SUNY Binghamton University
Reviews

OK

Being just a plain English major, and having a basic sense of analytical and flair for writing essays, I'd say the major workload is moderate to easy.

Ivy League academics at state school price

Binghamton's academics rival that of our Ivy League counterparts. In fact, many of our professors are ivy league educated or continue to teach at ivies, most notably Cornell, due to it's close proximity to our campus.

Most of our students were either accepted to Ivy League schools and 1. Couldn't afford it, or 2. Didn't like the social aspect of the ivy; while others were Ivy hopefuls and simply didn't make the cut. It's not unusual to meet students here who were accepted to Cornell or Dartmouth, even Columbia, yet decided that Binghamton provided a similar academic experience and a much more affordable price.

As far as rankings go, I do feel that Binghamton doesn't get the recognition that it deserves. Academically, I believe we are on par or exceed that of other top-state schools, UVA, Chapel Hill and Penn State; the problem is that we lack the name recognition of the others.

I have not had a truly bad professor since being here for my 3 years. There have been professors who I may not have enjoyed, yet they were still brilliant and extremely helpful. Professors are always easily accessible and the best part is that the Dean's of the schools are as well. I enjoy the fact that I can walk into the office of the Dean of our School of Management and eat lunch or have a friendly conversation with him. Having a first name basis relationship with a Dean is something I find to be extremely unique about Binghamton.

Ivy League Academics, Party School Social Scene, Cheap Price.

When people ask me why I chose Binghamton, I give them the answer most students do; I wanted to go to an ivy, but didn't get in and honestly, I'm happy I did. The students here and academic experience is basically the same as any of the Ivy League schools; in fact, most of the professors also teach at Cornell due to it's close proximity. I have a lot of friends who picked Binghamton over our Ivy League counterparts due to the value. Also, academic rankings always have Binghamton in the top percentile, especially the School of Management. In my opinion, we should be ranked better, especially academically compared to schools like Penn State and University of Maryland, however we lack the name recognition at this point; I'd say we're on par with UVA and Chapel Hill. And of course, at our price, you literally can't beat it!

Social wise, I have personally gotten involved in Greek Life and loved every minute of it. Greek Life doesn't necessarily run the school, but is definitely the focus of the social scene during the weekend. Most people will go to fraternity parties and then the bars after, most located on State Street. IF drinking isn't your thing, the campus boasts many things for you to do; Late Night, a bowling ally, billiards club and movie theatre with arcade. There's always something going on and something for you to get involved with.

The Binghamton area is no where near as bad as people say. As someone who comes from Long Island, I can honestly say, while Binghamton and the surrounding area may be a new experience, it is in no way painful to experience. There's a lot to do during the day and dozens of places to go for food, entertainment and shopping. And another thing, the weather isn't as bad as other say too. We're usually 10 degrees colder than Long Island in the winter and 10 degrees warmer in the summer and in the last 2 years, have had barely any snow!

Overall, the only negative thing g about the school is that we don't have a football team. After a month here, you quickly forget that and decide going to a soccer game and other sports will do! I love it here and would find it very hard to go anywhere else.

Sodexo Isn't That Bad!

On campus, we use Sodexo like most college campuses. The dining facilities are all gorgeous and most are brand new. Communities also have the Night Owl, which is great for late night snacks. The union has Sbarro's, Taco Bell. a burger and pasta place, chinese food, custom salads, a sandwich place and a cafe; can't complain at all. They will be redoing the union next year and are supposedly adding a Red Mango, Starbucks and Five Guys! The only downside to the food is that it does get a little repetitive like most campuses; especially if you're not willing to try new things.

Incredible

The university does great job of having both PC and Macs. There are computer labs in every residential community, as well as in the libraries, student unions and professional schools. Printing is always easy, even when the library gets crowded. It's nice that you don't always have to go to the library to get a computer. Wi-Fi is all across campus as well, so there's never a problem getting online.

I Don't Qualify

There aren't too many freshmen scholarships, but there are a number when you hit sophomore year

From an Upperclassman Off-Campus

The first two years, I lived on campus. I lived in a suite with 5 other people, which consisted of three doubles, a common room, and a shower/bathroom. I lived in CIW (College in the Woods) which I was led to believe was the most social dorm. However, the floor that I lived on rarely if ever interacted with each other, and I wound up becoming great friends with my suitemates. If you want the best dorms, move into Newing, or the new Dickinson (when it is finally built). Mountainview is nice, but isolated, and Hinman is little Tokyo. Regardless of what you believe, the community stereotypes vary wildly, and just because you choose the "least social" community doesnt mean that it will be, much like how the "most social" community can be a ghost town (depending on the floor). Housing process is alright, and cost is what it is for a state school.

Bottom line: It's a toss up. Some people love dorm living, they love the social atmosphere, they love the convenience of waking up and going to class, and coming back to nap for a half hour (which, I do have to say, is what I miss the most). Go in there with an open mind, and try your hardest to be social and step out of your comfort zone. Just because a friend lives in a different community doesn't mean it's not worth it to walk there, and campus is much smaller once you have this mindset.

Overall, I liked dorm living. But at the end of the day, I want to drink and smoke and do what I want and not worry about getting written up/arrested, and the best place to do that is off-campus. If you don't have a social floor, it can suck, and I advise to reach out and meet new people.

Small Town, Safe Feel, Lack of Attractions.

Binghamton is a small town with not a lot to offer. They have a small mall, two movie theaters and a few bowling allies, but does not offer much else. The Downtown area can be intimidating if alone.

Classes Expect a Lot from You

... all of this because this is a GREAT school with a GREAT reputation

Mostly Awesome

BU has free bus service around the Greater binghamton area using campus busses (some electric, good for the environment!) that have student drivers, so it's a win-win for those looking for a ride and employment. BU students may also ride the Broome transit busses for free to get to places that BU places don't reach. They also offer deeply discounted charter bus tickets to popular destinations during holidays and vacations. My only complaint is that if you have a car, a parking pass can be a little pricey and finding a good spot is nearly impossible during class hours.

Campus Safety at SUNY Binghamton

The campus is a pretty safe place near the main communities and central part of campus. There are emergency telephones indicated by bright blue lights that are always within eyesight in case someone is feeling endangered or need to contact campus police. Small crimes occur throughout the dorms if people don't guard their belongings and drunken fights may break out at nights.

There, but Not Overbearing

I like Greek life here, it doesn't have too negative of a connotation. There are frats and sororities, professional, social, and cultural, there's something for everyone. But at the same time, many people aren't in Greek orgs and have great social lives. It's all about preference, and none of the orgs here are too crazy or take away from Binghamton as a school which is good.

Present but Hidden

There's a ton of people from different ethnic backgrounds here at Binghamton, but unfortunately most stick to their own kind and don't mingle with other groups. This leads to social barriers that have been established for a while.

Why I Would Choose Binghamton Again

Binghamton University is a very science and business based school. Since I am a science major, I can easily get along and have a conversation with most of the students and faculty that attend and work at Binghamton. The day and night life vary every day, which I also enjoy. I never had problems while I was here except for a short spurt of homesickness in the beginning. Meeting new people and learning new things decreased my need to be home.

Peer Pressure

Although there is a share of substance use at Binghamton University, peer pressure is not a problem. The only peer pressure someone may experience are friends convincing you during a night out.

Diversity

The diversity at Binghamton University is reasonably widespread. There are a lot of international students as well as professors and teaching assistants. Although most people come from New York or New Jersey, there are plenty of other students from around the world.

Damn Good Food

With well over a dozen different eateries on campus, with many residence halls supplying a kitchen, meals are never a worry on this campus. The dining hall menu changes monthly to maintain interest and keep students coming back. There are also many popular restaurants in town that accept flex dollars.

Dining Options on Campus

Coming from a major city I did not expect dining to hold diverse options. There are multiple dining halls on campus, and each are somewhat known for having different things. Each dining hall is a different experience, and you pay individually for each item of food, not a flat rate for each meal, which is great because you aren't locked into feeling obliged to overeating or under-eating. Food is generally good, the only thing I'd hope to change is hours each section of the dining hall operates, i.e. pancakes are only served until 11, or the hot food (other than fries) isn't available until 5. Also, a phenomenal idea that is unique to our campus is the late night dining called The Nite Owl.

Safety and Security at Binghamton University

I always feel safe on campus, whether it's a weekend or weeknight, noon time or night time. UPD circulates around campus comfortably, and there's a general trust between students to respect personal properties and boundaries.

Good Transportation

Buses are paid for in semester bill.

Taxis are also quite cheap.

Good College Experience

It's good school that's very social, with challenging education.

Program

It's alright, I picked my major quite late and I'm not sure what my career goals are yet. I am concerned about finding a job with an English degree but there are more options than people realize. I just doubt how well this program is really preparing me.

Easy to Find (Except During Finals!)

WiFi is all over the place at Binghamton, but if you find yourself without your computer handy, there are a bunch of Mac and PC computer labs all over the campus. It's harder to find an open computer as finals loom closer, but a little searching can almost always turn up a free station.

Can Be Better

The facilities here are pretty modern and include anything you could want to do, but it sucks that the gym here isn't free and taking the bus to the closest Planet Fitness can be a hassle in the cold.

Greek Life Is Popular

There are many different Greek organizations which end up being very cliquey.