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SUNY Stony Brook University
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SUNY Stony Brook University - Local Atmosphere - Local Atmosphere - College ProwlerCollege Prowler2.69

Local Atmosphere

C+
Where does this grade come from?View all Local Atmosphere rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

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Quick Stats

Fun Local Trivia
  1. The Stony Brook Film Festival showcases dozens of independent films every year. The facility, which boasts a 40' wide screen and state-of-the-art 35 mm and 16 mm projection equipment, is a great festival venue.
  2. Completed in 1941, the Stony Brook Village Center has long been considered the first planned shopping center in the United States.
  3. Stony Brook's original settlers, the Setalcott Indians, referred to this area as "Cutsgunsuck," which translates to "brook laden with stones." This is how Stony Brook got its name.
  4. The Washington Spy Trail, spanning almost 100 miles along the North Shore of Long Island, hosts a series of attractions that follow the route of George Washington's first post Revolutionary tour in 1790.
  5. I-CON is a three day festival celebrating interest, creativity, and literacy in science and technology through science fiction. Over 6,000 people attend each year to listen to guest speakers share their experiences in their fields.
Notable Natives
  • Blue Öyster Cult – rock band
  • Joseph Durso – sportswriter
  • Anthony Famiglietti – Olympic athlete
  • Micah Hawkins – American poet, playwright, and composer
  • Kevin James – actor/comedian
  • Lee Krasner – abstract expressionist painter
  • Stan Lee – creator of Marvel Comics
  • Ward Melville – American philanthropist and founder of the Thom McAn shoe chain
  • William Sidney Mount – painter
  • Jackson Pollack – American painter
  • Dee Snyder – singer of Twisted Sister
Local Slang
  • Chickenhead: Derogatory term for women (i.e. slut)
  • Clutch: Performing under pressure, coming through "in the clutch." Something awesome happens. "That was so clutch!"
  • Fo' reals?: I don't believe you!
  • Wats good b: What's up?
  • Wrap up: Sandwich wraps available in the SAC
Points of Interest
  • Atlantis Marine World
  • Hercules Pavilion
  • The Long Island Museum of American Art, History, and Carriages
  • Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center
  • Splish Splash Water Park
  • Stony Brook Beach
  • Stony Brook Grist Mill
  • Three Village Inn
  • Vanderbilt Museum
  • Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site & Interpretive Center
  • West Meadow Beach

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

The area surrounding Stony Brook University is basically a small town. The Three Village area is upper-middleclass and quite safe. The campus is fairly removed, so a car is desirable. More than half of the student body commutes, so they already have cars. However, public busing is readily available. The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Station is located on the northern tip of campus, and a bus that will takes you there directly from the Student Activity Center Loop. The train goes into Penn Station in New York City. On the downside, the ride there takes around two hours because of a transfer.

Malls, bars, supermarkets, and other amenities are all within 10 minutes from campus by car, but it can be a far walk. On the weekends, there is a bus that will take students to and from local shopping centers. However, the schedule is not always reliable. Luckily, there are many taxis in the area that offer relatively speedy service for a low price, which comes in handy for getting to and from clubs, bars, and Thursday night frat parties. The area around Stony Brook is definitely not a college town, though. Most of the surrounding area has retained its old world charm, though there are also plenty of new developments and shopping centers for students to patronize.

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Stony Brook Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Local Atmosphere at SUNY Stony Brook University

kbarrera

Business Management '14

3.5
B

Middle of Long Island

There's a couple of clubs and bars around the area. The mall is only five minutes. The real fun is in NYC which is about 1 and a half hours by train, but worth the commute!

Apr 04, 2012

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Local Atmosphere at SUNY Stony Brook University

uc0nnh00ps

Marine Biology and Oceanography '13

3.1
B-

Far and Plenty

There is plenty to do around campus, but if you do not have a car, it is somewhat hard. Once you are off-campus, there is not many sidewalks, therefore, walking is not a very safe option. Nonetheless, the school does provide a bus service to the local grocery stores or wal-mart. The buses will also bring you to the mall, but there is a limited schedule for such trips. The city bus does stop on campus which only costs a dollar for students. There is also a train station on campus that will bring you to places such as New York City, if you don't mind the long trip. The rates are fairly decent as far as train services go. Occasionally, the school will also offer different trips to sporting events or kayaking. There are also plenty of clubs and sports on campus that may also provide the opportunity to go off-campus.

Feb 16, 2012

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Local Atmosphere at SUNY Stony Brook University

AuraM27

Clinical Psychology '15

3.1
B-

Limited Unless You Have Wheels

Unless you have a car on campus, there isn't much to do in Stony Brook because most of what there is to do isn't walking distance. The school does provide transportation on the weekend to the local mall and other shopping centers but after a while, there isn't much to do.

Jan 11, 2012

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Page 1 of 13
User rating for SUNY Stony Brook University - Local Atmosphere is 3.5 out of 5 based on 37 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the local atmosphere on the following topics

What is the local atmosphere like at your school?

What is the proximity to other universities? Is there much interaction?

Can you see yourself living here after graduation?

Facts

Shopping Centers
  • Route 347
  • Smith Haven Mall
  • Stony Brook Village Center
  • Tanger Outlet Center
Major Sports Teams
  • Brooklyn Cyclones: minor league baseball
  • Long Island Ducks: minor league baseball
  • New York Giants: football
  • New York Islanders: hockey
  • New York Jets: football
  • New York Knicks: basketball
  • New York Mets: baseball
  • New York Rangers: hockey
  • New York Yankees: baseball
City Web Sites
Distances to Nearest Major Cities
  • Montauk Point: NY: 1 hour
  • New York City: NY: 1 hour
Did You Know?
  • Past films at the Stony Brook Film Festival have included "Garden State," "The Secret Lives of Dentists," "Shelter Island," "The Book of Stars," "The Deep End," "The Bread My Sweet," "Don't Let Go," "Almost Salinas," "Diamond Men," "The Grey Zone," "The Weight of Water," and "The Jimmy Show," and included guests like Ralph Macchio, Tilda Swinton, David Arquette, Frank Whaley, Campbell Scott, and Tim Blake Nelson.
  • At the top of the village green in the Brook Village Center, a wood-carved mechanical eagle with a twenty-foot wing span is perched in the pediment of the post office, and still flaps its wings every hour on the hour from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily.
  • Programming at I-CON spans a wide range of topics and interests, including science fiction, fantasy, horror, comic books, Japanese animation (otherwise known as Anime), medieval reenactment, and science and technology.

Movie TheatersWhat's This?

ISLAND 16: Cinema de Lux
185 Morris Ave.
Holtsville
(631) 758-4300

Loews Cineplex
2196 Nesconset Hwy.
Stony Brook
(631) 941-0124

Movieland Cinema
1850 Rt. 112
Coram
(631) 696-4282

Port Jefferson Cinemas
Route 112
Port Jefferson Station
(631) 928-3456

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Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Barbara Ross
Hometown
Hopewell Junction, NY
Major
Business Management

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

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How do we get our information? Find out here or report an error here. The statistics on our site are from the National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS database.
We update this information twice annually, most recently in May 2012, but it may not be the most recent information available for a particular school.
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