Jamie
Basically, I'm glad I'm here.
Some of the greatest things here are that it's within and throughout the city, there are SO many opportunities here because of it (job-wise, activity-wise, socially...), you'll meet tons of different people from all over the world, it never gets boring, and you'll always be impressed by your classmates.
I like the size. It's big enough to always be meeting new people, but the classes are small enough to get to know them.
People are really interested to hear stories, when they find out where I go to school. I think that it's publicized enough, that they want to know what it's really like.
I spend a lot of time in the Kimmel building, it's a more casual place to just relax and study. Take breaks between classes. Otherwise, I'm constantly in the Silver building for most of my classes.
Since we're based in the city, we don't really have an official "campus," but I think some consider Washington Square Park to be our campus. But really, Greenwich or all of Manhattan is our campus.
Administration is very helpful as far as jobs go. They want you to succeed. But man, is it complicated. There are many resources, you just have to figure out where to go.
I don't think that there are many controversies? It's pretty much what other schools have. Kids get stressed out with the big and constant competition. Most people were the best at something in high school, so coming here... everyone else was too. It definitely humbles you. But that's the biggest "issue" I see. Kids falling under stress.
I'd say there's a lot of school pride. People want to be here.
Everything here is unusual. Haha. There is no norm.
Sara
NYU is not your typical college. There is no quad--just the park. That is not one cafeteria or lounge where everyone hangs out--NYU has several. And there are not that many traditional college parties with keggers--you'll have to find the frats or go to some of the larger, loft-style apartments in Brooklyn to find that. NYU is a huge university. After almost four years here, there are still hundreds of people I have never meet or never seen. For the most part, you'll get to know the people in your dorm, in your department or in your clubs and extracurriculars. Some people struggle with this freshman year. They expect more of a traditional college experience. I'm telling you now. You will NOT get that at NYU. Going to NYU is like moving to New York City, where you happen to take a few classes. If you're a city person, you'll flourish. If you prefer big green spaces and a closed campus, you'll wish you had gone to state school.
That being said, NYU does its best to try to give students as close to a traditional experience as it can. Freshman year, everyone lives in dorms which are located as close to campus (Washington Square Park) as possible. Resident Assistants on each floor try to create a community with activities and floor outings. Dining halls around campus give students a quad-like, cafeteria experience. Frats and sororities--yes, there are a few at NYU--recruit new students for what is the probably the most typical college experience.
So to sum up, going to NYU is not a typical college experience. But if you want it, you can probably find it somewhere within this huge university.
Nicole
The best thing about NYU, in my opinion, is the fact that you have Manhattan as your playground. No other college, even those in NYC, can say that they are located right in the heart of the city, where there are so many great restaurants, clubs, bars, and a million things to do. I can truly say I never get bored in Manhattan. Just the other week, I went to a bar where and ended up hanging out with a few Yankee players who were there. This city really does always have a way of surprising you. Perhaps the only thing I could say about NYU that I wish were different is that there is absolutely no campus, and that is something I was not prepared for. While NYU is centered around Washington Square Park, you don't necessarily get that feeling of a small college community, like you would at Columbia, for example. However, there are trade-offs. The other schools in Manhattan that do have more of a "college campus" are also located very far uptown, where the city is quiet and there is nothing to do. So if I had my choice, I would choose NYU all over again. Not to mention that when I tell people I go to NYU, the reaction I get is one of being impressed, and I know immediately that i have attained more respect from the person with who i am conversing, due to NYU's academic reputation. While I believe that students should be going to college to "get away", become independent, and grow into the adult that they will become, I also believe that there is more to choosing a college than the "typical" fratty lifestyle. I love that manhattan is my "campus" which is full of bars, clubs, and restaurants Because of this, I rarely go to the same place more than once or twice, as there is always a new restaurant opening, or a new club to be explored. But more importantly, living in Manhattan can open up a lot of doors because of the connections that you can make in this city (due to internships, professor recommendations, general networking). If I take anything away from NYU, it's that I believe that I can honestly say I have made good connections that I know will help me long after graduation.
Nicole
The best thing about NYU, in my opinion, is the fact that you have Manhattan as your playground. No other college, even those in NYC, can say that they are located right in the heart of the city, where there are so many great restaurants, clubs, bars, and a million things to do. I can truly say I never get bored in Manhattan. Just the other week, I went to a bar where and ended up hanging out with a few Yankee players who were there. This city really does always have a way of surprising you. Perhaps the only thing I could say about NYU that I wish were different is that there is absolutely no campus, and that is something I was not prepared for. While NYU is centered around Washington Square Park, you don't necessarily get that feeling of a small college community, like you would at Columbia, for example. However, there are trade-offs. The other schools in Manhattan that do have more of a "college campus" are also located very far uptown, where the city is quiet and there is nothing to do. So if I had my choice, I would choose NYU all over again. Not to mention that when I tell people I go to NYU, the reaction I get is one of being impressed, and I know immediately that i have attained more respect from the person with who i am conversing, due to NYU's academic reputation. While I believe that students should be going to college to "get away", become independent, and grow into the adult that they will become, I also believe that there is more to choosing a college than the "typical" fratty lifestyle. I love that manhattan is my "campus" which is full of bars, clubs, and restaurants Because of this, I rarely go to the same place more than once or twice, as there is always a new restaurant opening, or a new club to be explored. But more importantly, living in Manhattan can open up a lot of doors because of the connections that you can make in this city (due to internships, professor recommendations, general networking). If I take anything away from NYU, it's that I believe that I can honestly say I have made good connections that I know will help me long after graduation.
Grace
Overall I love NYU. Yes, I have big complaints about the bureaucracy, the tuition, the lack of community, but overall this school will give you all kinds of opportunities. They have a GREAT study abroad program, I don't know anyone who doesn't have an abroad experience (I myself spent a year in Florence) or isn't planning to go. And, really, this school just puts you right down in the middle of the city and said "GO!" It's not tame or easy or comforting but you're right where the action is. And it's really fun.
Sarah
NYU was an incredible experience for me, but did not lack its' struggles. I think that NYU is a more difficult school to adjust to than many others because you are not in a campus but rather just plopped into the middle of New York City. That fact requires some combination of bravery, insanity, self-direction, and focus to succeed at NYU. You have to take responsibility for your own education and your post-graduate career, because although there are terrific resources available, one must take the initiative to seek them out. If you want to be led by the hand through the ins and outs of college life, NYU is not for you. Needless to say, NYU WAS for me. I needed to be pushed out of my comfort zone in the way that my time at NYU did, and feel like I can tackle anything and everything now because of the challenges I've met over the years. I encountered incredibly inspiring professors who took time out to speak with me and further my understanding of coursework. I found a perfect niche where I felt supported and motivated, but again, i had to seek it out myself. Some people say that NYU has no school pride because there is no campus--but I will always share a secret journey with everyone else who went to NYU. We all took a chance when we were 17 and 4 years later, are stronger because of it.
Some cons: the administration is tricky to navigate, lots of red tape.