Its motto "Think Wide Open" perfectly sums up Purchase College, SUNY, long the artsy lodestone in the SUNY system: the conservatory here "deserves and receives the highest respect." Between the School of the Arts and the School of Liberal Arts & Sciences, there are over 40 majors to choose (and, if those don't suit you, a rarely chosen option to design your own). Nearly all bachelor's students must complete a senior project in which they devote two semesters to in-depth, original, and creative study, and students welcome the chance to explore. "We're all about finding new ways to think about things, from science to art to management," says one.
Classes tend to be about "learning through discussion" rather than lecture, and professors "go out of their way to make sure that everyone is on the same page, and don't leave anyone behind." They often actively work in the field in which they teach, and therefore "bring the material life and take learning outside the classroom." Classes in both the creative arts and general education are "rich and exciting," such as the professor who "teaches classes about Jack Kerouac on a train and walks the path of On the Road." Students benefit from the school's proximity to New York City (less than an hour away), where auditions, showcases, and a fertile alumni network thrive, and "some of the best artists in the NY area become adjunct faculty at this school at some point."