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8 out of 8 people found this review useful.
Samamtha from White Hall, MD
Reviewer is A current student here.
Categories Rating Comments Am learning a lot I am learning tons about the things I care about. SUNY-ESF offers only classes which concern almost any environmental field. In English we read books all about the environment, in History we learn the history of the environmental movement, in math we calculate the height and width of trees. All the professors at ESF are excited to pass on the knowledge they already have. They all have their own studies going on and it’s very easy to be personable with anyone of your professors. The school is smaller, therefore there is plenty of time to talk to your professors.
Yes, classes are challenging. But they are fun and without major grade curves you know you're actually learning what you're being taught.Am enjoying being here The small school atmosphere is perfect for learning and keeping your stress levels down. The campus is tiny, impossible to get lost. Classes are on the smaller side so they are better for discussion. Everyone on campus is aware of environmental problems and everyone is environmentally conscience. And if the small school thing doesn’t appeal to you, keep in mind ESF is on Syracuse University’s campus. As ESF students we are allowed to join in on any Syracuse activities (fraternities, sororities, sports, clubs, ect.) and even take certain classes offered by them. You get best of both worlds.
People around campus are friendly. I’ve maybe met a handful of people I don’t like. Everyone is studying relatively the same thing and everyone gets along. It’s easy to include the whole student body into activities on the quad. And there are TONS of activities to get involved in. Anything you could possibly think of between ESF and Syracuse.
The only thing that gets me is the winter time. Syracuse is a cold miserable city in the dead of winter, but besides that, it’s perfect!Bang for the buck Being a State school, ESF isn't that costly. I am out of state, but have an ESF academic scholarship which covers the extra out of state tuition. I believe its around $5,000 a year, but unfortunately it is slowly going up.
Your first year will be the most costly considering you're made to live on campus. You live in Syracuse dorms and eat Syracuse food, which Syracuse being a private school makes the whole cost of living more than it really needs to be. But it's definitely worth it!Tips for prospective students Visit. Talk to current students.
Great for these types of students Anyone wanting to get involved in any type of Environmental field.
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1 out of 1 people found this review useful.
Jordan
Reviewer is A current student here.
Categories Rating Comments Academic Rigor This school is very academically stimulating! The professors present the information in a way that helps you retain the information over a long period of time. Since it is an environmental school and most of us are very passionate about the environment, the material presented to us is interesting and relevant to our area of study. There is so much to learn here, don't be afraid to 'nerd-out'
Am enjoying being here I am loving every minute of it. The learning communities in the dorms are very helpful, you meet so many new people that all share the love for the environment, the professors are great, and employers will be impressed at your resume just for going to this college.
Bang for the buck Great price for what you get! Compared to a lot of other colleges I looked at this was definitely one of the more reasonably priced ones. I am an out-of-state student but received a scholarship from ESF so I am basically paying in-state tuition.
Tips for prospective students Be ready to hit the ground running, it will be a lot more work than you're used to in high school, but definitely worth it. It has a partnership and is right across the street from SU, on of the biggest party schools in the country, so don't get too wrapped up in all the parties. Time management will be your biggest obstacle to overcome. There will always be something to do, especially if you're living in the dorms (Centennial), but in order to get a good GPA you will need to spend a lot of time doing homework and studying. A lot of students create study groups so you get work done and have a social life at the same time. Also, GET SLEEP! With everything that's going on, sleep can sometimes get lost in the mix, but without sleep you are more likely to doze off in class which does not leave a good impression on the professors and you will be more likely to get sick.
Have fun in college too! Join clubs that you're interested in and GET INVOLVED! Also, don't be afraid to go to your professors for help. Utilize their office hours, not only will they help you and answer any questions they have, but it will show the professors that you are truly putting in a good effort to do well in the class.Great for these types of students outdoorsy, hard workers, passion for the environment
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1 out of 1 people found this review useful.
Hilary-Anne from Fabius, NY
Reviewer is A current student here.
Categories Rating Comments Am learning a lot The classes at SUNY-ESF are challenging, yes. However, they are also fun and invigorating, often helping you to find new world views and to share your ideas, as well. Most of the teachers are helpful and friendly and are more than willing to work with you if you are outgoing and take initiative. If you are determined and enthusiastic, you can conquer the concepts in classes and make the most of what you're given. Studying for exams is a must, and never leave lab reports until the last minute. I've learned so much through my classes at ESF that I use in teaching, self-led research, and simply everyday life. You learn about life as a dynamic and moving force, not as a bundle of black and white facts.
Am enjoying being here ESF can often be a very homogeneous area, with people being very similar in their lifestyles, beliefs, and interests, and this can be difficult for people that do not share these similarities. However, the more you get to know people, the more you will enjoy college life at ESF. The students here are interesting, friendly, and energetic. There is always a support system for you to fall back on with Student Life, the tutoring center, other offices, and student organizations. You will never be bored here if you talk to people and actively participate in in on and off campus life. The campus is also right next to SU, and you can take advantage of their gyms, the Carrier Dome for college games, Thornden Park, Oakwood Cemetery, and the ever-popular attractions on Westcott St.
Bang for the buck ESF is very inexpensive, even for a SUNY school. For in-state students, tuition plus fees comes to about $3000 a semester. It is incredibly affordable, helpful with financial aid and loans, and you get a priceless education. There is no reason to go to an expensive school if your college career plans match up with what ESF has to offer.
Tips for prospective students Don't live far away from campus! It's hard to get involved with other students and the community. Try hard to be outgoing, you'll learn so much more and make great connections. Also, take everything in stride. There are some aspects of ESF that can be frustrating (registration, bad professors, quarrelsome classmates, etc), but just remember it's all a learning process- use it for the betterment of yourself.
Great for these types of students Students that have a commitment to social, political, and environmental improvement would be perfect candidates for this school. If you have a passion for science and the environment in the form of Chemistry, Bioengineering, Biology (Wildlife Science, Interpretation, Aquatics, etc.), Law, Forestry, Natural Resource Management, Paper Engineering, Landscape Architecture, etc., then consider ESF. If you want to go into medicine, veterinary science, education, field or lab research, there are degrees offered here that will prepare you. Do not come to this school if your undying passion includes writing, literature, any of the performing or fine arts, and do not come to this school if you are not eager to actively improve yourself and the world you live in.
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0 out of 1 people found this review useful.
Christopher from Syracuse, NY
Reviewer is A current student here.
Categories Rating Comments Login to rate or flag the reviews
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Kate from MA
Reviewer is A current student here.
Categories Rating Comments In three sentences Your experience at ESF will be what you make of it because there is always something going on around campus, but you really have to make smart decisions what you do with your time. The course work is hard but manageable if you don't go out partying every night and actually study hard. Syracuse U. students are sometimes very judgmental and think ESF students mooch off their university but that is not true, and with that said, there are some really awesome people at both ESF and Syracuse University.
Tips for prospective students I suggest you live off campus AS SOON AS YOU CAN, for it is MUCH cheaper, it prepares you for the real world and budgeting a little more, it allows you to have such a different college experience, and causes you to be put to the test as to how responsible you can be. Get involved with as many clubs/organizations on campus as you can, and join Syracuse University's clubs too because as ESF students, we all pay an activities fee to SU so don't let that money go to waste, they have some awesome clubs. I also suggest taking a few SU courses, especially their electives, because they have some really cool classes such as an herbalist class, food justice class, all sorts of religion courses, and visual arts classes. Also, be prepared to spend many nights studying and doing work because this is a hard school but manageable. You cannot be afraid of studying, libraries, writing papers, and doing lab reports.
Academic Rigor you cannot be afraid of hard work
Dorm Life Up until Fall 2011, we lived in Syracuse's dorms all around their campus pretty much. This year we have brand new dorms, which are semi-nice (yet they built them in less than a year so there are many defects to the building). I would suggest if you are transferring in to opt to live off campus and check orangehousing.com for roommate classifieds or google the daily orange and look under the classifieds. The dorms are VERY strict, the Ra's live to get students in trouble if they even hear the slightest noise after quiet hours, even just normal talking, they will knock on your door and give you a warning/write you up. The dorms are also located VERY far away from anywhere (other than class) you need to go. It is inconveniently located downhill/downstairs from anywhere you will want to go, making it a pain to walk or bike anywhere. (Most) The freshman live in doubles, with their own bathrooms, and are all located in one 'wing' of the building. Upperclassman live in another wing and have their own bedrooms, connected to one other persons room by a common room and bathroom. There are also apartments in the building, which have kitchens, four (singles) bedrooms, full-sized beds, and two bathrooms. They come with a couch and a chair, dining table with dining chairs, and a coffee table. The freshman seem to all know each other because they all interact but the upperclassman side is sheltered away and don't really interact much unless you already know each other.
Food and Dining Our meal plans are for Syracuse University food services and they have many different cafes, grocery stores, and unlimited buffet style dining halls. The meal plans required by dorm residences, you get both a set-amount of meal swipes a week and superfood, which is a declining balance type plan, which you can use in the grocery markets and cafes on campus. The meal plans are a rip-off in my opinion because it costs around 13-18 dollars per meal, depending on your meal plan (you will never eat 13-18 dollars worth of food in there at a time). Some dining halls have pretty great vegan and vegetarian options, and there are a vast amount of random organic and gluten free items scattered around the dining halls, you just need to find them. The best veg. dining halls are probably sadler, shaw, and BBB. The worst is probably Ernie and graham.
What to do for fun clubs and organizations host a lot of events, there are a lot of shopping places, cafes, food places, bars, tea-shops within a walk of campus. The Westcott Theater is close by and has some good (music) shows. The carousel mall is very close by car and there is a free bus there on weekends. Downtown has many hidden gems but many students don't venture down there often. The bus down there is sort of unreliable and you probably don't want to walk that far often, especially if you get sketched out by homeless people and beggars on the street. Much of the nightlife is based around the off-campus housing scene and SU frats/sororities. Personally, if you go to ESF, I would recommend staying away from the Greek life at SU, but if you are that kind of person, go for it. But there are parties going on off-campus every weekend and there are basement music shows going on a lot. But that's not all that off-campus offers because many clubs have off-campus events such as potlucks, movie nights, tea parties, and get together's.
Bang for the buck Tuition and prices are going up but it's still a good price for such an amazing school
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus you cannot walk across the quad or you are at risk of being tackled.
Great for these types of students Hippies, down-to-earth type people, activists, scientists, environmentalists, woodsy people, lumberjacks, people who love nature, vegetarians, vegans, friendly people, out of state students (we need more of them), in-state students (price is cheap)
Clubs and Activities There are some amazing clubs on campus, and at SU. we all pay a fee to SU for activities so join their clubs! the most active club on ESF is GCI (green campus initiative), which you should join if you want to make a change in the world.
Greek Life Syracuse university has it, we don't.
Campus Safety They dont really do much....most people dont really cause havoc on campus since its so small. SU is a whole different story
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Felicia
Reviewer is A past student here.
Categories Rating Comments Did learn a lot What I managed to retain was well worth it. The school really wasn't what I was going for, but it was a new experience. The teachers go fast through the material so it's a constant game of catch up if you haven't read the chapter prior to going to class.
Did enjoy being here I personally was not happy at the college. I felt out of place, didn't make friends, and almost felt duped into attending the college when I was told it had a great pre-vet program. While my professors were willing to help me the best they could, administrative faculty were incooperative and rude many times when I had questions. My second semester I needed tutors for three of my classes and the Academic Support Center was no help in finding me tutors. Due to schedule conflicts I was unable to get help from my professors or TA's and pretty much fell behind in every class.
Bang for the buck Very affordable and many scholarships to be awarded. Another benefit is that you can take SU courses for SUNY price. However, they recently capped the number of classes you can take there, and if it's offered at ESF you cannot take it at SU.
Tips for prospective students Read your text books before class, research anything you do not understand and get as much background information as possible.
Great for these types of students Outdoor people, environmentalists, scientists
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Azellia
Reviewer is A current student here.
Categories Rating Comments Academic Rigor ESF has all the programs I'm looking for in a college, and anything I can't find there I can do at Syracuse University
Will enjoy being here This seems like a really great school, and the campus in and trips to the Adirondacks sound really great!
Bang for the buck ESF really isn't that costly, and from what I've heard, they have top-ranked programs and opportunities, and are right up with the major colleges in field research. ESF graduates have really high rates of acceptance into master's programs or the work force.
Tips for prospective students You should definitely visit! ESF has a lot of interesting aspects to the campus, and so does SU, and once you get to know the area you'll probably love it. You should also look into all the different sub-programs that some majors have, like Environmental Science with a focus on aquatics or a focus on urban development, for example.
Great for these types of students Anyone looking into environmental-, wildlife-, or landscaping-type studies should seriously consider ESF.
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Conn from Beltsville, MD
Reviewer is A current student here.
Categories Rating Comments Am learning a lot Classes have a great curriculum, a lot of interesting course work.
Am enjoying being here The city is fantastic, with a lot of things to do and the scenery is great.
Bang for the buck Technology and funding are lacking, the out of state tuition is still a bit much considering that the actual college of SUNY-ESF doesn't have all that many perks.
Tips for prospective students Get involved with environmental issues prior to applying, freshen your knowledge.
Great for these types of students Those deeply involved in environmental politics and needing a small school with big school opportunities.
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