2024 Best Colleges for Public Policy in the Albany Area

• Saratoga Springs, NY•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.75 out of 5  658 reviews

Junior: I love my experience at Skidmore. My first year, I was able to take a variety of classes in different departments to figure out where I felt most at home, and many of our classes are interdisciplinary. It is easy and encouraged to have multiple majors/minors, and most professors are amazing! They truly are a great resource that I was not expecting to have, especially coming from a bigger high school. I have been fortunate to hold several campus jobs, including being a tour guide, tutor, and RA. There are also tons of opportunities for students to get involved in administrative, career-preparing work through our SGA and various campus committees--most searches and voting committees will have at least one student representative, and overall the opportunities are vast.... Read 658 reviews

• grade A minus

• Acceptance rate 31%

• Net price $31,553

• SAT range 1270-1440

• Saratoga Springs, NY•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 4.03 out of 5  492 reviews

Graduate Student: I am an older student and had concerns about returning to college after many years while caring for my disabled husband. Not only did SUNY Empire make it easy for me to attend but gave me the support and encouragement I needed. I find myself recommending this college to anyone and everyone. Each step of my journey was supported by other students, professors, office staff, even the president. If it wasnt for this supportive family I wouldn't have succeeded. I am truly thankful!... Read 492 reviews

• grade B

• Acceptance rate 100%

• Net price $11,557

• SAT range —

• Albany, NY•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.59 out of 5  958 reviews

Graduate Student: Saint rose is a pretty good school depending on your program! If you're business (finance/accounting/marketing), you'll definitely have so much flexibility in scheduling and courses! The professors are super helpful when it comes to course work and other personal matters. Some professors however are strict and pretty mean, but you'll fine that anywhere! There's always events on campus and people around, so the campus is super lively. The diversity isn't the best (it's semi better than other colleges), but in recent years has definitely gotten better! Overall I would recommend saint rose, there's always something to do on campus, people to meet and there's a whole array of clubs and committees to join. The dining is decent, but the food places on campus are definitely great! Highly recommend Camelot Room and Midnight Eats! There's Starbucks which is nice and your student ID gives you free/unlimited use for the CDTA bus! It's great if you're a commuter or a student who likes to go out!... Read 958 reviews

• grade C+

• Acceptance rate 76%

• Net price $23,474

• SAT range —

• Albany, NY•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.53 out of 5  2,487 reviews

Senior: Hey, so I'm a senior at University at Albany, SUNY, and I'm loving it so far! The variety of academic programs is awesome, and I'm already eyeing some research opportunities. Campus facilities are pretty modern, but some classes are big. It'd be cool if they had smaller ones. Super diverse student body, which is great. Location-wise, being in Albany is sweet – lots of chances for internships and stuff. Maybe some more parking options would be nice, and I've heard mixed things about student support services. But overall, I'm excited to see how my time here unfolds! 😄🎓... Read 2,487 reviews

• grade B

• Acceptance rate 68%

• Net price $17,350

• SAT range 1090-1280

• Loudonville, NY•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.65 out of 5  882 reviews

Sophomore: I transfered to Siena during my freshman year. The staff and professors could not have made my transition more seamless and easy. The campus is small, but it's perfect for those who wish to go to a small school. It's a Catholic school, but you wouldn't guess that by the student body. If you're looking for smaller classes for more attention from professors, Siena is exactly that. Loudonville is a small and cute little town with great food options and lots of shopping. Everyone I have met so far is extremely nice and kind, and I'm so glad I chose Siena!... Read 882 reviews

• grade C+

• Acceptance rate 83%

• Net price $32,810

• SAT range 1020-1220

• Troy, NY•

• 2 Year

• •
  Rating 3.85 out of 5  630 reviews

Freshman: I'm an incoming Freshman at Hudson Valley Community College, starting later this month. I visited the school out of curiosity for their new Welding Technologies associate degree program. I found the campus and all the services offered to be great. The Welding lab, including the Virtual Welding equipment was excellent and well set up. By the end of my visit, I knew that I wanted to attend this school and I applied immediately. I will be able to really increase my welding skills and be better prepared for my career. The college made the application and registration process very easy, with most things taken care of online or by email. This helped tremendously since I have a full-time job and wasn't able to visit or call the school during my workday. Once I start my classes I'll change my working hours to part time so that I can both focus on my studies and take part in some of the campus activities. I am very excited to begin!... Read 630 reviews

• grade C+

• Acceptance rate 100%

• Net price $9,713

• SAT range —

• Schenectady, NY•

• 2 Year

• •
  Rating 3.64 out of 5  273 reviews

Sophomore: I really like the people and environment! SUNY Schenectady is always making an effort to renovate and improve their space for students, and the students there are all open and inviting. The professors are all super understanding and have your back 24/7! They have multiple spots on campus to get food and have open spaces to meet friends. They have a lovely space outdoors that is perfect to be between classes, and a new library with all the books and textbooks to help you with your academics. They also have free tutoring for pretty much every class! They offer in person and online tutoring. They even have free events throughout semesters with food, games, and raffles. The only thing I took of points for was that some professors are extremely hard graders (but you'll find them everywhere! No college is perfect). Especially for online classes, it's harder for professors to connect with their students so they are not as lenient when it comes to late work or extra credit to improve grades.... Read 273 reviews

• grade C+

• Acceptance rate 100%

• Net price $5,312

• SAT range —