I just graduated from Stony Brook

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stony Brook University - SUNY
1

<p>Hey guys,</p>

<p>First of all, great forum.</p>

<p>I just graduated from Stony Brook this May. I did a dual degree in applied math and pure math.</p>

<p>I wanted to share some of my experiences with people who are thinking about going to Stony Brook or applying to Stony Brook. I'll start with my back story.</p>

<p>When I was in high school, I didn't really work that hard. I worked hard my junior year because I had to shape up for college, and I did really well and fortunately I did very well on my SATs as well, so I got into Stony Brook. </p>

<p>My first two years I was an applied math and economics double major. I must say, I found the economics department to be kind of mediocre. The applied math department has some good professors, but it also has some average ones. I took a bunch of courses with Joseph Mitchell, and he is easily one of the best undergrad professors I have ever taken a course with. I think I took 4 courses with him actually. The AMS (applied math and stats) department is pretty good and they encourage you to double major with compsci (great compsci department, I know a few guys who got internships at google and what not).</p>

<p>But it really wasn't my thing. I always liked mathematics and physics, so I dropped my economics major and switched to MAT and AMS during my junior year. The math department is great. Our math departments sends a lot of students to great math phd programs: Texas-Austin (ranked 15 is US News and World), UC Berkeley (one of the best), Harvard, etc. There are probably 6 or 7 world famous math professors at Stony Brook, probably the number in the physics department. </p>

<p>Simply put, if you are interested in mathematics or physics, Stony Brook is a great place to do undergrad. Even though I got started WAY LATE on my math major, I got into a summer research program and I eventually got into NYU's masters program, which I turned down. I am coming back to do research with 2 world famous professors and will probably get into a great math phd program for Fall 2009.</p>

<p>Many of my friends were hard science majors as well. Some of my physics friends got into great schools. UCSB, Texas-Austin, UCLA, Berkeley, etc. As I said before, I also know some kids in the compsci department, some of them have gotten internships at google, others really have done well for themselves.</p>

<p>Stony Brook is a great place to go to get a cheap education that allows you to get into a great graduate school. I would say it's math department is one of the best for geometry, topology and mathematical physics. In fact it's #6 ranked in geometry, #12 ranked for topology and it's definitely one of the best (top 10) for mathematical physics.</p>

<p>As for the AMS department, they offer two courses built around the first two actuarial exams, so they pretty much like to pump out actuaries, which is a great profession as well. Someone I knew my freshman year was an AMS/Comp Sci double major and got into Stanford comp sci for grad school.</p>

<p>OK, we get it, the education is great. Well not just that, it's cheap as hell. I graduated with $4000 in college loans. I actually made almost $6000 going to Stony Brook because I got so many scholarships.</p>

<p>*** If you are in the CEAS department (engineering, compsci, applied math), apply for the CEAS scholarships. Nobody really applies for them, and I made a boatload of cash going to Stony Brook and applying for these. </p>

<p>The education is great (math, physics, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, sociology, engineering, computer science, biomedical engineering are probably the best majors at Stony Brook). The business program is getting better. But I'm also realistic, it's not the best in the world, but it's getting better. The money just works out so well. I went nearly for free, half of the money I borrowed was so I could buy stuff I didn't need (expensive headphones, beer, vacations/trips) during my freshman and sophomore year, and then I went to school for free junior and senior year on scholarships.</p>

<p>Also Stony Brook is definitely getting better and more competitive. The degree is going to be worth more money. I noticed in my last year they were trying to make the campus more diverse and they are trying to make people stay on the weekends. </p>

<p>OK, so how is Stony Brook socially? Well 50% commute, so take half the students away right off the top. A lot go home on the weekends as well. Anyone who goes to Stony Brook cannot deny that it is a ghost town on the weekends.</p>

<p>*** If you are going to visit Stony Brook, visit on a weekend during the Fall or the Spring semester. It is kind of embarrassing to see.</p>

<p>I'm not trying to trash Stony Brook, I love the school and it really gave me so many opportunities, but holy crap, just know what you are getting into. A lot of kids leave, a lot of kids are from Long Island (although this will probably change as admissions gets more competitive). Another thing to note, Stony Brook openly acknowledges that it is taking more students than it has spaces for. They keep building these damn junior/senior/grad apartments instead of housing for freshman and sophomores. A lot of freshman were tripled in my senior year.</p>

<p>Another thing about Stony Brook, it is not the kind of school that will hold your hand, you need to go out and find stuff on your own. Their are positives and negatives to this. The positive is if you are a go getter, you will reap the benefits because so many kids go to Stony Brook that are not interested in the research opportunities/scholarship chances. The negative is it's tough if you don't know this as a freshman. I figured it all out on my own the end of my freshman year. I was very proactive, I hunted down professors and while most of them wanted to do research with undergrads, others made me read graduate level books just to prepare to work with them (I think they did this too discourage me, HAH!).</p>

<p>Socially, the school is definitely what you make of it. I see people hanging out, and I see a lot of people who hate it here. I do feel bad for the people that hate it here. My advice to them would be to get involved.</p>

<p>There is a STRONG gamer/anime crowd at Stony Brook. I don't know if that is your thing, it wasn't my thing at all. But there are a lot of anime heads here. I think the anime club is like the biggest club on Stony Brook. Frats and sororities are kind of big, not huge. But they definitely have a lot of sway over parties and all that. </p>

<p>Oddly enough, Thursday night was the party night at Stony Brook. I have no idea why. I guess because a lot of commuter made their schedule so they didn't have to take Friday classes. </p>

<p>I like to sing Stony Brook's praises on what is available to you as a scholar. But it does a really bad job hyping it's events and getting cool events that students want to see. I don't know what it is about morale at Stony Brook, but it is certainly low. This isn't Stony Brook's fault of course, it is the student body's. I think a lot of it has to do with the locale. There is nothing around Stony Brook. There is the Stony Brook hospital, the LIRR train station, 7-11 and nothing else in walking range. No movie theater, no billiards hall, no bars or clubs really. However, there is Brookhaven National Lab. The point of me mentioning this? It shows what Stony Brook's priorities are, and if they don't match yours, think twice about going.</p>

<p>Also, please please please do not go to Stony Brook thinking you are close to NYC.It's an hour drive by car, a 90 minute train ride to Penn Station, so you figure at least 2-3 hours spent driving. You aren't close to NYC. It's not like living in Queens or Brooklyn, believe me.</p>

<p>OK, hopefully there are a lot of questions from potential applicants and I'd be happy to answer whatever I can.</p>

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<p>I agree with everything. The anime/gamer thing has to do with the fact that the majority of the people on campus are asian and enjoy that sort of things. </p>

<p>I do agree that there should be more things around campus, but business is just way too slow and to get off campus you have to walk all the way to lirr or take a bus. There isn't any supermarket or decent venue around to grab some food, so you are pretty much stuck with the unhealthy/overpriced campus food. Having a car definitely helps in that sense.</p>

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<p>Is there anywhere near campus that I can see musicals and symphonies? How are the dorms there? Do you know anything about the biochem department?</p>

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<p>Dorms vary. West Apts are the best, but they are for upperclassmen. Roth is nice b/c they have ACs and are the closest dorms to central campus. Biochem dept is decent. Profs vary all around, so hard to say for sure. There are few great bio profs. Most are not that nice. It also depends on the difficulty of the class.</p>

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<p>I think SBU is my ideal school. I wanna do chemistry and I'm pretty sure I can get in. It's just that damn social life I'm really worried about. I'm really into partying and I can't go to a school without an active social life. Even if 50% are commuters, that still leaves a few thousand there. Honestly, how bad is it socially?</p>

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<p>First of all, are you premed? If so, then you won't have time for a party-filled social life. You will be too busy w/ ECs and exams. </p>

<p>Also do you plan on going to grad school? If you want to go to a top grad school, your time will be consumed with research and difficult courses. A chem major is not an easy major, then again few science majors are easy. So it all depends on your priorities. </p>

<p>There is always something to do. Parties are on Thurs. and Tues. Plus, most ppl study on weekends so its not a big deal. You can always take the LIRR to Manhattan and chill there. Also, you and a group of friends can hang out on weekends.</p>

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<p>i'm not premed but I do want to go to a good grad school. Also, communting to manhattan is a little more time consuming than you make it out to be...</p>

<p>What's the town like? I know it's small but is there anything worthwhile within walking distance?</p>

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<p>Giggitus - Absolutely.</p>

<p>Staller</a> Center for the Arts</p>

<p>pfan - Social life anywhere is what you make of it. If you want parties, you'll find parties. If you want to study 24/7, you'll find people who will study 24/7. We're a big enough campus that we can serve a lot of very varied interests.</p>

<p>Chris</p>

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<p>No, there is NOTHING worthwhile within walking distance! It is pretty much a ghost town for business, the only thing that survives are a couple of crappy restaurants and 7-11. If you want to buy something, you will have to take the school bus (on weekends) or a car to lake groove, which is about 15 - 20 min away.Socially, it is what you make out of it. If you meet the right people, you will can party and get drunk everyday. You will have to work harder to meet these people than at a party school, though, just it would be harder to meet nerds at florida state or another party school.</p>

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<p>I would like to echo what sbuadmissions said about social life. Like I said, I actually did enjoy my 4 years at SBU. I don't have a complaint about the social life, but I have noticed these types of things. </p>

<p>The Chem major is not a joke at all. I know it's too early for you to decide, but if you have intentions on going to a great chem program, SBU's Chem department can get you in, but you have to work extremely hard. </p>

<p>That being said, I really want to stress this point again, visit Stony Brook on a weekend. See what it's like for yourself. I think this is going to change in the next few years as Stony Brook is really putting an emphasis on kids staying on the weekends. But see for yourself. It was a ghost town when I was at SBU 2004-2008. </p>

<p>With Chem, Bio, or any related major, you will probably be taking MWF, i.e. Monday Wednesday Friday courses and party nights are usually on Thursday. In fact you might be taking multiple MWF courses. Keep that in mind.</p>

<p>Phishfan, 50% are commuter, I want people to know I didn't pull that number out of my ass, I looked that up in a Princeton Review college guide. Yeah 50% commute, so 50% dorm right? Well the ones that dorm, a lot of them go home. Honestly, SEE FOR YOURSELF. Visit Stony Brook on a saturday. Don't just take my word for it, see for yourself, you might not agree with my assessment.</p>

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<p>Admissions, I heard there was a gym facility being built next to the stadium parking lot, is this true? If so, what can you tell us about when the construction is likely to be completed?</p>

<p>Also, you mentioned the food service was being handed over to another company or something -- are we going to see any changes this year?</p>

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<p>Thanks for reminding me to post that.</p>

<p>The</a> Stony Brook Admissions Blog: New Campus Recreation Center!</p>

<p>2011.</p>

<p>Don't know what happened with the food contract, actually. It was up for bid this summer. Perhaps Chartwell's is still on board, and that's why we never heard anything? Not sure.</p>

<p>Chris</p>

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<p>So what do you do on your free time there considering half the people go away on the weekends, and sine there is apparently nothign around the campus to do?</p>

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<p>Whether one has free time depends on their major and future career goals. Otherwise, there are clubs and you could always take the bus to the mall, movies, etc. and chill out. You could always go to Port Jeff.</p>

15

<p>I'll post this here too.</p>

<p>Things to Do This Week </p>

<p>Monday, Sept. 15th<br>
Commuter Student Services, Commuter Welcome Reception, SAC 144, 3pm—4:30pm
Intramural deadlines flag football, indoor soccer, bowling and dodgeball 5pm
Student Activities, Novelty Fair, SAC A, 7pm—11pm
Fire Prevention Week, Live Burn, Roth Quad, 7pm
National Panhellenic Conference, Universal Night, SAC B, 8pm –11pm
Media Movie Night, Union Auditorium, 8:30pm—11pm
Tuesday, Sept. 16th<br>
Fire Prevention Week, “Preventing Electrical Fires”, SAC Plaza, 8am—4pm
Campus Recreation, Handball Tournament, Outdoor handball Cts. 6pm
Athletics, Women’s Soccer vs. Bryant, LaValle Stadium, 7pm
Advent Youth Ministries, Getting To Know Each Other, SAC B, 7pm—8:30pm
Craft Center, Craft Night, Union Ballroom, 7pm—10pm
Wed., Sept. 17th<br>
Opening Activities, Involvement Fair, SAC Plaza, 12pm –3pm
Student Activities, Constitution Day, SAC Lobby, 12pm—3pm
Career Center, Corporate Diversity Internships, TBA, 1pm—2pm
Fire Prevention Week, Live Burn, Mendelsohn Quad, 7pm
Athletics, Women’s Volleyball vs. Long Island University, Sports Complex, 7pm
Black Womyn’s Weekend Play Writer’s Guild, Life at the Brook, SAC B, 8pm—10pm
Thursday, Sept. 18th<br>
UNICEF Campus Initiative, Child Slavery, SAC Aud., 6pm-9:30pm
Pre-Med Society, Pre-Health Advisor Lecture, SAC B, 7pm-10pm
Student Activities Board, I’m a SBU Kid, SAC A, 7pm—11pm
Commuter Student Services, Drive –In Movie, South P-lot, 7pm - Movie selection: 300<br>
Hillel, Speed Dating with Hillel, Delancey Street Deli, 8:30pm
Friday, Sept. 19th<br>
Athletics, Women’s Tennis Stony Brook Classic, Tennis Courts, 12pm—7pm
Career Center—Prepare Ahead: Mock Job Fair, TBA, 1:30pm—4pm
Staller Movie – Flight of the Red Balloon- 7pm
Staller Movie – Shine a light – 9:30pm
Latin American Student Organization, Copa Caban, SAC B, 11pm—3am
Saturday, Sept. 20th<br>
Athletics, Women’s Tennis Stony Brook Classic, Tennis Courts, 9am—5pm
Campus Recreation, Kayak Trip, departs LaValle Stadium Parking Lot at 10am - SOLD OUT!
Hillel, Shabbat Lunch, Delancey Street Deli, 12:30pm
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Carnival, SAC Plaza, 7pm—11pm
Sunday, Sept. 21st<br>
Athletics, Women’s Tennis Stony Brook Classic, Tennis Courts, 9am—2pm
Athletics, Women’s Soccer vs. Columbia, LaValle Stadium 1pm
Latin American Student Organization, Welcome Back BBQ, SAC Plaza, 12pm—7pm
Hillel, Isreali Movie Night, Delancey Street Deli, 4pm</p>

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<p>So this is my first semester here....</p>

<p>I hate the way food is set up here. Only a few places have decent veggie sides and the portions are ridiculous. I can get by with 1/2 the portion size and 1/2 the price.</p>

<p>The DEC system SUCKS. Why the hell do I need to take an implications of science and tech class as a science major anyway? I read enough magazines for that.</p>

<p>The study abroad program looks amazing though. Hope to partake in it.</p>

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<p>Hello, I'm thinking about transferring from Cortland State to pursue more pre-med and research. I'm currently a freshman so I would be transferrinf fall '09. realistically is it worth it?</p>

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<p>If you are serious about pre-med/research/science, then yes, it is absolutely worth it!</p>

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<p>I went nearly for free, half of the money I borrowed was so I could buy stuff I didn't need (expensive headphones, beer, vacations/trips) during my freshman and sophomore year, and then I went to school for free junior and senior year on scholarships.</p>

<p>^^^ Where did you go to apply for scholarships?</p>

<p>Also when you said you borrowed money was that Federal loans or others? And if either where did you go to apply?</p>

<p>Cause I'm in need of personal spending money right now for food and transportation and I don't know of a federal loan will cover that and actually send me a check?</p>

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<p>I'm sorry about the really late reply, but here are some scholarship links:
Scholarships</a>, Fellowships & Awards</p>

<p>and if you're a compsci, applied math, engineering major:
Welcome</a> to CEAS</p>

<p>I took out Federal Stafford Loans my first 2 years and then my last 2 years I actually got paid to attend SBU from scholarships, NSF fellowships and other stuff like that.</p>