Ross Mesnick ’18 was very insistent before graduating last June that his university needed to be added to our college tour this October. Because we also wanted to see Hartwick, RIT, and Syracuse, it was easy to accommodate his request, especially since we knew that Ross would make himself available throughout our visit, providing useful “Franklin Academy” perspectives about Binghamton University. There are 14,000 undergraduates and 3,000 undergraduates on this large suburban campus that consists of six smaller schools and colleges. While Ross is enjoying his freshman fall semester, he made it clear that the academic demands are rigorous and he is working very hard. His advice for any Franklin Academy student considering a place like Binghamton is simply this: “Be ready to move into a higher gear.” One also needs to be able to negotiate a much larger campus and interact with many more students, but a number of our tour participants were intrigued by the possibilities. With RIT, Syracuse, and UVM still to be visited, the comparison with smaller liberal arts colleges will be thoughtfully considered. “Ross, thank you for joining us during the info session, campus tour, and dinner in downtown Binghamton. And, may your strenuous efforts lead to impressive accomplishments.”
Moving into a Higher Gear
