<p>I think it's primarily based on the reputation of Binghamton. Once upon a time, they were considered a very good public university. The first year they made the top 10 (overall in the nation for value) was the start of their ascent. Right now, it'll only continue when hs students apply and see the higher SAT scores. Also, many of the guidance counselors today were around to see Binghamton be heralded as the premiere NY public school and they only serve to perpetuate this notion. For whatever reason it is, I feel bad for those who are mislead to believe that this university is honestly the best NY has to offer. As far as I'm concerned, there are only 2 ny public schools I would even consider, which does say a lot about the SUNYS, but what says even more is that Binghamton would not be included on my list. Just to exemplify their financial woes, I scored a 1390 on the old SAT and was offered $500 a year from Bing, $5,000 a year from Buffalo. Even though the offer was low from Stony Brook as well, at least they are pooling much of their money into renovations and graduate research programs.</p>
<p>From reading all of your posts, it's no wonder that Binghamton and even Stony are on Princeton Review's "Most Unhappy Students" list. I have a friend whose older sister attends Bing and upon her first day on campus she was like "What?! This is college?!" Many people from my high school attend Bing, but like some of you already mentioned, it's merely a stepping stone to transfer to reach schools they couldn't get into out of high school, or to save tuition for a year. I've also heard that Bing's environment can be depressing. My friend's sibling had a 92 average at a prestigious high school, yet became disillusioned at Bing and her average is now around a C. I'm bashing Bing, but it still is a solid school. I've heard of people who are content there as well. </p>
<p>I was talking to my friend's mother just yesterday and she said that during her time, Bing was her "dream school." Hence this explains its good reputation.</p>
<p>Stony Brook is known for placing its undergrads in prestigious graduate programs. I had a teacher who attended Stony undergrad and later went on to MIT! </p>
<p>As a New York state resident, I agree with many of you that in such an essential state and expensive place (I live in NYC), our state schools should be better. California has so many terrific public universities - Berkeley, UCLA, Davis, Irvine, among others. A relatively small state like Virginia boasts two of the best schools in the country - William & Mary and especially UVa(although they get a great portion of their money from private donations). Prior to my college search after I had done research, I was surprised to learn that some schools I considered "jock" schools actually were excellent academically. If SUNY's improved their athletic programs, that alone would increase revenue tremendously.</p>
<p>The deviation from the subject of this post is quite funny. As a current student at Binghamton, I can honestly say that most of the comments on this board offend me. Most of the posts on this website make broad generalizations saying that "this university is better than Binghamton" by citing US News or Princton review rankings or saying that Binghamton shouldn't have as good a reputation as it does because the campus is ugly or that the city of Binghamton is depressing. Is New Haven, where Yale is located, a thriving city? Far from it. </p>
<p>First, the aesthetics of a University have nothing to do with its ranking. Second, most graduate admissions offices do not care to look at rankings because overall rankings don't matter. What matters are the individual departments. For example, Binghamton has a strong Political Science department that publishes quality, influenctial pieces and is respected in academia and many political science circles. Another example are Binghamton's strong chemistry and history deparments (who recently recruited and gave tenure to Pulitzer Prize winning Herbert Bix). Both are well published and well respected. Unfortunately, the administration has geared away from the fine arts, cutting the Music and Art programs substantially because of its focus to improve the Watson Engineering School and its newly formed Division of Research. Yes, Binghamton has weak programs, but so do many schools. Funding is a problem at every public institition that was founded in the past 60 years. But unlike most young schools, Binghamton has a tradition of excellence. In addition, most Northeastern companies know about Binghamton and know of Binghamton's reputation, especially those in New York City. The Big 4 accounting firms recruit VERY heavily at Binghamton.</p>
<p>To answer the original posters question: Yes, Binghamton will crack the top 70 in the coming years because of the administration's focus on programs that draw revenue. Binghamton has a rising athletics program, draws the largest average attendence in the conference for men's basketball, and has a beautiful new Events Center that averages at least 80% capacity. Hundreds of students attend each games, sometimes a thousand or two when it is a big game. Soccer games are even beginning to draw, as seen with this year's playoff game against Boston. Binghamton has a very strong soccer program, and was nationally ranked this year. The school is making an enormous push for the Athletic programs, and it is widely seen throughout campus. Division 1 athletics are new to Binghamton and it is rising rapidly. Renovations are also underway to improve the athletic fields, with installed lighting, stands and scoreboards.</p>
<p>Another point I'd like to mention is the Division of Research (<a href="http://research.binghamton.edu/)%5B/url%5D">http://research.binghamton.edu/)</a>. Binghamton is making a valient effort to become a top tier Research institution and the University has finally established Research space by renovating an old NYSEG building just adjacent to campus. Research grants are slowly beginning to be won by the University because of the quality of Research the University puts out. Binghamton has even established a business incubator and now has the potential to compete with many surrounding Universities.</p>
<p>Alumni support is also on the rise. You cannot compare Alumni support at schools like Michigan, UVA, or other top public University's to Binghamton because Binghamton is still a fairly young institution. The University's endowment stands at about $52 million, with over $44 million of that number coming from the previous campaign, which ran from 1997 to 2003. Another campaign is in the works that will hopefully bring the endowment over $100 million. </p>
<p>The school is also making huge efforts to improve aesthetics, with the Old Union planned to be renovated in the next 4 years and new or renovated dorms for the Newing and Dickenson communities (which still hasn't been decided). The money has already been allocated for both projects. Furthermore, plans are in the works to renovate all of the science buildings on campus and eventually a new engineering building for the growing program (which recently started a Bioengineering program)</p>
<p>Also, the $29 million downtown center is about to begin construction, with a projected opening date in Fall of 2007. The Provost has plans for a new college (School of Public Affairs) to be housed at this complex. Included in this school is the newly established Public Policy program, School of Human Development and the School of Education (which plans to start an undergraduate program). By bringing all of these schools downtown, more space will be available for Harpur College and the expanding Decker School of Nursing. It is the hope that the downtown center will invigorate the downtown core and give the University a stronger presence in the city. </p>
<p>The graduate program, which has traditionally been a weakness, is also on the rise, with more competetive stipends helping to recruit more quality students. The grad. program has a long way to go, but there are strong efforts to improve it. </p>
<p>For those who say Binghamton is stagnant, I don't know what to tell you, other than to read and research more before making broad generalizations that rely on US News data. It wouldn't surprise me that flagship University's and wealthier schools pay off US news in order to get a more respectable ranking. </p>
<p>The only reason that Buffalo and Stony Brook are larger and more well known is because it has more professional schools. Buffalo doesn't have many strong professional programs to begin with and Stony Brook is nothing but a commuter school with medicore programs and faculty. The faculty that is decent usually leaves and many have come to Binghamton. </p>
<p>Oh, and by the way, I'm an out of state student that chose Binghamton because my home state's public school is more expensive than Binghamton and I get a better education here. </p>
<p>For those who are truely interested in the University's not too distant future, go to the website and look for the strategic plan. The resources are in place for Binghamton to become the flagship University of the SUNY system. All they need now is a football team.</p>
<p>Bingstudent, you mentioned that Bing has a strong Poly Sci program. I know this is off-topic, but where would you estimate Binghamton is on the political spectrum? Left? Right? I've read that the city itself is somewhat conservative.</p>
<p>rediculous? do u mean ridiculous?</p>
<p>why do people comment on someone's spelling or grammar? does it make them look dumber and the person who pointed it out smarter? sheesh</p>
<p>QNYergrl: I am not sure on the department, but as the student body as a whole, it is very mixed. You have very liberal students to very conservative students. On the whole, however, I would imagine that it is more liberal. But, when I came here I was surprised how many conservative students there were. </p>
<p>I would also like to point out that at the last basketball game, the school set a record for student attendence. The athletics program is growing here. Also check out this weeks pipe dream: <a href="http://www.bupipedream.com%5B/url%5D">http://www.bupipedream.com</a> They talk about the school's future on the front page.</p>
<p>BingStudent,
It is good to hear that Binghamton is making strides in becoming a better university. Unfortunately, I believe it is doubtful that it willl become a Top 50 Universtiy anytime soon.</p>
<p>In addition, I doubt it will be considered a top 100 feeder school to premiere grad programs. </p>
<p>NYS needs to make a commitment to one flagship school so it can have at least one excellent public university. There are certainly enough qualified students in NY.</p>
<p>Unfortunately Binghamton is either staying in same ranking or getting worse. I know SUNY Geneseo has passed Binghamton in some departments. I don't know about Stony Brook but I heard that the undergraduate program there is HORRIBLE. Stony Brook is good for Graduates. </p>
<p>Binghamton is OK in general. But some other SUNYs have way better programs than Bing. For example, if you're looking for Science, Arts, Theater, Math, some things related to these, Geneseo has much and much better department for Binghamton. I can guarantee you that.</p>
<p>Binghamton will probably remain in the same grouping of peer schools + or - several spots.
Apparently the SUNYs had a better reputations in the past. While other states built up their programs, the SUNYs were stagnant.</p>
<p>As for athletics, the men's lacrosse team is up & coming and it's a D1 program.</p>
<p>The overall consensus of CC, Princeton Review, **************, USNews, etc... is that Binghamton University will continue to be a decent school but will never be considered a public elite as Michigan, UVa, Berkeley and UCLA. They have a long way to go to be considered in this group. </p>
<p>Perhaps they should follow the model of U of MD which made a major effort upgrading their school and have the results to show for it.</p>
<p>If NY wants to focus on having one top 50 university perhaps they should invest $$$ in upgrading the academics by attracting top profs, reducing the high student teacher ratio and enahncing the athletic program. NY seems to have their resources spread too thin in order to accomplish this. On the other hand, look how many top 50 universities CA has.</p>
<p>contrary to the enthusiasm of Bingstudent, he is caught up in trying to make a silk purse from a sow's ear. Until such point that the state of New York wants to believe that it does need a flagship of its SUNY system -- and then fund it, Binghamton will stay right where it is. Even with the best attempts to revive its once-okay reputation, it will hover in the 70s for a very long time. Matter of fact, the transfer rate out of Binghamton remains among the highest in the Northeast if not the East. It's losing its best and brightest who realize almost as soon as they set foot on the campus that this is not the place for them; they're soon transfering out to Cornell, Colgate, Georgetown, NYU, Penn State, Bucknell, Lehigh, even Syracuse. In the meantime, Binghamton's "status" as the best of the SUNYs has been usurped by Geneseo. Can Albany and Stony Brook be far behind? Why don't the politicians in Albany see what could happen with Binghamton and then make it happen instead of maintaining a laissez-faire attitude. With the right leadership, Binghamton could be among the top state universities in the East but even Delaware, UConn and possibly UMass and UVM have surpassed it. In a state that is as rich and as powerful as New York, why doesn't it boast a Berkeley? Poorer states sure support their campuses in Ann Arbor, Charlottesville, Madison and Chapel Hill.</p>
<p>Reading this thread is personally very frustrating. My kids are nearing college age and I keep hearing about the "wow" schools I would have dismissed as beneath my notice those many years ago. Kids with B averages in non-honors classes went to Lehigh and Lafayette. Kids with B+ averages in a mix of honors and regular classes went to Tufts. The kids who went to Bing my year consisted of 5 top 5% kids with grades in the A/A+ range. One was the salutatorian from the school. Each and every one of us had acceptances to tippy top tier schools. At at a time when competition for college admission is at its peak and other long time lesser schools have risen to the top of the heap, it's infuriating to see how low this school has sunk. Right or wrong, irrational or not, it feels like a betrayal. By the school. By the state. Just out of curiousity, can anyone point to another school that has had such a decline?</p>
<p>My education has not kept me from achieving what I wanted in life and of course one can achieve whatever one seeks...but it's annoying to have one's school seen at best as an unknown and at worst as an obstacle. My husband attended Harvard. I have watched him be approached for jobs because of that Harvard sticker. I've also seen that the credential has been, at times, necessary to make the cut to the next professional step. As weenie said in an earlier post, I've ALWAYS had to prove myself worthy again and again and again. I might as well have gone to our community college. There's no shorthand on my resume to tell people I'm smart.</p>
<p>The SUNY system is so huge and tries to be all things to all students. It can't, won't and doesn't work. Alums are trying to make Binghamton the flagship university of the system, but it won't happen because of the deadlock in Albany; also, it's been surpassed by the smaller Geneseo. Binghamton is a school for those who got rejected by better schools; it's got a "loser" reputation despite attempts by its current students to say it was a good deal. </p>
<p>If you want even more negative reaction, go onto <a href="http://www.studentsreview.com%5B/url%5D">www.studentsreview.com</a> and look at the comments there. One calls the place a toilet. Another proclaims: DO NOT GO TO BINGHAMTON!</p>
<p>Binghamton also has the highest transfer rate in the Northeast, especially those who know that they can do better. A couple of those thank Binghamton for letting them know where they DON'T want to be while others regret having decided to go there in the first place.</p>
<p>If there's a state that needs a flagship, Big 10-type state university, it's New York. And the perfect place would be Binghamton. But it just ain't gonna happen.</p>
<p>BTW, Shoshi, Binghamton is a place for B+/A- students who were underachievers in high school (thus rejected by better schools) and for A students who can't afford higher priced, prestigious schools (mostly likely denied scholarships or adequate financial aid). </p>
<p>Whatever reputation for academic excellence Binghamton enjoyed in the '70s and early '80s has been eclipsed by its current malaise.</p>
<p>Shoshi, you asked: "Just out of curiousity, can anyone point to another school that has had such a decline?"</p>
<p>The answer is to my knowledge probably not. A few have come close but have been rejuvenated within the past few years. These schools include Ohio University (in competition with Ohio State and Miami of Ohio for state funds), Rutgers (which is on a resurgence especially with its reorganization of its three main campuses), U of Arizona (again competition with Arizona State for funds since ASU is trying to be the largest state university system in the US in terms of total student enrollment), Colorado State (again competition from its "sister school" in Boulder), and URI (which has admitted a large number of out-of-staters to revitalize it). Even with the drops in quality and reputation at these schools a few years back, someone in the state political heirarchy held out a safety net for them so they wouldn't fall too far too fast. Binghamton had no such fairy godmother or guardian angel -- and still doesn't.</p>
<p>"BTW, Shoshi, Binghamton is a place for B+/A- students who were underachievers in high school (thus rejected by better schools) and for A students who can't afford higher priced, prestigious schools (mostly likely denied scholarships or adequate financial aid)."</p>
<p>Yup, that was my story. I was admitted to better schools but didn't receive financial aid. Same with the others who went when I did. I think in my day you did need an average somewhere in the vicinity of A to get in but even then, during the "most selective public institution in the nation" days, the school was mediocre. I graduated with a 4.0 without ever feeling that I was working as hard as I had in high school honors/AP classes.</p>
<p>Well, this is somewhat depressing/frustrating for a New York student looking to transfer our of Hofstra University. I've encounter downs socially and academically here at Hofstra, and I don't feel it's worth the money (which even with almost half my tuition paid for, is 60k after 4 years). So, I'm looking to better schools with my 3.89 GPA, knowing I can thrive in a better atmosphere (I WANT to get a great education and work my ass off).</p>
<p>Yet, as I look at all these top universities, one being Michigan AA, that are public schools... I see that they are just so expensive. I am trying to see if there is a New York equivalent, but it seems I won't find one. I've heard bad things about Bing from people I personally know; I've never heard something good about the school--and it's the best state school in New York!!!</p>
<p>So, it kind of sucks to be in New York. It's a shame, New York is a powerful state, you'd think they'd use their power to get themselves at least one great university, but they have a bunch of mediocre ones instead.</p>
<p>It is definetly a downer for me. I don't know what to do. I guess I have to settle with a SUNY or pay more for a school like Michigan.</p>
<p>As far as out of state publics; Michigan is quite expensive. Publics that are more reasonable include:</p>
<p>Penn State
U of MD </p>
<p>I am sure there are others whcih could be a compromise between the higher cost schools and SUNY. Depending upon your interests, you can find plenty of schools with stronger programs than Binghamton.</p>
<p>Don't give up. There are options depending on your interests. Don't limit your search to public universities: You may find that you can get a private university to send $$ your way too.</p>