First of all, do you know what SUNY stands for? It means State University of New York. Now, let me tell you a little bit about the SUNY system. Straight from the suny.edu “About” section, SUNY is the “largest comprehensive university system in the United States.” Do you think the largest comprehensive university system lacks high quality education, opportunities to gain real world experience, or ways students can get involved whether it’s through athletics, Greek life, or campus activities? The answer is no. Why do people shutter when they hear public school versus private school? Yes, SUNY’s are public which means they differ in sources of funding than private schools, but that has nothing to do with quality.
There are 64 institutions, which educate approximately 463,000 students in more than 7,500 degree and certificate programs, both undergraduate and graduate. If you didn’t know any of this, then you’re probably more misinformed about SUNY schools than you realize. That or you haven’t done enough research to truly appreciate the perks public schools have. Let me help you out. Here are 11 misconceptions about SUNY schools.
1. We're all the same.
Throughout this article, I will be lumping SUNY’s together, but do not get me wrong, each SUNY school is unique. In fact, each one has so many different aspects to it that I’d be here all day long explaining each one individually. For crying out loud, there are 64 SUNY’s and only one of me! So take my word for it, some SUNY’s have amazing education programs while others have exceptional nursing programs. Some have nationally ranked athletic teams while others have talented theatre and music groups. One SUNY could even have all of the above!
2. SUNY's don't offer my major.
When I was applying to college, many of my classmates ignored SUNY applications because they thought SUNY’s didn’t offer what they wanted to major in. In most cases, a private school offers far less programs than a SUNY school. It’s also hard for me to believe that out of 64 SUNY’s and 7,500 programs, you couldn’t find what you were interested in. I understand shooting for the number one program in the country offered at a private school but I thought it was ridiculous to rule out all SUNY’s based on assumptions, not even bothering to do research. Also, there’s a decent amount of freshmen that quickly realize they don’t like their original major and switch out. Now, don’t you feel silly for paying $40,000 to a school you’re only attending for a program you’re no longer interested in?
3. Every SUNY is in the middle of nowhere.
There are SUNY’s in every nick and cranny of New York State. Again, let me emphasize the number 64. New York is huge, 54,000 square miles, so it’s possible to fit 64 SUNY schools around the state. Yes, some of them are in odd locations. Like mine, and coming from someone who loves the city, I’m forever grateful for my SUNY located in a small college town upstate. Think of places you’d like to travel to one day. Want to be on an island near the beach? Don’t worry there are SUNY’s on Long Island. Want to ski in the Catskills? More SUNY’s up there too. How about lakeside? There’s a SUNY on the shore of Lake Ontario. Whether you want to be upstate, downstate, or in the Western part of New York, there are SUNY options. Wherever you attend college in the SUNY system, there’s places to explore.
4. It's cheap to attend a SUNY.
Yes, you can save a ton of money going to a SUNY school versus a private university. But is $20,000 really considered cheap? I mention this because a college education is so important and absolutely necessary in order to get a job nowadays. It shouldn’t be expensive to the point where people are denied their right to an education. The SUNY system is doing the right thing here, keeping costs low for in-state students because they receive government funding. So it’s extremely unfortunate that it’s come to a point where SUNY’s are frowned upon because people link cheaper prices to inadequate education. It’s actually a major advantage that SUNY’s save students from life long debt and SUNY’s have every right to brag about being affordable.
5. This is the biggest misconception: SUNY schools provide subpar education.
This is not true at all. Never once in a conversation with a student of a big ten school have I felt stupid. I know what you’re thinking, “What does that have to do with anything?” Well, don’t I have to compete with graduates from big ten schools for a career one day? To me, a marketing class is a marketing class and if I own the same textbook as a big ten student and have a dedicated professor, how could I be receiving a subpar education? I’m confident that with my education from a SUNY school, I have been set up for success and I most certainly can compete for the same job as a big ten graduate.
6. SUNY degrees won’t get you a job.
I’m sorry if you think my $80,000 piece of paper isn’t equal to your $200,000 piece of paper. But you know what, I have the opportunity to walk into an interview and rave about my small SUNY school. That employer won’t only learn about me but also why my $80,000 piece of paper is worth just as much as a $200,000 piece of paper. Furthermore, it’s more about real world experience than a GPA from a well-known private school. Sure, the fancy university written on your degree can’t hurt you but I promise it will only carry you so far. I’ve already had three internships, all preparing me for my field so I definitely see myself sitting in that desk over someone who only proved they can read textbooks and test well.
7. SUNY professors aren’t as good as non-SUNY professors.
Ask any college student across the country, they’ve had good and bad professors. Even the professors I couldn’t stand were the most intelligent individuals I’ve ever met. Almost all of my professors have doctrines and actually care about me. Now, I can’t speak for every SUNY but mine is much smaller than a Big Ten school so I received the attention I needed and praise I deserved. In my opinion, what makes a good professor is their love for their field and dedication to their students. I can honestly say I’ve had the pleasure of meeting amazing professors at my SUNY.
8. All SUNY students are from Long Island.
Fine, this is mostly true. In my defense, I’m not from Long Island and I know plenty of students who are also not from Long Island. Nothing against Long Islanders but if you attend a SUNY you’ll meet all kinds of people from all walks of life. You’d be surprised; there are more out-of-state students and international students than you think.
9. SUNY students miss out on athletics.
Just because not every SUNY has division one sports, doesn’t mean we’re deprived of sports altogether. SUNY Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Stony Brook, and numerous community colleges have division one sports teams including basketball, soccer, track, and more. Even if a SUNY isn’t division one, they still offer countless club and intramural sports. Division three games are still fun to attend and bring school spirit to campus.
10. There’s no Greek life at SUNY schools.
Untrue, I’m a member of a recognized sorority at my SUNY school. At my SUNY, we have eight sororities and eight fraternities, including multi-cultural organizations. No, our Greek life isn’t huge like other universities but we still have philanthropies, get involved on campus and off, and make lifelong friendships. Greek life is an option at many SUNY schools across NY State.
11. SUNY schools lack opportunities.
SUNY’s are much more like any private school than people realize. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for the opportunities my SUNY gave me. My school has nearly 100 clubs and organizations from Harry Potter club to the school newspaper, the State Times. My school offers disability services as well as regular health and counseling services. My school has free tutoring and a career development center. Most importantly, I’ve matured quite a bit at my SUNY because I’m surrounded by amazing people, both faculty and students. Attending a SUNY has given me the confidence to seize opportunities even outside my SUNY. Every SUNY was created to support students so all SUNY’s have opportunities such as these, possibly even more.
Did I sell you on considering a SUNY school for your college career? Or hopefully, at least helped you learn a bit more about the SUNY system. It truly is something to admire and I wouldn’t change my decision to attend SUNY Oneonta for the world.
