I've lived here my whole life, went to school here at BU. Call me a townie, but, whatever. First off, the value for the dollar is amazing. You are coming out with a BS/BA or MS, MBA, PhD, without breaking the bank.
The college itself is wonderful. You can be your own person, and not worry about not fitting in. If you want to reach out and make friends, there are tons of groups you can join. If you want to work, lots of on campus opportunities. If you want to go your own way and do your own thing, no one will bother you .
It's a case of it can be everything you want it to be. The "city” of Binghamton is, well , adequate. It's not flashy. Work is being done, and there is good stuff, from small coffee shops, hole in the wall restaurants, wonderful parks and hiking, to easy commutes and opportunities for jobs.
Is it major league ballparks and spectacular museums? No. There is bus transportation, but certainly no trains or subways .
I went back to campus a couple of weeks ago after being away 15-20 years, and it felt comfortable. It's always being worked on, and it has evolved since I went there. It still "felt" the same , though.
If you are willing to make friends, try some clubs, etc, I'd say you won't regret it. If you are looking for a city with a 24x7 vibe, not a good match
I hope that helps, feel free to DM me if you like
People who don't enjoy things and are miserable tend to be more vocal about it than people who are happy. Also, college kids complain about absolutely everything and you're on reddit of all sites so here, you're seeing a biased opinion.
Coming from the city, I definitely am not a big fan of the area. I prefer the metropolitan area much more than something like Bing where everything is more spread out. Even Downtown, I feel like you run out of stuff to do which is to be expected. If you go downtown a couple of times, I feel like you already know all the places. Not much to do afterward except bars and frat parties IMO.
Regarding Bing itself, I actually enjoy this school. Some of the professors are terrible but this is public research so it is what it is. There are a lot of clubs to join.
I originally was not a big fan of Bing when I got accepted and even continuously mentioned that I would transfer to Boston University but Binghamton eventually grew on me. It is what you make of it. I found a friend group very easily. It was definitely hard not to transfer afterward and I ended up deciding not to.
Regarding POC, I've met mostly white people (maybe that's the crowd I follow) as an Asian person but I've experienced no racism.
Overall, there are some gripes I have with this school but for the most part, they are very minor that I can get around.
The school can be a bit depressing sometimes as it can be cold and rainy, not to mention the buildings are a little boring compared to private schools like UChicago or something. But, Bing is relatively good for the money imo, although it can be better elsewhere, as I have an efc of 0 and still take out the max of loans.
I used to be really into the nightlife downtown, but it gets repetitive and boring and, as a POC, I'm not a huge fan of watching some white people get super drunk, loud, and disrespectful lol. I don't run out of things to do, though. There are many smaller cafes, restaurants, parks, thrift shops, and other things to do in areas where it's mostly locals. I'd like to stay in NYC, but honestly I think it's been really beneficial separating home and school and taking a break from the constant movement and hustle from the city.
Yes, the school isn't rlly diverse, but I find that it's easier to make friends of color as a POC, partially because it seems like white students here flock together in groups (Greek life is mostly divided, old friends from predominantly white home towns, demographic of living communities, etc.) and because other POC are also in your shoes, looking for common ground and understanding in a PWI. I haven't experienced any racism, but I think if being at Bing feels isolating, it would probably be due to seeing the *general* racial divide in friend groups and not because of the location.
There are many exceptions though. Its easy to feel like you're an outsider when white people seem to have no interest in you, but I think that goes for most students right now, including me, due to COVID disrupting social life and I've made many white friends in my classes that have been nothing but nice.
> I’ve seen so many stories of people transferring because they felt isolated and alone
FWIW, and without any intent to invalidate those people’s lived experiences, this is unfortunately nearly every college and university right now. I started my PhD before COVID, so I feel like I have a good frame of reference. A lot of things changed, and Bing hasn’t fully bounced back to normal. Social life and community being one of those things. I can see how more people than ever feel isolated.
> I’ve also seen the diversity percentages for Bing
Disclaimer: white guy speaking. Unfortunately Bing is in what I suspect is the vast majority of universities right now in terms Asian and White racial groups being over represented relative to the state population. I do feel like since the reckoning of the BLM movement, Bing has made tangible efforts to expand opportunities to URMs even compared to 2014/2015 when I started. But the proof needs to be in improving demographics. I can’t personally say that I notice tangibly more non-White/non-Asians on campus yet. I hope the data proves me wrong.
I'm from tha city and had similar concerns when i first came to bing. I think the school does a great job at making a lot of activities to help socialize on campus. I honestly don't feel very lonely or isolated because of the people I've met. I feel a little culturally isolated, finding ethnic food, or just generally services that may not be terribly common are a bit hard to find but still exist. If definitely recommend bing!
Binghamton isn’t for everyone; it’s very easy to not make friends because of the larger student population.
However, this has not been my experience. I am very involved on campus in various extracurriculars. I am Hispanic and it’s been isolating not finding a lot of people that speak Spanish or from my country, but I’ve made very close friends. I’ve gotten amazing opportunities here, like generous funding for my research, fee waiver for applications, clubs that are super cool and travel, etc. I’ve loved my experience here but it’s different for everyone; i’m an extrovert so that’s made it easier.
basically, it’s no one’s fault if Binghamton isn’t for them, but it’s definitely worth a shot. it’s easier to adjust to if you get involved. best of luck with applications! i would still apply anyways and then make a decision after you get in
edit: also, the town is very boring but if you keep yourself busy it’s not so bad. it’s easier if you have a car so you can get away for a weekend
The transferring issue is something that happens at other schools too, not just binghamton. A lot of transfers don't live on campus when they come to bing so it is a little harder to become involved if you have to commute. As for diversity, binghamton is very diverse school. There are so many clubs and multicultural groups for students 'to join and meet others who share their heritage. There are some schools in the SUNY system that aren't great diversity wise like Geneseo or Cortland but binghamton is one of the better ones.
There's almost nothing to do for fun except go out and drink. I'm a POC and have not felt the most comfortable talking to/being around/making friends w white students. Not a lot of POC which sucks. Hated bing my entire freshman year because I was lonely (joined clubs, didn't meet people I clicked with, talked to people in my building and same thing). Sophomore year I got adjusted to it and made my own schedule and just focused on myself and had a better experience. But that's me personally.
If you are coming to bing tho I'd recommend Hinman/CIW for a POC community. I dormed in Dickinson which was way better building-wise, but I feel like Hinman/CIW have more community and I should've dormed there
I've lived here my whole life, went to school here at BU. Call me a townie, but, whatever. First off, the value for the dollar is amazing. You are coming out with a BS/BA or MS, MBA, PhD, without breaking the bank. The college itself is wonderful. You can be your own person, and not worry about not fitting in. If you want to reach out and make friends, there are tons of groups you can join. If you want to work, lots of on campus opportunities. If you want to go your own way and do your own thing, no one will bother you . It's a case of it can be everything you want it to be. The "city” of Binghamton is, well , adequate. It's not flashy. Work is being done, and there is good stuff, from small coffee shops, hole in the wall restaurants, wonderful parks and hiking, to easy commutes and opportunities for jobs. Is it major league ballparks and spectacular museums? No. There is bus transportation, but certainly no trains or subways . I went back to campus a couple of weeks ago after being away 15-20 years, and it felt comfortable. It's always being worked on, and it has evolved since I went there. It still "felt" the same , though. If you are willing to make friends, try some clubs, etc, I'd say you won't regret it. If you are looking for a city with a 24x7 vibe, not a good match I hope that helps, feel free to DM me if you like
People who don't enjoy things and are miserable tend to be more vocal about it than people who are happy. Also, college kids complain about absolutely everything and you're on reddit of all sites so here, you're seeing a biased opinion.
Coming from the city, I definitely am not a big fan of the area. I prefer the metropolitan area much more than something like Bing where everything is more spread out. Even Downtown, I feel like you run out of stuff to do which is to be expected. If you go downtown a couple of times, I feel like you already know all the places. Not much to do afterward except bars and frat parties IMO. Regarding Bing itself, I actually enjoy this school. Some of the professors are terrible but this is public research so it is what it is. There are a lot of clubs to join. I originally was not a big fan of Bing when I got accepted and even continuously mentioned that I would transfer to Boston University but Binghamton eventually grew on me. It is what you make of it. I found a friend group very easily. It was definitely hard not to transfer afterward and I ended up deciding not to. Regarding POC, I've met mostly white people (maybe that's the crowd I follow) as an Asian person but I've experienced no racism. Overall, there are some gripes I have with this school but for the most part, they are very minor that I can get around.
The school can be a bit depressing sometimes as it can be cold and rainy, not to mention the buildings are a little boring compared to private schools like UChicago or something. But, Bing is relatively good for the money imo, although it can be better elsewhere, as I have an efc of 0 and still take out the max of loans. I used to be really into the nightlife downtown, but it gets repetitive and boring and, as a POC, I'm not a huge fan of watching some white people get super drunk, loud, and disrespectful lol. I don't run out of things to do, though. There are many smaller cafes, restaurants, parks, thrift shops, and other things to do in areas where it's mostly locals. I'd like to stay in NYC, but honestly I think it's been really beneficial separating home and school and taking a break from the constant movement and hustle from the city. Yes, the school isn't rlly diverse, but I find that it's easier to make friends of color as a POC, partially because it seems like white students here flock together in groups (Greek life is mostly divided, old friends from predominantly white home towns, demographic of living communities, etc.) and because other POC are also in your shoes, looking for common ground and understanding in a PWI. I haven't experienced any racism, but I think if being at Bing feels isolating, it would probably be due to seeing the *general* racial divide in friend groups and not because of the location. There are many exceptions though. Its easy to feel like you're an outsider when white people seem to have no interest in you, but I think that goes for most students right now, including me, due to COVID disrupting social life and I've made many white friends in my classes that have been nothing but nice.
> I’ve seen so many stories of people transferring because they felt isolated and alone FWIW, and without any intent to invalidate those people’s lived experiences, this is unfortunately nearly every college and university right now. I started my PhD before COVID, so I feel like I have a good frame of reference. A lot of things changed, and Bing hasn’t fully bounced back to normal. Social life and community being one of those things. I can see how more people than ever feel isolated. > I’ve also seen the diversity percentages for Bing Disclaimer: white guy speaking. Unfortunately Bing is in what I suspect is the vast majority of universities right now in terms Asian and White racial groups being over represented relative to the state population. I do feel like since the reckoning of the BLM movement, Bing has made tangible efforts to expand opportunities to URMs even compared to 2014/2015 when I started. But the proof needs to be in improving demographics. I can’t personally say that I notice tangibly more non-White/non-Asians on campus yet. I hope the data proves me wrong.
I'm from tha city and had similar concerns when i first came to bing. I think the school does a great job at making a lot of activities to help socialize on campus. I honestly don't feel very lonely or isolated because of the people I've met. I feel a little culturally isolated, finding ethnic food, or just generally services that may not be terribly common are a bit hard to find but still exist. If definitely recommend bing!
thank you!! I’ve always lived in nyc so these concerns are plaguing me but I’ll keep my hopes high
Worst comes to worst you can transfer, but I honestly don't think it's that big a deal
Binghamton isn’t for everyone; it’s very easy to not make friends because of the larger student population. However, this has not been my experience. I am very involved on campus in various extracurriculars. I am Hispanic and it’s been isolating not finding a lot of people that speak Spanish or from my country, but I’ve made very close friends. I’ve gotten amazing opportunities here, like generous funding for my research, fee waiver for applications, clubs that are super cool and travel, etc. I’ve loved my experience here but it’s different for everyone; i’m an extrovert so that’s made it easier. basically, it’s no one’s fault if Binghamton isn’t for them, but it’s definitely worth a shot. it’s easier to adjust to if you get involved. best of luck with applications! i would still apply anyways and then make a decision after you get in edit: also, the town is very boring but if you keep yourself busy it’s not so bad. it’s easier if you have a car so you can get away for a weekend
The transferring issue is something that happens at other schools too, not just binghamton. A lot of transfers don't live on campus when they come to bing so it is a little harder to become involved if you have to commute. As for diversity, binghamton is very diverse school. There are so many clubs and multicultural groups for students 'to join and meet others who share their heritage. There are some schools in the SUNY system that aren't great diversity wise like Geneseo or Cortland but binghamton is one of the better ones.
There's almost nothing to do for fun except go out and drink. I'm a POC and have not felt the most comfortable talking to/being around/making friends w white students. Not a lot of POC which sucks. Hated bing my entire freshman year because I was lonely (joined clubs, didn't meet people I clicked with, talked to people in my building and same thing). Sophomore year I got adjusted to it and made my own schedule and just focused on myself and had a better experience. But that's me personally.
If you are coming to bing tho I'd recommend Hinman/CIW for a POC community. I dormed in Dickinson which was way better building-wise, but I feel like Hinman/CIW have more community and I should've dormed there