Hey community, I'm planning to apply to colleges within New York but living expenses in NY always give me a pause. So, I'm considering public universities to ease the burden a little. Any recommendations?
Absolutely, New York offers several great public universities that are part of two systems: the State University of New York (SUNY) and the City University of New York (CUNY).
SUNY schools are a little bit spread out and can give a range of different experiences. For example, SUNY Binghamton and SUNY Stony Brook are considered the flagship schools of the SUNY system and are known for their strong academic programs and higher selectivity. Stony Brook is especially notable for its STEM programs whereas Binghamton is often recognized for its business and liberal arts programs. However, also consider SUNY Geneseo, which is a public liberal arts college with small class sizes. SUNY Buffalo is another option, and it's a larger research university if that's something you're interested in.
On the other hand, you have the CUNY system which is located in various boroughs of NYC. Some of the major ones are Hunter College, Queens College, Baruch College, and the City College of New York. These colleges are mainly commuter schools and can provide a very different experience compared to the more campus-focused SUNY schools. In particular, Baruch College is well-known for its business programs.
Before settling on any one college, I would recommend you to research more about the specific programs that interest you and the campus environment to make sure it's a good fit. Good luck!
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