<p>I dunno, i heard so much negative stuff about Binghamton, Im really unsure now. I found out about my acceptance yesterday.. People says its like a prison, nothign to do, full of snobby rich kids rejected from Ivies. What do you think????</p>
<p>From my visits there, everything you said is true. If you can overlook that, you can get a really good education for a damn cheap price</p>
<p>i think it's such a huge school that everyone finds their niche (in terms of the snobby kids u'll be looking to avoid), but it definitely is in the middle of nowhere. most people find lots of things to do on campus however.</p>
<p>good education if u don't get lost in the crowd.</p>
<p>The drive going up to the school is a killer. I live about an hour and 15 minutes away but it seems like forever getting up there, but once you hit Binghamton it's like BAM! Civilized life. I've never actually been to the campus, however I was up there a couple of days ago and the area didn't seem that bad. There's plenty of things to do in the area if you make the effort. (I went up to go to a concert, where at the hall they have some pretty good music groups.) Based on Binghamton's reputation, it's supposively has the best education you can get from a public school in the Northeast. I think you'll be fine.</p>
<p>It is a good but certainly not great (nor top 50) university. I would not completely listen to the all of the negative publicity, nor would I listen to the accolades of the Public Ivy. On the plus sside;
It is the best SUNY has to offer.
Good education
Good motivated students
Large enough to have many resources
SUNY provides a better education than many ouside of NY are aware of
Soid honors program
Above average placement into grad schools
Great value for instate students and considered a good value for out of state students also</p>
<p>On the flip side:
Poor ranking by US News (in the 70s); fair peer assessment
Princeton Review top 20 list for: unsightly, dingy campus, TA grad students teach too many courses and least happy students</p>
<p>So what does his mean? Do the research, visit, speak to students and see if this above average state school meets your needs! I know a handful of successful physicians, accountants and attorneys who think very highly of Binghamton U. They saved thousands of dollars attending a state undergrad school and attended fine grad schools. It is what you make of your opportunity.</p>
<p>I will try to give you the most honest information I can. Binghamton can be hard to adjust to for some at first. The city is usually not even worth the $2 cab ride. If you really look, you will be able to find very few interesting places. A very great place in the city is the "Lost Dog Cafe". There are a few art Gallery's, again, not much. On campus there is definitely stuff to do. Many clubs and sports to play, some music and such, though I feel that there is a lack of school spirit. If you do come, try to get into MountainView or CIW. Mountainview is very nice, but a little too nice. Like a hospital, not very social but good for studying and there are huge rooms. ( I live in MV) CIW (college in the woods) is very social, and a lot of people love it there. It is a lot louder and not as good for studying. But they have their own library which is a good place to study. There are a lot of people here from Long Island, and if you know the type that is generally the people you will see the most of. There are also lots of other types, but much fewer than the LI people. Frat and SOR are present and in the spring you will see a lot of people doing strange things while pledging. I had a very hard time adjust and often did not like the school. I am trying to put my finger on why. I think everyone at some point feels a bit depressed here and at other times feels good. The last week or two have been very very sunny and beautiful and many people have been playing outside, though it is not normal here. The weather can make it hard sometimes(often more cloudy than other places), and make you feel down, but we also have our sunny days, its not like it is cloudy all the time.
Academically, I feel like I am getting a good education here. There are good programs in many subjects. Some TA's (especially in chem) who have trouble with english, but thats at every big school I would think.
If you will take any science or Calc 1, there will definitely be large lectures with 400-500 people you freshman year. For Harpur student (liberal arts) there are also nice sized classes 20-35. I dont know much about the other schools, but to be honest I would go with Penn if the price is good. Bing is a school for smart kids who want a good education but can not afford other schools. Many kids here got into great other schools but came here for the price. But I think that you pay for it by it sometimes not being all that wonderful. If you can, visit the schools and go to the one that feels right to you when on campus. If you can't, I would spend allot of time searching and researching online and in college review books to find as much out about the schools. Try to find information that is not put out by the admissions offices. I did not feel right when I visited here, but I came here for the price. I have adjusted somewhat and see great things about being here as well as not so great thing. I am actually transferring. But this is because I need a much smaller school. Binghamton was not right for me, but it might be good for you. Many upperclassman say that it grows on you as time goes on. But I dont know many people that really really love it here. The entire mindset of the students I know is "I am here because it is cheap and a good education, otherwise I would be elsewhere."
To answer your question, not knowing much about the other schools, I can't think of a really good reason to choose Binghamton over another school besides money. That is not to say that there is not a reason, I just can't tell you one.
I hope I was able to help.
If you have any more specific questions, post it or email me.
The best of luck, and remember that you can try a school and always transfer if it is not right.
Again, good luck
JAck</p>
<p>If you look around, I posted this on two other Threads....Just thought it was relevant.</p>
<p>Binghamton is not a bad school with rich snobby kids who were rejected from IVYs. If you consider rich to include middle and upper middle class kids from downstate NY suburbs, perhaps then they are rich by your standards.</p>
<p>IVY rejects - there might be some, but I doubt many IVY rejects choose Binghamton. Look at Binghamton's selectivity; average SATs and class rank. They could choose many schools with significantly greater reputations. Just about each of the top 60 universities in US News and World Report have greater reputations. However, Binghamton might be a top 25 state university.</p>
<p>What is Binghamton, then? An OK university at a great price. I am surprised NY could not do any better in competing with other state schools like UVa, Michigan, UC (multiple scools), UNC, Penn State Maryland, etc......</p>
<p>It is not a bad school. Don't know why so many on here are down on it. One of great bargains left in New York!! Great School, good people. Binghamton is not so bad. Aside from places to eat, drink, go to movies, do some shopping, what else do college students need? And there is plenty of that.</p>
<p>BingAlum,
You are correct. Binghamton is a respected good school providing a solid education at an excellent cost to many NY residents. Applicants do get caught up in rankings, prestige, peer assessment and the Princeton Review classifications. In this respect, Binghamton does not compare to about 20 other state unversities. This doesn't mean that Binghamton is a weak school. At the same time, it certainly does not compare to UMich, UVa, UCLA, UNC, PSU and at least another 15 state universities. It would be nice if NY state could have a flagship nationally recognized leading university, but Binghamton is arguably the best we have.</p>
<p>hopeful1, as you said, "Binghamton is arguably the best we have" -- but regretably the best is not good enough. The state of New York should be ashamed of the campus they've created there. Sure you can get a good education there and one that's "respected," but it's respected only in New York. Try to use a Binghamton degree outside of NY and you'll have hours of explaining what & where Binghamton is, especially when you say that it's among "the Ivies of public universities," which is really not true at all. Nationally, Binghamton ranks with state schools such as Indiana, Colorado, Missouri, Clemson, UC-Santa Cruz, all of whom arguably offer better educations especially in certain areas: Indiana (business & music), Colorado (business, engineering), Missouri (journalism, engineering), Clemson (comp sci, sciences), UC-Santa Cruz (social sciences). Without a doubt, all of these same schools enjoy a much greater reputation than does Binghamton.</p>
<p>The fault is not with the students or faculty at Binghamton but perhaps with the state of chaos that reigns within the SUNY system. They just got their second chancellor in less than three years, I believe. Additional blame lies with the bureaucrats and politicians in Albany. It's also a toss-up between Binghamton and Geneseo as to which is the better school. The fact that the Binghamton campus is filled with students who wish they were elsewhere doesn't help morale or school spirit. The transfer rate is among the highest in the Northeast, especially after freshman year. And those who remain do so because of economic restraints (low tuition, no scholarships or grants elsewhere). Go on the campus and there is no one who absolutely LOVES being there; unlike a Michigan, UVa, Cal, UCLA, UNC, PSU, Maryland, William & Mary, Wisconsin, Texas and Georgia or even such schools as Delaware, UVM, UConn, Illinois and UMass, the wide majority of students LOVE being on campus.</p>
<p>No one wants to believe that having spent four years on a campus has been a waste, so they'll defend their decision to go there and to remain there throughout. As the years pass, perhaps alums will have a certain nostalgia for the old alma mater. However, the Binghamton alums are not donating to the school, despite a few well-intended exceptions, and are not actively recruiting grads into their businesses or corporations.</p>
<p>Perhaps as Binghamton gets its D-1 athletic program moving ahead, it'll generate more enthusiasm and national exposure for the Bearcats, but that'll be years and years down the line. In the meantime, the current students suffer because of neglect by the people holding the pursestrings. BingAlum said above, "one of the great bargains left in New York." You may be getting a bargain as a student, but you also pay a higher price by being somewhere you really don't want to be. With Binghamton, you get what you pay for. Because tuition is relatively minimal, few feel that they can complain about the facilities and campus culture. No one's arguing the value of the education available there since it enjoys a certain respectability among the better grad schools; what's being debated is the value of a total college experience (school pride & spirit being a good part of it) and the value of the degree especially outside the NY state border (New Jersey is exempted.)</p>
<p>I can not help but agree with collegeparent. I just spent my first year ethere and did spend all my time trying to defend my decision to be there. I choose to bite the bullet asnd pay the price to go elsewhere mostly for the college experience. I am transfering to Bates college.
I do have to say that I have a many friends (one of which is sitting on my coach right now) who do really enjoy the school. But that was not my experience, and when lookiung at the majority of students there it is true that they are there for the price and keep trying to convince themselves that they are happy there, when there not.
I feel bad say this about the school because I spent a year of my life there and have spent a year (and the summer before) telling myself that it is a great place, but It is true.</p>