Stony Brook, NY

[stansfield]

campus is really really ugly

[rainydays2020]

Has anyone lived in Grad studet housing? I'm wondering what the environment is like. Is it similar to a loud noisy freshman dorm with kids drunk and loud music all the time, or are there older students?

[sunnynero]

I currently live in Brooklyn, and I am considering my options for commuting... LIRR vs. car. I already have a car, so that isn't a problem. From what I have gathered so far, the LIRR can take a really long time depending on where you are in Brooklyn. Since I am in Park Slope, I would have to first take the subway and then transfer.

The car looks like the way to go - my next concern is parking. I spoke to an undergrad at Stony Brook who told me that the university requires that you park 30 minutes away, and then take a shuttle-bus to campus. Does anyone know anything about this? If not, I'll make the trip sometime in the next couple of weeks and update anyone who wants to know the answer.

[YankGirl02]

I'm from Long Island and Stony Brook is a nice area. Yeah most of Long Island is suburbia, strip malls, etc, but out east is beautiful (wineries, ferries, right on the water) and the beaches here are great. Plus there isn't really a shortage of things to do at night - there are tons of restaurants, bars/pubs/clubs, malls, movie theaters. If you have a car you can visit other nice towns (Port Jeff is fantastic in summer for example).

the LIRR can be a pain in the ass, but it does run regularly. You can get to/from NYC no problem. During the winter, the LIRR is notorious for experiencing issues - "equipment problems," delays....not going to lie, I'm not a fan of them at all BUT I love living on Long Island.

Edited March 26, 2012 by YankGirl02

[DustSNK]

I currently live in Brooklyn, and I am considering my options for commuting... LIRR vs. car. I already have a car, so that isn't a problem. From what I have gathered so far, the LIRR can take a really long time depending on where you are in Brooklyn. Since I am in Park Slope, I would have to first take the subway and then transfer.

The car looks like the way to go - my next concern is parking. I spoke to an undergrad at Stony Brook who told me that the university requires that you park 30 minutes away, and then take a shuttle-bus to campus. Does anyone know anything about this? If not, I'll make the trip sometime in the next couple of weeks and update anyone who wants to know the answer.

SUNYNERO!!! Listen, I don't want to discourage you. I got my BA from SBU, and would do my PhD there in a heartbeat if I was going to stay in the USA. But I have to say you might be insane to do this from park slope. You might be a lil insane to even live in park slope already, so maybe this isnt a problem for you But It takes around 1 1/2 hours on the belt prkway (fastest way) to around the RT 109 area in NORMAL traffic. Google maps sucks for LI drive timing in my opinion, there is no algorithm to understand LI traffic I used to go to Nassua community college too, took 90 mins to get to the 109 during the 4pm - 6pm hours. From 7am-10am just as long. You will prob have a good 2hr- 2 1/2 hour drive each way under lucky NORMAL conditions. If you even as much as get into traffic? 3-4hr drive. Just know the particulars. If I were you move unless you are in a rent control bld. I mean park slope is too damn pricey, and is being invaded by hipsters. It is going to be a williamsburg 2.0 if it isnt already. Get an apt in Stony. Place is boring as shit, but the schools is so good I do miss the academics of the school (but the lifestyle is boring too)... that says something about the faculty!!

[Spore]

I graduated from SBU in Dec 2008 with a PhD in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology.

I lived in an apartment complex in Saint James my entire graduate career (was approx 1000 for a large studio, separate kitchen; 1600 for a 2 bedroom).

My "commute" was about 10 minutes. Grad students can get parking tags to park in student lots. It was about a 10 minute walk to lab.

Most of my classmates shared houses with other students. Everyone was able to make it on the stipend supplied to us. I lived a bit cushier because of my parents' help and then my boyfriend/husband.

Even though I hate suburbia, and SBU certainly has a less-than-regal campus, I thoroughly enjoyed my graduate career years.

[DustSNK]

Speaking of parking. There is an underground network of ways to get parking passes for on-campus living spots. LOTS of freshman from the NYC area dorm at SBU in recent years, and will never have a car. For the right price you can buy their pass, I might have "heard" of this happening. That might sound like an overwhelming way to get parking, but the other option is to stick with your commuter pass and have to take the bus from the commuter lot. THAT is a pain in the ass. I think though you can get the stadium pass which is 150$ a year, and is a 7 min walk to every building mostly. Although if you are used to living as a roommate, the APTS on campus are nice. SBU is deff in an identity crisis between suburbia/woodsy rural, but there is a charm to the campus. FUN FACT about SBU campus! Built in the late 60's, and most of the dorms were constructed by a prison designer who went insane himself. Also the campus buildings or the "quad", whatever, they are all over the place. They were placed this way with the specific intention by the New York State gov so students would not have a large central area to gather and protest. Same with SUNY Buffalo when it expanded their campus around same time.

Edited March 27, 2012 by DustSNK

[DustSNK]

Has anyone lived in Grad studet housing? I'm wondering what the environment is like. Is it similar to a loud noisy freshman dorm with kids drunk and loud music all the time, or are there older students?

SBU is a "lame" campus in terms of partying and what not. Not loud at all. QUIET campus. Lots of students are from NYC who dorm there too, and go home in masses on the weekends. Campus is a ghost town on weekends. Only dorms you would have to worry about noise are the UNG ones that really only Freshman go to and move out of after they know the place a bit. That being said, the campus makes up for it in culture. Whites are the minority, which is refreshing esp if you are into a global perspective atmosphere. It really is like a mini-united nations campus. When I graduated they had a flag for every country (so hundreds) lined across the stadium. If globalization,ethnicity,urban soc are your thing you will LOVE the culture of the campus, I miss the place so much. I see you are a SOC major. I LOVE the department. Lots of good faculty esp Prof.Moran. Very very global perspective, post-modern discourse in the dept. Also Kimmel is there if gender is your thing.

Edited March 27, 2012 by DustSNK

[long_time_lurker]

SUNYNERO!!! Listen, I don't want to discourage you. I got my BA from SBU, and would do my PhD there in a heartbeat if I was going to stay in the USA. But I have to say you might be insane to do this from park slope. You might be a lil insane to even live in park slope already, so maybe this isnt a problem for you But It takes around 1 1/2 hours on the belt prkway (fastest way) to around the RT 109 area in NORMAL traffic. Google maps sucks for LI drive timing in my opinion, there is no algorithm to understand LI traffic I used to go to Nassua community college too, took 90 mins to get to the 109 during the 4pm - 6pm hours. From 7am-10am just as long. You will prob have a good 2hr- 2 1/2 hour drive each way under lucky NORMAL conditions. If you even as much as get into traffic? 3-4hr drive. Just know the particulars. If I were you move unless you are in a rent control bld. I mean park slope is too damn pricey, and is being invaded by hipsters. It is going to be a williamsburg 2.0 if it isnt already. Get an apt in Stony. Place is boring as shit, but the schools is so good I do miss the academics of the school (but the lifestyle is boring too)... that says something about the faculty!!

h

No doubt I wouldn't live in the Slope period, whether or not I was going to SB, but the drive isn't [i[that bad, particularly if it's timed right. You figure this person will be going east when everyone's going west, and vice versa. My in-laws live out in Suffolk and I spent another 10 years before I got married visiting my wife out there. The Belt can definitely suck but really from the Slope you would take the BQE to the Expressway or better yet take the streets; actually the Slope is right near one of my favorite shortcuts which is Atlantic Ave to Penn Ave to the Interboro.

I don't see any reason why his/her drives will be any more than an hour and a half. Figure no Friday classes so no nightmares on spring Friday afternoons, no rush hour crawls. I get to Mattituck from Staten Island in 2 hours so SB isn't going to be 2 - 2.5 from Brooklyn.

On the other hand you are right on the money on the overpriced hipster hell that that whole part of Brooklyn has become. Poster is better off moving out to the Island unless something else is keeping him/her in Brooklyn.

Many people work at the Brookhaven Labs who are young and/or out-of-towners and rent places around there. I never got the impression from them that housing was hard to find or overpriced.

[DustSNK]

h

No doubt I wouldn't live in the Slope period, whether or not I was going to SB, but the drive isn't [i[that bad, particularly if it's timed right. You figure this person will be going east when everyone's going west, and vice versa. My in-laws live out in Suffolk and I spent another 10 years before I got married visiting my wife out there. The Belt can definitely suck but really from the Slope you would take the BQE to the Expressway or better yet take the streets; actually the Slope is right near one of my favorite shortcuts which is Atlantic Ave to Penn Ave to the Interboro.

I don't see any reason why his/her drives will be any more than an hour and a half. Figure no Friday classes so no nightmares on spring Friday afternoons, no rush hour crawls. I get to Mattituck from Staten Island in 2 hours so SB isn't going to be 2 - 2.5 from Brooklyn.

On the other hand you are right on the money on the overpriced hipster hell that that whole part of Brooklyn has become. Poster is better off moving out to the Island unless something else is keeping him/her in Brooklyn.

Many people work at the Brookhaven Labs who are young and/or out-of-towners and rent places around there. I never got the impression from them that housing was hard to find or overpriced.

Good points, forgot about eastbound trafic if its early on in the day. Yea man it is MUCH better to just live near the campus. They have an amazing apt complex in St.James near the mall, built in the 90's, for like 1500$ a month. Really nice get up. My friend in slope is paying right now 1800 a month to share a 2bdr pre-war with someone. Insane. Not to mention having to move your car ever Thursday or whatever for street cleaning, or never finding parking close to a 5 block radius near your place :/ THAT would be fun to deal with after doing grad work and driving 3 hours a day when you come home ha!

Edited April 2, 2012 by DustSNK

[crate]

Welcome to 2013, thread!

 

I am looking seriously at Stony Brook, and I'll be visiting in March. I'm looking at neighborhoods within a couple miles from the campus, with an eye toward commuting by bike....a radius roughly of Port Jefferson Station, Terryville, South Setauket, St. James. I would appreciate anything people can share about how these maybe less fancy neighborhoods do in terms of amenities and community.

 

On the topic of community, is there any group house culture out there, with people who choose to live together for anything other than financial reasons?

 

Thanks for helping me figure out what "alternative" living (relatively speaking) looks like on Long Island.

[davidm]

Thanks for helping me figure out what "alternative" living (relatively speaking) looks like on Long Island.

 

seconded

[pratik_qanta]

Any info about Chemistry department of SBU?

[SocGirl2013]

Can anyone maybe shed some more light on the dorming situation there? Is it recommended? I think with my stipend that's about all I can afford lol. 

[ke6904]

Does anyone have an opinion on commuting from right outside of Bridgeport, CT? I'm currently from CT and my boyfriend will be working in CT about 30 mins from the Bridgeport area. He has a good job-- and with my stipend, affording the monthly ferry pass isn't a problem.

 

As far as I can tell, it would be about a 10 minute drive to the ferry, an hour and fifteen minute ferry ride, and then roughly 10 minutes from Port Jefferson to SBU (is that accurate?) I would bring a car on so I would have transportation to and from the university and the ferry.

 

Does this sound far fetched? I would be an English PhD student-- so for the first two years I may try to leave around SBU because I'll be on campus a lot. The last three years I'll be teaching and ABD, so I was thinking that's when I'd try commuting from CT (I'll be going to campus less often, most likely).

 

The only reason I even considered it is because I heard/read that most students commute from NYC (2 hours by train?) anyways. The commute from CT doesn't seem as far fetched as I thought considering that most people commute from Brooklyn anyways.

 

Thoughts??

[SocGirl2013]

So people from my cohort and I got a 4 bedroom house at an excellent location near SBU. Beautiful house with HUGE rooms and 2000/month for the whole house pretty much an unbeatable deal. Except the lease is 9 months, August to May which is the only down side. One of our roommates just backed out and we don't want to take on non-graduate students because of lifestyle considerations and I wanted to see if there was anyone here going to SBU in the fall looking for housing. 

[SocGirl2013]

I just looked at the rules for this sub-forum and maybe this thread is misplaced. Feel free to move it around mods, I'm sorry for the mistake.

[Garyon]

So, time to bring this topic to 2015.

I was just admitted to Stony Brook and I'd like to hear some fresh opinions on the school/the life there/apartment situation etc.

 

Also, I was offered a stipend of 17.5 K and full tuition coverage. Will it be enough do live there? I am an international student and cannot rely on family support any more.

Edited January 31, 2015 by Garyon

[hillary511]

I am an undergrad at Stony that takes grad classes. I live off campus and my rent is $550 a month + utilities. The area isn't too bad; there's a lot of great food and it's small-town-y but has a mall and movies and stuff. The closeness to NYC is definitely a plus. I don't know, I have no money and no parental financial support but I've been fine here.

[Garyon]

I am an undergrad at Stony that takes grad classes. I live off campus and my rent is $550 a month + utilities. The area isn't too bad; there's a lot of great food and it's small-town-y but has a mall and movies and stuff. The closeness to NYC is definitely a plus. I don't know, I have no money and no parental financial support but I've been fine here.

 

Thanks!

 

The closeness to NYC is absolutely a plus!  Also form an academic point of view, since the stony brook linguistics department has frequent collaborations with NYU, Cuny and Yale. I'm pretty excited about that

 

So do you think living off campus is better then on-campus solutions?What about craiglist? Do you believe it to be a good place to find affordable housing near SB or do you have any other suggestion?

[juiceboxrampage]

Does anyone know if there are any housing co-ops or collectives in Stony Brook? Any political activism / anarchist / feminist / LGBTQ stuff going on in the area?

 

Edit: Also, is it bike friendly?

Edited February 6, 2015 by juiceboxrampage

[hillary511]

Garyon I actually work in the office that handles off campus housing. Feel free to PM me and I can give you a TON of information.

Juiceboxrampage: I don't think there are any co-ops around here. There's plenty of feminist and LGBT happenings. A huge amount of the population is public school kids from New York city so the atmosphere is very liberal. Biking is probably fine, we just have so much snow here it's not the most reliable transportation. That being said, one of my friends here is an avid biker and does so all the time.

[Garyon]

Garyon I actually work in the office that handles off campus housing. Feel free to PM me and I can give you a TON of information.

Juiceboxrampage: I don't think there are any co-ops around here. There's plenty of feminist and LGBT happenings. A huge amount of the population is public school kids from New York city so the atmosphere is very liberal. Biking is probably fine, we just have so much snow here it's not the most reliable transportation. That being said, one of my friends here is an avid biker and does so all the time.

Oh wow, this is precious! Thanks! I'll definitely PM you in the next couple days.

[juiceboxrampage]

I've been in contact with some LGBTQ graduate students at Stony Brook and we're discussing starting a co-op, or at least an LGBTQ friendly house! PM me if you want to be involved

[hillary511]

I've been in contact with some LGBTQ graduate students at Stony Brook and we're discussing starting a co-op, or at least an LGBTQ friendly house! PM me if you want to be involved

Do you mean on or off campus? There's LGBT housing on campus, and you can create any house you want off campus, so there's no such thing as housing off campus that isn't LGBT friendly.