<p>My D is interested in applying to SUNY NP. She likes the location and academic reputation of the school. How is it socially? She is hearing she will not fit in if she is not artsy. Is that an exaggeration? Is there any school spirit? Are there any sports teams that students follow? How is the town? Are there any sororities? She likes photography but will not be majoring in the arts and does not consider herself artsy. Will she fit in?</p>
<p>My son is a student at New Paltz and I think anyone can fit in there. The main majors are education and the arts but there are plenty of others that attract lots of students. My son’s housemates are a business major and 2 psychology majors and he has friends of all different majors. Journalism, Communications and Media, Anthropology, Pre-Med and Business are all very popular as well.
There is school spirit but not like the big ra-ra division 1 sports schools. New Paltz is more low key with a very tight knit community feeling. There are many sports teams for females and males and they are taken seriously. Intramurals are available as well.
The town is great - lots of restaurants of all types, cafes, bars, fun shops. Has a college town feel with a 60’s vibe.
There are sororities. There is something for everyone to get involved in.
There is also a lot of flexibility within your schedule. Although my son is an art major, he has taken classes in lots of other areas that interested him. Your daughter can major in whatever she wants and still take photography if that interests her.
The location is a huge plus and the academic reputation is very strong. Everyone I know is very happy at New Paltz. The students are down to earth, friendly and open minded. It’s really easy to form bonds. The size of the school is perfect too…not too big, not too small. Definitely visit and take a tour, try the restaurants in town, stop at the Bakery, the Water Street Market. There are lots of wonderful outdoor activities like hiking, camping, rock climbing, swimming, biking, horseback riding, etc.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.</p>
<p>I agree with just about everything LilyMoon has said. SUNY New Paltz is one of the best bets in the SUNY system for a solid student who seeks diversity and an interesting college town experience within a fairly easy trip to the big city.</p>
<p>I would, however, note thatnot everyone is as happy as the students LilyMoon and her son know. The 4-year grad rate at New Paltz was (2008) 37%, while the 6-year rate was a much-improved 65%. The first year retention rate, at 86%, is pretty good, especially for a public school with many students from economically disadvantaged households. The transfer-out rate, on the other hand, is nearly 1 in 4. I would be interested in knowing what contributes to a quarter of the freshman class transferring to another school. I know there is no single answer, but I’d want some insight from the admissions office.</p>
<p>Thank you both for the information. I think we are going to schedule a tour and my D can see for herself but it sounds like a good fit. Does anyone know anything about the FYI program? I like the idea of a living /learning community.</p>
<p>I don’t have any personal experience with the FYI program but have heard mostly positive reports from students. There are some posts about it on students review dot com.</p>
<p>d is a senior at NP and has had a great experience. She was not at all interested in the FYI, not sure how it is now, but she felt it didn’t allow for enough interaction outside of FYI. Kids that were in it were in the Espopus dorm, a little removed from the other dorms. Not sure about the retention rate, does seem low for NP. Lots of pluses to the school. We feel she has had a great experience and gotten a very solid education. Great location, great town, lots to do, great teachers, not so great food!</p>
<p>I wonder if anyone has any ideas for housing for a second semester freshman transfer student, . Apparently there isn’t any dorm space. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Yonkers a concerned parent.</p>
<p>There is some off campus housing, not sure how much is avail. for one semester only. This is the link posted on the NP website [Off-Campus</a> Housing Bulletin Board -](<a href=“http://www.newpaltz.edu/housingbb/]Off-Campus”>Off-Campus Housing Bulletin Board - Index). D lives a few blocks from campus, they had to sign a full year lease, but looks like there may be some available.</p>