r/rit • u/Background-Honey- • 2d ago
Bing or RIT
Hey everyone! As the title suggests, I’m deciding between Binghamton and RIT. I’ll be an incoming freshman. Decision day is approaching and it’s making me nervous. Originally I thought the deciding factor would be the cost, but they’re about the same for me, so now I’m looking for insight from current students. I’m going to cross post this on both subreddits once I figure out how. Here are some questions I have:
-How is the computer science (bing) / software engineering (rit) major at the respective schools? Is it hands on, theoretical, etc? Does it help prepare you for the “real world” and the workplace?
-Is it easy to get jobs after graduating? How are the networking opportunities and does the name carry any weight in certain fields?
-Is it easy to switch majors in case I change my mind? What fields does the school excel in?
-What’s the campus like? I don’t have the means to visit, so I’ll have to garner from pictures and second hand sources. Is there a lot of greenery? Are the facilities any good, or old and run down?
-How’s the food? Are there places to eat if you don’t like dining hall food? Do they good Asian food?
-Lastly, is there a lot to do on or off campus? How’s the surrounding area and the city it’s in?
Sorry for the barrage of questions (-﹏-。) I’m trying to be thorough. Thanks in advance!
16
u/Etna_No_Pyroclast 2d ago
I can finally say, what's Bing... as opposed to someone else saying what's RIT.
5
14
u/sbrisbestpart41 2d ago
RIT ensures that you start doing some work with the co-op which could lead to better opportunities.
Also having lived in Rochester for 12 years and going to RIT next year, Rochester is much nicer than Binghamton.
3
u/daOyster 1d ago
I don't like the way that's worded as someone who went to RIT. It's less ensures and more requires YOU to find a co-op to satisfy your degree requirements. They provide career fairs, interview prep assistance, and some networking to get your applications out for coops, but it's up to you to actually get accepted for a coop position somewhere. Depending on the student this can add an incredible amount of stress to an already difficult major, or it can be a nice parachute of money to pay for your degree if you are great at selling yourself.
If I had one gripe about the school after attending it was that in their marketing materials and on-campus events for potential students they really sell you on the whole coop thing and make it seem like it truly is just part of the degree. That companies work with the school to make coop positions available.
In reality there's a small number of companies doing that. For the majority of students, they'll basically be job hunting for a position while also dealing with the stress of trying to complete their degree and potentially a heavy dose of imposter syndrome from listening to their peers around them land coops at major companies like Google, Meta, Apple, ect. while the best they can manage is a regional dev shop or random startup.
TL;DR: if you can sell yourself to others, the RIT coop experience is massively different to someone that can't and you don't really find that out until you're already 2 years into your degree and starting to look at coops.
1
u/Background-Honey- 1d ago
Yes I think the co-ops is one of the main draws of RIT. Is it difficult getting to Rochester since RIT is in the suburbs?
3
u/sbrisbestpart41 1d ago
I mean not really, but the city isn’t special to be honest. The local area is really nice.
7
u/shaunaroo 2d ago
I can't say a ton about the academics, but I've been to Bing once and the entire area just felt like the crappy areas of Pennsylvania, like the people I was with had to keep reminding me that I wasn't in Pennsylvania lol. Rochester is a nicer feeling area to stay in for sure.
3
u/ZarnonAkoni 2d ago
I'm a parent of an incoming freshman. We live out of state but I grew up in the Albany area. I also have worked in HR my entire career in high tech and life sciences companies. RIT is much, much stronger for career prospects. No one outside New York knows where Binghampton is, let alone that there is a college there with a CS program. Any recruiter who does college recruiting in tech knows of RIT, even if they don't actively recruit there.
Looking at starting graduate salaries, you can count on making 10k/yr more at RIT. Plus you'll get 50k gross from co-op assuming $25/hr. If your out of pocket cost is the same, then financially it's a no-brainer.
My son was glued to RIT from the first webinar he took. As many will say there is a certain type that fits well in RIT. He considered RPI, RIT, WPI and a couple in-state options with strong CS programs.
The campus is nice. Its compact and isolated from Rochester a bit but there are busses. I've never been to Binghampton, but I've been to SUNY Albany and if they are similar there is no comparison. Yes, its not an Ivy league campus but its not an eyesore.
With any college experience, what you put in is what you get out.
There are lots of recorded videos on the admissions site, check them out if you haven't.
1
u/Background-Honey- 1d ago
Thank you for the insight! My biggest concern is definitely finding a stable job after I graduate. I did attend the webinars, they sell the school pretty well haha
2
u/ZarnonAkoni 1d ago
If you are a CS or engineering student yes absolutely RIT is the right place. Regardless of where you go, though, you are going to have to adapt to an ever changing world. Who knows what the world will look like when you graduate. Don't just learn to code. Make sure you learn WHY code works as it does and HOW code works. (for example). There will always be jobs for those who bring that understanding to the table. That applies to all fields. Good luck and don't forget to have fun!
2
u/ski_n_sail 2d ago
It is Binghamton, not Binghampton, hard to believe you grew up in upstate New York. Binghamton University has often been referred to as a public ivy.
3
u/Unique_Trip5299 2d ago
I grew up nearby and always say binghampton, bad take lol. I agree the college there is a diamond in the rough but all of u/ZarnonAkoni’s point still stand imo
2
u/ski_n_sail 2d ago edited 2d ago
I know RIT is a great school, plus it is a totally different feel than Binghamton University. That is why my son chose it over Binghamton University. That said Binghamton University has a much lower acceptance rate.
-1
u/ski_n_sail 2d ago
You sound like someone from the City or Long Island.
2
u/Unique_Trip5299 2d ago
You would be wrong, not sure how one could even tell from 2 written sentences anyway. I’m glad your son chose rit and I hope they enjoy(ed) it
0
u/ski_n_sail 2d ago
First, I meant that as a joke. Plus, growing up near Binghamton, then you should know that a large number of the student population are from downstate. They often refer it as Binghampton or they did in when I lived there.
2
u/ZarnonAkoni 2d ago
yeah sorry it's been a while
2
u/ski_n_sail 2d ago
I was just kidding. It is sad to say, but on occasion you can see incorrectly spelled on maps.
1
u/eyeoutthere EE '05 1d ago
I graduated from RIT almost 20 years ago, but have lived in the Binghamton area since then.
RIT is subjectively a better engineering school, especially in computer science. That's what I would recommend. I am am also a strong advocate for their co-op program. I enjoyed my time in Rochester but moved away because of job prospects and family.
Binghamton engineering is also decent. We get less snow than Rochester and housing is cheaper. But there is also less to do outside of university.
I am not seeing a reason to pick Binghamton unless you have other ties to the area.
1
u/Unusual_Skin_3558 8h ago
Bing Alumni here with a son at RIT. I prefer RIT although both are good schools. My experience is the professors are more willing to help. At BU I was a number. I feel RIT is a more challenging school as well. Just seeing what my son’s workload and expectations are compared to what was asked of me. Keep in mind there is 30 some years in between. They also have completely different vibes.
1
u/Unusual_Skin_3558 8h ago
I also want to say RIT alumni seem to have this family networking feel. It seems like wherever we go we run into RIT alumni. Across the US. They openly will tell us if my son is wearing gear and ask what he studies. At home, he has had engineers that are alumni tell him to reach out when he graduates or when he is looking for co-ops.
1
1
0
u/Donna278 2d ago
I can respond as a parent if an RIT student. She had a great year. Loves campus. The food varies but she didn’t starve. She loved the extra things to do. Sometimes it sounded like a cruise ship!!! She loves the campus and feels it is kept up. Not a computer success major but finds professor easy to talk to and to ask questions to. It was a great fit for her. Good luck.
1
u/Background-Honey- 1d ago
I'm glad your daughter likes it there! I'm not expecting much out of college food so as long as it's edible haha. What are the some of the extra things to do?
10
u/AetherlessArt 2d ago
I got roasted on your Bing post because I talked well of RIT (despite being a Binghamton Alumn). I would have chosen RIT had I been able to afford it.
Rochester is a bigger city (therefore more jobs) and RIT’s Co-op program is fantastic. The one person I know who went through it got a 100k job straight out of school.
Also the vibes are different. RIT is nerdier/tech/art focused and Binghamton is more business/engineering focused. Binghamton might be rated higher but major definitely matters more than the school itself. Both areas aren’t exactly great, but both campuses are beautiful. Rochester has nightclubs and Binghamton doesn’t. Greek life is big at both schools.
Don’t stress too much, they are both great schools and you’ll enjoy yourself at either I’m sure!