A very good school, but very much a "PCU"
Written: Jan 30 '00
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: An intellectual, artistic school without a big "jock" factor
Cons: Absurdly politically correct at times.
|
|
|
| Almacks's Full Review: SUNY at Purchase |
The State University of New York, College at Purchase is a small and intimate school. After being there for only a short time, I learned to recognize, at least by sight, almost everyone I passed while walking across the campus. If the atmosphere of a warm and small school appeals to you over the huge collegiate factories of some of the other SUNY schools, Purchase is worth considering.
Within the umbrella of SUNY Purchase, there are two seperate academic programs. The College of Letters and Sciences is the more traditional academic program, encompassing the departments of English, Social Sciences, History, Natural Science, Sociology, Political Science, Anthropology,Psychology, Women's Studies, Ethnic Studies, etc.
The College of the Arts is Purchase's program in the visual and performing arts. This includes the departments of Theatre, Film, Dance, Film, Painting, Sculpture, etc.
I was a student at SUNY Purchase in the early 90s (1989-1992 to be exact) and I had a wonderful time there. The school is fun and relaxed, the teachers personable, the student body extremely nice. I enjoyed my time at Purchase very much, I made friends, I lived away from home for the first time in my life, I got a BA degree in English literature. There is a lot of good to be said about this school. I would definitely recommend it be considered by anyone who is interested in a subject like literature, history or especially the Arts. It is an excellent school for these kinds of "impractical" subjects.
It is not, however, a good school for anyone wishing to take a more practical degree, such as Business or Computer Science. Purchase has these classes, but they simply are not the emphasis of the school, and a major in one of these areas might feel somewhat ignored in the general social concept of the college.
One major caveat I have about SUNY Purchase is that it is (or at least was when I went there) an unbelievably "Politically Correct" school. From the "Wymyn's Union" (and I'm not spelling it wrong) to the GBLTGU (that's the Gay, Bisexual, Lesbian, and Transgender Union), there is a real sense of a "My Group is More Oppressed Than Your Group" contest. Sadly, many of the professors asribe to these attitudes, and it would not be impossible for a student who is uninformed or who was simply never taught to think logically to come away with the impression that the world is run by Evil White Men, or that marriage is legal rape or whatever the PC silliness of the week happens to be. Of course, back 10 years ago when I went there, Political Correctness on campuses across the country was at it's height. Thankfully, the worst excesses of the movement seem to be over, and Purchase might no longer be quite that over the top.
Socially, the school is a mixed bag. It is not a school for jocks, cheerleaders, girls looking for rich husbands, guys looking for hot dates, etc. There are no sororities or fraternities on campus. There are sports, but the most popular of them are fencing and "Ultimate Frisbee". Purchase is an eclectic school for intellectuals and artists, or at least those who fancy themselves as such.
One other warning about Purchase. The food is nothing to write home about, unless you are in the habit of writing home about how bad it is. Purchase is a small town, with only a couple of restaurants and a deli. This is just not a hot, happening town. In fact, it's a dry town. No liquor can be sold within the town border. It can be bought outside and brought in, however, but still this is not a drinking and partying school. Sure, you can find plenty of weekly keg parties, but most of the "parties" involve close friends sitting on the floor with a bottle of wine and discussing the philosophies of Kirkegaard. Anyone who doesn't really want to be here will get bored before they have finished their first semester.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
Almacks
|
|
Member: Dana Sherman
Location: New York, NY
Reviews written: 51
Trusted by: 28 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.