Hi all. I’m choosing between these two schools and although I haven’t visited yet (will do so in the following weeks), I’m very on the fence and would like some input.
New Paltz is cheaper (like 12,000 dollars a year cheaper), more diverse, and more accessible from my home. Clark has a better choral program (I’m not majoring in music but I’d really like to join a good choir in college), nicer campus, offers an accelerated Master’s program, and a more appealing campus culture. I am not completely sure of major but probably will do history, and I’d most likely be in the honors program if I attended New Paltz.
Are Clark’s strengths worth the difference in cost? It’s a significant amount but it is not enough to bar me from attending Clark if I wanted to, so I’d like some opinions. Thank you!
Hmmm. I’m not certain I would pay nearly $50k more to attend Clark over New Paltz. I’m not an expert on either school, though I’ve visited Clark and liked it. IMO, there is a good mix of socially aware kids and it doesn’t have the skewed ratio of women to men that New Paltz has. I know a few kids at NP who are very happy. The town of NP is great. Worcester is a city and Clark is in a not-lovely part of town. Academically, I am guessing that Clark is a little stronger. But as an Honors student at NP, you will have an advantage by getting to choose courses earlier, maybe also better access to professors? I suggest you discuss with your parents and see if they have strong feelings about the money aspect.
@ahardboiledegg I haven’t ever visited Clark but I know of a few students who went there on large merit scholarship and majored in psychology as that school is well noted for that. Were you able to get a scholarship there to help defray the cost? And they were happy with their experience there. But I’ve heard anecdotally that the area of Worcester where the school is located is not the safest. I’ve visited SUNY New Paltz 4 years ago when we started looking at colleges and the campus was nice and they just completed construction of a new dorm and were constructing a new science building and other buildings on campus. So it was a good sign the school was investing money in facilities and infrastructure. The town of New Paltz is a short walk from campus and nice stores and restaurants. For academics I think it would be good to be in the Honors program at New Paltz. You would have smaller class size and other perks. You should seek out other honor students on your visit to ask how they liked being in honors. For Clark, i have heard that Clark offers a full or partial scholarship for a masters—that could be a big bonus in favor of Clark as it will help to make the costs between choosing both schools a little more comparable. 5 years at X cost for Clark (but you get a Masters and fifth year free or subsidized by partial scholarship) versus 4 years at New Paltz. If you don’t intend to take advantage of that fifth year at Clark, then the $12,000 per year cost difference amounts to $48,000, which is not an insubstantial sum. Can your family comfortably afford to pay that difference? If not, I don’t think it’s worth taking out $48,000 in loans to attend Clark. You should definitely proceed to visit both schools in the next few weeks and see how you feel (comfort and fit), speak to current students you see walking by (we used to stop students and ask how they liked the school, what was best and worst about it), students usually are eager to answer questions to prospective students. And find out more about the history department at both schools and compare the course offerings at each school—does course offerings at one seem more interesting to you? Then based on academics (fit), social (comfort) and cost, make a decision. Best of luck!
@Lindagaf I actually think that NP and Clark are both 61% women and 39% men. But thank you, I think I might end up going to NP if the academics are not different enough for a 12k price difference.
@trackmbe3 I got a 20k scholarship per year in merit at Clark and I’ve already appealed the financial aid to get an extra 4k. The 5th year master’s would be a possibility but I don’t know if I’m willing to go to Clark just for that.
New Paltz is in a funky town with an artist/outdoors vibe. Clark is in gritty section of Worcester. That being said, both student bodies exude a hip vibe that must be seen in person, which you will do in the near future. Good luck.