6 Main Differences Between A Huge Private School And A State School
Start writing a post
Student Life

6 Main Differences Between A Huge Private School And A State School

State vs. Private Schools

86
6 Main Differences Between A Huge Private School And A State School
Pexels

I transferred from Syracuse University to the State University of New York (SUNY) Potsdam. I won’t lie to you, it was quite a big difference. My two sisters both went there before transferring to Ivy League schools, and my mother graduated from there, so I already had a bit of an idea of the school. I would go through the campus every other weekend taking the bus home from Syracuse, and thought it looked like a great campus. After transferring, I started noticing differences (some good, some bad.) Here’s 6 of the differences I have noticed between the schools.

1. Tuition

I went from a school that cost $60K a year, to one that costs a tenth of that. (YES!!!) My wallet feels a lot happier.

2. Sports.

I can’t lie, as a huge sports fan, going from a school whose sports teams were a huge part of the experience to one that was a lot more chill was different. At Syracuse, you always knew who the superstar athletes were when they walked through campus. School spirit was crazy (as http://www.businessinsider.com/colleges-with-the-most-school-spirit-2016-9) has recently voted Syracuse). Going to a small school now, I feel detached when I watch college football and see the huge tailgates, as if that wasn’t my life before. Don’t get me wrong, school spirit up here is awesome too, but it’s not as crazy as it was at Syracuse.

3. Dining Options.

Being a much smaller school, there are a lot less dining options. Fortunately, I picked a school whose dining was rated #1 in the SUNY system, so the food is great. Sometimes though, I really wish I didn’t have to leave campus to get food after a 2AM drinking binge.

4. Greek life.

Greek life is a lot less wild. (Not a bad thing at all.) You don’t hear crazy stories about pledge hazing, which is good. It’s also nice because the system for joining is not as stringent, and the sororities are not as selective and competitive.

5. The People.

When I was at Syracuse, there were 20,000 students, but I swear I only saw the same 200 everyday. The frat guys aren’t as douchey. The sorority girls aren’t as snobby. Parents don’t flood move-in day with $80,000 Black SUVs. Nobody has a McLaren. People aren’t looking down at you for not being super rich. People are also a lot less cliquey, which is nice because you can actually meet diverse groups of people.

6. The Parties.

To be fair, I did transfer from a school ranked the #1 Party School, so my standards were a little high. Potsdam really isn’t that bad when it comes to parties, and it’s nice that people don’t really care and make too big of a deal out of it if you want to just chill out on the weekend.


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

70766
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132381
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments