Update: Binghamton University (NY)
Binghamton University, located in Central New York, has been consistently included on ‘Public Ivy’ lists, including my own. I hope to come back to visit Binghamton in April, but wanted to provide some updated information about this, and other Public Ivy schools that I have not visited in some time. I have also tried to update the Pinterest page.
Binghamton University does everything that people who follow education would expect of a flagship state university: maintain achievable admissions for excellent students; be affordable to residents through reasonable tuition and fees or generous scholarship programs; successfully retain and graduate its freshmen classes; be able to offer reasonably priced housing options on or near campus for students who are unlikely to commute, and have strong connections into the job market for students and alumni.
Binghamton is one of the best buys in American higher education. New York residents are assessed less than $10,000 in tuition and fees; those who qualify for the state’s Excelsior program pay no tuition at all. Non-Residents are charged just over $22,000 in tuition and fees. They would pay anywhere between $10,000 and $25,000 more in non-resident tuition and fees to attend another state school that is equally successful, or possibly more successful at retaining and graduating a class.
With some exceptions, such as Agriculture and Architecture, Binghamton University offers virtually every major one might find at Cornell or Syracuse, and actually has fewer undergraduates than either school. It also offers early assurance programs in dental, medical and optometry school, as well as an early acceptance program into the PharmD program at the university’s new pharmacy school. There are also over 50 other accelerated Bachelors/Masters programs. If you’re a New Yorker (or anyone who hopes to make the Big Apple their future home) interested Accounting, and you can get into Binghamton, go. The university is the largest supplier of talent to Price Waterhouse Coopers New York office among any school in the Empire State.
Binghamton University is one of the few flagship state schools that can house more than half of its undergraduate student body, and the local real estate market also has inexpensive options. It operates on a residential college system in the residence halls, like Yale, though students are more likely to choose less supervised living options for their last two years.
No university is perfect. Binghamton is located in a region that has seen harder economic times than most, and winters can be quite cold. Those who are looking for an older campus with ivy-covered buildings will not find that here; the campus has only been at its current location since 1964. If you care about football, this is one of the few flagship schools that does not field a team. Binghamton actually competes in more sports than any other SUNY flagship university (Albany, Buffalo and Stony Brook) and Syracuse, but not in a high-profile conference.
Binghamton is a Public Ivy because it gives its students every incentive to stay. It has graduated over 70 percent of the classes that entered in 2010, 2011 and 2012. That’s a record very few flagship state schools can match.
Report Card: Binghamton University
- Four-Year/Six-Year Graduation Rates: A/A
- Freshman Retention: A
- Costs: A
- Curriculum: A
- Community: B+
- Curriculum: A
- Connections: A
Check out my update about Binghamton University!
Check out my Binghamton University Pinterest Page!
Visiting colleges? Daytripper University’s travel guides highlight the best restaurants and hotels as well as the most interesting attractions near Binghamton University. Founded by Liora Yalof and Bonnie Klein and relying on a network of parents, locals and current students, this comprehensive website features guides to over 100 campuses and resources to help you navigate the college process.
Need help in comparing schools? Contact me at stuart@educatedquest.com, or call me at 609-406-0062.
