Higher Education Options in New York

When people think of the Empire State, it’s often the bustle and tourist attractions of New York City that come to mind. Aside from being a travel destination, the State of New York is also a prolific destination for students seeking to begin or further their educational pursuits. From Buffalo to the Big Apple, options are widespread to suit any scholarly path.

Here are a few famous choices:

Cornell University

This Ivy League institution offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in everything from English to engineering to veterinary medicine. Claims to fame include awarding the world’s first-ever journalism degree, as well as the first doctoral degrees in both electrical and industrial engineering. It is also the first school to offer modern courses in Far Eastern languages. These elements all align with founder Ezra Cornell’s vision of a university where people from any background, with passions for any field, can find a place to pursue their studies.

Columbia University

Another Ivy League school, Columbia sits in the heart of Manhattan. It is one of the country’s nine “colonial colleges” founded prior to the American Revolution. Known originally as King’s College, Columbia is New York’s oldest university and one of the most selective universities in the nation. The first institution to grant a Doctor of Medicine degree, Columbia University is also the birthplace of FM Radio and the laser.

New York University

Also located in Manhattan, New York University (NYU) has the largest university housing system of any college in the United States. The home of many of the earliest fraternities, NYU has a strong student community as well as a prolific academic record. Among its alumni, NYU counts 34 Nobel Peace Prize winners, 16 Pulitzer Prize recipients and 21 Academy Award winners.

University at Buffalo

The University of Buffalo is the largest university in the northeastern United States. It is considered a highly active research university, and houses both law and pharmaceutical schools. The university was founded by U.S. President Millard Fillmore, and has produced a Somalian Prime Minister, several astronauts and various Pulitzer Prize winners. Student enrollment grows every year, with most recent numbers quickly approaching 30,000.

University of Rochester

This small, private research university is well known for its school of music, and is home to the Institute of Optics. Founded in 1929, the Institute of Optics is the nation’s first educational program devoted solely to optics. A major credit to the school’s academic reputation is the fact that Rochester alumni and faculty make up one-quarter of scientists on the board advising NASA in developing the James Webb Space Telescope. The telescope is being built to replace the Hubble Telescope in app. 2018.

Stony Brook University

Situated on the north shore of Long Island, this university was founded in the 1950s as a place to prepare secondary mathematics and science teachers. Today, academic focus has spread to include all fields of study, including the renowned School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. With a long history as a concert venue, the university was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006. After the moon landing in 1969, researchers at the university dated moon rocks and estimated the age of the moon.

As you can see, the educational options in New York range far and wide — and this is just a tiny taste of the pie. So whether it’s your dream to be a financial advisor in Syracuse or a gold buyer in Long Island, there is likely a place in New York’s higher education system to fit your life plan.

Katie Hawkes is a freelance blogger for Valley Goldmine Oklahoma, a company of fully-licensed precious metal and gold buyers in Long Island.

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