Given the fact that the state of New York is on the east coast and is home to the American hot spot of New York City, it comes as no surprise that it is a popular place for students to study. There are many different types of higher education opportunities in the state, and students can choose from colleges and universities that are located in the heart of Manhattan or in the snowy land of Buffalo. With two massive public university systems and nearly 90 different private colleges and universities located in the state, there is literally an educational experience for just about anyone waiting in the state of New York.
The City University of New York and the State University of New York are the two public university systems in the state. The City University of New York system, also known as CUNY, is the system for all universities located in New York City. It is the largest urban system in the country, and boasts more than 24 different educational institutions. There are about 540,000 students enrolled in the system, making it the third largest system in the country. It is funded by both the state of New York and the city of New York.
The State University of New York, or SUNY, holds the honor of being the largest university system in the United States. It has four main university centers: Stony Brook University, the University at Albany, the University at Buffalo and Binghamton University. The system has an enrollment of just under 500,000 undergraduate students but its 1.1 million adult lifelong learning population make it the largest system in the United States. The State University of New York includes every type of higher learning institution that is supported by the state, with the exception of any schools that are a part of the CUNY system.
While the state has two large public university systems, New York is also known for its plethora of outstanding private institutions. Popular and elite private school choices include New York University, which is a private research school based in Lower Manhattan, Ivy League school Columbia University, Sarah Lawrence College, which started out as an all-girls school but evolved into a coeducational facility and Syracuse University, a private research institution that is located in upstate New York. These just name a few of the many different types of private universities and colleges in the state.