SUNY schools — why aren’t they as popular as other OOS schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Seems incredibly short-sighted of NY state not to have a more appealing university system. Insane.

Well, appealing to you probably isn't their top priority.

NY has long had a huge network of private and religious-affiliated universities and colleges. It didn't formally establish the SUNY state university system until 1948, and it was clear that from the start, SUNY - like many other state universities in the northeast -- wasn't intended to rival or supplant long-established in-state private universities (like Columbia or Cornell or Rochester).

New York was the largest state in the country when SUNY was founded, and SUNY was (and is) the nation's largest comprehensive public university system, so establishing a single "flagship" as in most states (save California) wasn't a feasible option. So resources weren't funneled into one flagship showcase but spread around four university campuses (now winnowed down to two "flagship" campuses -- Stony Brook and Buffalo) and about 20 other colleges (plus community colleges). A lot of expansion occurred in the 1960s, which of course is problematic for DCUM commenters who are convinced that the caliber of educational experience correlates directly to how closely a campus resembles either Harvard or Downton Abbey.

The SUNY system offers a solid, often excellent, education, in a range of different settings. For NYers the cost is an incredible value; for OOS students, SUNY tuitions are still a very good value. It's certainly provides a better education than many of the other schools that DCUM commenters talk about for their non-HYPSM kids, but apparently some DCUM families care more about climate or architecture (or some other subjective "vibe" metric) than they do about educational quality, so their loss.

I suspect for the state of NY, funding a university system that's largely going to provide an affordable college education for in-state residents who are likely to remain in state, and boost the state's skill and income levels, rather than serve as a pit stop for OOS students to absorb four years of education before they leave the state for elsewhere - is probably a good rather than bad outcome. Thanks in large part to SUNY, NY has the highest college graduation rate of any of the ten largest US states. Compared to that accomplishment, there's a strong case to be made that investing limited resources to generate "appeal" for out of state kids and their parents actually shouldn't be a top priority for a state university system.

Amen to this, too.

I live in PA and our in-state options are nowhere near as inexpensive. New York does a lot of things wrong, but I like and respect SUNY for all the reasons you explained.

Do you know why PA state schools are so expensive? The in state tuition is incredibly expensive, I don’t get it. 40k a year for penn state?!

I have a friend who is Dean of one of the colleges at Penn State (flagship) and he told me that the state doesn't want to subsidize public education and Penn State is always fighting with the legislature for funding.

I hear taxes are low in PA, this is a result of low taxes. You pay one way or the other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Seems incredibly short-sighted of NY state not to have a more appealing university system. Insane.

Well, appealing to you probably isn't their top priority.

NY has long had a huge network of private and religious-affiliated universities and colleges. It didn't formally establish the SUNY state university system until 1948, and it was clear that from the start, SUNY - like many other state universities in the northeast -- wasn't intended to rival or supplant long-established in-state private universities (like Columbia or Cornell or Rochester).

New York was the largest state in the country when SUNY was founded, and SUNY was (and is) the nation's largest comprehensive public university system, so establishing a single "flagship" as in most states (save California) wasn't a feasible option. So resources weren't funneled into one flagship showcase but spread around four university campuses (now winnowed down to two "flagship" campuses -- Stony Brook and Buffalo) and about 20 other colleges (plus community colleges). A lot of expansion occurred in the 1960s, which of course is problematic for DCUM commenters who are convinced that the caliber of educational experience correlates directly to how closely a campus resembles either Harvard or Downton Abbey.

The SUNY system offers a solid, often excellent, education, in a range of different settings. For NYers the cost is an incredible value; for OOS students, SUNY tuitions are still a very good value. It's certainly provides a better education than many of the other schools that DCUM commenters talk about for their non-HYPSM kids, but apparently some DCUM families care more about climate or architecture (or some other subjective "vibe" metric) than they do about educational quality, so their loss.

I suspect for the state of NY, funding a university system that's largely going to provide an affordable college education for in-state residents who are likely to remain in state, and boost the state's skill and income levels, rather than serve as a pit stop for OOS students to absorb four years of education before they leave the state for elsewhere - is probably a good rather than bad outcome. Thanks in large part to SUNY, NY has the highest college graduation rate of any of the ten largest US states. Compared to that accomplishment, there's a strong case to be made that investing limited resources to generate "appeal" for out of state kids and their parents actually shouldn't be a top priority for a state university system.

Amen to this, too.

I live in PA and our in-state options are nowhere near as inexpensive. New York does a lot of things wrong, but I like and respect SUNY for all the reasons you explained.

Do you know why PA state schools are so expensive? The in state tuition is incredibly expensive, I don’t get it. 40k a year for penn state?!

I have a friend who is Dean of one of the colleges at Penn State (flagship) and he told me that the state doesn't want to subsidize public education and Penn State is always fighting with the legislature for funding.

I hear taxes are low in PA, this is a result of low taxes. You pay one way or the other.

Yes, this. PA is notoriously bad for funding education at all levels. We have a new governor ... hope it helps!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Person who grew up in NY again, no, there isn't a flagship at all. SUNY is a solid overall system, with some schools better than others, but without true standouts. Nothing like Michigan, UVA, etc.

Correct. If you grow up in New York, you're very aware of the reputations of each school + what each is truly known for. THERE IS NO FLAGSHIP and I don't understand the people who keep saying there is one or three flagships.

Maybe because of this:

https://www.buffalo.edu/ubnow/stories/2022/01/flagship-designation.html

OK, I stand corrected!

(Though it does seem weird to retroactively designate two schools as flagships.)

[Anonymous]

My brother went to SUNY Albany as an out of stater. He is a really social guy and still felt really left out - pretty much everyone he met was from Long Island and into their high school clique. He did eventually make friends but his freshman year was hard and he had a very different experience than I did at a private school where everyone was from out of state.

[Anonymous]

Upstate NY is kinda dreary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYTg4GY9SA4

[Anonymous]

I am surprised anyone would have this question. The SUNY schools have zero national profile and appear to have zero interest in building any national profile. An Out Of State Student particularly from states not neighboring NY would have to really go out of their way to develop an interest in a SUNY school.

I am aware that several of the SUNY schools have some strong academic programs. If someone had a strong interest in working / living around NYC, I could see Stony Brook as a good option particularly if other schools in that area were beyond your budget or admission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My brother went to SUNY Albany as an out of stater. He is a really social guy and still felt really left out - pretty much everyone he met was from Long Island and into their high school clique. He did eventually make friends but his freshman year was hard and he had a very different experience than I did at a private school where everyone was from out of state.

I posted earlier in the thread and had the same experience. I was from a different part of NY and felt like an outsider. I transferred after a year. I’m glad your brother eventually found his people. It’s a tough place to be socially, even for people who are social.

[Anonymous]

SUNYs sound depressing from this thread.
And who wants to spend the winter in Buffalo. No thanks.
They are good options for NY people especially folks with limited income.
NYC professionals never talk about sending their kids to SUNY

[Anonymous]

SUNYs give a great education at a reasonable price especially for in state residents. Certain SUNYs (such as Buffalo, Stonybrook, Bing) have strong programs in STEM for example. Winters in other places across the US such as Michigan, Minnesota, New England, Chicago (where hell freezes over), Pacific Northwest, etc. are not any better. If don’t like the cold, move to Hawaii Florida, Texas, etc. Simple. SUNYs are not meant for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SUNYs sound depressing from this thread.
And who wants to spend the winter in Buffalo. No thanks.
They are good options for NY people especially folks with limited income.
NYC professionals never talk about sending their kids to SUNY

I mean, the Best New Artist (and Best Jazz Album) Grammy winner this year was a SUNY Purchase graduate, but ok.

[Anonymous]

As someone from upstate NY, I love/ am proud of the SUNY system in a way that’s analogous to how British people feel about the NHS. It’s not fancy, but it does a great job of educating a huge and diverse number of NYers at a very affordable cost.

I think you don’t hear about it as much out in the world bc people aren’t, like, spending their Sundays loudly supporting their college team. But I work in big tech and there are loads of NYers with SUNY educations. And, as many have look noted, Cornell historically served as a state-funded option for high-achieving academic superstars. Three out of seven undergraduate colleges at Cornell charge in-state tuitions and are able to offer scholarships, unlike the rest of the Ivy League. At my no-name public high school in the early 2000’s, 15 kids from my grade went to Cornell (and they offered me a merit scholarship for full tuition).

They are investing in UBuffalo and Stonybrook. I’d also encourage you to read about the investments in the Nanotech college at Albany.

Agree that the brutalist architecture was a very unfortunate choice!! Allegedly Albany got a deal on the plans, which had been drawn up for and then rejected by one of the Florida universities (maybe Miami?). Not sure if this is true but it would make sense!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SUNYs sound depressing from this thread.
And who wants to spend the winter in Buffalo. No thanks.
They are good options for NY people especially folks with limited income.
NYC professionals never talk about sending their kids to SUNY

Oh yeah, and that’s the best reason to choose a college for your kids, and the best use of your family resources: so that you can talk about it with other professionals.

That makes perfect sense, and sounds very logical and reasonable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Person who grew up in NY again, no, there isn't a flagship at all. SUNY is a solid overall system, with some schools better than others, but without true standouts. Nothing like Michigan, UVA, etc.

Correct. If you grow up in New York, you're very aware of the reputations of each school + what each is truly known for. THERE IS NO FLAGSHIP and I don't understand the people who keep saying there is one or three flagships.

They are clearly not from NY and don't understand SUNY, I guess they are trying to equate it to what they know. I live in VA now - also a good in state college system but completely different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Person who grew up in NY again, no, there isn't a flagship at all. SUNY is a solid overall system, with some schools better than others, but without true standouts. Nothing like Michigan, UVA, etc.

Correct. If you grow up in New York, you're very aware of the reputations of each school + what each is truly known for. THERE IS NO FLAGSHIP and I don't understand the people who keep saying there is one or three flagships.

Maybe because of this:

https://www.buffalo.edu/ubnow/stories/2022/01/flagship-designation.html

OK, I stand corrected!

(Though it does seem weird to retroactively designate two schools as flagships.)

Ok that is news to me too, I guess cuz it's a very recent development and I don't live in NY any longer. Sounds like NY is trying to do something different with SUNY going forward. Will be interesting to watch.

[Anonymous]

My brother went to SUNY Albany as an out of stater. He is a really social guy and still felt really left out - pretty much everyone he met was from Long Island and into their high school clique. He did eventually make friends but his freshman year was hard and he had a very different experience than I did at a private school where everyone was from out of state.


I posted earlier in the thread and had the same experience. I was from a different part of NY and felt like an outsider. I transferred after a year. I’m glad your brother eventually found his people. It’s a tough place to be socially, even for people who are social.

I went to a SUNY from NYC, and didn't have many connections there going in. I went to Stuyvesant, and most people from my high school class did not choose SUNY (some did, but mostly Binghamton, which I did not attend). It worked out ok in the end in terms of meeting people, but that was because I had a heavy interest in an on-campus club, and connected with people there. I don't think you could do it just through a casual interest.