@ClarinetDad16 I would say for a NY kid, SUNY is the “safe” choice. Everyone in the area knows the schools. You won’t get strange looks when asked what school you attend. Kids will be almost entirely with others from NY and NJ, just like them. They will probably have some (or many) kids from their own high school there. For some, that’s a comfort. The schools are very good academically (particularly Binghamton, Buffalo, Stony Brook, Albany, and Geneseo) and respected by employers and grad schools. For a kid that doesn’t want to venture outside their comfort zone, mentally or physically, SUNY has very appealing choices at a value price.