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Bringing It Home – The Saint Rose Blog

Is Saint Rose right for you?

As a tour guide and 2-time Orientation Leader, I’ve answered hundreds of questions about life at Saint Rose, my experiences, and college life in general. Lately, upon hearing that I am graduating in May, they have asked what are your plans for next year? It’s been about 4 years since I received my acceptance letter from Saint Rose and time really does fly. Choosing to come to Saint Rose was probably the last time I made  a decision this big. As I research job opportunities and graduate schools, I’ve begin to recall how I made my last big decision and where I started.

I am the first child, and when my parents and I started looking at schools, we didn’t necessarily know what to ask. After a ton of college visits, we knew what to ask so that I got the necessary information that I needed to make my decision. As I begin to make my transition out of college, my parents are starting from square 1 with my brother. I knew that I wanted a school in upstate New York and that I wanted to teach, but beyond that, I was clueless.

Where to start:

  1. Don’t feel like you need to choose a major right now. Many colleges, like Saint Rose, have exploratory/undecided programs. Saint Rose is a Liberal Arts College, which means all students have to take a little bit of everything: Math, Science, Literature, History, Psychology, Foreign Language, Physical Education, etc.
  2. Visit a really big school and a really small school. Think: How many people do I want in the classroom with me?
  3. Think of how far away from home you want to be. Do you want to commute? Do you want to be a car ride or a plane ride away?
  4. Come up with a list of questions to ask when you visit the schools. Here are some things that are commonly asked:
  • What is there to do on the weekend?
    • There are sometimes events on the weekends put on by clubs. Most recently, there was SEB’s Winter Semi Formal and Late Knight’s Haunted EAC. There is also a lot to do in the community. There are a bunch of restaurants within walking distance and students can always jump on a CDTA bus (for free!) to get around the city.
  • Is it safe?
    • Campus security takes the following precautions to keep our campus safe:
      • 24/7 security at Lima and Brubacher (freshman dorms)
      • Blue light System: in the case of an emergency, students can press an button that directly connects to security. They can talk to you while a security guard is on his/her way to your location.
      • The RAVE alert system is used in the case of an emergency. This sends out a text and phone call to students and parents (as long as you sign up for it).
  • How’s the food?
    • I’m not going to say it’s as good as mom’s cooking, but it’s pretty good for college food! The dining hall has a good amount of variety and the menu changes every day. There are also multiple cafes on campus that you can go to as an alternative to the dining hall.
  • What if I don’t like my roommate?
    • Try to work it out, but if all else fails, talk to your RA and find out how to put in a request for a room change.
  • Was it easy to make friends?
    • You have to put yourself out there! Join a club, go to a campus event, and the easiest one: leave your dorm room door open!
  • Can I have a car?
    • Freshman are not permitted to have cars on campus. However, the CDTA busses allow us to get around Albany for FREE with our St. Rose ID cards.
  • How can I get home if my parents can’t pick me up?
    • Amtrak, Megabus, and Greyhound all have stations within Albany. You can take the bus to reach it or take a cab for about $10.
  • I know you’re a tour guide, but do you really like it here?
    • YES! I never thought that I would be this involved and have as many great opportunities as I have had thus far.
  • What made you decide to come here?
    • After I received my acceptance letter, St. Rose gave me a ton of opportunities to come visit. What really made my decision was the overnight visit. I got to spend 24 hours as a St. Rose student. I went to classes, ate in the dining hall, and spent a night in the dorm. After it ended, I bought a “St. Rose Mom” t-shirt from the bookstore and sent in my deposit.

BONUS for those visiting Saint Rose- here’s a link to view and print our Campus Pocket Guide.

What questions do you have? Comment below and we’ll try to answer!

What do you think?

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