State University of New York - Maritime College (New York)

SUNY Maritime, a college located on the edge of New York City is a "very unique," school that "prepares you to be a professional in the maritime industry," where starting salaries are impressive and-thanks to the school's "strong career placement"-jobs are easy to come by. "SUNY Maritime takes regular kids and, at a reasonable price (especially when compared to other colleges), helps them become skilled professionals with knowledge that can take them to great careers with great companies around the world," beams a mechanical engineering major. "If you wish to work on ships or love the sea, this is the place for you." There's a broad core curriculum. Classes are small and the academic workload can "pile on if you're not careful," especially in the "excellent engineering program." The registration process is "terrible" but professors are "always accessible" and "usually fantastic." They frequently "come straight from the industry" and they "teach in-depth." "Hands-on training" is also an essential aspect of the curriculum. "Graduates are extremely prepared for their job and the real world," brags a naval architecture major. Each summer, for example, qualified students "get to tour foreign ports" as they cruise around the globe on Maritime's training vessel. "I have already gotten to see nine different countries," gloats an electrical engineering major.

There's every different ethnicity and background as well as varied socioeconomic classes represented here. There is also a significant number of foreign students. There aren't very many women, though. The typical student at Maritime is a male "in uniform" with a "shaved head" who is looking for a "career on the water." Students at Maritime come primarily from the East Coast. They are "mostly conservative in their beliefs" and "in some sort of physical shape." They are "proud of the school and take pride in why they are here." Despite, "a shared spirit of apathy and loathing" at times, camaraderie remains high. "The uniform acts as an equalizer and people from various backgrounds and social strata tend to form friendships that might otherwise not have occurred," explains a junior.

The civilian program at Maritime offers your basic undergraduate experience. The Regiment of Cadets program, on the other hand, requires you to wear a uniform and live a "quasi-military," "very structured" existence. About 75 percent of the students here choose the regiment. There's no military obligation after you graduate, but it's "four years of hell" just the same. Life is a "daily grind." Cadets "wake up super early" for "formation," for example, and they are subject to room inspections. Schoolwork is difficult and "takes up a lot of free time" for everyone. "During the week, most students do not have much of a personal life," explains a senior. The social scene is a mixed bag. When students are able, they take advantage of "the great city of New York," which is "only 20 minutes away." Sometimes, they "drink like sailors," but only off campus. On campus, most students participate in sports, "either intramural or varsity." Navy and marine ROTC are popular. "We have a gym and there are a bunch of clubs and activities," adds a junior. Life on campus is "pretty boring," though. "There is not much fun to be had," warns a senior. "It's like a World of Warcraft convention some days."