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Syracuse is a big school and although the campus may seem overwhelming at first, it gets smaller as you go on. The city of Syracuse is not a thriving metropolis but it has some interesting places to be (ex. Armory Square). Most of the schools in Syracuse, particularly Newhouse and Maxwell, have really great reputations, and most people associate Syracuse with D1 sports teams. There's always something going on on-campus and off-campus but you have to be proactive about it. The faculty I've come in contact have been great but there are some professors who could stand to learn more about working with students and organizing a class. The most recent controversy on campus with the Hill TV scandal (I'm sure you can google it). There is major orange pride on campus and you will ac***ulate a lot of orange for your wardrobe...and learn to love the color in the end. I've met some great people at SU and I met my fiance here so I'm kind of in love with my campus
JC Senior
Syracuse is a very large, private, expensive, and amazing university! In my first year, I have experienced so much more than I probably ever would in high school and I am very grateful for the things I have learned along the way! The city of Syracuse is actually very different from the campus we live on. It is not the wealthiest of cities, nor the most well known; it is almost like two different worlds when being on campus versus "downtown". It is very nice, however, to step off campus and into the colorful avenues of the city, including: museums, restaurants (sushi is very popular), and nightlife.
Joe Sophomore
If you're coming for Newhouse, then you're in luck ... sorta. The school is very technologically advanced and will give you a decent education - the alumni contacts are great. However, the name recognition (in my experience), just isn't that great (especially on the West coast). I've found SU to be just the right size school - I'm always running into people I know going to class, but it's not so small that I feel like everywhere I go I'm going to know everyone. If you're looking for a school with a college town - look elsewhere. SU's marshal street has enough fast food and bars to get by, but it's far off from the typical college town that you think of. The administration leaves something to be desired. It's my opinion that they're working toward the general right direction for the school, but that their tactics need to be changed. There seems to be a prevailing attitude that it is the school responsibility to support the city of Syracuse - economically. It's hard to see so much of what is a hefty tuition go towards useless spending. If you're looking for a sports school. This is a good one. Yes, football sucks right now, and our Men's BB team is on it's worse streak in 30+ years. But it'll turn around in a few years. Besides mLAX is doing awesome and you get the Carrier Dome!
Joey Junior
The best thing about Syracuse is the variety of night life activities. Students can party on south campus if they want something low-key, go to a frat house, a house party, Marshall St. bars or downtown bars. There's always something to do and you always meet new people when you're out. I would change the weather, but if we did have warm weather year round, students wouldn't appreciate it as much or party as hard when the snow melts and the sun comes out (even if it is finals week). Perfect size- for every 10 people you know on campus there are 100 more you can meet. They ask me if I'm in Newhouse- and I am so they are always extremely impressed. During the day when I have classes, I spend most of my time in Schine student center upstairs- its a quiet place to study or nap if you don't want to walk back to your room or in Newhouse III. When I don't have classes, either in my sorority house, my boyfriend's fraternity house or my dorm. When I'm going out I'm usually at Maggie's or Harry's or a fraternity house. It's a great balance between a city and a college town. Marshall St. provides a small town environment with restaurants, bars and shops. You'll almost always see a familiar face on M street, especially after 2 a.m. on a bar night. Downtown provides entertainment (Syracuse Stage), great restaurants (Ambrosia), bars and there's a huge mall close by too. The Syracuse administration is helpful, but you don't come into contact with them too often. It was slightly controvercial when Chief Justice John Roberts came and spoke at the Newhouse III opening. It was an honor to have such an accomplished individual speaking at the school, but it was also contradictory because he is so conservative and not the best representative for free speech, it seemed as though we might have found a better candidate. There is a ton of school pride- the Carrier Dome is the most noticiable thing on campus and students go all out for D1 sports games. Basketball season is amazing.
Christine Sophomore
Syracuse pairs Big East Division I sports and overpowering orange pride with colleges within that provide a small liberal arts feel. ItÕs all about experience here at SU, and the new mission of ÒScholarship in ActionÓ says just that. SU is a hidden gem of the northeast, tucked away in central New York, and has many top-tier programs that compete with the best. Syracuse is commonly known as the best communications school in the northeast, but it also has superior architecture, education, drama, retail management, and entrepreneurship studies. The administration continues to drive SU into the league of Ònew ivyÕs,Ó and is actively working on a $1 billion campaign to continue future progress. There are endless opportunities to get involved, and the administration encourages students to expand upon their curiosities, start new organizations, and thrive in already existing ones. Unfortunately, sometimes freshman feel overwhelmed by the amount of clubs and extracurricular that exists, and there really isnÕt a great way to navigate though them or find out how to get involved initially. Students can be found at every nook and cranny of campus, and most even venture to downtown Syracuse areas for dinner and entertainment. Not all areas of Syracuse are safe for students, and it is advised not for students to ever walk alone at night. ItÕs nice to have a city surrounding the university Òbubble,Ó but the overwhelming amount of poverty on the outskirts of the popular city sites is sad and unsafe. On campus, almost all buildings are open 24/7, and include closed spaces for studying, so students donÕt have to rely on the library as the only place to concentrate. On an average day, I spend about half the time in my room at my sorority house and the other half going to class, attending speakers and finding a quiet and relaxing place to do schoolwork. Students often meet up for lunch on Marshall Street or one of the many cafeterias. Though it is one of the nationÕs more expensive colleges, there are excellent financial aid programs, and scholarships are abundant. Though some colleges receive more educational funds than others, each building has state-of-the art facilities, which allow students to be on the cutting edge of technology and learning. Still, mention the ÔCuse to anyone, and the first response will have something to do with the abominable weather. And that is the worst part about campus. The weather gets to everyone, no matter how positive students try to be. When the wind is nipping off your fingers itÕs hard to put that pencil to the paper. But when it comes to deciding between gray skies or the Syracuse UniversityÕs unique package of sports, intellect, and opportunity, students just weather the storm.
Chelsea Sophomore
SU's best thing would be that there is always something available to do on campus. At moment, you cannot be bored. There are so many clubs and extracurricular events that one can partake in. At any moment, you can be playing basketball, joining the chess club, practicing karate, reciting dramatic lines with the drama club or even saving the world with the environmental club. Then with regard to big events, SU does an amazing job at bringing speakers/comedians to campus. The list goes on: Bill Bellamy, Al Gore, Steven Lynch, Vincente Fox, Spike Lee, Bob Saget, Bill Nye, Jack Hanna, and that has been in the 12 months. It is amazing to see how far your dollars go, as SU does a great job to bring amazing events to campus. That excludes that SU offers free busing downtown or to the malls, and the on-campus sports are fantastic. The campus size is "just right" as it is overwhelming where you are just a number in the school's books, but you can always find someone you know on campus to hang out with. When you tell people you go to Syracuse, they are always like, "wow, you go to SU!" So, it's a remarkable school that one can go to.
Darren Sophomore
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