Why Choosing A SUNY School Was The Best Decision I’ve Ever Made

As a high school senior who couldn’t wait to graduate and start the next chapter of my life, I was dead set against going, or even applying, to any of the schools the State University of New York has to offer. I thought that in order to get the “full college experience,” I would have to be far away from the place I had called home my entire life, which would come at a great cost to both my parents and myself.

Being the stubborn college applicant that I was, I was focused more on the brand names and locations of schools rather than what they could potentially do for me as a person. Aside from the fact that my past self was willing to put my future self in a lot of financial trouble, I was convinced that a degree from a school without that dreaded acronym in front of its name would send me off into the adult world with a leg up on everyone else. It wasn’t until I was practically dragged by my hair to an information session at SUNY New Paltz that I realized just how wrong I was.

No matter where you choose to go to school, know that college is what you make it. If you take it upon yourself to join clubs and get involved, everything will fall into place. You don’t need to feel pressured to go to a big football school just because everyone recognizes the name and you think it might look like fun. You also don’t need to go to a tiny private school just because you like where it’s located. As far as jobs and internships go, your personal accomplishments during your time at school are going to be what set you apart from the rest. What you ultimately get out of college is exactly what you put into it, and that shouldn’t mean you have to take on a bunch of loans to achieve a certain goal. Leadership and engagement opportunities are something that will be widely available to you at any university, and you’ll also have the freedom to take initiative if you feel you could be bringing something more to the table.