SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

SUNY ESF provides an excellent environment for learning. Small class sizes and approachable professors foster the feeling that one can succeed if they choose to. My own personal experience was very positive and I absolutely recommend this university to anyone seeking a degree in environmental sciences or forestry. The only negative comment I can say is that my particular major did not provide a distinct career path for after graduation and I found myself unprepared for securing a job that I was qualified... Read More for.

SUNY ESF provides an excellent environment for learning. Small class sizes and approachable professors foster the feeling that one can succeed if they choose to. My own personal experience was very positive and I absolutely recommend this university to anyone seeking a degree in environmental sciences or forestry. The only negative comment I can say is that my particular major did not provide a distinct career path for after graduation and I found myself unprepared for securing a job that I was qualified... Read More for.

If you are interested in the environment, and making a positive contribution for the future generations, then SUNY ESF is the school for you. It is an Environmentally focused university with a close knit community. The faculty and students are all very welcoming, and passionate about their areas of interest. Although the curriculum is challenging at times, it always pays off in the end. Make sure to get your moneys worth by applying yourself when attending a graduate program, but ultimately any college... Read More in general!

The Graduate Program in Environmental Science at SUNY-ESF is rigorous and prepares you well for a career in academia, local, state or federal government, or a private environmental consulting firm. Many professors at ESF have connections to environmental organizations in the areas surrounding the school, which is crucial for forging partnerships for research and making connections for internships and future jobs. The graduate program offers useful, specialized seminars on different subsets of environmental... Read More science, wherein experts come to campus to discuss their research. Additionally, many of the students are extremely motivated and interesting - it is wonderful to be surrounded by many intelligent people conducting novel research.

ESF has a tradition of supporting the natural resources sciences. That heritage is a huge strength of the institution and is drawn upon for many of the classes offered to students. Many more opportunities are afforded to undergraduate students than graduate students. As a graduate student, funding reductions that have reduced graduate specific course offerings has been my biggest concern. Graduate courses were once very robust and as a research institution a larger investment in graduate students... Read More should be a higher priority.

The Environmental and Forestry Biology faculty members are great. They are all experts in their field and most are very kind and willing to help students in any way possible. ESF's faculty is its best asset. Also, the coursework is both challenging and useful for my field. I feel that ESF offers sufficient courses to provide me with the solid background I need for my thesis research. One other benefit of attending ESF is that although the campus is small and close-knit, ESF students have access to... Read More the much larger Syracuse University facilities (including their libraries and gyms). However, ESF could improve upon its technology. The library's main computers and printer are ancient and frequently crash. Also, many classrooms lack wireless internet access. Engineering and other students who have offices in Baker, the new building, will not have to worry about this. But, the EFB program is situated in Illick, an old building. Also, I have experienced many issues with ESF's administration staff. Although it has nothing to do with my department, this has caused me great problems with obtaining funding for my research.