<p>I am a sophomore at Binghamton University, but am from Long Island, which is a 4 hour drive. I have been going home a lot over the past year, and bus tickets are always around 60 bucks round trip which all adds up. Lately I have been thinking about transferring to Stony Brook which is only about half an hour away from my house. If I transfer there I would be able to work part-time at Old Navy, which was my summer job (I can't at Binghamton because I have no car and there are no jobs on campus, and the free buses don't go to many places). I wouldn't have to spend so much money going home, and since most of my close friends are also home, I'd have more time to see them. I am not a very social/party person so that doesn't matter a lot to me - I'd probably dorm at SB if I went there, though. I feel like both schools are about on the same level academically. However, I am majoring in English and I think SB is more of a science-y school. My parents have said they wouldn't mind if I transferred, but they feel my chances of finding a post-college job are better if I stay at Binghamton. Do you think it's a bad idea to transfer?</p>
<p>For chancing purposes my GPA last year was around a 3.63, I have 53 credits (20 of which came from APs in high school). I took the SATs 3 times and my highest scores were - CR: 650 Math: 660 Writing: 780 (1310/2090). I had a 3.7ish GPA in high school. The only EC I am doing right now is the school newspaper, although it is ranked no. 20 in the nation by Princeton Review. I volunteered a bit in high school at a library. Would I even be able to get into SB considering how competitive it is now? (I applied there my senior year and got in, and I've also participated in a summer program there 2 years ago which could help my chances). And are there any other relatively non-expensive, decent schools in the Long Island/NYC area I could consider as well?</p>
<p>You might also consider living at home for a semester or two, perhaps towards the end of your college days.</p>
<p>You don’t say much about your current school in your post. Is there anything much you would miss if you transferred?</p>
<p>I am from Long Island. I wanted go go to Stoney Brook, but didn’t get in. I went to SUNY Albany and later transferred to Cornell. Given your good grades, I don’t see why you would not be able to transfer to stoney Brook.</p>
<p>Why have you been going home so often? It would appear that Binghampton is not to your liking, or you wouldn’t be going home. When I was a kid, I viewed going home as a big impediment, because of the parties I would be missing, and stuff like that.</p>
<p>To be honest there is not much I would miss here if I transferred. I have made a few friends here who I currently live with but I’m not extremely close to any of them, and most of them are from Long Island anyway so I could see them over the summer if I wanted to. The only reason I wouldn’t transfer is because of a study abroad program in London that is offered that sounds amazing to me; but I know SUNYs have a system where you can apply to a study abroad program for a different SUNY, plus I’m sure SB also has a London program. Nothing in Binghamton has really captured my excitement/interest - the weather is terrible, my classes are ok but nothing I would really miss, I haven’t met anyone who shares my interests (which is partially my fault). I’ve been going home a lot because I have a boyfriend who goes to school in the city and my 2 best friends live at home, and I also like to see my family. My suitemates/friends also leave a lot of the time for the weekends so even if i did want to go out I wouldn’t have anyone to go with. I feel like I could feel more productive at home because I have a job waiting for me, having a car wouldn’t be so much of a hassle, and seeing everyone would be a lot easier. </p>
<p>What do you mean by “You might also consider living at home for a semester or two, perhaps towards the end of your college days.”?</p>
<p>Here is what I mean. Let’s say it is the last semester of your senior year, and you are now going to Stonybrook, which to a certain extent is a commuter school anyway. Your are now starting to look for jobs, or applying to graduate school. You only have 5 months to graduate.</p>
<p>You could live at home that last semester to save money. It seems to me that if you are intent on having a steady boyfriend (which I DO not recommend for someone at college), you don’t need to live on campus, because presumably, you will not be going to frat parties and stuff like that to meet guys, like the rest of the girls. Now, if you were “single”, that would be a different story.</p>
<p>Anyway, it’s just an idea for you to consider. I wouldn’t live at home at first, because then you would never even get a taste of being a resident student at Stoneybrook.<br>
But perhaps later. What is the point of working at a job just to pay your dorm rent?
Unless you really want to fully participate in campus life, which in my opinion, means not having a boyfriend. </p>
<p>When I applied to Stonybrook when I was a kid, I think it was presumed that I would live at home.</p>
<p>US News ranks Binghampton #90 and Stoneybrook #111, so they are pretty equivalent.</p>
<p>The thing is, last year my boyfriend and I took a break for the whole academic year to try out the whole hooking up with people in college thing - but neither of us are really that kind of people, and we were happier together than apart, so we decided to get back together over the summer. Even if we ended up breaking up again, though, I’d still consider Stony Brook. As for the job, my parents can pay for tuition/room and board, but I feel guilty over asking them for money to cover my bus tickets, books and food, so having a job would help out with that - I like being financially somewhat independent and I’m building up a savings account.</p>
<p>I guess the main reason I want to transfer is that I’m not someone who would enjoy the typical “college experience,” which I discovered last year. If I can get the same quality of education closer to home, I’d be willing to do that.</p>
<p>Well, it seems like you made a mature decision to be single during part of your college life, and that in the end, you leanred that you truly wanted to be with your boyfriend. That is much better than those girls who stick with their high school boyfriend, and never explore their options.</p>
<p>So given that you have made that decision, why not simply live at home, which is only 1/2 hour away, rather than live in a lousy dorm room. The only reason for dormlife is to be a single girl at college.</p>
<p>Again, I would probably live on campus for a semester or two, so you will get to know the school, but after that, I don’t see the point, in your particular case.</p>
<p>Save your parents some money, which you might then use for graduate school, or to buy a car, etc. etc. etc.</p>
<p>You sound like an admirable girl. If my son wasn’t just 17, I would send him your way !!!</p>
<p>Hey, I’m a BU student from LI. Just get a job working for ESCAPE (the student bus company) next semester. You get free tickets in return for 2 hrs/week of work.</p>
<p>I’m a BU student from LI too and had the same thoughts of if I should stay close to home or move far away. However, I wanted to challenge myself to live away from all of my close friends and family so I would be more independent. I have yet to go home, even though I miss everyone like crazy. Going to college is all about breaking out of your comfort zone and experiencing new things, so I would say before you transfer, join a club or group and organize an outing so you can experience how fun and wonderful Binghamton is! I think Binghamton is a better school than Stony Brook, which is why I chose it, but then again I am a Business major.</p>
If I transfer I probably will live on campus at first and then live at home.</p>