<h4 id="section---Pros"> Pros</h4> <ul><li>Ranked among the Top Public Schools by <i>U.S. News and World Report</i> </li><li>Diverse student body </li><li>Average student debt was $6,229 less than the national average </li></ul><h4 id="section---Cons"> Cons</h4> <ul><li>Acceptance rate was 23.8 percentage points less than the national average </li><li>Room and board costs were $1,729 above the national average </li><li>Average student-to-faculty ratio was two points higher than the national average </li></ul><h3 id="section---RankingsSchoolAnalysis"> Rankings &amp; School Analysis</h3> <p>SBU was ranked 40th in the category of Top Public Schools as of 2013, according to <i>U.S. News and World Report</i>. The College Board paints a picture of a campus with a diverse student body, including black, white, Latinos, Asians, non-resident aliens and a number of people of mixed race. </p> <p><i>U.S. News and World Report</i> also notes that the average student-to-faculty ratio at SBU was 18:1 in 2011, higher than the national average of 16:1. Only about 40% of applicants were admitted in 2012, according to the College Board, much less than the national average of 63.8%. As of the 2012-2013 school year, the cost of room and board at Stony Brook was $10,934 - slightly higher than the national average of $9,205, as reported by the College Board. </p> <p>SBU won a grant from the Department of Defense in 2007 to devise ways to prevent potential terrorists from corrupting technological information stored on computers. SBU is also home to the Marine Sciences Research Center, which is the State University of New York's center for marine and atmospheric research. </p> <h2 id="section---GettingInFinancialAidAtStonyBrookUniversity"> Getting In &amp; Financial Aid at Stony Brook University</h2> <p>There are two ways you can apply to SBU. You can either use the Common Application or the SUNY application, both of which can be completed online. Along with your application, you'll need to submit an essay, SAT or ACT scores, letters of recommendation and a $50 application fee. The acceptance rate is substantially lower than the national average, so getting into this school may be challenging. </p> <p>Stony Brook offers several loans, including the PLUS and New Federal Stafford loans. There are also numerous scholarship opportunities. According to the College Board, $11,214 was the average financial aid package for 2012 and 82% of students were offered aid. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th> Application and Tuition Info </th><th /></tr> <tr><td> <i>Regular Application Deadline (2013-2014)</i> </td><td> February 1st***</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Financial Aid Priority Application Deadline (2013-2014)</i> </td><td> March 1st***</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Admission Notification Date (2013-2014)</i> </td><td> April 1st*</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Application Fee (2013-2014)</i> </td><td> $50***</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Acceptance Rate (2012)</i> </td><td> 40%***</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Tuition, Fees and Housing (2012-2013)</i> </td><td> $18,512 (in-state), $29,132 (out-of-state)****</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Average Financial Aid Package (2011)</i> </td><td> $11,214***</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Percent of Students with Need Met (2011)</i> </td><td> 25.5%****</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Average Student Debt at Graduation (2011)</i> </td><td> $20,371****</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Student Loan Default Rate (2009)</i> </td><td> 5.8%**</td></tr> </table><h2 id="section---StudentLifeAtStonyBrookUniversity"> Student Life at Stony Brook University</h2> <p>SBU has a vibrant student life, with a majority of students living on campus as of 2011. However, Stony Brook may not be for you if you're interested in Greek life. <i>U.S. News and World Report</i> notes that only 2% of males and 3% of females were in a fraternity or sorority as of 2011. </p> <p>According to <i>U.S. News and World Report</i>, there are roughly 333 registered clubs and organizations at Stony Brook. These groups range from athletic activities to ROTC, math clubs, drama clubs, art clubs and more. Numerous libraries are available as well; on-campus library collections include Korean studies, law and government information. </p> <p>Through SBU's Career Center, you can discuss possible careers that correspond with your major, and you can receive help with cover letters, resumes and job searches. These services are offered to both undergraduate and graduate students. The Career Center also allows you to take part in mock interviews and networking events with alumni. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th> Student Life Info </th><th /></tr> <tr><td> <i>Campus Setting</i> </td><td> Large suburb</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Student Population (2012-2013)</i> </td><td> 24,149***</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>% of Male-to-Female Students (2012-2013)</i> </td><td> 53% to 47%***</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>% of Full-Time Students (2012-2013)</i> </td><td> 92%***</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>% of In-State Students (2012-2013)</i> </td><td> 92%***</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Retention Rate (2011-2012)</i> </td><td> 92% (full-time), 63% (part-time)**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Campus Housing Available</i> </td><td> Yes</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>% of Students Living on Campus</i> </td><td> 85% (first year), 61% (overall)***</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Number of Libraries</i> </td><td> 5*</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Extracurricular Activities</i> </td><td> 333 registered organizations****</td></tr> </table><p><i>Article Sources: *Stony Brook University, **NCES College Navigator, ***College Board, ****U.S. News and World Report.</i> </p> <h3 id="section---SchoolContactInformation"> School Contact Information</h3> <ul><li><i>Address:</i> Stony Brook University, UG Processing, 279 Broadway, Albany, NY 12204-2755 </li><li><i>Phone:</i> (631) 632-6868</li></ul>