Hi everyone!
I got into UROCHESTER, with a fantastic financial package that will result in barely no debt. I am unsure what to decide. My other choice is Stony, but they are a bit more expensive (ironic, I know) with room and board.
WILL GOING TO ROCHESTER AND DOING WELL THERE RAISE MORE OPPORTUNITIES VS STONY BROOK, and if I go to Stony Brook, I lose such a fantastic opportunity of Rochester for an excellent price? For example, do you think that Rochester has better alumni connections for jobs? I have seen most of the notable alumni from Rochester, and I was impressed by the people who have gone to prestigious institutions for post grad research, won NOBEL prizes in science, and distinguished themselves in higher academia in top-notch institutions. I really hope to go to Stanford or a top notch institution for GRAD school, so will doing well there (they have an open curriculum) , and having a strong transcript from there for my major get me into top grad schools? I feel like if I chose Stony Brook (which is closer to home), I will be missing a fantastic opportunity to increase my potential, and go up the education ladder, obviously given that I do very well. Any IDEAS? ANYONE? I don’t want any regrets.
Have you visited Rochester and spent the night there in the dorms to see if you think you could call it home. There’s no doubt it’s a fantastic school. You seem mostly torn about leaving home, so that needs to be more of your focus right now. Personally, I think kids leaving home is a good step in their growing up, but not all humans are the same - and that’s ok. You need to see if leaving is something you can embrace and enjoy or if it will cause you so much stress that it’s not worth the hit on your health.
One question for you - why are you ok going much farther away to Stanford, but not ok crossing the state to Rochester? Or when the time for grad school comes are you going to be as uncertain?
It really is perfectly ok to want to stay close to home - not all of us were called to wander and enjoy it (as per my avatar). You need to decide if it’s merely the unknown that is scary and once there you’ll love it or if you want to keep your future nearby to where you are. Anywhere you go you’ll find friends if you allow yourself the opportunity by stepping out and getting involved. UR, Stonybrook, grad school, etc What fits you?
@Creekland I will visiting Rochester on the 2023 experience next week, so I will get a good picture. For grad school, there is no doubt that if I get into Stanford, or any other prestigious schools, I will go there. I don’t want the prospect of moving far deter me from going to one of those places for grad school, and achieving my goal. That said, I know that after 4 years, I feel that I will be more mature and I can handle things on my own, so I know for fact that I won’t be uncertain about moving away. You are right about “fear of the unknown”. That’s just whats bothering me know- but I know for fact that many other teens who are going to dorm can relate. And I am willing to go to Rochester, and not miss such a good opportunity (excellent financial aid), and I know my health will be fine. But, i want to know that all thought aside, and for the LONG TERM- will going there make more of any difference than going to my state school (SBU) in terms of how much progress i can make for my career, and future opportunities? My sister and dad are encouraging me to go, and I also do, but I want to know how much of an advantage is worth going to Rochester compared to my state school in the long term. ANY IDEAS?
I know very little about Stony Brook, so will have to let others comment regarding the two. (That doesn’t mean it’s bad. It merely means none of my own lads and none of the students I know well at school - my state, not yours - have considered it for me to have heard their thoughts.)
Best wishes to you as you decide!
You have to decide whether you would be comfortable living away from home, but I can completely understand your concern about not wanting to have any regrets. I think there are few things in life that can haunt you more than thinking about what ‘could have been’. Speaking for myself, I would not want fear to keep me from going to a place like Rochester. I don’t know you and good advice for one person may not be good advice for another, but I think addressing fear head-on is a part of growing up strong and with confidence and it is certainly a great way to avoid living life with regrets. If you are up to it, the very act of going away to school is a tremendous opportunity for personal growth. In terms of the ‘long term’ I think that is a bigger factor than UR vs Stony Brook as both are very good schools (though UR is ranked much higher and might have more access to research opportunities if that is important to you). I wish you lots of luck - these are hard things for a high school senior to sort out.
Well, in what field of study are you planning to go? Please keep in mind that most students develop other interests as they grow, so your intended field of study may change. Also, the best grad school for your later work may be a school you have never heard of and that is okay; nobody I know cares about grad school lineage when interviewing or promoting in the workplace, it’s what you can do that matters. And if you are planning to go to graduate or professional school the ability to start that with no undergraduate debt is a huge boost. You can’t really appreciate that last one until you see the students dropping out halfway through grad programs because they can’t afford to live there any more and then 6 months later their student loan payments hit.
@Puzzeled101, what did you think of URoc when you visited? Could you picture yourself there? Keep in mind that if you start there and are terribly unhappy after a semester or two of giving it your all and getting involved, it should be feasible to transfer. However, our daughter has found it to be a very friendly, collaborative student body and I think the chances are high you’d feel comfortable there.
Whether UR or Stony Brook will lead to a “better” grad school depends on what you plan to study in grad school and what you major in as an UG, since UR and SB have different strengths.
Keep in mind also that your chances of graduate admission for most STEM subjects is greatly enhanced by UG research experience and, if possible, publications. A high GPA and published research, along with solid GRE scores will make a strong grad admissions package. At which UG school are you most likely to achieve those?
It’s great to graduate with little or no debt, but you shouldn’t need to worry about adding debt as a full-time PhD student in STEM, if that is your plan. Any decent STEM grad program will waive tuition and provide a stipend to help cover room and board.
But, these are long term considerations and for now you should focus on UG fit and finances. Things may change in the next 4 years and you should leave yourself open to that possibility.
I don’t think this is a close call. UR is an excellent private university with outstanding STEM. If you were considering Michigan, Wisc, Berkeley or UCLA, Gainesville, etc that would be tough. But the SUNY system isn’t close, in terms of the undergraduate experience.
SUNYSB is the best SUNY for STEM. It has a lot to offer grad students. Undergrads, less so. At the 4 SUNY centers, teaching is a low priority. In fact, teaching undergrads is a very low priority at the 4 SUNYs. Yes the administration will deny what I say is true but it is true. And yes, teaching undergrads is a lower priority than it should be at many universities but private schools tend to weigh teaching much more heavily. And the 4 SUNY centers are on the other side of the range.
SUNY upper administration could care less (except if someone told the truth about the situation-then they’d care). I’d choose UR. It’s a great school.
Did you notice the personalized letter you got from UR admissions (or the Dean)? Did you notice it was different from what you got from SUNY. Those differences are systemic and will impact on everything about your 4 years.
@lostaccount Thank you for the reply. i have visited the campus, and came back yesterday from Rochester’s 2023 Experience. I weighed these options, and what you have said in your post, is exactly what I thought. I happened to check my account today to find your reply. I am happy to say that I have committed to URochester yesterday, and will be a member of the class of 2023!
@musicohana and everyone else. Thank you for your replies. I wanted to share some news with all you wonderful advisers! I am a proud member of URochester Class of 2023. Committed yesterday. Go Yellow Jackets! 