<p>Hi there, everyone.</p>
<p>I just have a couple of quick questions:</p>
<p>How many people end up transferring out? What about after freshman year?
How likely is it that these students end up going to a "better" school?</p>
<p>I mean, I've been accepted to UChicago, Lehigh, Northwestern, NYU, Stony Brook and Boston College and I've been waitlisted at both CMU and Johns Hopkins.
The thing is that I would be paying nearly the entire cost if I were to attend these schools. Since Binghamton gave me a full ride, I've decided to go there.</p>
<p>However, I just want to know how often students successfully transfer out, so if I feel that I do not fit, I will be able to do just that.</p>
<p>[Also, how do I sign up for housing / meal plans, etc.?!]</p>
<p>Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>I remember reading somewhere that freshman retention rate was 97% (national average was ~60% i think)</p>
<p>I only know of two people who have transferred out and only one of those to a better school. A lot of people (myself included at one point) go to Bing with the intent of transferring out, but most end up loving the school. </p>
<p>As far as housing goes, you should be able to sign up online at reslife.binghamton.edu. Log in with your PODS user name and password (the same as your bing email address) and choose your preferences. Your meal plan is defaulted to the middle plan C, I think. See the reslife website for more details about that</p>
<p>Your answers can be found here:
<a href=“Office of Institutional Research - Office of Institutional Research | Binghamton University”>Office of Institutional Research - Office of Institutional Research | Binghamton University;
<p>The first year freshman retention rate for the class entering Fall 2009 was 91%.</p>
<p>The 6-year graduation rate for the class entering Fall 2003 was 82%; for the class entering Fall 2004 it was 78%.</p>
<p>By its very nature (ie being the most selective university in the very affordable SUNY system), Binghamton ends up with a LOT of students attending who could have attended elite private schools, but who end up in Binghamton due to financial reasons. Your list of acceptances is not atypical for Binghamton students – I’m not saying everyone there chose Binghamton over those or similar schools, but many did. </p>
<p>People have already cited the high retention rate. Don’t take that as a sign that people aren’t able to transfer, but rather that they don’t choose to. Some of that is financial – someone who couldn’t afford an elite private as a freshmen is unlikely to be able to a year later. But I think a lot is also simply that people are happy at Binghamton. I’ve known people who had guaranteed sophomore admits to Cornell who chose to stay at Binghamton. Its large enough that pretty much anyone should be able to find his or her place with people they feel comfortable with.</p>
<p>I urge you not to go to Binghamton with the attitude that you belong at a “better” school. Binghamton is an excellent school – just make a point of taking advantage of what it has to offer. And after four years, you will be well positioned either for a job or graduate school without a huge amount of debt hanging over you – don’t minimize the importance of that.</p>