SUNY at Albany Top Questions

It's a very well diverse school that has well qualified faculty members who have tremendous knowledge of their field of study.

UAlbany is a nice fit. I like that there are clubs for anyone - sports, cultural, religious, community service, pre-professional - and it also is very diverse. I would change the way foreign languages are structured. For example, certain languages - German, Italian, and Portuguese 100 level classes are only available in the fall, and their 101 counterparts are only available in the spring. The school is the right size. It's not too big neither is it too small. The concrete buildings are not pleasing during winter and on windy days.

UAlbany is okay. It wasn't my first or second choice but its good. I like that there are clubs for anyone - sports, cultural, religious, community service, pre-professional. I would change the way foreign languages are structured. For example, certain languages - German, Italian, and Portuguese 100 level classes are only available in the fall, and their 101 counterparts are only available in the spring. The school is the right size. It's not too big neither is it too small. People give me a look, and proceed to tell me its a party school. I spend most of time in my room. Albany would be considered a college town because there are about 3 universities/colleges in the city. UAlbany gets most of the flack for bad behavior. The Schools administration could be improved academically with more courses being offered.

In my opinion I had made the best decision in coming to the University at Albany for many reasons. One of the best things about my school are the people. There are lots of diverse people willing to open up about their backgrounds and are very accepting of who you are. One thing i will change is the food offered here at the Ualbany Dinning halls and Campus Center. My school is the perfect size. There are lots of students spending their times in the campus center, gym, pool, fountain, and in Collins circle. The biggest controversy on campus was the tuition hikes occurring all over SUNY and CUNY schools.

I love SUNY Albany! My experience has been extremely positive in every aspect. One of the best things about this school is the diversity, and how friendly and open the students are. SUNY Albany is a very large school, but I feel this is a good thing because it allows us to have more opportunities and meet more people. There is so much to do on campus including tons of clubs and organizations, sports, and greek life. Because Albany is a city, there is so much to do off campus as well. The school pride at Albany is huge, people are always going to sports games and campus events. Overall, I feel ALbany is am amazing school because of it's academic and social opportunities, as well as it's welcoming and fun campus atmosphere.

SUNY Albany offers is very well round and really have events, clubs, organizations, classes, etc. for all different types of students. I would like more school spirit if I were to change anything. SUNY Albany is very large, but it doesn't seem to difficult to meet and find friends. When people hear that I go to SUNY Albany, they tended to assume I am pretty smart and go to a party school. I spend most of my time either in my dorm when I lived on campus or in the lecture center (where classes are). My school does have downtown area that is mostly college students from either St.Rose college or SUNY Albany. The schools administration is really involved in students lives and does a pretty decent job. The biggest controversy at my school recently was the canceling of Fountain Day (a celebration at the school), but hopefully will be put back on the schedule in the coming years.

The thing that I find best about my school is the wide variety of people that you meet here on a day to day basis. The campus here is so diverse and there are so many opportunities for students to get involved in different clubs and activities and get to meet so many of their different peers. One thing I would change about this school is that I wish we had more funding. The fact that we are funded by the school affects our budget very heavily and we recently had to cut back on some of the language and theater departments, which I do not think is fair at all. The University at Albany, in my opinion is the perfect size for me. It is not so small that people are always in your business, however it is not so large that you are simply just another number. Honestly, it all depends on the type of student that you are. I love how I can still recognize a large majority of students that are Sophomores, such as myself, but that I still get to meet new people every day. It is very likely to have a good relationship with some of the administration here if the student is willing to be outgoing and show their interest. I honestly believe that when I tell people that I attend this school that they are all under the common misconception that we are just a party school. However, when I tell them my grades and the clubs on campus that I am involved in, it is clear that the stereotype is not true at all. At this University, it is very likely that you will spend most of your time on the uptown campus, which is where many students live. The reason for this being that this is where all of the classes are held and where many of the clubs have their offices and events. Many students are found in the Campus Center where there are a few food vendors and where you can find tables and seats to catch a game on one of the TV's, or to simply catch up on homework before a class. I do not believe that Albany is a "college town" at all. Although there are other schools which are close by here, Albany remains a largely residential area. The few blocks downtown are where you will find most Saint Rose and UAlbany students on the weekend. Other than that, most students spend time on campus or in their designated apartments or dorms. My opinion of the administration is that there are a large variety of professors here. Many are very well educated and are extremely well versed in the courses they teach. However, there are some teachers that are very difficult to understand and that causes many problems for the students who take their classes. Many professors are very willing to spend time with their students to help them, however it is all up to the student. I believe the biggest controversy on our campus was the Save Our SUNY walk outs that we were having on campus in retaliation of the budget cuts to the graduate program. However, another controversy that was a huge issue was "Kegs and Eggs" which took place last March. There were a number of students that were arrested for these festivities that took place and the students were hit with a number of repercussions such as the cancelation of Fountain Day in the Spring and the increase in Police downtown on the weekends. School pride on campus is something that varies between the students. I personally know that we do not have school pride like Penn State. We do have a decent turn out at the basketball and football games. However, it all depends on how involved the student wants to be. One experience that I will never forget at this school is getting involved with the clubs that I am in now. I believe that I will make lasting connections here which I can maintain for years, and that is something that I can honestly say. The one complain that I hear the most from the students are the dining halls that we have on campus. Everyone who lives on campus has the same complaints and cannot wait to go home and get a home cooked meal.

The best thing about this school is the diversity it will expose you to. I come from a small town, predominantly white and Christian. Coming to SUNY Albany opened my eyes to a world of experiences and whole new class of people. I am friends with people from all races and interests and I definitely could not have said that before coming here. Another thing that I really appreciate is the faculty and staff and the courses that are taught. I really feel as though I learn something every day. Even though this is a large university, if you make time to meet with your professors and TA's you can get that one-on-one feeling. One negative of this campus is the dorms. Although many tour guides will tell you all the rooms are the same that's a lie. My room is easily double the size of my boyfriend's room; I lucked out. Truthfully, you don't see a great deal of school pride. It's there, but not as crazy and shown off as southern schools. Attendance at games are low. Not the huge, football crazed, feel of many campuses. People show pride in other ways by joining the very many organizations. The food here is awful. Plain and simple. It's eatable and that's as far as it goes. Dining hall food is what is complained about the most. Food in the campus center is not terrible, but expect to wait in very long lines for dinner. The construction of this school makes it very unusual. Many refer to it as the "concrete jungle." See the school and you'll know why. Concrete pillars are everywhere with random fountains. Stark contrast between organic and geometric. The big fountain in the middle of campus is a plus. With the nice weather comes the fountain where students can actually go in, cool off, and blow off some steam.

The best thing about the school is definitely the size. Its small enough that it isn't a trek to classes everyday, but big enough that you are always meeting new people and you don't feel boxed in. Also, you can choose to live on-campus in dorms (the new ones on Empire Commons are really nice) or off-campus in houses where you can catch a free bus to campus. If I had to change one thing, it would probably be the size of the dorm rooms. I always find myself wishing my room was a little more spacious. A lot of people I know have seriously considered Albany as a school and many end up going there. I don't get many negative responses. I spend most time on campus in whats called campus center. Its a building in which we have fast food places, a convenience store, and our campus bookstore. A lot of clubs have offices there, and there are always students eating, studying or just hanging out. Its basically the cultural center of the school. Its a pretty big college town. Its not only home to Albany, but also St. Rose college and Sienna. The staff has its highs and lows. Some teachers are awesome and others I haven't liked as much. I wouldn't take anyone's advice on teachers though because everyone has different opinions of what kind of person and teaching style they like. The most recent controversy was probably Kegs and Eggs. The weekend of St. Patrick's Day there was a riot of drunken students downtown who destroyed cars and threw things out of windows. I can assure you, THIS IS NOT TYPICAL, nor was it only UAlbany students involved. The students of Sienna and St. Rose made up a huge part of the crowd that day. In addition, many people had friends visit from other colleges. I had even met someone that weekend who was visiting from Cornell. I would say there is just as much school pride as not. We don't have the greatest sports teams so there isn't as crazy tailgates as there might be at, say, Michigan, but we do have things like Big Purple Growl and Homecoming events, so we aren't totally lacking either. The biggest complaint is about the weather. Its usually pretty chilly and for some reason the school was built for weather in Arizona heat, so we get a lot of wind. If you can handle some cold, you'll be fine. All-in-all its a fun atmosphere and most of the people are open and friendly.

it is honestly a little taste of New York City, Yeah you have some of your jocks, frat boys, sorority girls, nerds, and stoners but i mean which school doesnt. Is it clearly defined here? and is everyone broken up into little social groups or cliques? the answer is absolutely not. Here at SUNY Albany you can honestly have one of the largest most diverse groups of friends if and only if you put yourself out there! the school is crawling with so many student you are bound to find someone you like.