Jennifer Flieger

Review of Stony brook university

I absolutely loved Stony Brook (I did both my Unde...

I absolutely loved Stony Brook (I did both my Undergraduate and Graduate degrees there) and consider the time spent there to be some of the best years of my life. Going here was one of the best decisions of my life! I was also able to obtain a teaching position before I had even graduated (And, no, I do not know anyone in the school that I teach at) and was specifically told by my school that they often look for Stony Brook graduates because of the rigor of the academic programs. The majority of my professors went above and beyond in and out of the classroom to provide their students with many opportunities for success. Did I have some professors that I didn't care for? Sure, but I still felt that they were competent and knowledgable in their fields. My classes for my particular major were small but some of DEC requirements had large classes, which didn't bother me.

I love the independence of Stony Brook and feel that this is a vital skill as well. I have since completed course work in various professional development programs and I hated that these programs forced you to sit with advisors prior to registering or registered for you. At Stony Brook, you have the freedom to select classes and your schedule, which I loved. There are services available if you need help but if you don't, it's not required.

I was a commuter and still became involved in many on campus activities and made plenty of friends. The food was fine, with lots of options. The tuition is obviously very affordable if you are a state resident. Stony Brook really is what you make of it. If you go there with a poor attitude and do not seek out opportunities to make the most of your education, you will probably have a negative experience. Seek out activities, go to your Professors' office hours, work on research projects with them, etc. I have a friends who transferred to Stony Brook from smaller, out of state/in state schools and they hated it because they wanted small classes and advisors and professors who lead you by the hand. You will not get that at Stony Brook but you will get a quality education for a great price!

I am looking into possibly returning to Stony Brook for a Ph.D. I cannot say enough good things about Stony Brook!