New York University

NYU is a mixed bag, just like New York: there's something for everyone. If you want to start a club with one-legged lesbian nuns, you'll probably get at least three members.

It's a great school for students who take initiative and go after what they want, don't need to be coddled, and who don't expect to make more than a few really good friends. City life can be intense, but it opens a lot of doors in terms of what the city has to offer, and to develop professional networks and gain internship experience.

The size of the school DOES matter. You have a lot of choice in terms of classes and there are a lot of great professors, but you have to fight for what you want sometimes. There is very little 'school spirit' or campus community, and many students feel alienated and atomized in such an anonymous, overwhelming 'campus' setting. More than any other school I know of, NYU is a Corporate University, although this has not necessarily lessened academic integrity so far.Expensive. Everything's expensive.

4th Year Male -- Class 2008

Surrounding City: A+, Individual Value: C

At first, I didn't like NYU. I felt that it was very impersonal and overwhelming. However, now that its my second semester I have come to really appreciate it for what it is. How many other times in your life will you be able to say that you lived in the heart of NYC?

New York has amazing culture and opportunities everywhere you look. The internships and jobs you can get here are endless. Even though I'm only a freshmen I'm currently interning at a publishing company and I got two amazing jobs that pay over $18/hour (these are not uncommon, by the way). NYU will help you get ahead, no doubt.

The social life in my opinion, is a little lacking. But thats not to say that people don't party. In fact, NYU is sort of an underground party school. People drink in the dorms, there are even the rare frat/house parties (so fun), and of course the endless bars and clubs (Still Bar being an NYU favorite). Its true, most places dont even card that hard you just need an okay fake and you'll have the time of your life.

Also, NYU is an amazing research university. The resources are endless. Bobst (our library) has over 5 million books or something, the NYU health center is top notch, and you can pretty much get ahead in any field. Yes, NYU is a brand name school, but that ultimately helps you get ahead in the end. When NYU students graduate they are immediately 100 steps ahead of any other college graduate. We have internships, valuable connections, and continuing support from the university under our belts. NYU helps recent graduates find jobs and internships endlessly.

I have to point out the obvious though. Don't come here if you desire anything close to a typical college experience. If your willing to sacrifice some "typical" college things for an amazing education and endless opportunity, then I would suggest NYU. I think the negative comments are too discouraging and depressing and for the most part, untrue. Come here and see for yourself. You'll know as soon as you set foot "on campus" if this place is for you!

1st Year Male -- Class 2012

Surrounding City: A+, Individual Value: F

At the time I went to NYU it was a very different school. Now-a-days it is primarily residential, compared to commuting back then. It is a great school for the education and variety of classes that it can offer (not to mention NYC is your learning and playground!), and now that it has more of an "on-campus" feel it should make for happier students that are not constantly communting, which made it feel like a job rather than schooling. If I could do it over again (and could have afforded it) I would definitely live at school OR gone to a campus school. So I suggest always living at school if you can. At the time I was there, it was also VERY competitive in the science classes, especially considering all of those students aiming for pre-med., dental or veterinary schooling. So would I go to NYU again? Absolutely. All that said, you can receive a very good education in many colleges/universities. As a physician, having gone through undergraduate and graduate schools (abroad) and having done fairly well, my best bit of advise is: YOU DON'T need the big name, expensive schools to achieve your goals. Don't break your parents bank accounts,don't put yourselves in debt, and don't get frustrated/obsessed with going to IVY league schools or IVY league "knock-offs". They are not worth it UNLESS there is something specific in that school that it alone offers towards your education or future. In the end, it is what is in YOU that will count on your success. Save the money (and frustration!) for graduate school or to use post-college for investing into your future life/business, etc. I am amazed at the students that are offered scholarships, including "free rides" to good schools, but instead choose to attend a "bigger name" school at full cost for no significant or tangible reason. In my opinion, that is short-sighted and egotistial, either on the students and/or parents part. As has been pointed out in recent publications, the students/parents that have that choice and make the more logical decision of saving now for something more important (or focused) later, fare better in the long-run. It only makes sense when you think about it: If you have enough presence of mind to take the money and education over the "big-name" big-buck school, who has the better "smarts" for living in the real world?! Finally, this is a time in your life when you have the chance to sit back and learn for learning's sake. You worked to get to college throughout high school, now is the time to just soak-up as much knowledge and information as you can before entering the "real-world". So stop going for just the grades, go for the enjoyment and learning (and some socialization!). If you are pre-med, don't forsake history or art courses. If you follow the standard pre-med biology/psychology curriculum as the masses will tend to do, aside from the "cut-throat" competiton you may find, you also end up missing out on so much else that your school can offer you. You rarely get this opportunity again to just be a student and not worry about much else - carpe diem and good luck!

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000