I’m torn right now and I’m down to my top 2 colleges. Everyone is committing right now so I feel I need to make a decision soon.
I am a very artsy person, I applied to both New Paltz and Bing for art (graphic design for np). But I’m also open to learning new things such as marketing, technology, fashion, etc. I also am interested in video game design and would love to work at a video game company someday. Overall career-wise I hope to do something involving art in some form with maybe some business or technology involved.
Anyways, my top two choices right now are the following schools. From what I gathered when I visited both and searched online, New Paltz is more “artsy” than Bing and I love that, and the campus is clean and cute and it’s fairly close to the city and I think it’s a cute town with things to do here and there. The people that attend the school seem to be similar to me, and on the Facebook group I joined my potential roommates seem artsy and open-minded just like me! But it’s also a small and less-prestigious school than Bing, and I also value my academics very much. I worked very hard in high school and I have a high gpa and SAT score, so I wanna challenge myself academically as well. And np doesn’t seem as big and “fun”(?) as Bing.
Bing seems like a big, fun and popular school. I think this would be good for me and would help to push me a little bit socially, and I feel I could make a lot of friends there because it’s bigger. I also heard bing is better for academics and as someone who takes that seriously as well, it’s important that I challenge myself a bit and go to a more “prestigious”(?) school. The people there seem nice as well, but I don’t feel that everyone there is as artsy as me. Binghamton isn’t known for being an “artsy” school although they do have art and stuff. I’m more attracted to the social climate of the school and the exciting opportunities it seems to have. I could also maybe explore other things here’s besides art if I choose to do so. The only downside is it’s not as artsy and I’m worried I wouldn’t be able to find my group of people.
So this is my dilemma. I’m going to New Paltz accepted students day April 6 and binghamton’s April 14. But housing applications for bing open April 9 and I don’t wanna be behind for that and not be able to find a roommate that I like. Having a like-minded roommate I can get along with is also one of my TOP priorities. I don’t wanna make a decision until I visit both schools a second time, so was thinking to visit bing April 7 and get both done in one weekend, then decide before April 9.
I am super stressed out and need some advice and both where I should go, and whether or not April 14-15 is a late time to commit for Bing if I decide to go there! Any advice on these schools and my situation would be helpful.
Thank you!
@kmarie9 Based on your interests, New Paltz is the much better school for bachelor of fine arts in graphic design. It actually has a separate school (School of Fine and Performing Arts) whereas Bing only has a department for art and design in Harpur college and not as much focus on graphic design. Until a few years ago Binghamton didn’t even offer a BFA degree for graphic design (only a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts for graphic design). Binghamton doesn’t devote the same amount of monies and professors and resources to graphic design and the arts in general, whereas New Paltz does. New Paltz has better state-of-the art facilites for graphic design and has full time professors whereas Bing had, at least as of 3 years ago when I last checked, only adjunct professors for graphic design. Bing has had problems recently in the fine arts department. Checkout https://www.bupipedream.com/news/101025/department-of-art-and-design-to-temporarily-suspend-graphic-design-minor/
It would not be good for you to go there and find out you can’t sign up for courses in your area of interest.
As for video game design, SUNY Buffalo has that whereas I don’t know if either New Paltz or Bing have that. You should carefully compare the course offerings at both schools and then make your decision based on that, as I am sure you will be able to find students with similar interests at either of these schools.
You’re doing the right thing to go to both accepted students’ days. That will help with the decision. It seems that you’re mostly worried about choosing a room by April 9? Is there a money deposit due at that time? If not, you might just throw in your housing app. If the money required isn’t huge, you could decide to put in the app for housing and forfeit it if necessary. Clearly if Bing has an admitted students day on April 14, it’s not too late to commit at that time or shortly thereafter.
Thanks that’s really helpful! But for that article you attached, is that only for the graphic design minor? I would be a graphic design major at Binghamton, would that affect me? What do you think of binghamton/harpur’s attitude towards art in general? Is it taken seriously? One of the appeals of binghamton for me as well is business/technology which I would also like to try, i’m not sure if New Paltz is strong in those departments as well
For binghamton, to complete a housing application you need to be committed, that’s the problem for me so it’s stressing me out s bit because I can’t decide just yet!
Well – it seems that they would be aware of the deadlines they’ve set up for themselves. Probably it’s all going to be okay and you can commit once you’ve seen both campuses and the student body.
Yeah yeah I keep telling myself the decision will be easier once I visit both one more time, it’s iust a really hard choice right now because one school’s strength is the other’s weakness and vice versa
@kmarie9 In the article it specifically mentions a student who is a graphic design major and he/she has had difficulty registering for required courses. You don’t want to have any issue with being able to take required courses in your major. So you should definitely ask about that upon your visits to both schools. Also, I don’t think the article bodes well for anyone taking arts and design course at Binghamton. I don’t know what Bing/Harpur attitude towards art in general is, but it seems that New Paltz has more of a priority and focus on the arts in general. You won’t be able to take business courses at Bing SOM easily, if at all, if you are not in the business school. You should ask about that. I think it may be easier to take business courses at the business school at New Paltz. I understand your concern with prestige and going to Bing because it’s more selective, higher stat students, higher ranking/prestige overall than New Paltz. But for a graphic design BFA degree, I don’t think prestige and selectivity of the school in general matters as much as the strength of the particular major offered, your portfolio and your internship and work experiences. Because those factors will be more determinative in getting a job upon graduation. You need to ask about internships, work experience and career placement for BFA graphic design majors at both schools and compare and contrast them. Hopefully you will learn more facts upon your visit —try and search out someone knowledgeable to ask—and hopefully the decision will become much easier to make.
I know New Paltz is better for me when it comes to the arts, but I’m afraid I won’t have the fun campus experience as I would have with Binghamton, and I’m just so in love with binghamton’s school spirit and lots of social stuff to do on campus! And the fact that I’m pretty shy so it’s a big school I would have more of an opportunity to make new friends, I wonder if New Paltz has these same qualities but from what I gathered, bing is stronger in ghat area
You may want to try researching graduates portfolios online from both of these schools (many professionals in graphic design and other related fields have their work available online for work opportunities and they list their education, so they should show up in a search). It may reveal which school might prepare you better for your future career. Most graphic design interviews after graduation focus on the portfolio and body of work that show your skills and ability. I would consider which school will better prepare you for that. Good luck!
For someone who is shy, being at a smaller school can sometimes be better. If NP is a fit for you, you’ll be around other students who share similar interests to yours, and you’ll see them all the time, since it’s a relatively small school. This can help with the friend-making.
So you went to the admitted students day at NP. What did you think afterwards?
@kmarie9 Hope I can be some help. I have a daughter at New Paltz who is a art major (visual arts), she is actually a double major with public relations. I asked her her thoughts about Binghamton arts (she has a good friend who goes to Bing, not in art but is "artsy). She said if you want to seriously study art NP is much better. It has the reputation , serious teachers that help you & a very good program. Binghamton just isn’t know for that, kids that study art there do it more for fun, not so much serious level. Also Np isn’t as easy to get in as you think, many students come in with lots of APs & it also has an honors program. I also have a son who is considering Binghamton for computer science.
I do see how the schools are different but academically it is just as good bit on a smaller level. My daughter was between NP & UMass/Amhearst when she was accepted. She to wanted a bigger school thinking it would offer more. College is what you make it. You just need to find your people. The one thing I definitely like about NP oner Bing is the beauty of the campus & its surrounding. Kids definitely embarrassit. Good luck.
@kmarie9 - I just read your post and you sound exactly like my daughter. She’s waiting to hear from schools now and Bing and NP are her top choices. No acceptances yet but if she gets into both, I’m not sure what she will do - where did you go and how did you decide??