Many of the bad reviews I've read come from studen...

Many of the bad reviews I've read come from students frustrated with the administration or their grades. CCNY is a public institution and doesn't have the same kind of funding as some of the top schools in NYC. So their administration is pretty understaffed and can only do so much for students. Anyone who has complained about quality of professors might think that other schools have better ones. It just doesn't work that way. Many of the research professors put their work before teaching. That is pretty much a universal thing throughout the U.S. it's their reputation they're staking, and their publications are what draws attention to the school. You're an undergraduate. You won't have the kind of attention from any professor as you would pursuing a masters or PhD. To them you're earning your stripes, and they tend to feel like they aren't there to spoon-feed. It's not ideal, but this is a very common attitude in academia. The courses are relatively rigorous. Not up to the standards of more reputable schools, but they come extremely close. You get what you pay for in terms of how well the grounds are kept. Hamilton Heights is a pretty trash-littered neighborhood. But compared to the sea of trash that is Broadway, CCNY looks like a palace. The campus itself is gorgeous, and the older buildings are breathtaking. I love grabbing a coffee in the quad where I can only see the older buildings. The area near the ASRC is also really well-kept. Large grassy fields (for NYC), and a view of Harlem.

I would take a 1 star review with a grain of salt. It's like reading a 1 or 5 star review on ratemyprofessor. They're usually just pissed off about getting a D or happy to get an A handout grade. If you put the work in, you'll be rewarded for it. Same as anything else. You're there to better yourself, so make the most of it. You won't find anything better for the price.

I can only speak for the science and engineering schools, but I think the school does a good job at preparing you for the work force/grad school. In compsci particularly, you will know if a professor is good if they push their own philosophy and get really deep into the theory. General science classes are huge and will not fail to disappoint. Math is tough, but there are resources available to students, tutoring, etc. I like taking MIT finals to see how they compare in the maths. There are definitely different areas of focus, but the level of expectation is roughly the same. Really if you want to go the extra mile, you will. You're not limited to the syllabus.
Go Beavers