<p>If my major is undecided and I need to figure out what I want to major in, which college would be better for me for my first year? I figure that after I figure out what I want to do, I can transfer to a school that specializes in whatever.</p>
<p>Ah, now your other question makes more sense. If your major is totally undecided, you’re probably better off looking at other factors–location, overall “fit,” etc… If you’re considering certain specific areas, look into those programs, since it would suck to realize you wanted to major in journalism or marine sciences or urban planning once you’re at a school that doesn’t offer them. What kind of things are you thinking about taking your first year? Take a look at this year’s fall schedule at both SBU and UB and see what excites you. Look at how the distribution requirements are structured at both schools and think about how that would work for you; they’ll both hit some similar bases since they’re following the overall SUNY requirements but I’d guess there are some differences too. Really it sounds like you should apply to both and see where you get in before agonizing over which you’d choose between the two; both are great schools with a variety of very strong programs, both offer a great education for a pretty good price, and both are rapidly becoming more competitive to get into.</p>
<p>And most importantly, don’t think of wherever you go for your first year as just a stepping stone to somewhere else. People who do that aren’t as happy and often don’t do as well. Go where you go and see where it takes you; there’s nothing wrong with transferring if you feel you need to but having that in the front of your mind will guarantee a less positive experience wherever you end up.</p>
<p>Don’t limit your research to Stony Brook and Buffalo. There are many choices within the SUNY system that may be good fits for you. Stony Brook is known for poor academic advising and a lot of red tape. They also have a rather large commuter student population and the while many students are happy with dorming there, many others are not. It’s a great school for the right student so definitely visit and check out the campus before putting it at the top of your list.</p>
<p>If you want more of the traditional LAC feel, look into some of the smaller SUNY’s—Oneonta, New Paltz, Plattsburgh, Geneseo, and Oswego. They all offer a wide variety of Majors and Minors and this is key to someone who is Undecided. Don’t worry about being Undecided–it’s very common.</p>