needs to have a great print journalism program and I would still like to try out for plays as a non major. I will probably minor in drama. </p>
<p>I have never used trains at all; however, I am willing to use them. Would I need a car if I went to New Paltz? I told my father about New Paltz, he is from New York. He told me it isn’t that great of school, but he hasn’t lived in New York since the 1980’s. He thought it would be too artsy for me. When I mentioned Binghamton, my mom and my dad thought it was a great idea. I am pretty sure the reps of the schools have changed since they lived there. I do not really fit any stereotypes. I am not a prep, but not a hip either. I like to write and I’m on the swim team. I am from the suburbs of South Florida and Georgia. Wherever I go, it will be a huge change. I am open to both liberal arts schools or universities. Beauty is something I would consider. I’ve heard Binghamton has a pretty ugly campus and a not so nice town. But that is some peoples opinion and I’m willing to consider many different schools. Price is huge for me, so that is a GREAT deal for any of these schools.</p>
<p>Yes, New Paltz has changed dramatically from when your dad remembers it. It’s really in the last few years that it has gotten really popular and much more competitive to get accepted. It was written up as “the hottest small state school” in Newsweek. While it is artsy there are many other popular majors. My son is an art student but his housemates are psychology, business and journalism majors, so there is a good mix. You don’t need a car…the town is walking distance from campus and there is a bus loop all around the local area as well as buses into Poughkeepsie. There are buses and trains to NYC, Queens, Long Island and Westchester.
The best thing to do is visit…also look at a map so you can get an idea where the schools are located.</p>
<p>Thanks. I really like New Paltz the best. My whole family is from New York, but I haven’t been back since I was five (minus Buffalo). I was suppose to visit New York this summer, but we couldn’t do it financially. When I do go back, I will not be going upstate so it will really be another trip to visit Geneseo and Binghamton. The good thing about New Paltz is that it isn’t too far from the city that I couldn’t audition. That is a huge pro in my book.</p>
<p>Another good thing to do, since it’s not easy for you to visit, is to go to each schools website and look at the course offerings for your major or possible major, minor or possible minor and any other interests you may have. You can see how many students the classes hold to get an idea of class sizes too.</p>
<p>Thanks for the suggestion. I will do it :)</p>
<p>One thing to bear in mind about New Paltz and Stony Brook they are not exactly close to New York City. The train ride from Poughkeepsie to NYC takes about 90 to 100 minutes and costs $15 to $20 each way. Stony Brook is also over an hour and half away from Manhattan and a ticket will run you $10 to $15 each way.</p>
<p>Thank you! That is something to consider, but compared to Binghamton they are a lot closer!</p>