The State University of New York - Albany

Date: Feb 28 2012
Major: Communications (This Major's Salary over time)
The University at Albany has some serious problems. Admissions lets in just about anyone, so it's wound up with a student body responsible for the "Kegs & Eggs Riot," and who are more than willing to cheat their way through classes when they're not too busy texting or playing videogames in class.

Turnover of leadership has been relatively high. Core departments are being cut or can't find full-time replacements for interim appointments. All the money seems to be going to Business and Nano, and to promoting crackpot group learning systems where professors get to stop teaching and just stand around and let students do whatever the heck they please.

There ARE some EXCELLENT professors and perhaps even entire departments that are worthwhile, but there's something else to consider: having UA on a diploma may be a severe liability for graduate school applications or employment as UA's reputation continues to rapidly decline.

Safe campus? I guess. Just don't be so foolish as to report anything the school asks you to report, not within the University system anyway. They don't really want to know. Contact the Department of Education directly instead.

Student groups? Some of the ones they list don't actually exist. UA doesn't really maintain the list, and outsourced it (as many other things have been) to a website that doesn't maintain it either. Some groups claim to meet, but when one shows up, nobody's there, not even the groups' officers.

If you've already been admitted, wise up fast and transfer elsewhere ASAP.