By John Brhel
September 1, 2018
Binghamton University welcomed new and returning students last month with move-in days signifying the beginning of the fall semester and a new academic year.
Approximately 2,850 freshmen, 1,080 transfer students and 1,200 new graduate students joined the Binghamton University community this year. Classes for all of Binghamton’s approximately 17,800 students began Aug. 22.
“This is an exciting time to be at Binghamton University,” said President Harvey Stenger. “Binghamton continues to be a place where the best students in the nation —and the world — come to learn and I am looking forward to helping the Class of 2022 develop into intellectually active, socially involved and successful adults.”
For the third consecutive year, Binghamton received a record number of applications; this year, more than 38,000 freshmen applied for fall 2018 admission, surpassing the previous record of 33,406 set in 2017. The admitted class has an average high school GPA of 95 and SAT scores at about 1,380 for evidence-based reading and writing and mathematics. The SAT score is based on the new SAT scale, launched in March 2016.
“Binghamton has built a strong academic reputation, not just around the country, but around the globe,” said Provost Donald Nieman. “The Class of 2022 represents some of the most talented students we have ever seen, and we fully expect that their contributions will greatly enhance the intellectual, cultural and social vibrancy of our campus and surrounding area.”
Binghamton’s new School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SOPPS) achieved Candidate status in June, which grants all the rights and privileges of an accredited school to SOPPS graduates. This status is just in time to welcome the arrival of the second class of approximately 80 students. The school held its Class of 2022 White Coat ceremony Aug. 25, marking the incoming students’ transition from pre-clinical into clinical studies.
“We had been looking forward to welcoming our Class of 2022 as we open our brand-new building at the University’s Health Sciences Campus in Johnson City,” said SOPPS Founding Dean Gloria Meredith. “This new class joins with our current students as they learn from our innovative curriculum and prepare to practice in any number of possible careers. Our graduates will address gaps in the health-related workforce in our region and also make a tremendous impact on healthcare for our community and beyond.”
The SOPPS will have approximately 390 students when fully enrolled after four years – 360 in the PharmD program and an additional 30 PhD students.
Nearly 1,080 highly talented transfer students with a mean GPA of 3.5 also joined the Binghamton University community this fall, including about 330 SUNY Broome Community College students, by far the largest number from any single community college. Another 240 students had signed up for the Binghamton Advantage Program, a special, dual-admission program with SUNY Broome that allows students to become part of the Binghamton University community and live on the University’s campus while attending SUNY Broome.
Binghamton continues to have a diverse class, with the geographic distribution reflecting New York state’s population. About 39 percent of new students are from upstate New York; 7 percent are from Broome and Tioga counties; 26 percent are from Long Island; and 24 percent are from New York City.
Binghamton also welcomed more than 600 new international students to the campus community. Approximately 250 undergraduate and 350 graduate students from more than 40 countries arrived in Binghamton, with the greatest numbers coming from China, India, Turkey and South Korea.
