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I graduated from SBU in 2022. During my time here, the school looked at students as nothing more than a way to get money in exchange for an education that made you feel unsupported in every way possible. Professors never had time for students outside of office hours for any large science or lecture class. All the "teaching" fell on the TAs (shoutout to the Orgo TAs, you guys were gods). Classes were also so big that exams had to be taken at 7:15 at night since multiple rooms were needed to accommodate... Read More students across the two lecture sections offered per semester. The majority of professors did not care about helping you pass, and the "joke" (which may be true) is that professors are only there to do research, and there is a clause in their contracts requiring them to teach as well. Similarly, math classes had averages of 35% despite students constantly studying and attending lectures. It comes down to feeling like you are not being taught in the majority of these classes, it is all self-teaching and the resources are limited in doing so. The only place that I had a sense of community was in the University Scholars program, from which I have heard has now gone by the wayside as they pushed the director out.
The school also has very limited mental health support, I know of two different friends went to the ED at SBUH in a mental health crisis due to the academic stress and lack of support from the university. I'm not saying a school should coddle you or just pass you, but students are there to learn, engage in thought-provoking conversations, and prepare ourselves for our careers. SBU does a terrible job of supporting any of these goals and is not worth the time or money to attend (even if you're in-state).
I will say, I double majored in psychology and took a few other classes in sociology, music, and public health writing and I do want to note that while some of these classes had their own faults, they were significantly better in terms of teaching and I had a much better experience overall. However, SBU is constantly slashing funding for the humanities and perpetuates the stigma against these classes and their students, so take this information with a grain of salt.

Stony Brook University is hidden gem. There are so many opportunities to really advance yourself academically, professionally, and intellectually. The campus environment is not the most social, especially on weekends, but there are so many people of so may different backgrounds that one can easily overcome the problem. The class sizes are pretty big at first but as you dive into your major they get smaller allowing for a more personalized connection with your professor. There are many opportunities... Read More to work in the hospital or conduct research in a lab. There are even programs that will help you present your research at conferences!

My school took education very seriously and offered some of the best classes out there. The work was rigorous and very challenging. However, due to the lack of faculty support and student academic support for classes, it was very much a figure it out yourself or self-study type of environment. The diversity in Stony Brook was very lacking, however they have been making strides in the last few years. Overall, getting a biology degree did open a lot of career doors for me but nothing outside of what... Read More getting a normal college degree would do. I loved the school but it may not be the best at preparing students for a career in the real world, networking or even gaining skills apart from those that are regularly gained by undergraduates.