<p>I agree with you Wennie. NY never attempted to have one main, key flagship university like Michigan, UNC, UVa, Penn State, etc.....
Therefore, no national recognition, mediocrity and many apathetic sudents paying low tuition. Unfortunately, you get what you pay for in NY.</p>
<p>NY taxpayers deserve better!</p>
<p>Weenie--I graduated from SUNY Bing in '79 as well and just as you say, the student review comment perfectly reflected my experience. It's staggering to read that things have only gotten worse over time. While colleges that were absolutely mediocre when we went to school have flourished and demand for an affordable education has skyrocketed, this particular "public Ivy" has stagnated. Unbelievable...especially when you consider that there were a number of us at Bing that had been accepted at Ivies and top tier schools and were at the school because we couldn't afford the alternatives. Binghamton was, at the time, "the most selective public institution in the nation." Sheesh, the state and the university had the raw material to create an excellent university and they blew it. And then they want alumni support?</p>
<p>I think that the school is one made up of Queens-Long Island kids because NY doesn't invest in it. The graduate departments are poor, the undergraduate departments are poor, there are no athletics, and there is no vision. So there's no reputation and no draw from the rest of the country. Very different from UVA, UMichigan, UCBerkeley.</p>
<p>Based on that wretched experience, I <em>am</em> biased against state schools for my children. It doesn't mean that a state school can't overcome the bias but I'll look long and hard at the quality of the experience, particularly the undergraduate experience, before sending my kids off to one.</p>
<p>shoshi:
I don't know if it feels good or bad to read your comment that so closely reflect mine. ;) It's really a shame isn't it? </p>
<p>Yes, New Yorkers deserve better, but I don't think it will happen in my lifetime! </p>
<p>And, don't you just LOVE it when they call looking for money? Or, how about that fancy alumni magazine? I once told a caller - "No one cared two hoots about us undergrads when we were at SUNY-Bing, but they sure seem to care about us now!"</p>
<p>NYS must make a long term consistent commitment to raise the academic standards, reputation and quality of life for students. Without this commitment, the chance of keeping top students will continue to diminish as the SUNYs will continue to receive poor reviews in the Princeton Review, US News, etc..... </p>
<p>California has 5 schools in the US News top 50, Va has 2, Michigan, PA, NC, WI, IL have one.</p>
<p>If Binghamton is a public IVY, what are Michigan, UVa, Cal-Berkely, etc.. considered?</p>
<p>All it takes is the commitment to one center of excellence instead of strategically located decent schools. It may not be politically feasible.</p>
<p>wow, i'm very surprised reading some of these posts!!!</p>
<p>...I used bing. as my backup school. Though, i honestly dreaded the idea of getting rejected from Cornell and settling for binghamton.</p>
<p>As a current student at the "ivy of the SUNYs" i have some comments. I must agree with the problem of Binghamton perpetuating a false image as a "public Ivy". I actually read the recent admissions booklet (my sister is a high school senior) and they essentially said they are a better alternative than an Ivy league. This to me is not only ridiculious but dangerous as it essentially lies to applicants. There is nothing about Binghamton that will make you feel like you are at an Ivy league. I know this personaly as i go to a real Ivy frequently (Cornell) for ROTC and i can resoundly state that the two schools are worlds apart. Also in terms of respect Binghamton is a problem, as i am nearing graduation i am seeing more and more of this. Despite being on several honor societys and having close to a 3.9 GPA i constantly feel marginalized in all discussions of higher academics at family gatherings and what not. Also a friend of mine who transfered from Berkley (for personal reasons) told me of the huge diffrence beetween the two schools and of his great dislike for Binghamton (he is in the process of transfering to Georgetown). So to all applicants be fore worn this is a State school. Also to the Alumni can you please tell me what youre post-Binghamton experience has been, as in how "respected" is youre degree in both social circles and more importantly in terms of Employment and grad school oppertunities (i am personaly interested in attending a top 14 law school).</p>
<p>Anyone seriously believing that Binghamton is a public Ivy is either in denial or brainwashed. All data, interviews, rankings state otherwise.</p>
<p>Why not call Binghamton the Harvard of public universities. There are close to two dozen state schools that are more highly regarded.</p>
<p>If you need a decent education at an affordable cost, the SUNYs fit the bill.
Forget the Ivy propaganda; who are they kidding?</p>
<p>I agree that Binghamton is not close to Ivy league, but everyone here makes it sound awful. Is it really that bad? </p>
<p>I visited there and actually found it pretty nice, the dorms were big and, while not new, not run down or anything near it. The professors there were all friendly and seemed very knowledgeable. But hey, maybe they just tried really hard that day...</p>
<p>Anyone have some good news about Binghamton? :p</p>
<p>Binghamton is not a bad school, it just shouldn't be categorized as a top public university. It is respected, in particular in NY and has many successful alumni.</p>
<p>Binghamton grads also have a pretty good success rate of gaining acceptance into grad schools.</p>
<p>rkam:
I can honestly state that no one who has ever hired me has had a clue about SUNY Bing. I may as well have had our community college on my resume. Every job I've ever had I've just worked my way up from the very bottom. BUT - I was a sociology major, so it's not like I was a hot propect. (I probably would have been better prepared by a community college!!!)
I was accepted into the U of Rochester MBA program 24 years ago, but I did not finish.</p>
<p>Yes. Binghamton is not necesarily a bad school, its just not great. After a few years i would classify it as slightly above avg. Also the environment is highly segreaged amongst ethnic and other groups (there is enough about this). Although in terms of good news there are some world class faculty (esp Political sci) and the majority of students dont really care (like i said this is no where neara ivy) so there are oppertunities to work with them</p>
<p>I am actually interested in a little poll. how many Bing Alumni on this board would want their children to attend Bing as well, and how many Alumni would feel confident to hire Bing students to major positions (ie selective Ibanking, etc.</p>
<p>For what its worth, I researched many schools in terms of undergrad placement into law schools. Binghamton's success rate was above the national average. Upon further analysis of top law schools, they fared below the top publics without question. Schools like UC-Berkeley, U Michigan, UVa, UNC, UCLA, William and Mary had much better success rates of acceptance into top 10 law schools. </p>
<p>Although not a surprise, the Ivys and top privates for the most part did even better than the top publics.</p>
<p>i think binghamton is using the 'public ivy' thing as a way to draw in students. Though it is an above average school, it's not even close to any ivy league school in terms of calibur of student. The average SAT score at bing. is around 1250, while the the ivy league school with the lowest average SAT score is around 1400. The same is true for class rank and so forth. </p>
<p>I think it's a school with solid academics and a nice price tag. If it was truly a better alternative to the ivy league Bing's yield ratio for accepted applicants would be much higher than 24%. If you're really taking the cost of college seriously, i'd pick Binghamton over the other SUNY's any day of the week. </p>
<p>rkam9 - what are some of the differences you notice between bing. and Cornell?</p>
<p>rkam9 - what are some of the differences you notice between bing. and Cornell?</p>
<p>gomaster there are several diffrences. One is the Aesthetics, Cornell looks a lot nicer (i know not necesarily worth spending the exrtra 25k on). Also Cornell has far superior dorm and dining hall facilities ( the food there is amazing for a dining hall). More importantly is the students. Although Bingh has some ok and even some amazing students at its core it is a school with essentiall avg students who are not to serious about academics (This is the problem noticed by my friend who transfered from Berkley). Also Cornell has a ceartain Professional feel to it, almost makes you more attentive and serious when you drive in. Binghamton is kind of like hs (esp for me i am from LI) in terms of the way people act and such. Not saying there arent some great people at Binghamton, there are (the friends i have made are my primary motive for not transfering ) but in general it is not the place for Intellectual rigor that Cornell is. And another issue is school spirit , I feel that Cornell students have a ceartain pride to their school which is completly absent at Binghamton, thus laying the foreground for the massivly diffrent Alumni giving rates beetween the two.</p>
<p>imcoolnow:
No, my own kids will not go to a SUNY school -- unless they screw up in college. My eldest is a freshman at a liberal arts college in Ohio and with a nice merit scholarship we are paying about $8,000 more per year than SUNY would have cost. That's a lot, but we'll do it. Second child is still in HS, but will likely end up at a big public university (engineering) in some other state. (Penn State, Ohio State, Delaware, Michigan?) If either one suddenly ends up with poor grades they can come home and go to SUNY Buffalo or something. At that point it would be out of my hands.</p>
<p>Yes, I would hire someone from SUNY Bing in an instant. Actually, when I was there the kids were very smart and hard working. </p>
<p>Here is a paraphrase of something I've written previously about Binghamton: Keep in mind that I graduated in 1979, but when I was there it seemed as though EVERY SINGLE kid was pre-law or pre-med. I thought it was terribly boring, and very cliche. It also lead to a sort of un-thinking and cut-throat environment. It wasn't really an education, it felt like a training ground. Kids just going through the motions.</p>
<p>BUT - lo' and behold! When I get the alumni journal now, every "kid" is either a surgeon or a partner in a law firm. So, make what you want of it, but obviously many of the students worked hard and met their (or their dad's ) goals.</p>
<p>It also lead to a sort of un-thinking and cut-throat environment</p>
<p>I think times of have changed and not necessirily for the better.I dont think it is very competitive and certainly not cut throat. I think the majority of students might have some high aspirations but usually dont work towards them. It seems as if they just go through the motions of classes and doing the minimal work and then going to the "Rat" or Sports Bar on the weekend( usually this ritual is followed by *****ing about how bad these places are and how much Down town Binghamton Sucks). I guess i should feel proud that Bingh alumni have become succesful surgeons and Attorneys but after watching some of my fellow "Bear cats" at frat partys i might actually be a bit nervous to know the guy operating on me once visited the "rat" (JK but the alumni or current students probably know what i am talking about). But on a more serious note i think Bingh is ok in terms of grad school apps just not very good. Lawyer2B commented on Law Schools, and Bingh does have a above avg rate of acceptance but in terms of the Law schools that Bingh students go to its not really that great. I read the recent Pre-Law handbook and the AVG LSAT Score for Binghamton is a 153 (which is only 2 points above the national avg). Thus many Bingh grads often end up at Tier 2 Law Schools ( although some go to fantastic schools including 3 at Harvard (most from a SUNY), and 5 at NYU and Columbia).</p>
<p>You are correct. The pre-law stats for Bing students is above average but nothing stellar overall. In general, the results are below the top 50 universities as well as many LACs.</p>
<p>However, the results are expected since Binghamton is not a top 50 school.
In previous years, the pre-law handbook had 0 or 1 students attending Harvard. Compare this to other state universities and the results at Harvard as well as other top 15 law schools and you will see that Binghamton's success rates once again fall into line where it belongs as a decent state university.</p>
<p>As far as law school success rates, UVa, Berkely, Michigan, UCLA, UNC, W & M are just some public universities with significantly better admit rates to top law schools.</p>
<p>Even sub 50 private universities such as GWU, American and Boston U fare better.</p>
<p>Regardless of the hype of Binghamton being a public Ivy, in reality it is a good public university.</p>
<p>I think alot of the views expressed taint the value of other SUNYs such as Stony Brook and Buffalo, most commonly known as the 2nd and 3rd best SUNY schools. You have to realize that, frequently, the rankings are cut and dry. I believe, not much further down, lies Stony Brook and further, Buffalo. Binghamton, of the three, has the best reputation and hence, will probably continue to bring in the brightest students (strictly speaking in terms of academics). However, Binghamton's money is DRAINED, they have almost nothing to work with and hence, few resources to provide their students with as compared to SB or BUF. Right now, Buffalo is the #1 research university. Stony Brook is renovating it's campus. What's Binghamton doing? Nothing, it can't do anything, it's restricted in terms of financial income. For those looking to go to a quality school within the SUNY system, look at Buffalo and Stony Brook. Grad schools will not acknowledge the USnews rankings. If they see a student from SUNY SB/BUF with a 3.8 and they see a BING student with a 3.6, they aren't going to be persuaded by BING's name. If I've learned anything, it's that you need a healthy environment to thrive in. Many prospective BING students are willing to deprive themselves a better quality of life for their college stay because these college rankings lists. They shouldn't have to. The unhealthy living environment and tougher competition will only result in a lower GPA and guess what, this isn't Harvard. BING's name won't carry a low GPA.</p>
<p>You are correct. SUNY Buffalo and Stony Brook have an upside. Unfortunately, they have been considered less than Binghamton. Is it the Bing marketing? Lower US New Rankings?</p>
<p>Who knows. Stony Brook and Buffalo have some excellent depts and prgrams although as a whole have a long way to go to be considered top 20 public undergrad universities</p>