jmcomicÂþ»­

I should start with the good things about Stony Brook. You'll get the most out of this school if you're focused on academics, driven, and don't mind missing out on some/most aspects of a wilder college life (though you may appreciate the sketchy frat parties). Stony Brook has amazing resources for STEM research, especially in biology/clinical medicine. I majored in biology with a computational focus and took several classes in upper division physics as well, so I can say for certain that the school... Read More has excellent instructors for these fields - it's also an excellent school for applied math. If academics are your only concern then I recommend this school 100%, especially if you're pre-med. A biology degree from this school actually means something.

The negative aspects of Stony Brook are its remoteness and its amenities (or lack thereof). It's a big commuter school and in a quieter area - it will be very hard to get around without a car, and parking is ridiculously expensive (last I heard). There are county buses, which are free for students on weekends, and a few shuttles, including weekend shuttles for grocery shopping. But as of 2024, you were required to pay for the stupidly overpriced on-campus meal plan in your freshman year, and for every year after depending on where you were housed. This brings me to the issue of amenities: there are a variety of food options but most of them are pricey if you're not on the dining plan, and food quality is often poor and even dangerous. There are good parts and bad parts. As for housing: there are some dorm buildings that are actually suitable for human habitation, but many of them have mold and/or insects. It's also very hard to end up with roommates that match your preferences, and Stony Brook makes it very difficult to change dorms. Keep in mind that these are common issues at a lot of universities, but the thing is, with Stony Brook it's physically harder to get away. The campus is small and there's not a whole lot to do there or in surrounding area; however, there is a train station on campus where you can get to NYC in hours, which is a cool perk.

However, it is more than possible to have good experiences here if you're willing to put up with that. There are fun campus events, some beautiful sights and places to hang out, and the main academic mall has a bustling energy on weekdays that feels perfect for a college campus. You won't have a problem finding friends if you're willing to put yourself out there. Especially if you're an introverted academic, you'll get a lot out of this place, and have a fairly valuable degree to boot. We also have our dramas, campus lore, and cool buildings to explore late at night (check out the physics building).

I graduated from SBU in 2022. During my time here, the school looked at students as nothing more than a way to get money in exchange for an education that made you feel unsupported in every way possible. Professors never had time for students outside of office hours for any large science or lecture class. All the "teaching" fell on the TAs (shoutout to the Orgo TAs, you guys were gods). Classes were also so big that exams had to be taken at 7:15 at night since multiple rooms were needed to accommodate... Read More students across the two lecture sections offered per semester. The majority of professors did not care about helping you pass, and the "joke" (which may be true) is that professors are only there to do research, and there is a clause in their contracts requiring them to teach as well. Similarly, math classes had averages of 35% despite students constantly studying and attending lectures. It comes down to feeling like you are not being taught in the majority of these classes, it is all self-teaching and the resources are limited in doing so. The only place that I had a sense of community was in the University Scholars program, from which I have heard has now gone by the wayside as they pushed the director out.
The school also has very limited mental health support, I know of two different friends went to the ED at SBUH in a mental health crisis due to the academic stress and lack of support from the university. I'm not saying a school should coddle you or just pass you, but students are there to learn, engage in thought-provoking conversations, and prepare ourselves for our careers. SBU does a terrible job of supporting any of these goals and is not worth the time or money to attend (even if you're in-state).
I will say, I double majored in psychology and took a few other classes in sociology, music, and public health writing and I do want to note that while some of these classes had their own faults, they were significantly better in terms of teaching and I had a much better experience overall. However, SBU is constantly slashing funding for the humanities and perpetuates the stigma against these classes and their students, so take this information with a grain of salt.

Overall Stony Brook University was a great school for the price it is at. I am content with the education, services, and campus experience I had. I was able to graduate without being ridden with student loan debt yet experience a fulfilling college experience. They have very competitive STEM programs and a wide variety of skilled professors. The campus itself is quite nice, not too big, not too small. It is quite quiet on the weekends with a large majority of the student base being commuters so do... Read More your best to join a club or two.

Stony Brook University has an excellent graduate neuroscience program led by professors who are passionate about their research and are very supportive of their students. They offer excellent mentorship to help their graduate students further their careers. However, graduate students are paid below minimum wage for the area, and this makes it difficult for them to support themselves and focus on their research. If students were paid a livable wage then it would greatly increase the reputation of... Read More the school.

I transferred into Stony Brook University from my community college to do the second half of my 4-year degree. I was very impressed with the facilities that students have access to, especially the Student Union building which was a great place to relax between classes. It is worth mentioning that this is very much a STEM-focused school and while there is definitely a large body of humanities students like myself, the options for courses can sometimes be a bit limited. I enjoyed most of my classes... Read More and professors, but there were some where it was clear that a professor is definitely not up to standard, but the administration doesn't want to budget for their replacement because it isn't as big of a priority as the medical or engineering departments. Other than a few bad classes, I am glad that I picked Stony Brook as my alma mater.