If you had to choose.....

[MrsMcDreamy]

I realize that there is a constant debate on which of the SUNY schools is the best, but I want to be more specific. I want to know if you would pick SUNY Upstate or SUNY Downstate to attend? Please tell me why you would pick the school when you make your decision, consider facilities, location, residency match lists, students, etc. Thanks in advance for your opinions!

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[RayhanS1282]

I realize that there is a constant debate on which of the SUNY schools is the best, but I want to be more specific. I want to know if you would pick SUNY Upstate or SUNY Downstate to attend? Please tell me why you would pick the school when you make your decision, consider facilities, location, residency match lists, students, etc. Thanks in advance for your opinions!

I'd pick SUNY Upstate. I am a little biased because of the treatment I have received from the admissions office. But honestly, if they are this nice to applicants, I can imagine how cooperative they will be with actual students. Secondly, location, location, location. Upstate is (as the name suggests) in Syracuse which is although not very lively, has relatively crime-free and good living standards. But Downstate is located in a slightly bad neighborhood. I've heard stories about Downstate from attending students that range from "annual muggings" to "need security escorts". Both seems extreme but there's always some truth to the rumors. And check out the interview feedback page to get a decent idea of the interviewee's opinion as well as the opinions of the schools of attending students. And finally, I think Upstate has somewhat better facilities than Downstate, which is also a plus. But one thing that's good about Downstate is the clinical exposure, which can't be beat. But this is only my opinion so, it's obviously flawed and biased.


P.S If anyone from Upstate is reading this, please interview and accept me so that I can be your poster child. I promise to be sell the school better than any brochures or PDF files.

 

[tkdusb]

I realize that there is a constant debate on which of the SUNY schools is the best, but I want to be more specific. I want to know if you would pick SUNY Upstate or SUNY Downstate to attend? Please tell me why you would pick the school when you make your decision, consider facilities, location, residency match lists, students, etc. Thanks in advance for your opinions!

I'd pick Downstate.

Upstate has a nice library and a nice anatomy lab. The lecture halls also seemed pretty nice. Downstate's facilities aren't exactly the most aesthetically pleasing.

I didn't find Syracuse as a location to be to great. Brooklyn isn't that nice either, but I think that I would personally enjoy being in NYC over being in Syracuse.

I don't think it should matter that much in choosing a school, but the Downstate admissions office was nicer to me than Upstate's.

What turned me off the most at Upstate was the students. My tour guides actually got into verbal arguments with each other during the tour. Heated verbal arguments. Why would you do that in front of prospective students? They didn't do the best job selling their school either. The Downstate tour was better in that the tour guides actually focused on the positives, and got along very well with us and each other.

In terms of reputation, Downstate seems to have a great reputation here in NYC, and Upstate doesn't seem to get mentioned as often. When it comes down to it, considering tuition is the same, I would want to go to the school which would open up the most doors for me, and I think that's Downstate.

But Stony Brook is my true love. And these are all just my opinions. Upstate is the school for some people. Downstate is the school for others. I hope you have the dilemma of having to pick between them.