Stony Brook University

Date: Nov 26 2004
Major: Philosophy (This Major's Salary over time)
When I arrived at Stony Brook in the fall of 2003 it was my first time on the west coast. I had been recruited for the Stony Brook Honors College with a large scholarship, and the price of the university was quite low. I had heard of the reputation of the philosophy department at Stony Brook (particularly continental/existentialism) and so I was excited to begin the year.

Though the philosophy department nearly lived up to my expectations, (too many profs. are grad. students or laughably liberal) what I discovered at Stony Brook was nothing short of heartbreaking. The campus is a dump, (my room had infestations of bugs, mold, and was piled with garbage when I arrived) the students are self-absorbed and unfriendly commuters, the Honors College is full of a bunch of private school ivy league rejects who don't do much except study (and they put all of them together in ONE BUILDING), and the surrounding area is impossible to live in if you are on a tight budget like I was.

To anyone living in New York, this might sound like the long island they grew up in or have visited. If you are an outsider or simply didn't grow up in this kind of environment, DO NOT ATTEND THIS SCHOOL! If you are a poor white male or an unattractive white female, you will probably not like this school. Most of the white people who attend this school are markedly wealthy, which DOES MATTER ON LONG ISLAND. If you can find a group of minorities to hang out with, I recommend it because I found them to be very nice people. Trouble is, you'll have a hard time breaking into their clique. African Americans hang out amongst themselves, Chinese/Japanese/Korean hang out amongst themselves, Sikhs hang out amongst themselves, Indians hang out amongst themselves…etc. ad nauseam.

As for the honors college, it might be a good idea if you're a commuter, but not if you aren't. They'll put you with the above-mentioned wonks and you'll want to stab yourself more than Elliot Smith did.

If you have exceptionally high grades and SAT scores like I did and are on a budget, I recommend looking at other well rated state schools (U Iowa, U Georgia, U Texas-Austin) and passing this one up. As for me, I'm attending the University of Montana this year, going on an NSE program to the University of Georgia for next, and finishing up with a study abroad program to France.

Academics and cost are two important factors in choosing a college. If you are a good student, you can find other good buys around the country with an infinitely more nurturing environment and academic standards equal to or surpassing Stony Brook (Especially if you are in the liberal arts).

Oh and FYI, if the former director of the honors college is to be taken at his word, most out of state students have the same reaction I did.