Got accepted, want to hear about the cons (not pros) of SU (I am aware of the cold)

Colleges & Universities Syracuse University
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Hello,

I got accepted to SU College of Arts&Sciences Maxwell School’s IR Programme, as well as Discovery: Strasbourg programme.
Got no aid… though that is not surprising being an international student.
I heard allll about the good stuff SU has.
I’m aware how prestigious Maxwell school is, etc.

It is harder to learn about the “bad stuff” because the only people I can access who have viable information about SU… are in their payroll or study there and developed that school pride I heard so much about :slight_smile:

I got this idea from a discussion thread in Georgetown forum. Somebody asked “Is there anything bad about Gtown?”
Apparently, the answer was “a lot.” It surprised me to read lots of negatives about Gtown. Because it has the “name” you know.

I want to try the same about SU. I appreciate all of your anwers.

A few specifics:

-Does SU classes have grade inflation?
-How many of the classes are taught by TAs? How is the oversight on TAs?

-As an international student I am concerned about identity politics in US universities. Ironic, I know. But all the stuff I have read on “PC gone wild” have pointed the same conclusion: free speech is undermined in -some- US universities. As an international student coming from a country that doesn’t guarantee free speech in its constitution, I consider my right to free speech more important than any “identity politics” that -in theory- advocates to safeguard my interests as an international student.
I did some digging and came across this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4THEcWCpEgQ&list=FL82puWMB4KGhUi5AkpASxww&index=1
(there’s a director from SU there too)

When you watch the video you’ll see it. The real issue I have with this situation is that because those groups who advocate extreme political correctness are so vocal, they can influence the judgement of university officials like the ones in that video. I’m aware the video is a cheap ploy but the directors don’t question the integrity of the students, not at all.
What if that document was a holy book?
What if I get branded as anti-something by extereme PC groups and they gang up on me to get me expelled or something?

These may sound extreme scenarios, but only months ago a friend of mine who left our high school sophomore year to study his last two years of highschool in the States came back.
He wasn’t supposed to come back.
He was supposed to get into college there.
What he told me was shocking…
His ex-girlfriend at that school told the principal that my friend cheated on an exam.
There was no hard evidence, no witnesses, no nothing.
The first thing the principal said to him when he came into his room was that either he was going to confess or he was going to get expelled.
I know this kind of injustice may have never happened in an institution like SU, but I have my doubts… not just on SU but all universities in USA.

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  1. Some classes may have grade inflation. None that I'm aware of do. However, there are courses that are extremely difficult and the professor takes this into account when calculating final grades. Ratemyprofessor.com is great site for getting a feel for professors. I would take everything said with a grain of salt, but it helps to give an idea of what kind of experience you'll have.
  2. I've never had an actual lecture class taught by a TA. However, for larger classes that have sections/labs that meet weekly, a TA will be the instructor. I've never had a negative experience in any of these classes. I've heard stories of people who have, but if it's that serious you can always talk to your professor about it.
  3. Universities in America are very diverse places. Some are significantly more diverse than most. I understand your worries, but a large portion of the students here at SU are international as well. They celebrate their cultures just as freely as other people do when it comes to customs and religion or lack thereof. That video is not realistic. Do you really think that a liberal arts college would ban anything of that sort? Your fears are paranoia and I don't want to invalidate your feelings, but you're worried about the wrong things. There are entire departments set up to ensure inclusiveness. There are also numerous clubs and activities embracing different cultures and backgrounds.
  4. What you're talking about is a HIGH SCHOOL. Not a college. Not a university. Cheating is taken very seriously for a variety of reasons that I'm not going to go into. I can't really take your anecdote seriously though. Not saying that it would never happen, but I find it hard to believe that your friend didn't have a teacher, counselor, or even a parent who spoke to the principal. Or why didn't your friend just go to a different school?

My advice for you is to stop looking for all of the extremes in everything. Of course there are negative things. Of course there are positive things. But all of that is based on opinion. You need to think for yourself and learn for yourself. You can’t let other people’s experiences dictate your decisions or how you live your life. This is for any place you end up.