Marist College

Don't let a pretty campus fool you, Admissions just shows you the nice parts. Tuition keeps rising to ridiculous rates yet the mediocre professors get more jaded and bored every year. Marist only cares about enticing future students while current ones (especially commuters!) are ignored, e.g.: parking gets more strict every year to accommodate new buildings. They keep accepting more freshmen, downplaying the fact that housing is NOT guaranteed after the second year. Administrative offices are slow, bloated, and bureaucratic. Some buildings (Gartland, Donnelly, Dyson) badly show their age. Sodexo food is very hit-or-miss and badly overpriced ($9 lunches are common), but of course, they bring out the good stuff on parents' weekend. Poughkeepsie is a miserable, crime-ridden "city." Most students go out to bars, school clubs stink because people are only there to get housing "priority points."

4th Year Male -- Class 2015

Perceived Campus Safety: A+, Useful Schoolwork: F

I want to mention that I attended Marist as a transfer student and I was older than the typical student ( not a recent high school graduate - 26 ) Marist was/is trying to get more $$$ by appealing to the adult community. By the way if you are considered age 22 or above you are considered an adult student ( kind of stupid in my eyes because tons of people are doing 5 year plans now ). 2 of 4 teachers talked negatively about the school the 1st day of classes and how money was mismanaged but what really got me agitated ( even 2 months prior to class starting ) was dealing with the "Adult Education Center" and PATRICIA "PATTI" BURNS. She treats you like a child, won't allow you to choose your own schedule ( this is for working adults 12PM - 130PM Mon/Thurs isn't that great when you have no other classes the rest of the day ) I literally cant stand the Adult Dept and I am told if you are 23 when you graduate they make you move off campus the day before 23rd birthday. I think their Fishkill Campus is slightly better for adults but not by a lot. The Poughkeepsie campus is beautiful but just not worth $35-$40K of DEBT when you graduate. Most of the students who do go there ( about 70 % ) are wealthy Long Island, Connecticut/NJ, wealthier areas of Queens/Brooklyn type students. There are a few Texas, California, Florida etc and a small pocket of local area residents who commute ( 5-8% ) ALSO if a commuter regardless of class status you MUST use commuter lounge . Can't use regular facilities. TO SUM IT UP THIS PLACE BLOWS!!! I was an Accounting Major and went to Queens College instead ( HAVE NO REGRETS ) . The only good thing about Marist is that they give you 5 days to get your money back.. TAKE Advantage. PS. Poughkeepsie is not that bad of a place, it is just a poverty stricken place with no local economy. If you're from an outer borough you will be able to handle it no problem, if you are from Great Neck or East Hills put mommy and daddy on speed-dial.

1st Year Male -- Class 2016

Campus Maintenance: A+, Useful Schoolwork: F

So, i must admit, that my background is not like most of the students that apply to this institution. I WAS A TRANSFER STUDENT. I grew up internationally for most of my life and attended one of the best international schools in South East Asia. I've had a bunch of 'world' experiences. I am not like every other "American" college student applying to this university. i am about the 10% of the international population of this school. There are about 36 international students out of like 4,000 students that attend this school.

That being said, i am an american citizen and grew up with an american education, just happened to live overseas and i just wanted to seek, a well-rounded college experience that will push me forward to becoming an adult and seeking a profession.

SO that's where i come from, and you can assume that i had my fair share of expectation's for this school.

I was studying Fashion Merchandising at Marist, which i must say, was an amazing department. they make you work hard and they prepare you for a great well-rounded introduction into the industry. The classes are tough and the professors make you work hard for it. Once you get out of college or have an internship, you'll understand that the industry isn't any different. It's difficult, you have to push through the work and get to your goal. The Marist fashion department is great in that sense.

HOWEVER, there were a lot of mishaps going through this process and living and learning at Marist. I TRANSFERRED into Marist from another school. i wanted to study fashion as i was just attending a general liberal arts university previously. SO i came to marist, knowing little about Poughkeepsie and the entirety of the Marist experience.

If you come to this school as a TRANSFER student, i would not recommend this to anyone. They do not cater to transfer students what so ever and there is no guidance in trying to adjust. I am pretty independent and i know how to deal by myself, but this was much more challenging than i had imagined. They put the transfer students in the Marriott Residence, which is a huge step up from the normal college dorm. HOWEVER, you have to drive back and forth from school, you're basically a commuter and they offer free transportation that fits about 6 people in a family sized van. You will probably need a car for this. I say this because Marist runs on a point system when it comes to housing. Now, what kind of school runs on a point system? The point system basically allows you to gain on-campus housing, the more points, the better housing. So you have to be involved in clubs and other organizations.

As an international student, i joined the international club, as i thought i would meet people in this. The clubs start around 10pm and are about 5 minutes. So i had class from like 4-6pm, and i would drive back to the resident inn and then have to drive back to school and then back to the residence. The van doesn't drive that late. There was a lot of back and forth and very unnecessary to obtain these points? not to mention how worthless the clubs actually are, they force the students to be more focused on points rather then trying to be in involved into a club.

If you are seeking diversity, unfortunately, this school is not it. Mostly tri-state area students, which is not a bad thing. But it is a an experience. I am proud to be part of the LGBT community and this was the most depressing school to try to figure yourself at. I almost felt like it was a high school environment, and people weren't that friendly. i thought that being in the fashion department, i would have fit in, but the department is mostly 90% girls and most of them aren't that creative.

The town of poughkeepsie isn't very safe either. i was 21 when i attended marist for the year and the party scene is big here. If you have an ID you get into the same three places that everyone goes to. and of course all of the girls that see their friends act like they haven't seen each other for years when they run into each other at the bar. but that's just a regular college experience. The social life can be good if you make friends and put yourself out there. it isn't easy, and marist makes it very difficult.

I wanted to go college to figure myself out and to find out what i like. Marist was just not the place for me to do this. The people that i still talk to that have finished studying at Marist, did enjoy it, but it's really up to you to make the experience. as a transfer student, it was very challenging for me, and most of the transfer students that attended with me for that first semester, left. which speaks a lot about the transfer experience at Marist.

1st Year Male -- Class 2015

Education Quality: A+, Surrounding City: D-