Whether it is seniors who are committing to where they will attend or juniors who have just started figuring out where they might want to go for college, it is crucial to be informed during the college process. One way of doing this is learning what types of schools there are and seeing what appeals to each individual. For those interested in going somewhere with an affordable tuition, is in-state, and has a number of strong programs, Schreiber Class of ‘24 alum Jai Dhillon highly recommends Binghamton University.
“I absolutely love it and they have all I want: a great community, great resources, and a great atmosphere,” said Dhillon.
Binghamton University is a public university that is a part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. Established in 1946 as a small liberal arts college, it has since evolved into a large research university. It is one of the 146 R1 research institutions, indicating that it has very high research activity.
Binghamton University was originally established as “Triple Cities College” to serve the needs of local World War Two veterans. It initially operated as a two-year junior satellite college of the private Syracuse University.
In 1950, it split from Syracuse and was incorporated into the SUNY system as Harpur College. By 1965, Harpur College was selected to become one of the four SUNY centers, which is when it was officially renamed the State University of New York at Binghamton. In an effort to distinguish itself from the SUNY system, the school rebranded itself as “Binghamton University” in 1992.
Binghamton sits on 930 sprawling acres of land in Vestal, New York. Since the 1960s, Binghamton’s main campus has been shaped like a brain, with the main road creating a closed loop to form cerebrum and cerebellum. This layout has given the primary road the nickname “The Brain.”
The campus has a 190-acre nature preserve, including a 20-acre wetland. This features approximately ten miles of maintained hiking trails. It also doubles as a laboratory and teaching medium, as multiple classes, such as Wetland Ecology and Environmental Geophysics, utilize the nature preserve for projects and lessons. It is home to a wide array of species, such as deer, beaver, porcupines, and over 200 bird species.
The residential halls at Binghamton are grouped into seven different communities. First-year students are required to live on campus and are offered five unique living options. Each community has its own student government, dining hall, quad, and recreational facilities.
“I live in Mountainview College this semester which is a suite style with five other kids with two bathrooms and a living space. It’s super spacious but a little far from classes,” said Dhillon.
Mountainview College is situated at the top of a hill, and has a panoramic view of the rest of campus.
Binghamton is a NCAA Division I school, represented by their mascot Baxter the Bearcat. The Intercollegiate Athletics program consists of 21 sports that compete in the America East Conference. They also offer a variety of intramural and inter-community sports, and Binghamton is considered to be the creator of Co-Rec Football, a version of flag/touch football.
“It’s very easy to get involved in the school culture here, which was a big factor for me,” said Dhillon.
Like most schools, Binghamton requires most students to participate in resident dining plans. In addition to dining halls, there are a multitude of restaurants and stores on campus.
“Wherever you are, you always have a dining hall that’s at most five minutes away which is super convenient,” said Dhillon.
Binghamton also has two Nite Owl (NOWL) options, which are late-night dining options that offer foods such as burgers, fries, pizza, and more. There are also three food trucks stationed around campus.
Binghamton University is only a mile west of the city of Binghamton. The city offers a blend of history, home to numerous historic sites and museums, and modern attractions.
“While the city itself isn’t too lively, there are shopping centers, bars, and restaurants which is all you need,” said Dhillon.
Greek life is very active on campus, with over 40 fraternity and sorority chapters overseen by seven governing councils.
“I’m pledging a fraternity right now, but you don’t need to join a frat to have fun at Binghamton. There are so many other ways you can have fun,” said Dhillon.
There are a number of student organizations that run through the Student Association. These organizations are crucial to Binghamton, as they provide a number of services, including bus transportation–the OCCT, which is supported by student activity and free for all students–and the annual Spring Fling festival. There are also a variety of clubs, including the finance society, of which Dhillon is a part. He is also part of a couple other business clubs which he feels benefit his personal growth and job prospects.
“They have amazing resources for job search which is extremely helpful in every way,” said Dhillon.
Dhillon transferred to Binghamton University from New York University and has been happy ever since. He highly recommends students consider Binghamton for all that it offers.