Photo: Purchase College-SUNY. Retrieved from: www.purchase.edu
Purchase College-SUNY isn’t your average liberal arts school. Sure it offers close to 50 majors such as economics, creative writing, and sociology. It provides dormitories and apartments for students to live in, and hosts activities that students can participate in, in their free time. However, Purchase College, located right outside of New York City, is so much more than just a four-year liberal arts school.
By challenging students in both standard courses such as science and math as well as artistic expression, students receive a unique education that not only makes them think outside the box but also opens them up to new ideas and different subjects they might not have otherwise considered. Offering majors such as film, printmaking, and cinematography and combining them with business, math, and English courses, students can incorporate art in their studies, achieving a truly well-rounded education that may be more difficult to find at other schools.
Student History
Purchase College-SUNY is one of 13 colleges in the State University of New York system that, according to the mission statement, is the only one to “emphasize inquiry, master of skills, and creativity.” Purchase College was formed in 1967 when the Governor at the time, Nelson Rockefeller, wanted a school that would eventually have a world-class reputation for not only its fine and visual art programs but also for its liberal academic focus.
Purchase College claims that their graduates are among the most famous and talented graduates of any college or university in the nation. They also boast that their students excel at business, social organizations, and cultural institutions.
Campus Life
With over 500-acres of campus and only a 40-minute car ride to New York City, Purchase College-SUNY also sports many activities and organizations for the students to participate in. An avid writer can pen for the student-run news publication, The Purchase Independent. Someone who wishes to be on a camera crew can apply to PVT, the college’s television station.
Purchase College stages numerous events throughout the year, such as The Culture Shock festival, a two-day music festival that has previously featured Regina Spektor, Bouncing Souls, and Ghostface Killah. Other events include the Zombie Prom, and Fall Ball, a drag competition in support of the LGBTQ community at Purchase.
Financial Aid
Because Purchase College-SUNY is a state school, it’s much cheaper for a New York citizen to attend than someone who lives out-of-state. For students that live in New York, Purchase College is highly affordable, costing around $23,000 a year to attend. If a student lives out of state, they can expect to pay $32,000 a year.
The college gives out an average of $10,000 per student to attend Purchase College and nearly everyone who is deemed to qualify for financial aid receives it. About 3.2% of those students have their financial needs fully met.
