火爆社区

Its motto 鈥淭hink Wide Open鈥� perfectly sums up Purchase College, SUNY, long the artsy lodestone in the SUNY system: the conservatory here 鈥渄eserves and receives the highest respect.鈥� Between the School of the Arts and the School of Liberal Arts & Sciences, there are over 40 majors to choose (and, if those don鈥檛 suit you, a rarely chosen option to design your own). Nearly all bachelor鈥檚 students must complete a senior project in which they devote two semesters to in-depth, original, and creative study, and students welcome the chance to explore. 鈥淲e鈥檙e all about finding new ways to think about things, from science to art to management,鈥� says one. Classes tend to be about 鈥渓earning through discussion鈥� rather than lecture, and professors 鈥済o out of their way to make sure that everyone is on the same page, and don鈥檛 leave anyone behind.鈥� They often actively work in the field in which they teach, and therefore 鈥渂ring the material life and take learning outside the classroom.鈥� Classes in both the creative arts and general education are 鈥渞ich and exciting,鈥� such as the professor who 鈥渢eaches classes about Jack Kerouac on a train and walks the path of On the Road.鈥� Students benefit from the school鈥檚 proximity to New York City (less than an hour away), where auditions, showcases, and a fertile alumni network thrive, and 鈥渟ome of the best artists in the NY area become adjunct faculty at this school at some point.鈥�

Students at Purchase describe the school as a place for everyone, particularly the 鈥渁rtsy, unique, passionate, [and] intelligent.鈥� The overall 鈥渟ense of unity and acceptance鈥� means that students are free to be themselves and can 鈥渨alk around confident in who they are, and they aren鈥檛 afraid to show their unique styles and personalities.鈥� There are a lot of 鈥渇ree spirits鈥� and the atmosphere is 鈥渇illed with liberal ideologies,鈥� and the high concentration of visual/multi-media artists, musicians, and dancers means that 鈥渃reativity and the arts flourish.鈥� The decent number of commuters don鈥檛 have any real problem integrating with the resident population, and 鈥測ou can always incorporate your craft into whatever you create at Purchase.鈥�

For fun, there鈥檚 鈥渁 TON of things going on鈥�: weekly dance parties and concerts, student clubs, lectures, an on-campus museum, free yoga classes, Cheese Club, and tons of festivals. People 鈥減ay a lot of money to see bands and they support music and musicians here,鈥� and theatre is also 鈥渧ery, very big and popular.鈥� Though there are 17 Division III athletics teams, students feel that they get less emphasis, and Greek life is non-existent. Students receive email digests of all the events on campus, and for those who want to get off campus, it鈥檚 easy to take a bus into White Plains or take the train into Manhattan. 鈥淭he question isn鈥檛 鈥榃hat to do for fun?鈥� but rather 鈥榃here do you even start?鈥欌�� Professors usually 鈥渒now a lot about what鈥檚 going on鈥� and will often get free tickets to performances for students. While the Student Center (Stood) and library facilities are admittedly great (鈥渢here are different levels, so students never have to be isolated in one spot鈥�), many dorms are still on the older side and 鈥渘eed to be updated badly.鈥� To its credit, Purchase has been making yearly renovations, including the Wayback residence hall for upper-level students.

SUNY Purchase鈥檚 Career Development Center truly excels at helping students turn their passions into tangible careers. The office hosts a myriad of events pertaining to specific fields and industries including Museum Career Day, Opportunities in Book Publishing, Opportunities in Healthcare, etc. Undergrads may also visit the Center to develop the skills they need to be successful on the job market. They can receive assistance with resume writing, practice interviewing and get some hot tips on networking. Additionally, Purchase hosts an annual job fair. Undergrads here have the opportunity to meet with a number of illustrious companies and organizations and maybe even walk away with a job or internship offer in hand!