I was accepted to Bing Class of 2021 EA this December and have been thinking about attending since im a NYS resident and the price is just so unbeatable. My second choice college is Bryn Mawr College in PA which is a very small liberal arts school. I really value the vibrant and nearby college town that surrounds Bryn Mawr and other schools I’m looking into but am hesitant about Bing since the nearest town is at least a few miles away. I really don’t want to be trapped on campus and have no options when it comes to exploring and venturing outside my comfort zone. I’ve visited Binghamton and it’s definitely not as scenic as the other schools I’ve visited and I’m currently worrying about the social life there. I know it’s a large school and I like to party from time to time, but I just want to make sure I have social options at Bing.
People go downtown all the time. Especially on Thurs/Fri/Sat nights, there are a steady stream of free buses running constantly back and forth. There are frat parties and bars, which is where nightlife usually takes place.
Binghamton and bryn mawr are very different types of schools. Bryn Mawr is obviously all female, the campus is very small and a lot of people there are involved in liberal causes. Binghamton is a suburban campus in a town called vestal. The campus is not really well integrated into the town but there are numerous stores and restuarants a short drive or bus ride away. The city of binghamton is a little farther. A lot of socialization/night life happens there. You can take the bus or a taxi. Many upperclassmen move downtown or to the west side. The vast majority of binghamton students are from new york city, long island (especially nassau county) or the lower hudson valley (especially rockland). A lot of students come in knowing each other from high school or summer camp. If you are not coming in with friends already, you might luck out and get a good dorm.
If you are a member of a minority group you can join a club and meet people from the same background as yourself. If you are jewish you can get involved in the large and vibrant jewish community on campus. The one real issue with social life at bing is that it can be cliquey and students don’t branch out. It is a large school but the cliques can make it seem very small. People join a clique at orientation or the first few days of school and then spend 4 years hanging out with the same people. Bryn Mawr students are a little bit more open minded tolerate quirkiness.