<p>We're interested in NP, and we're from Massachusetts. Does anyone know what it's like there for out-of-staters? Is it welcoming? (My D is not a rabid Red Sox fan, if that's what you're wondering.) I just wouldn't want her to be in a hostile environent. Are there many OOS students at New Paltz?</p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry about your daughter receiving a hostile reception from all the New Yorkers at New Paltz. If anything she’ll be doubly welcomed because she’ll be an anomoly among her classmates. Only about 4% of the undergraduate student body comes from outside NYS (excluding internationals). New Paltz is gaining some recognition in adjoining states, however, as last year’s freshman class included 6% who came from OOS. The majority of those students, I would guess, come from MA, CT, NJ and, perhaps, PA.</p>
<p>The town of New Paltz is very artsy-hippie liberal, and the campus has that kind of karma as well. The students might be mostly from NY but NY is a huge and diverse state. All kinds of ethnic backgrounds. She’d be closer to home than a lot of NY state students. I can’t imagine any way that being from MA would have a negative effect.</p>
<p>SUNY New Paltz is a welcoming place, so I’m sure your daughter will feel at home very quickly. The student body is friendly, down to earth and very accepting of all types of people. No worries.</p>
<p>I don’t think anyone will care either way about your daughter being from out of state. I attended a SUNY school and my roommate was from NJ and it didn’t matter at all. Other than Red Sox/Yankees or Jets/Pats there is no cultural divide between NY and MA. Many students attend public universities in states other than their own. I wouldn’t think twice about it.</p>