Frequently Asked Questions
- When is the first day of Class? College Calendar How many credits do I need to transfer? 24 credits to be seriously considered for transfer, and at least
a 2.5 grade point average is required (2.8 for Education
majors).
- Do I have to declare a major? You can choose a major when you apply, or come in undeclared and
make the decision when you arrive. A student is required to
declare a major by the end of their sophomore year. All transfer
students must declare a major when they apply to Oneonta.
- Whom do I notify if I must miss the
first days of classes? You will need to speak with your
advisor and the Student Development Office.
- Can I change my major before I get
here? Yes- it is common for students to change their major
several times during their course work.
- Can I drop calculus, chemistry, etc? Depending in your course of study, and if you have a full
regents program- yes. One should speak with their guidance
counselor and admissions counselor before making any changes to
your schedule.
- Do I have to take math and a foreign
language? As a part of Oneonta's General Education (Liberal Arts) requirements there will be a foreign language and
a math requirement. There will be several other General
Education requirements to fulfill as well.
- When do I get my class schedule? When you come for orientation (in July or August) you will get
your class schedule.
- When is commencement? College CalendarWhen are finals? College CalendarIs there an attendance policy? Yes or no; it depends on the individual professor.
- Do you have tutors for extra help? Yes. We offer free tutoring through our Center for Academic
Development & Enrichment.
- How do I know if classes are cancelled? Generally there will be notification via your campus phone and
email address. It will also be announced on the radio. If a
professor cancels a class they will let you know.
- Can I have pets on campus? Only
underwater pets are allowed.
- When is Parent’s Weekend? College Calendar
- What are the fees all about? They include Health Insurance, Student Comprehensive Fee which
covers, Activity Card, Athletics, Health Center, Technology
Fee, and College Fee.
- When are the breaks? College Calendar
- How do I get my PIN number? You
will receive it once your SUNY Application arrives.
- What are the codes- CEEB, FAFSA, and
TAP? CEEB (2542) code is the code used to designate a
college or a high School. FAFSA is Free Application for Student
Aid – each college has a 6 digit code (002847). TAP is tuition
assistance program and each school has a 4 digit code for that.
- Is there a Jewish student organization
on campus? Yes. The
Student Association funds an
organization called JSO (Jewish Student Organization). Hillel is
working to provoke a renaissance of Jewish life. The Hillel chapter of the
State University College at Oneonta offers students the
opportunity to participate in Jewish culture and community
service. All members of the SUNY Oneonta campus are welcome to
all meetings and events.
- Do they offer kosher meal plans? We can make arrangements for special diets if necessary. In
general, it is not a "kosher kitchen."
- Can I get a job on campus? We
offer jobs through the Work Study Program based on your
financial needs, and through the Career Development Center.
- What are the services for disabilities? Depending on the disability we offer: shared notes, note takers,
testing accommodations, textbooks on tape, etc.
Student
Disability
Services has a website.
- What are the banks in the area? Wilber National Bank, Key Bank, NBT,
and Sidney Federal Credit Union.
- What is there to do in town? There is a Mall, Movie Theatres, cafes, and a number of
community events.
- How far is town from the campus? About 5 minutes- it can be walked or we have a Bus Service.
- What is the population of Oneonta? The population is approximately 30,000 including town, city and
students.
- How much snow does Oneonta get? We get a lot of snow-but the roads on campus are kept clear by
our maintenance staff and the town is very good about keeping
them clear also.
- Do I have to come to orientation? Yes- this is when you will choose your classes and get you
student ID and meal plan information. Orientation is offered in
July as well as August.
- Do I have to come to EOP Summer
Academy? If you are
an accepted EOP student and wish to attend Oneonta Yes- it will
prepare you for classes, as well as be a time to select your
classes and learn about our support services.
- What Division are the sports? All
teams compete at the NCAA Division III level.
- When are try-outs? Tryouts are
the beginning of each semester. If you are interested in playing
a sport here at Oneonta, be sure to contact the appropriate head coach as
soon as possible.
- Is an interview required? Interviews are optional and are more informative than evaluative- if you have some specific questions a
counselor is available to answer them.
- What are the admissions requirements? The average GPA for the fall 2007 freshman class was a
90.2 and the average SAT score was an 1120 (Math & Critical Reading
only). Although these are not minimums, for fall 2008 and
beyond applicants should expect to compete against an average
applicant with GPA's of >90 and SAT's >1120 for admission.
In additional a full college preparatory curriculum is required.
- Is a portfolio/audition required for
art or music? No.
- Can I have a scholarship? Merit
based scholarships are available and will be awarded once you
are accepted depending on your academic performance compared to
the overall applicant pool- there is no separate application and
awards are mailed out in late January.
- Can I apply on line and how do I go about doing it? You can visit the SUNY
website to apply on line- a credit card is required to pay the
application fee ($40).
- What score do I need to have AP Credit? You will need a 3 or better on the final exam to earn AP
Credit.
- Do I need to verify enrollment for
Health Insurance? Yes it is necessary to verify
enrollment for Health Insurance. Letters are available from the
registrars office if you need them.
- Do I have to
register for Open House? It is strongly recommended.
- Can I have a Sunday tour? No Sunday tours are
available, however a Walking Guided Tour Book is available at
University Police, and we do offer Information
Sessions on specific Saturdays.
- Do you accept students who have GEDs
or are Home Schooled? Yes, depending on academic scores
and completed courses.
- Do you accept IB credit or CLEP? Yes.
- What is the student to faculty ratio? 20
students to each professor.
- What is the male to female ratio? 40 males to every 60 females
- What is the percentage of minority
students? The percentage of minority students is 10%.
- What is the percentage of minority
faculty? The percentage of minority faculty is 20%
- What is the percentage of International
Students? The percentage of international students is
.73%.
- Do I have to return the bill if I am
getting financial aid? Yes – your bill will not have the
financial aid portion deducted until your bill is returned.
- When do I have to apply for Financial Aid? Once you have filed your income tax – you can start the
financial aid process. Anytime after January 1st.
- How do I do an online Financial Aid
application? You can go to www.fafsa.ed.gov to fill out the form.
- Can I have a car on Campus? A student must have >56 credits (typically junior
status) to purchase a parking permit.
- Are there buses that go downstate for
breaks and holidays? Yes, there is a local company that
provides charter buses to several locations downstate for breaks
and holidays. Tickets are sold on campus on specific dates for
this service. These buses pick up and drop off on campus.
- How do students get to campus from the
bus station? We have a public transportation system that
runs from the bus station to campus every ½ hour from 7am to
2am.
- When can I bring a car to campus? You must have >56 credits before you are permitted a car on
campus. Inquiries about parking are directed to University
Police.
- How far is Oneonta from Cortland? It is about 100 miles.
- How far is Oneonta from New York City? It is about 220 miles to New York City.
- Can I take a train to Oneonta? No,
you must "bus" it.
- What is the number of computer labs on
campus? There is a computer lab in each residence hall,
plus several throughout the academic buildings on campus- they
number over 30.
- How accessible are the computers? The computer rooms in the residence halls are open 24 hours a
day and are accessible with your student ID card. Approximately
45% of students on campus bring their own computers.
- Can I bring my own computer? Computer hookups are available in each room. The internet
access fees will be added to your regular phone bill. By no
means is it required or necessary to bring your own computer.
- Is there any wireless connectivity? Yes, the College at Oneonta is a fully wireless campus.
- How many ports are available in each
room? There is an Ethernet port for each bed in each
room.
- Is there Internet/email access on
campus? Students can access web browsers, email and most
popular software applications via the campus server. Off campus
students will receive a dial-up modem account with the same
basic services.
- How safe is the campus? In a
recent study Oneonta was rated the #1 safest college town in New
York and among the top ten safest college towns in America. We
have a University Police escort program, a card access system
and emergency blue lights throughout the campus. The University
Police Office also maintains a website where all reported on campus incidents are listed.
- Is Oneonta a party school? Oneonta is a dry campus, meaning alcohol is not allowed anywhere
on campus, regardless of a person's age; every effort is being made to provide
educational programs regarding the risks of drinking and drug
use. Incidences on campus are not taken lightly, and are
brought before the disciplinary board.
- What is there to do at night? Oneonta’s College Union Activities Council (CUAC) plans several
evening activities throughout the year. Bands, speakers,
comedians, and movies are some of the activities. Musical
performances, talent shows, fashion shows, and theatrical
performances are also put on by the students. Clubs also plan
several events.
- What happens when I get sick? Students can make an appointment at the Health Center during
regular business hours. The city of Oneonta also has a
hospital, A.O. Fox Hospital with
an emergency room.
- Why are there two charges for health
services? There is only one fee for health services.
- Are there sprinklers in the residence
halls? With the exception of Higgins Hall which has
sprinklers throughout, there are sprinklers in the garbage rooms
and cooking areas only. All residence halls meet all current fire
regulations.
- When do I get my roommate’s name? After you pay your housing deposit, the office of Housing will
mail you a PIN number. You will then be able to fill out a
residence hall questionnaire online. You should receive your
rooming information in July.
- How often do they clean my room? You are responsible for your own room. In a suite style
building the bathrooms are cleaned once a week if you have
removed all your personal belongings. In all other building
styles the bathrooms and public areas are cleaned daily.
- Do I have to live on campus? Freshman and Sophomores are required to live on campus, unless
they live locally with a parent or guardian and wish to commute.
- Is housing guaranteed for all four
years? Yes, housing is guaranteed for all four years.
- Can I ship stuff to campus before I
arrive? Yes, but, make sure you do it close to opening
day, and that you have the exact address of the building you
will be living in.
- Can I rent a refrigerator? Yes-
at the beginning of the year a private company will be available
for rental of refrigerators.
- Can I have a microwave/toaster oven? Microwaves are permitted but
need to be registered at your hall's main desk at check-in.
Heating devices with an open coil (hot pots, toaster ovens,
etc.) are not permitted. All residence
halls have a kitchen.
- Do you offer single sex residence
halls? All residence halls are coed. Some halls
are arranged male or female by floor while others are Male or
female by unit.
- Do you have a freshman only residence
hall? As a part of the First Year Experience (FYE) living option, Littell, Tobey and Wilber Halls house only
freshman. All other buildings house a variety of different
classes. We find by mixing classes if encourages a sense of
community on campus.
- Is there a guest policy? Yes-
you must get approval from your RA via a student guest form.
You are allowed one guest per person per room. The guest is
required to abide by the same rules and regulations as a
student.
- Can I live with a friend? When
you fill our your residence hall questionnaire on line, there is
the option of requesting a roommate. He or she would have to
fill out the same request form. There is no guarantee.
- Is there a curfew? There is no
curfew. Students are expected to abide by campus quiet hours
from 11pm to 7 am. Some residence halls maintain 24 hour quiet
hours. During finals week the entire campus is expected to
maintain 24 hour quiet hours.
- What is key/card access? Students are issued a student ID when they come to orientation.
This ID serves as a library card, meal card, and access to their
residence hall. After 11 pm each night the access doors are
shut off except for the main lobby door.
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