A Review of SUNY at Geneseo shows among other things that this is a state owned and operated facility that might be worth a second look. While some students actively seek state supported higher education, others are reluctant automatically assuming that cheaper always means of lesser quality. In the University system in the state of New York this is happily not the case. Many students have come to recognize good value for their education dollar can be found when they conduct their own review of SUNY at Geneseo
The Origin of Geneseo. SUNY Geneseo began as one of many post Civil War normal schools that sprouted up in many states in the late 1860’s and 1870’s as more and more attention began to be paid to educating teachers for our nations schools. In 1948 this same institution was one of the first schools to become part of the State of New York University System.
Today there are 13 four year colleges or universities in New York State that belong to the SUNY system and Geneseo is considered by most to be the flagship of the system. While it maintains its status and its bargain tuition, Geneseo is ranked as a state school that is clearly offering the quality of higher education that one would expect from a private school . There are some that would go so far as to say that SUNY at Geneseo qualifies as a “Public Ivy”. Once you know that Geneseo has that kind of reputation you may decide that a further review of SUNY at Geneseo is worth your time and effort.
Geneseo, Where Are You? Going to school in New York State is not always an urban experience. A good example of how rural your educational experience can be will definitely be found at SUNY. The school is located in the town or village really, of Geneseo a community of about 7,000 residents. The town itself is located about a half hour outside of Rochester if you need to make contact with a somewhat metropolitan area.
There is a good deal of natural beauty to be enjoyed in this rustic setting. Set in the western end of New York , SUNY Geneseo is is not far from the Finger Lakes a great recreational area for sports during most seasons of the year. There is definitely some sense of isolation to be dealt with here, especially for students who may be coming from a city environment. Still there is a lot to be said for a school of about 5,000 students set in a community of about 7, 000 residents. It can make a for a very pleasant hometown feeling.
A Fine Range of Majors. Most young people looking for college are concerned about going to a small school because they may not find the selection of majors that will allow them to sample and narrow their areas of interest until they locate the ideal major. At SUNY Geneseo, even though the overall student body is relatively small at 5,000 plus, there are 54 different majors from which to choose.
Glancing through the list of majors one expects to see Biology, English and History, a little more surprised to see Early Childhood Education, International Relations and Geophysics and perhaps really excited to see Black Studies, Art Studio and Musical Theater and yet they are all part of the course offerings at SUNY Geneseo. It is unlikely that you will give up much in terms of academic choices by deciding to attend SUNY at Geneseo.
Living at SUNY Geneseo. Reviewing the housing options at Geneseo doesn’t turn up anything extraordinary. There are some predominantly first year dorms, dorms with two person rooms off long corridors, popular 8 person suites and even some upper classmen townhouses all on campus. The buildings aren’t especially attractive and do have the look, especially from outside, of a public building, but students are seldom as concerned about the architecture of their school as its cost. For the much reduced price of occupying a dorm at SUNY Geneseo many young people will gladly forego the Ivy League Look.
Besides living at SUNY Geneseo is not all about sitting in your dorm room. There is no shortage of Greek organizations, professional clubs, service groups or sports opportunities . Students are welcomed to participate at the Athletic Center at the college pool, ice skating rink, squash courts, or gymnasium. For those interested in intercollegiate athletics, SUNY students participate at the NCAA Division III level which means scholarships are not part of the program but competitiveness and league bragging rights are.
In addition to what goes on at the campus, students are really very much a part of the small town live a Geneseo which adds a very special flavor to living at SUNY Geneseo.
The Bottom Line. If you don’t like the course offerings, if you hate the small town feel, if there just doesn’t seem to be enough campus life for you then maybe you should consider other possibilities for your higher education. But if there is a general satisfaction with most of what you see, it’s time to throw one more item into the balance and that is the very remarkable bottom line. You can go to SUNY at Geneseo and pay tuition of less than $5000 if you live in state. For out of staters the bargain is also attractive. In fact according to Kiplinger’s Magazine SUNY at Geneseo is the #1 best value in public education for out of state students at under $11,000 .
You can get good academics, a homey lifestyle, and state of the art recreational facilities at many colleges and universities . The question is can you get what SUNY at Geneseo has to offer at the price its asking somewhere else? It’s a question worth pursuing.
