New York University

Support and services: NYU wastes its money on stupid, frivolous things. They just built an entire building near WSP for catholic students and "spiritual life", meanwhile, the administration hardly helps anyone with financial need. Something that is really important to know is that IF THEY GIVE YOU A SCHOLARSHIP THAT IS MERIT BASED YOUR FRESHMAN YEAR, IT WILL BE CUT COMPLETELY FOR SOPHOMORE YEAR. I lost a 15,000 dollar scholarship even though my GPA was a 3.85, and I know many other students who had scholarships, excelled academically, and lost their merit scholarship. I know nobody who came on scholarship (other than presidential scholars) that kept theirs after freshman year. That NYU cuts merit aid no matter how the student performs and doesn't care is disgraceful. Need based is even worse, as I can attest from what they've tried to do to my girlfriend's tuition. If you need to take out a lot of debt to come to NYU, I really suggest that you don't.

Academics: As a double major in Phil / Poli sci, I can say that if you want to take advantage of the resources available to you, you can get an absolutely tremendous education. The ranking that USnews gives NYU isn't based purely on academics, it's also based on things like freshman retention rate, which is awful for reasons listed below. However, the Philosophy Dept is the best in the world, and the politics department is #17. The range of majors and minors here is astounding, and there is something for almost anyone. In other words, you will be getting a high quality education here, should you choose to be motivated and take advantage of the education. If you choose to apply yourself, you should know that the other kids who also apply themselves can be extremely competitive, so don't expect hugs and kisses.

Social life: Let's be frank, NYU is only for a few, certain types of people, and if you *aren't* that type of person, you will be friendless.

A large majority of NYU's student population is wealthy and bratty. They complain incessantly, judge others mercilessly, and are overall fairly close minded, though they all profess to be "real" and "open minded". By and large, the most socially successful people at NYU are those who talk about themselves, a lot. People at NYU love to talk about all of their experiences, or play themselves up to be the Messiah (or the second coming of Christ, if you're Christian), while mutually ignoring the others who are doing the same.

NYU forces you to be an extrovert, and if you aren't an extrovert or you're somewhat shy, NYU isn't the place for you. Your friends and, by extension, social life, will be determined solely by the people you meet on the floor you live on your freshman year. If you don't make any friends on your floor, or you only make 1 or 2, your social life is doomed. I know many people who complain very frequently about the terrible quality of their social life, because they weren't absorbed into a group at the beginning of freshman year. People are not at all interested in making friends in their classes. It's no wonder NYU ranks high on one of the loneliest universities, and has an awful freshman retention rate.

Finally, NYU might be good academically, but few students are actually academically motivated, and few have any sense of intellectual "geekiness" that accompanies the relatively high quality of the education at the school. If you consider yourself to be geeky or nerdy in any way, I would suggest Columbia or a more heady school.