<p>which SUNY schools are the best and why. also, which towns are the best?</p>
<p>Binghampton and Stony Brook are easily the best SUNY's. They are ranked highest, best known outside of New York, have the best academic programs (This only applies to Honors for Stony Brook) and smartest students out of any of the SUNY's. The average GPA and SAT required to get into these schools (Binghampton much more so than Stony) is far off from every other school but Geneseo.</p>
<p>Binghampton has a great program where you can get your BA and MBA in 5-years (Albany has a similar 5.5 year program).</p>
<p>In terms of towns, Stony Brook is in a wonderful part of Long Island that is a lot of fun and is only a short (and comfortable) LIRR trip away from New York City. Albany's location is best for politics students as it is in the state capital and has the best access to internships in the NY state government.</p>
<p>Bing, Stony, Albany and Buffalo are the "Univesity Centers", and are comparable to major national unis. The SUNY Colleges are more like LAC's. Out of the colleges, Geneseo is clearly the best.</p>
<p>My SUNY Rankings:</p>
<ol>
<li>Binghampton (Uni Center)</li>
<li>Geneseo</li>
<li>Stony Brook (Uni Center)</li>
<li>Albany (Uni Center)
Buffalo (Uni Center)
Oneonta</li>
<li>Buffalo College
Cortland
Fredonia
Maritime College
New Paltz
Oswego
Purchase</li>
<li>Brockport
Plattsburgh
Potsdam</li>
</ol>
<p>If we're talking strictly the town, I like Oneonta. Great college town (there's another school in town) with lots of stores, restaurants, etc. catering to college kids. At the opposite end would be Purchase. Town? What town?</p>
<p>Binghamton is the best deal moneywise for an education in New York. Other than that, the campus has little to offer in the way of appeal, spirit or pride. It's as though the kids are there because they have to be there because they didn't 1) get into their first choice or 2) couldn't afford to attend their first choice. It's an institutional and sterile feel, like a large urban medical center or government buildings, laid out like a corporate park -- and the dorms are tantamount to being public housing projects. In addition, the town of Binghampton (although the campus is in a neighboring town, Vestal) is a very depressed and down-on-its-luck area, which is only exacerbated by the severe and gloomy weather, especially in winter. There seems to be a feeling that "if I could have gone to somewhere else, I would have." No one particularly wants to be there. Also, kids seems to transfer out of there as soon as possible, if they can. If not, they stick it out and count the days until they can leave, never to return. The fault is not with the students, but with the disasterous state university system of New York which consistently has to fight to get funds -- and which is reflected in its lack of any kind of spirit or school pride, especially any notable athletic teams. To call Binghamton a "public Ivy" is a misnomer and an insult to the Ivies. Other state university systems have stellar, enthusiastic and outstanding campuses (California, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Michigan, for starters) so why is New York's system so neglected. The only ones who suffer are the students who, to their credit, make the best of a dire situation, get the best education they can for an affordable price, and hope that they won't have felt they've wasted four years in a purgatory between high school and work or graduate school. For the best of the SUNY schools not to be the best that the state can offer is truly an embarassment and an injustice, especially to those worthy students who try to make do with what's been handed to them. All of this is of course, IMHO.</p>
<p>I also want to make mention of SUNY Purchase. There may not be a town directly there, but there's a perfectly respectable city neary, White Plains. Anyway, despite the fact that the campus is concrete and barren, the academic programs, especially in the arts, are very strong. And it's worth that to consider Purchase for theater, etc.</p>
<p>Potsdam is ranked #2 in food for the students. Just bringing it up...lol</p>
<p>"Stony Brook is in a wonderful part of Long Island that is a lot of fun and is only a short (and comfortable) LIRR trip away from New York City."</p>
<p>Just to clarify for anyone reading this - the train ride referred to is close to two hours long (actual time depends on time of day and transfer schedules). Don't go to Stony Brook thinking you'll be popping into NYC frequently.</p>
<p>re Binghamton-
opiniions vary. a previous poster present down side. other students find they get a lot out of the place - and at a very reasonable price. town is easy to scorn if you don't let yourself get to know it. it does rain and snow quite a bit.
perhaps part of the problem is people put it down as their safety too easily without really looking into what is there and then being upset if they have to go there. i've known a lot of college applicants who will rattle off a list of well thought out elite private schools and then add, oh and i'm applying to binghamton as my safety. which of course goes to the whole issue of safeties - you should research them as carefully as you matches and reaches and choose those you think you would be happy at.<br>
many who choose binghamton simply don't have the financial option to choose private schools -- within the SUNY system it is the best university (Geneseo being the best college) - but if one is looking only at SUNY's one has to look at what programs one wants, size, geo location etc. - if you put down Binghamton or Geneseo because everyone tells you they are the best, but you really want a large urban campus, you will be disappointed.</p>
<p>It is easy to overlook the NYS statutory colleges at Cornell in Agriculture, Industrial and Labor Relations, and "Human Ecology". The School of Veterinary Medicine is also NYS but is a grad school, not undergrad. They are the best in the state system in their respective fields. They are also more expensive for NYS residents than the SUNY campuses. Still, a great deal for qualified NYS residents who are interested in these areas. Agriculture for undergrad/grad and the Vet School for grad are not bad places to study biology and business. Human Eco is not a bad place to study psychology and nutrition. ILR is not bad for pre-law, econ, and statistics.</p>
<p>Among the SUNY campuses, I like Geneseo for LAC and Buffalo for University. SUNY Buffalo Univ Center, not Buffalo State College.</p>
<p>The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF)was rated slightly AHEAD of Stony Brook in the latest UNS&WR. I am surprised no one has mentioned it earlier! It has the size of a LAC but also has PhD programs in all departments.
SUNY-ESF is located in Syracuse (right next to Syracuse University), so there is a decrnt-sized city but plenty of rural/recreational areas close by.</p>
<p>SUNY Oswego is only about half an hour north of Syracuse, but it seriously feels like a whole new world - lol. There's a micro-size Walmart, a JCPenney's, a few restaurants, and a chunk of bars, but the campus is BEYOND gorgeous.</p>
<p>SUNY Plattsburgh comes from SMALL city - Walmart Supercenter/Kmart/SMALL mall, but decent proximity (roughly 45mins) to Burlington VT, an hour to Montreal, and about 2.5 hours to Albany. Definitely nothing thrilling in the area though.</p>
<p>I'd pick SUNY at Buffalo for the best one. I realize that Bing, Geneseo and SB are higher in the rankings, but buffalo has alot of excellent programs and the city of Buffalo is very big. The city of buffalo may have just as nasty weather as binghamton ... but at least buffalo is a city. Many Buffalo students have access to nice internships within the city itself. All of my friends who are at UB are really enjoying their experience. </p>
<p>Collegeparent nailed alot of the general student body opinion of binghamton. I have alot of friends there and it's a "get in/get out" situaton for them as well. </p>
<p>For sciences, i'd go ESF. Students there can use all of the resources that Syracuse University provides at no additional cost (students can even live in SU dorms!). I believe the programs are also the highest ranked of the suny's. </p>
<p>Albany is good because of its location within the capital of New York. </p>
<p>Geneseo is best for liberal arts. </p>
<p>Potsdam has a great music program. </p>
<p>Oswego is great if you like to party. </p>
<p>Cornell - the only relatonship Cornell has with SUNY is monetary. In the eyes of the law, every school under the Cornell name is private. Think of it as free financial aid for NYS residents given by SUNY.</p>
<p>Academically:
Binghampton
Stony Brook
ESF at Syracuse
Geneseo
Buffalo
Albany
Oswego</p>
<p>Check out the SUNY Binghamton section under colleges. There are numerous posts by students. One thread, "Will Binghamton Crack the Top 70" offers many pros and cons of the school.</p>
<p>It is too bad that the locations of the SUNY's are so poor. Binghamton is economically depressed, with a bad climate and not much that would be of interest to a college student. Geneseo is in the middle of nowhere, even colder than Bing and the town is not much more than a few sandwich shops. Stony Brook's location is considerably better and with milder weather. It has the feel of a commuter school and it is almost essential to have a car or else you will be trapped on campus with the foreign students.</p>
<p>if you wanted to pick a school for location, do Albany or Buffalo.</p>
<p>wow this helps alot guys- thanks very much for your input! Ive been to binghamton and I totally agree about the "sterile" feel to the campus.
I went right at the beginning of spring n there were just putting out fertilizer for the grass and wow I think they put too much cuz it was piled up in some places and the whole place reeked of fertilizer. The buildings are just slabs of brick and stone with a little bit of color around the windows, not much else =/</p>
<p>Its really really quite depressing. Albany isnt much better - its all concrete, as if the whole campus was put in a mold and someone poured concrete into it and wala - u got Albany. Oh - but there's a patch of grass here....and there...</p>
<p>It is a shame isnt it- the state university program in NY sucks compared to the ones in other states. I think we spread ourselves out a bit too much with all the choices, thats just what I think.</p>
<p>Im trying to choose between Bing and Albany honors and im weighing out the academics and the campus life of each and its gettin to be really depressing how both are so lacking when compared to Privates...</p>
<p>but in any case, any help guys? lol</p>
<p>I was in a slightly similar situation. I had to pick between local Pstate (excellent program for my major, in Cowtown USA) and Albany's Honor. I am opting for Albany - providing the funding is there - only because I know I will enjoy the area and the opportunities much more. </p>
<p>Good luck, and let me know which one you pick!</p>
<p>Does anyone have information on SUNY New Paltz, especially their business program?</p>
<p>What are my chances for the honors program at Binghamton?</p>
<p>Weighted GPA: 93/100
SAT: 800M / 700V / 750W
SATII: 700 Math IC / 740 Math IIC</p>
<p>I live in Queens, NY and I was just wondering if I'll even be considered because I only applied about two weeks ago (past the deadline of priority consideration).</p>
<p>Now that I hear there is a 5 year MBA program that supposedly good. Anyone have more info on that and how you can get in? Thanks.</p>