<p>Trying to ignore the bad vibes here…back to the OP. My D is also starting her senior year and planning to be a Bio Major leaning towards Pre-Med. Her grades/SAT/ACT put her on track for New Paltz, Oneonta, Albany, and a bit of a reach for ESF, Geneseo & Binghamton. We did a few tours last spring and she’s totally sold on SUNY’s regarding price and quality though I feel somewhat torn not looking at privates. </p>
<p>I really recommend taking some tours. My D and I visited a few last spring and she was left with the feeling that she would be comfortable at all of the schools we saw. Not Stony Brook because it’s too close to home (almost 2 hours). There were differences in housing and the towns and cities that they were in and when she sees where she’s accepted that’s what she’ll be looking at.</p>
<p>But what I got out of being in the info sessions is that there are also differences between the university’s and the colleges. Chances to work with professors may be easier at the undergrad level at the colleges, I got the impression that the schools with graduate programs might not have those opportunities. There are also differences in the amount of students each school has. Both my D and myself went to small high schools, only 200 in the grade, and I can relate to her being tired of knowing everybody and everybody knowing your business! I adored attending Albany, and meeting people and doing things that I never would have done in my home town. You said you’re from NYC and New Paltz is pretty close, and not so rural like Geneseo - I’m concerned about that for my D, but I also know that schools are there own communities. Every school has their fans and haters, but walking through the campus, sitting in the student center, seeing if people are doing things together or just sitting alone…just feeling the vibe of the campus really helps. Good luck!</p>