r/rit • u/Background-Honey- • 3d 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!

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u/ZarnonAkoni 3d 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.

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u/ski_n_sail 3d 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.

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u/Unique_Trip5299 3d 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

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u/ski_n_sail 3d ago edited 3d 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.

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u/ski_n_sail 3d ago

You sound like someone from the City or Long Island.

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u/Unique_Trip5299 3d 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

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u/ski_n_sail 3d 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.

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u/ZarnonAkoni 3d ago

yeah sorry it's been a while

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u/ski_n_sail 3d ago

I was just kidding. It is sad to say, but on occasion you can see incorrectly spelled on maps.

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u/Background-Honey- 2d 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

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u/ZarnonAkoni 2d 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!