State University of New York College at Buffalo College Portrait
State University of New York College at Buffalo1300 Elmwood Avenue Buffalo, NY 14222
(716) 878-4017
State University of New York College at Buffalo
Why choose Buffalo State? In a word, “options.
Buffalo State opened its doors in 1871 and has focused on making quality education accessible to students ever since. The college began by educating teachers, and later added undergraduate and graduate professional and liberal arts programs. Today, more than 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students call Buffalo State their academic home.
Living in the Bengals Community
Buffalo State is deeply committed to providing guidance, resources, and leadership to the Western New York region. The college’s dedication to community partnerships is just one of the many qualities that make up our institutional distinctiveness.
At Buffalo State, students learn by doing. After graduation, our alumni use the tools established both in and outside of the classroom to build successful, rewarding lives. Our hands-on educational focus not only leads to fulfilling careers for our graduates, but also instills an active sense of service in our more than 80,000 alumni. Our alums often help current students with their careers, internships, and service-learning experiences. These opportunities help guide students to real-world professions.
The Big Picture: How many students were on campus in Fall 2010?
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| Total Students | 12,419 | |
|---|---|---|
Undergraduate Snapshot
| Total Undergraduate Students | 9,925 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | ||
| Women | 5,724 | 58% |
| Men | 4,201 | 42% |
| Race/Ethnicity | ||
| American Indian / Alaskan Native | 36 | <1% |
| Asian | 78 | 1% |
| African American / Black | 790 | 8% |
| Hispanic | 372 | 4% |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 8 | <1% |
| White | 3,791 | 38% |
| Two or More Races | 115 | 1% |
| International | 127 | 1% |
| Race/Ethnicity Not Reported | 4,608 | 46% |
| Where do SUCB undergraduates call home? | |
|---|---|
| New York | 97% |
| Other US States & Territories | 1% |
| Other Countries | 1% |
| Residency Unknown | <1% |
| How old are SUCB undergraduates? | |
| Average Age | 22 |
| Percent of Undergraduates Age 25 or Older | 19% |
New Student Applications (Fall 2010)
New Freshmen High School Background and Test Scores
Test(s) Required for Admission: SAT or ACT recommended
| Test Scores of Enrolled New Freshmen | SAT |
|---|---|
| Math | 430 - 540 |
| Critical Reading | 430 - 550 |
50% of admitted students have test scores within the ranges listed, 25% have scores above, and 25% have scores below.
| High School Background of Enrolled New Freshmen | ||
|---|---|---|
| Percent in top 25% of High School Graduating Class | 35% | |
| Percent in top 50% of High School Graduating Class | 82% | |
| Percent of New Freshmen who submitted HS GPA | 70% | |
| Average High School GPA (4-point scale) | 3.1 | |
| Percent who submitted High School GPA | 98% | |
Sticker Price: How much does it cost on average?
Typical Undergraduate Costs for 2010-11 without Financial Aid (Full-Time, In-State Students)
Total Typical Cost of Attendance: $19,221
The cost of attendance will be updated for 2010-11 Academic yearOut-of-State & Other Costs
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The cost to attend State University of New York College at Buffalo varies based on the individual circumstances of students and may be reduced through grants and scholarships.
How much would I pay?
Financial Aid: How much help is there to pay?
Scholarships & Grants
- 89% of 2010-11 full-time undergraduates received need-based grants or scholarships; the average award for the year was $6,867. Scholarships and grants are financial aid that does not need to be repaid and is sometimes referred to as gift aid.
Annual Need-Based Loans
- 89% of 2010-11 full-time undergraduates received need-based work-study and/or loans (not including parent loans); the average loan for the year was $4,992. Loans need to be repaid. Typically, repayment starts once you are no longer enrolled full-time. Please refer to page 12 of the Funding Education Beyond High School guide on the US Department of Education's Federal Student Aid website for more information about Financial Need.
Percent of 2009-2010 Full-time Beginning Students Receiving Each Type of Financial Aid
NOTE: Students may receive aid from more than one source.
SUCB Classes & Instructors
| Classroom Environment | |
|---|---|
| Students per Faculty | 16 to 1 |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 30 students | 78% |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 50 students | 92% |
| Total Full-Time Instructional Faculty | 425 |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Female | 45% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Persons of Color | 20% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Have the Highest Academic Degree Offered in Their Field of Study | 85% |
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Campus-based Housing
56% of new freshmen live in campus-based housing or residence halls.
23% of all undergraduates live on campus
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Campus Safety
Buffalo State offers a 125-acre, safe, walkable campus. University Police officers are on duty 24-hours a day, seven days a week. University Police—committed to both the philosophy and practice of community policing—maintains safety by patrolling campus, responding to emergencies immediately, and notifying the college community of any unusual events as soon as they occur.
Campus Crime Statistics
Carnegie Classification of Institutional Characteristics
The Carnegie Classification's were created "to reference the great diversity of colleges and universities in the United States, and ... enable [people] to identify groups of roughly comparable institutions." For information on the Carnegie Classifications system, please visit their website: http://classifications.carnegiefoundation.org/
- Basic Type
- Master's Colleges and Universities (larger programs)
- Size and Setting
- Medium four-year, primarily nonresidential
- Enrollment Profile
- High undergraduate
- Undergraduate Profile
- Full-time four-year, selective, higher transfer-in
- Undergraduate Instructional Program
- Professions plus arts & sciences, some graduate coexistence
- Graduate Instructional Program
- Postbaccalaureate with arts & sciences (education dominant)
NOTE: Institutional classifications based on the Carnegie 2005 edition.
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Student Activities and Involvement at SUCB
Students who are actively involved in their own learning and development are more likely to be successful in college. Buffalo State offers students a wide variety of opportunities both inside and outside the classroom to become engaged with new ideas, people, and experiences. Buffalo State measures the effectiveness of these opportunities in a variety of ways to better understand what types of activities and programs students find the most helpful.
Institutions participating in the VSA program measure student involvement on campus using one of four national surveys. Results from the one survey are reported for a common set of questions selected as part of VSA. Following are the selected results from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The questions have been grouped together in categories that are known to contribute to student learning and development. The results reported below are based on the responses of seniors who participated in the survey.
Group Learning Experiences
- 88% percent of seniors worked with classmates on assignments outside of class.
- 49% of seniors tutored or taught other students
- 18% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week participating in co-curricular activities such as student organizations and intramural sports
Active Learning Experiences
- 77% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week preparing for class
- 15% of seniors worked on a research project with a faculty member
- 54% of seniors participated in an internship, practicum, or field experience
- 33% of seniors participated in community service or volunteer work
- 6% of seniors participated in study abroad
- 96% of seniors made at least one class presentation last year
Institutional Commitment to Student Learning and Success
- 92% of seniors believe this institution provides support for student success
- 56% of seniors rated the quality of academic advising at this institution as good or excellent
- 56% of seniors reported that this institution provided help in coping with work, family and other non-academic responsibilities
- 96% of seniors reported working harder than they thought they could to meet an instructor's standards or expectations
Student Interaction with Campus Faculty and Staff
- 45% of seniors believed that the campus staff were helpful, considerate, or flexible
- 70% of seniors believed that faculty are available, helpful, or sympathetic
- 93% of seniors reported that faculty members provided prompt feedback on their academic performance
- 71% of seniors discussed readings or ideas with faculty members outside of class
Experiences with Diverse Groups of People and Ideas
- 59% of seniors reported that they often tried to understand someone else's point of view
- 86% of seniors reported their experience at this institution contributed to their understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds
- 50% of seniors often had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity
Student Satisfaction
- 76% of seniors would attend this institution if they started over again
- 78% of seniors rated their entire educational experience as good or excellent
- 70% of seniors reported that other students were friendly or supportive
Evaluation of Experiences
Survey Administration Process
Survey Information
Majors and Degrees
| Degrees awarded at State University of New York College at Buffalo in 2009-10 | |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 1,800 |
| Master's | 874 |
| Total | 2,674 |
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| Areas of Study with the largest number of bachelor's degrees awarded in 2009-10 | |
|---|---|
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 12% |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 9% |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 7% |
| Education, Other | 5% |
| Social Work | 5% |
| Links to degree programs at State University of New York College at Buffalo |
|---|
Bachelor'sMaster's |
Student Success & Progress Rate
A 82% four-year success and progress rate means that 82% of students starting in Fall 2004 either graduated or are still enrolled at a higher education institution four years later.
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Counts for the Fall 2004 entering class shown in the graph above.
- 1,314 First-Time, Full-Time Students
- 829 Full-Time Transfer Students
Success & Progress Rate Table
Retention of Freshman Class
First-time students in Fall 2009 that returned for their second year: 75%
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Student Learning at State University of New York College at Buffalo
All colleges and universities use multiple approaches to measure student learning. Many of these are specific to particular disciplines, many are coordinated with accrediting agencies, and many are based on outcomes after students have graduated.
Student learning is assessed at Buffalo State in all areas of Intellectual Foundations (general education) on a rotating three-year cycle and in major programs every five years. This assessment primarily involves assessing student work according to standards determined by the faculty. Also, in certain areas standardized nationally benchmarked exams are given.
Learning Assessment Examples
Pilot Project to Measure Core Learning Outcomes
Colleges and universities participating in the College Portrait measure the typical improvement in students' abilities to think, reason, and write using one of three tests. This is part of a pilot project to better understand and compare what students learn between their freshman and senior years at different colleges and universities.
- Results from the Collegiate Learning Assessment
The Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) measures critical thinking, analytic reasoning, problem solving, and written communication using a performance task and an analytic writing task. The scores from the tasks are reported separately below.
Test Administration Process
Test Information
Performance Task Results for First-time, Full-time Students
The increase in learning on the performance task is above what would be expected at an institution testing students of similar academic abilities.
Freshman Score: 1045
Senior Score: 1132
CLA score range: 400 to no maximum score.
Average EEA scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 983
Senior Score: 984
Analytic Writing Task Results for First-time, Full-time Students
The increase in learning on the analytic writing task is above what would be expected at an institution testing students of similar academic abilities.
Freshman Score: 1090
Senior Score: 1221
CLA score range: 400 to no maximum score.
Average EEA scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 956
Senior Score: 984