What Does it Take to Get Into State University of New York (SUNY) Binghamton?

The State University of New York (SUNY) system is a strong network of public schools, offering great value to students both in- and out-of-state. SUNY Binghamton is the top-ranked university of the 64 SUNY campuses that serve more than half a million students.

SUNY Binghamton prides itself on offering the best of both worlds. Its academic culture rivals those of private universities and is “rigorous, collaborative and boldly innovative.” It also offers combined degree programs and extensive study abroad programs. At the same time, its status as a public university makes it affordable, diverse, and deeply engaged in its community.

Students considering the SUNY system should seriously consider SUNY Binghamton and all it has to offer. To learn more about how to get in, keep reading.

Applying to SUNY Binghamton: A Quick Overview

SUNY Binghamton accepts the Common Application, the Coalition Application, or its own SUNY Application, which allows you to apply to multiple SUNY schools with one application. You only need to fill out one of these, and you can learn more about the Common Application in our Guide to the Common App.

There are two application options for first-year applicants. Early Action applications are due by November 1. Regular Decision applications are due January 15.

In addition to the application, applicants will need to submit:

• $50 Application fee or fee waiver request
• School transcript
• One teacher or counselor letter of recommendation
• Official test scores from either the SAT or ACT

SUNY Binghamton does not require interviews as part of the admissions process, but if you visit campus, you’re welcome to meet with an admissions counselor when the office is open. Check the SUNY Binghamton admissions site for more specific information.

SUNY Binghamton Acceptance Rate:  How Difficult Is It to Get In?

SUNY Binghamton is considered a selective school, so the majority of students who apply are ultimately not accepted. That being said, every year thousands of students are offered a spot in the incoming freshman class.

In 2018, the acceptance rate at SUNY Binghamton was 40%.

While some schools have significantly higher acceptance rates for Early Action applicants, this is only barely the case at SUNY Binghamton. Here, the acceptance rate for early action applicants was just 43%. 

So, How Does One Get Into SUNY Binghamton?

First of all, to even be considered for admission to SUNY Binghamton, students must fulfill some basic requirements in high school. All applicants must complete at least 16 credit units. These must include four units of English, three units each of math and foreign language, and two units each of science and social studies.

The most important factors for admissions to SUNY Binghamton are your academic credentials from high school. SUNY Binghamton considers your GPA and the rigor of your secondary school record very important factors in the admissions process. To get in, you should take challenging classes and do well in them.

In addition, standardized test scores are very important at SUNY Binghamton. Official SAT or ACT scores are required to complete your application, and while you are not required to take both, nearly 40% of accepted applicants submitted scores from both tests. 50% of accepted applicants scored 30 or above on the ACT, and nearly 40% scored 1400 or above on the SAT.

Other factors considered important by the admissions committee include your recommendations, essay, and extracurricular involvement. 

How to Make Your Application Stand Out

Score above a 1430 on the SAT or a 31 on the ACT. Due to its heavy emphasis on standardized tests, one of the best bets for making your application stand out is to ace these.

In 2018, students who scored above a 1430 on the SAT or a 31 on the ACT landed in the 75th percentile of all accepted applicants. This means they outscored 75% of accepted students. Although high scores won’t guarantee your acceptance, they will certainly give you a big boost towards landing that coveted acceptance. For help preparing for the SAT, consider the benefits of CollegeVine’s full service, customized SAT Tutoring Program, where the brightest and most qualified tutors in the industry guide students to an average score increase of 250 points.

Achieve a Near Perfect GPA. Again, SUNY Binghamton cares about your academic achievements and, with over 30,000 applications to review each year, this often means that reducing applicants down to the numbers is an easy way to screen some out. If you want to land on top of these initial application screenings, strive for a near perfect GPA. In 2018, 63% of accepted applicants had a GPA of 3.75 or higher. If you can land a GPA of 3.9 or above, you’re bound to impress and land near the top of the pack.

Be a New York Resident. As a public state university, SUNY Binghamton does consider your residency during the application process. New York state residents receive preferential treatment and ultimately only 7% of incoming freshmen in 2018 hailed from out-of-state. Being a non-resident doesn’t mean that you can’t get in; it just means that you’ll have to work extra hard to prove your worth. Of course, it also means you’ll have to pay the out-of-state tuition price of $21,000, compared to the NY state resident cost of just below $7,000.

What If You Get Rejected?

Getting into SUNY Binghamton is never a sure deal, so if you get rejected, rest assured that you are among the majority. While it’s not the outcome you hoped for, it’s also not the end of the world.

First of all, you should know that SUNY Binghamton does accept transfer students so you could theoretically go on to graduate with a SUNY Binghamton degree. That being said, the acceptance rate of transfer students is similar to the first-year acceptance rate, so you’ll need to keep your grades up and work on improving your academic statistics if you hope to get in as a transfer.

Another great option for students set on the SUNY system is SUNY Albany. Located less than 150 miles from SUNY Binghamton, SUNY Albany boasts some impressive stats of its own, but has slightly less stringent admissions standards and a later application deadline. If you aren’t sure that you’ll get into SUNY Binghamton, it’s a good idea to submit your application to SUNY Albany, or one of the other SUNY schools as well.

For students who don’t get into SUNY Binghamton, it’s important to remember that luckily, it isn’t the only option available. With thousands of options, there is a good fit out there for everyone. For help adjusting to a different dream school, read our post, Envisioning a New Future: Preparing for Life at Your Second-Choice (or Third, or Fourth) School.

Curious about your chances of acceptance to your dream school? Our free chancing engine takes into account your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and other data to predict your odds of acceptance at over 500 colleges across the U.S. We’ll also let you know how you stack up against other applicants and how you can improve your profile. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to get started!