Queens College, City College of New York
Flushing, New York
Queens College’s motto is Discimis ut Serviamus: We learn so that we may serve. This is fundamental to the work and to the students’ mentality at Queens CUNY. Located in Flushing, the most diverse county in all of the US and boasting students from over 150 different nations, QC sits on 80 acres of land on a traditional quad campus. But don’t let that fool you; it’s anything but ordinary.
Let’s start with diversity. QC is actually diverse. And it’s got numbers to prove it. To start, the campus has about 16,500 undergrads, and of that group only about 28% identify as White. Another 27% identify as Latinx, 27% as Asian-Pacific Islander, and 9% Black. Many of these students are first generation college students, something QC is very proud of, and something that makes the environment there particularly rich as well. First generation students, students of color, and international students bring many different perspectives with them to campus and that can make learning all the richer for everyone.
Like many colleges and universities, the entire CUNY system has a First Year Initiative that includes some gen ed requirements. Theirs however is fairly thoughtful and meant to help you become a generally well educated person. All students have to learn to write, understand mathematical reasoning, and have a basic grounding in scientific knowledge (4 courses over all), but then it branches out so that you will also learn about world cultures (Globalization is a thing), diversity in the US (there’s no escaping it these days), creative expression (it’s necessary for every job on earth), the individual and society (know thyself!), and the scientific world (there’s no escaping the fact that science is a part of our world and our future). All of this comes with peer mentors and a community that you join based on your interests. The faculty advisor you get is based on the community you choose, and your choice is hugely open. You can pick a drama community, a chemistry community, urban studies, comp sci, economics, political science, or art history. The options dazzle.
Beyond the core though, QC’s programming is something to consider carefully as well. They have some very top programs in some niche fields. First off, sports medicine is top 10 in the nation here. QC is a DII school so not only can you study sports medicine you can play here too (more to come on that). It’s a serious program in nutrition and exercise science and when combined with either the pre-med track or diatetics can be a great way to learn the field.
Another very serious program that QC has is in their performing arts and media studies. They have a fantastic performing arts center The Kupferberg Center for Performing Arts. The dance program, theater, music, and choral programs are all top notch. And because New York City is so close by, students also have a chance to work there as well. Internships and shows are at your fingertips.
Business and economics are also very popular here, as you might expect with Wall Street so close by. Think of the internships and opportunities you have with the variety of places Manhattan has to offer for your summers between semesters. And because QC also offers night classes as well as daytime classes, you could theoretically have an internship with Citibank during the day and take your classes afterwards in the evenings. Imagine your resume after that. Plus Queens College also has an entire center for entrepreneurship on campus to support your business ventures and start ups as well.
QC participates in the CUNY Honors Programs, including the Queens College Scholars. These are top scholars who because of merit will receive merit scholarships without regard to major. There is a separate application for it though, so be mindful of that.
Another huge reason to go to Queens College is cost. It’s one of the most affordable schools in the US and it rates very highly for value as well. Tuition for out of state students is $560/credit hour. A student who takes 15 credit hours per semester (30 in a year) would pay tuition of $16,800/year. UVA’s in-state tuition this past year was $16,520. So there’s that.
QC is home to a variety of centers for research and that is part of what makes the campus so exciting to be and learn on. The Michael Harrington Center for Democratic Values and Social Change sponsors speakers and dialogue on topics ranging from conflict in Israel to the spread of measles, from hosting workshops on poverty to conflict resolution. The Barry Commoner Center for Health and the Environment got a four year grant to study the air quality of New Yorks air and to determine if it has adverse effects on people’s health. The Neuroscience Center is working on why people can easily determine that things are 3D when we see in 2D and how our prefrontal cortex plays a role in that. The Center for the Improvement of Education partners with local urban schools to try and create valuable professional development for educators and pre-service teachers and improve educational outcomes. And that’s not even all of the centers on campus!
So what is it like to be on campus? There is only one dorm on campus. Most people live off campus in apartments. But the one dorm is also apartment style and it’s very very nice! Called The Summit, all apartments come fully furnished, with wifi throughout the building. There are digital cable tv, laundry facilities, student lounges, and study lounges as well. Zip cars are available as is a covered bike rack area. You’re living the life here. Promise.
As far as sports go, there are plenty to pick from as long as football is not one of them. That one is club only and non-tackle. The other usual suspects are available: soccer, track, cross country, baseball, tennis, swimming, softball, basketball, volleyball, but also women’s lacrosse and for some reason, also women’s fencing (which I would do, because, well, swords).
There is also Greek life at QC so if that is your thing then you are all set. But there are also over 100 clubs for you to join beyond the Greek scene. Join the Japanese Culture Club, Mindful Moment Club, Let’s Talk Python, New Music Group, or The Future Healers of America. Maybe you want to be with National History and Horticulture, Chess Club, the Billiards Club, the Financial Literacy Club, or the Philosophy Club. Are you into being on the radio? WQMC for you. Or maybe you’re more Theater Guild, or Science Fiction and Animation, or maybe Musical Theater Group, or you’re just Nuts for Plants. Whether you’re up for joining the Dance Union or Society of American Archivists, there is always something to do at Queens College.
Is QC for you? It will take some bravery. Most of you have never one time been in the minority in a place, and while a lot of you tell me you want more diversity, a school like Queens College, can feel really overwhelming. But that is definitely one of the best parts of it. It would mean being ok with “hugging the cactus” as Ms. Laux likes to say, or being scared and doing it anyway, as I like to say. If you want to change your world and get a great education doing it, QC is for you.
Pros:
Cons:
Flushing, New York
Queens College’s motto is Discimis ut Serviamus: We learn so that we may serve. This is fundamental to the work and to the students’ mentality at Queens CUNY. Located in Flushing, the most diverse county in all of the US and boasting students from over 150 different nations, QC sits on 80 acres of land on a traditional quad campus. But don’t let that fool you; it’s anything but ordinary.
Let’s start with diversity. QC is actually diverse. And it’s got numbers to prove it. To start, the campus has about 16,500 undergrads, and of that group only about 28% identify as White. Another 27% identify as Latinx, 27% as Asian-Pacific Islander, and 9% Black. Many of these students are first generation college students, something QC is very proud of, and something that makes the environment there particularly rich as well. First generation students, students of color, and international students bring many different perspectives with them to campus and that can make learning all the richer for everyone.
Like many colleges and universities, the entire CUNY system has a First Year Initiative that includes some gen ed requirements. Theirs however is fairly thoughtful and meant to help you become a generally well educated person. All students have to learn to write, understand mathematical reasoning, and have a basic grounding in scientific knowledge (4 courses over all), but then it branches out so that you will also learn about world cultures (Globalization is a thing), diversity in the US (there’s no escaping it these days), creative expression (it’s necessary for every job on earth), the individual and society (know thyself!), and the scientific world (there’s no escaping the fact that science is a part of our world and our future). All of this comes with peer mentors and a community that you join based on your interests. The faculty advisor you get is based on the community you choose, and your choice is hugely open. You can pick a drama community, a chemistry community, urban studies, comp sci, economics, political science, or art history. The options dazzle.
Beyond the core though, QC’s programming is something to consider carefully as well. They have some very top programs in some niche fields. First off, sports medicine is top 10 in the nation here. QC is a DII school so not only can you study sports medicine you can play here too (more to come on that). It’s a serious program in nutrition and exercise science and when combined with either the pre-med track or diatetics can be a great way to learn the field.
Another very serious program that QC has is in their performing arts and media studies. They have a fantastic performing arts center The Kupferberg Center for Performing Arts. The dance program, theater, music, and choral programs are all top notch. And because New York City is so close by, students also have a chance to work there as well. Internships and shows are at your fingertips.
Business and economics are also very popular here, as you might expect with Wall Street so close by. Think of the internships and opportunities you have with the variety of places Manhattan has to offer for your summers between semesters. And because QC also offers night classes as well as daytime classes, you could theoretically have an internship with Citibank during the day and take your classes afterwards in the evenings. Imagine your resume after that. Plus Queens College also has an entire center for entrepreneurship on campus to support your business ventures and start ups as well.
QC participates in the CUNY Honors Programs, including the Queens College Scholars. These are top scholars who because of merit will receive merit scholarships without regard to major. There is a separate application for it though, so be mindful of that.
Another huge reason to go to Queens College is cost. It’s one of the most affordable schools in the US and it rates very highly for value as well. Tuition for out of state students is $560/credit hour. A student who takes 15 credit hours per semester (30 in a year) would pay tuition of $16,800/year. UVA’s in-state tuition this past year was $16,520. So there’s that.
QC is home to a variety of centers for research and that is part of what makes the campus so exciting to be and learn on. The Michael Harrington Center for Democratic Values and Social Change sponsors speakers and dialogue on topics ranging from conflict in Israel to the spread of measles, from hosting workshops on poverty to conflict resolution. The Barry Commoner Center for Health and the Environment got a four year grant to study the air quality of New Yorks air and to determine if it has adverse effects on people’s health. The Neuroscience Center is working on why people can easily determine that things are 3D when we see in 2D and how our prefrontal cortex plays a role in that. The Center for the Improvement of Education partners with local urban schools to try and create valuable professional development for educators and pre-service teachers and improve educational outcomes. And that’s not even all of the centers on campus!
So what is it like to be on campus? There is only one dorm on campus. Most people live off campus in apartments. But the one dorm is also apartment style and it’s very very nice! Called The Summit, all apartments come fully furnished, with wifi throughout the building. There are digital cable tv, laundry facilities, student lounges, and study lounges as well. Zip cars are available as is a covered bike rack area. You’re living the life here. Promise.
As far as sports go, there are plenty to pick from as long as football is not one of them. That one is club only and non-tackle. The other usual suspects are available: soccer, track, cross country, baseball, tennis, swimming, softball, basketball, volleyball, but also women’s lacrosse and for some reason, also women’s fencing (which I would do, because, well, swords).
There is also Greek life at QC so if that is your thing then you are all set. But there are also over 100 clubs for you to join beyond the Greek scene. Join the Japanese Culture Club, Mindful Moment Club, Let’s Talk Python, New Music Group, or The Future Healers of America. Maybe you want to be with National History and Horticulture, Chess Club, the Billiards Club, the Financial Literacy Club, or the Philosophy Club. Are you into being on the radio? WQMC for you. Or maybe you’re more Theater Guild, or Science Fiction and Animation, or maybe Musical Theater Group, or you’re just Nuts for Plants. Whether you’re up for joining the Dance Union or Society of American Archivists, there is always something to do at Queens College.
Is QC for you? It will take some bravery. Most of you have never one time been in the minority in a place, and while a lot of you tell me you want more diversity, a school like Queens College, can feel really overwhelming. But that is definitely one of the best parts of it. It would mean being ok with “hugging the cactus” as Ms. Laux likes to say, or being scared and doing it anyway, as I like to say. If you want to change your world and get a great education doing it, QC is for you.
Pros:
- In-state costs out of state
- Diversity
- Great programming
- Proximity to NYC
Cons:
- It’s big
- On campus housing is not guaranteed
- Most students live off campus
- No football