SUNY Purchase?- Page 2

[Perfectly Marvelous]

Posted: 1/27/10 at 3:02pm

I went on a tour a while ago (I think it was 2004-2005) and wasn't that impressed by the campus or their acting program. But that's me. Since I don't know much about their literature program, it would be unfair to judge.

SUNY Stony Brook and Hofstra are considerably larger campuses, but I know a few people who go to Hofstra and love it.

In any case, I hope your son is able to get all the info he needs when he goes on the tour for Purchase, and best of luck to him wherever he ends up going.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 1/27/10 at 5:12pm

er, am I the only one who thinks it odd that (it seems) the most important consideration is that it's in the NYC metro area?

Seems to me, and maybe it's cause of when I went to college, that THE single most important consideration should be the BEST school he can get into for the money you have to spend.

His choice of college is one of the most important decisions of his (and your) life, and I can just only imagine how my parents would have reacted if I told them that I wanted to be at a college in a specific location.

My father would have said..."pay for it then".

It's quality of education for the money you can afford that should be your (and his) primary consideration......I mean it sounds like where he can play is more important than where he can learn.

just my two pfennigs worth...

[Elphaba]

Posted: 1/27/10 at 5:44pm

just re-read that, and didn't mean it to sound as if I was attacking.....sorry if it came out that way....it just really threw me for a loop

[eponine88]

Posted: 1/27/10 at 7:11pm

Elphaba- I know that when I was deciding what college to go to, location played a HUGE part in my decision. I'm a NYC native, so I knew that I wouldn't be able to function well without access to a major city and the cultural experiences that such cities provide. In addition, going to school in NYC has afforded me more opportunities for internships and other activities that have enhanced my education outside of the classroom. Not to mention that now that I am choosing a graduate program I am not applying to ANY schools outside of the metropolitan area because I want my externship to be in the area where I actually hope to practice. So while location may not have been THE most important factor for my when choosing undergrad, I can certainly understand why it might be a crucial point for some people.


As for the question asked by the OP- as I have never attended Purchase, I can't offer any firsthand opinion of it. All of my information is second hand but I can say that the only people I know who have gone there were not at all focused on academics and merely wanted a (relatively) cheap school where they could party. I know that this doesn't say anything about the quality of the programs there, but it may speak to the caliber of the student body to an extent. That being said, I feel like I do have to put in the disclaimer that my information is second hand and that my sample is not necessarily representative of the student body population as a whole, etc.

[karen24]

Posted: 1/27/10 at 8:25pm

Actually, it was kind of helpful to have the geographic area narrowed down for us. There are so many good schools out there that it can be overwhelming for a kid unless he/she has SOME idea of where they want to be. He was born in Westchester and grew up there until we moved upstate 2 years ago, so is very familiar with NYC and loves it. We had plenty of schools to choose from in the NY metro area that fit his and our criteria.
I really don't think he wants to be near NYC to "play," either, but more for all of the reasons that were mentioned above. When he is in the city he visits museums, goes to shows, etc. Sure, he'll be going to concerts and clubs, too, I'm sure, but I really do think he will take advantage of everything NYC offers culturally.

[D2]

Posted: 1/27/10 at 9:41pm

Karen, I contacted my friend's daughter, and she had this to say about SUNY Purchase:

"Ok, aside from the campus being weird/ugly and that it feels like the weather's always rainy, I recommend Purchase for the conservatories and for the liberal arts majors when the student knows what he/she wants to pursue. I'd say Purchase would not be a good choice for the type of student who likes to dillydally and have the frat-house, binge-drinking college experience. That being said, I also think that the students who enter the conservatories, whether it's Visual Arts, Theater Arts and Film, etc, have to know exactly what they're looking for and have to be serious about what they want to pursue. And the student has to NOT expect the professors to hold their hands while, for example, choosing internships and things like that. Help is always available, but he/she needs to be direct with what he/she wants.

In this case of this student, he seems to know what he wants which is a good sign and the fact that he is interested in the arts while in a non-conservatory major is completely fine. He can still audition for plays that the college or his peers would put on (in their senior projects). You don't have to be in the acting conservatory to be a good actor, or get good experience in the craft. A huge part of it, however, is TAKING those opportunities when he sees them because there are many."

I hope this helps you.

[karen24]

Posted: 1/27/10 at 9:55pm

D2, many thanks, that is very helpful! We live in Rochester, so believe me, we think Westchester is amazingly sunny And I know he's not interested in the frat/sports experiences that say "college" to a lot of kids. I mean, he was looking at schools in NYC where the dorms are in high-rises and there's really no "campus" at all. It's really good to hear that the arts experiences (trying out for plays, etc) are open to non-conservatory students, too, as I'm sure he'd like to do that. He's in many different activities at HS now, leading several of them, so he has no problem taking the initiative and going for things.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 1/27/10 at 10:29pm

point taken, eponine