SUNY Albany, Binghamton, or New Paltz?

State Forums
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<p>So, at the risk of sounding incredibly pompous and self-aggrandizing, let's just start this by assuming that I will get into all 3 of these schools. I have an ACT of 31 and a 98/100 W gpa amongst my extracurriculars and leadership positions. I'm only pointing this out to avoid the ever-present "well what if you don't get in" comment that I usually see on posts made this early in an application season.</p>

<p>Although I'm applying to two other out of states which would be my top choices (assuming they would give me enough $$, UMD College Park and Boston U), these are the 3 SUNYs I am considering. I'm having trouble deciding which I would rather go to. I will post a brief description of my experiences and research for each but I would definitely love some outside opinions on whether or not a certain school would/wouldn't be good for me.</p>

<p>Also, in another post I read, lots of people got into a huge argument about how Bing was "better" and more "academically noted/had more employable alumni" than Albany (or New Paltz, I would assume, for that matter. The question I'm not asking is which is "better;" I would just like to know where, as fellow high school seniors/college students at these schools/parents who attended/whoever, some people stand on the decision I'll have to make.</p>

<p>As a student, I face a dilemma in each of these schools; my major/career path is not available at each and I feel torn between all of the things I would like to study that may not be offered at each. I would ideally like to double major in International Relations and Arabic/Middle Eastern Studies (OR Anthropology) but would also like to have access to undergrad internships and research opportunities that would reflect my interests in global studies (of which Albany has a Globalization Studies major, tied to anthro, no less). This is where a real conflict arises completely independent of my social or location interests regarding each individual school.</p>

<p>Albany: My brother attended Albany for 4 years and he loved it. He just graduated this past May and so I've visited the campus probably over 50 times between visiting him and visiting some friends that go there as well. I know the campus looks kind of like a prison, but I've never been one to be picky about that kind of stuff.. It has four walls and a roof so I'm content. Albany does not have IR or Arabic Studies. It does, however, have a Globalization Studies major as well as the option to "create your own major" by which I would try to propose a combination of Political Science/Globalization Studies to create an IR major. They have anthro, but all 3 of these schools do, so that becomes irrelevant. Albany's size is not intimidating on its own; it does, however, pose a problem if I will not be able to receive individualized attention from professors/advisors in certain areas. I would like to get into the Honors College there and I know that the ability for both research and attention is a lot more accessible in that situation. The location is ideal for a major in GS since it is so close to the state's capital and it's only about an hour and a half from my house, so not too far. Albany also offers loads of study abroad programs that I would definitely like to take advantage of.</p>

<p>Binghamton: Bing is a little more abstract to me since I've never visited it. I know they have Arabic Studies and Anthro, so that is most likely what I would be tackling in terms of academics. The weather is kind of crappy, as I've heard many times before, and I don't like the cold too much. It wouldn't really be a totally viable option if it wasn't the only SUNY I'm considering which has Arabic Studies. Their study abroad programs are something I haven't really researched too much, so I'm not too sure about where that stands. Bing is about 2.5 hours from me so it's a little bit farther but not unbearable. I've heard Vestal can be a ghost town, however, and I'm worried I'll just end up spending all my time doing work and watching Netflix in my dorm room.</p>

<p>New Paltz: New Paltz is a double-edged sword, honestly. They offer a UN semester which is something I would absolutely DIE for. It's also the only SUNY on this list with a dedicated IR major which is really phenomenal and eases some stress levels regarding correlation to potential internships and jobs. They have good study abroad connections and are a really great school, albeit a lot smaller than Bing or Albany. The only catch? New Paltz is about 15 minutes from my house, and I have helicopter parents, so I know every week they'd be asking me if I'd like to go to dinner or visit my grandparents or some other family-oriented thing which I would honestly rather jump off a bridge before going through. I'm a REALLY independent person (probably from having such helicopter parents) and I would feel kind of bad telling them "no" outright if they asked me to do stuff, but I also can't just act like I'm still at home. I want to be able to experience new things and develop my own identity, and if they forced me to come home every weekend I feel as though I wouldn't be able to do that. Also, I'm worried being so close to home will change MY feelings about this and I would be pulled back into my life at home. Like I said, New Paltz is a really good school academically and socially and I know I would enjoy it there, but I can't help but feel like it would keep me on a string attached to my life as it is now.</p>

<p>Okay so yeah sorry that that was SO long but I just felt like this would be the place to pose such ideas and get opinions. It's in your hands now, I suppose, so please feel free to share your ideas or comments. I have time, obviously, but I like knowing rather than being indecisive, so I figured the early bird would get the worm. Thanks!!!!</p>

<p>TL;DR: I can't decide between Alb, Bing, or NP. Albany is in the state capitol for relevant internships, Bing has my preferred major but is in the middle of nowhere, and NP has a great vibe and major for me but is 15 minutes from my house.</p>

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<p>I’m going to be honest with you, I would not recommend albany. Albany actually cut a lot of funding for their humanities department a few years ago and who knows, the global studies program may be next. There are also issues with campus safety and there are a lot of less academically inclined students there that seem to be only there to party. Sure you might find your niche but I wouldn’t recommend going there. Also, you have a high ACT score and GPA and unfortunately, Albany offers little to none in the way of merit aid so take that into consideration. </p>

<p>Binghamton is better for you. I know they have an arabic department and there are definitely study abroad opportunities. The political science major there has a Global and International Affairs concentration (which is probably very similar to whatever an IR degree is) and there is also an anthropology major. While vestal may be a soulless suburban h*llscape, there is a very lively student community off campus in the downtown binghamton area. </p>

<p>I can’t comment much about the academics at new paltz but if you like the vibe there I would recommend applying to a number of private liberal arts college like Bard. Apply and they might just give you a good financial package. Sunys are typically very stingy with money but many of these private schools are generous since they have endowments.</p>

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<p>I went to bing and my brother goes to NP so if you have any specific questions let me know! All I can say is that I was never especially bored at Binghamton, there’s plenty of stuff going on around campus and I always found things to do. So I wouldn’t let that really sway you too much if it’s your only concern.</p>

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<p>Thank you both so much for your input! Sprinkles: I wasn’t aware about funding cuts in the humanities department; that’s a real bummer! Also, their Globalization Studies major is very new (within the last 2 or 3 years I believe) so their advising/foundations may not be fully developed or established yet. I’ll definitely be taking what you wrote into consideration!</p>

<p>Rebecca: Both of my cousins went to Bing so I’ve been able to speak to them about their experiences and both of them agree they wouldn’t have changed their undergrad experiences from there for anything. Obviously I would like to visit Bing myself to get a good feel for the campus atmosphere but its nice to know people like them and you had a good time as a student there and that it wasn’t as boring or desolate of an experience as some people have reported. Thank you!</p>

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<p>I to was deciding between these 3 SUNY schools (and I also have Boston U as my first choice!) so I know exactly what you mean, but ultimately, based on what you said, I think Bing would be the best choice for you. Its not really a boring campus because there are lots of things going on around campus at nights and on weekends- you dont have to worry about being stuck in your room. The teachers there are also very accessible and it is easy to make good connections in your apartment if you take the first step. New Paltz would be great on paper but based on what you said, i dont think you would be happy somewhere so close to home- vibe and comfort are extremely important, almost as much as the actual academic courses. Binghamton has a pretty good study abroad program as well, and I think youll be able to get the right mix of classes for the jobs you want by working with an advisor and talking to people in the field through internships. Good luck!</p>

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<p>The only college that I can give any input on here is UAlbany since this is the university that I attend. My SUNY choices were between Albany, Bing and Geneseo. I chose Albany because of financial reasons; I live in Albany and I am able to commute so my current student loans is 0 and I am a junior. However, this is the only thing I can say that I like about Albany.</p>

<p>It has a lot to do with commuting; I feel like I’ve been robbed of the college experience, which is why maybe New Paltz wouldn’t be a good option for you (unless you live on campus.) I have a lot of friends who go there and love it, though!</p>

<p>Anyway, UAlbany is very big and it is VERY hard to speak to professors. Most of them push you in the direction of the TAs, and they themselves do not seem to want to help. As of right now, there is tons of construction going on which kind of ruins the atmosphere (for me, anyway.) I know you said the looks of a campus aren’t important to you, but it seems that UA always is tearing something apart lol.</p>

<p>One of my things is that UA doesn’t seem to have much school pride. I also was accepted to Syracuse University (top choice) and I was in love with the campus pride they have. Obviously for financial reasons, I didn’t go.</p>

<p>Seriously though, no matter where you go to school, it all depends on you (cliche, I know.) I can honestly say that UA has a ton to offer, and being that it was my last choice school and I commute, that is why I am a little sour when it comes to it. </p>

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<p>I’m a freshman at New Paltz right now, so if you have any questions about it, feel free to ask here or in a PM. I love the school and all of the people here, but I feel that NP attracts a very specific type of student (artsy/musical/creative/philosopher types), and it’s sometimes hard for people who aren’t like that to fit in socially. Personally, I love the vibe on campus, but I know a few people who don’t, and want to transfer out.
I live close to New Paltz too (about a half hour drive) and it’s not bad at all; i’m close enough that I can visit home whenever i want, but far away enough that my parents aren’t constantly stopping by.
New Paltz also does give some scholarships ( I got a $5k a year merit scholarship from them), but be sure to apply early, since they don’t give out a lot of money.
If you have any questions at all about NP, let me know, and my friends and I will try to answer them for you.
Good luck with your application process!!!</p>

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Although most of you probably aren’t interested anymore, I felt it relevant to share that I was accepted to Bing and NP and decided not to apply to Albany. This means less hard decision making for me (yay!) and a little bit of an easier comparison as well. I’m leaning toward Bing a lot more than New Paltz, but I’m still waiting on my out-of-staters to come back before I make any final decisions. Thanks a lot for all of your offers of help, by the way!

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Great job on obtaining the merit scholarship! I was looking at the Suny teacher incentive program for my daughter. Do you know if new paltz merit can be applied to other than tuition? Thanks in advance.