SUNY Potsdam: Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Go

What: The State University of New York at Potsdam

Where: Potsdam, New York

When: Founded in 1816

Who: 4,224 Students

SUNY Potsdam is Awesome and here are 10 reasons why…

FYI: This was written by a Potsdam Graduate with experience and insight as to what Potsdam has to offer. So whether you’re an upcoming freshmen looking for the perfect college experience you’ll never forget or a transfer student looking for a different experience from what you have now, this post is for you.  Any current or past students of Potsdam will agree, there is definitely nowhere quite like Potsdam.

1. #1 Dining Services

Potsdam’s on-campus dining services are among the very best. I know what you’re thinking, every school claims they have the best food. But evidently, SUNY Potsdam’s Dining Service Provider “PACES” was rated #1 among the other 27 SUNY schools. Whether you are in the mood for a Burger from Becky’s or a sub from Chips Place, we can assure you, you won’t be disappointed. Potsdam provides 8 different on-campus dining locations which are all in a short walking distance from each other offering a variety of different choices. Whether you are looking for an early morning breakfast or have the drunk munchies from 7 a.m through 1 a.m PACES offers timeless meal service.

2. Small Town Living

Although there isn’t always much to do in small towns, Potsdam’s small area allows for everything to be in walking distance. Don’t have a car? Not a problem. Everything from campus all the way down to Market Street and Main Street is no more than a 10 to 15 minute walk. Same goes for classes on campus. Potsdam campus has all its class buildings included within a quad which makes going from class to class very easy. Just make sure to bundle up during the winter because those negative degree days can definitely be brutal.

3. Crane School of Music

Are you an inspiring musician who loves to play your instrument at all hours? If so this school is for you. From the second you walk into your dorm building you will be able to point out the “Cranies” (the nickname these students refer to themselves as). These students are beyond dedicated to their love for music and aren’t afraid of showing it. Potsdam’s Crane School of Music is ranked among some of the best Music schools in the United States. Whether you’re are interested in the choir, orchestra, or band, Crane has a variety of different options to fit your needs.

4. Greek Life and Sport Teams

Between Greek Life and the Sports Teams that SUNY offers, there is no way you can ever feel lonely. Although Potsdam’s student body is rather small, Greek Life and Sports is a great way to get to know your fellow peers. Greek life gives students the opportunity to get the community service and philanthropy events that will make their resume that much better. Greek life and sports teams also brings in a lot of money for SUNY Potsdam. Whether its fundraising or tabling in the union these students bring a great amount of revenue for SUNY Potsdam.

5. Next Door Neighbors

Within twenty minutes of Potsdam’s campus there are two other universities. Also in Potsdam is Clarkson University and about a 20 minute drive is SUNY Canton. Having Clarkson in the same town as SUNY Potsdam allows for the two student bodies to mix and makes for very interesting nights out. Lets just say the small town of Potsdam gets a little hectic when both schools are in session.

Click on the Flashcard Deck below to see some pictures of what SUNY Potsdam has to offer.

6. Night Life

We’d be lying if we didn’t say having two big universities in one town wasn’t crazy. Potsdam and Clarkson students share the same night life bars which makes the night life pretty interesting. Potsdam has three main bars on the downtown strip. Though these bars aren’t the top of the line bars (but let’s be real, which college bars are?) they are definitely an experience. From the more sophisticated people, Maxfield’s is definitely for you. But if you’re looking for a crazy dancing packed out bar, we would definitely suggest McDuff’s or Backstreets Night Club. This is where majority of the students go because it’s a chance for you to see everyone and get really cheap drinks at the same time. And what poor college student doesn’t love cheap drinks?

7. Cantina and Cactus Grill

In the mood for some Mexican food? What about a fish bowl? Or some tequila shots? If so Cantina is definitely the place to go. Whether it’s with a big group of people or just a few close friends, Cantina is definitely the spot for some good food along with some good drinks which always is a fun pregame spot.

8. Clubs and Organizations

Interested in joining some clubs or organizations to add to your resume? SUNY Potsdam offers about 80 clubs and organizations for students. These organizations vary anywhere from Video Game Club to Culinary Club to Honor Society Clubs. These organizations and clubs give students the opportunity to broaden their horizons and show their future employers ways in which they became a part of the SUNY Potsdam Community.

9. Small Class Size

Besides a few of the big lecture hall classrooms, Potsdam class size is rarely bigger than 20-25 students. This small class room environment allows for students to get to know their professors and peers on a deeper level. Also, provides students with the ability to ask questions and get an actual response without having to compete with other students for the professor’s attention.

10. Picture Perfect

Potsdam is located in the beautiful area of the Adirondack Mountains surrounded by beautiful mountains views in the winter and flowing river views in the spring and summer. Right in downtown Potsdam you can view the flowing Raquette River along with the St. Lawrence River which is not too far as well. We can assure you that these sites are beautiful and have breathtaking views where you have the chance to experience a variety of outdoor experiences. Such experiences can include hiking at Stone Valley, canoeing, kayaking, and many more.

Bonus Point

SUNY Potsdam university themselves suggested that we add their top of the line campus safety and security services to our list. With 24 hour university police patrolling, emergency on campus telephones, lighted pathways and controlled dormitory security, you should feel safe at all hours of the day.

For all you prospective students, I hope this gave you insight as to why you should attend SUNY Potsdam come this fall. It is an outstanding school with so much to offer its students. Getting in shouldn’t be a concern because here at ExamTime we want to give you the support you need by offering you as many resources as possible that are helpful and actually effective for you.  Whether it’s for your ACTs, SATs, APs, or regular in class exams, ExamTime is here to offer you the resources you need to study.

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