New York University

I attended NYU for undergrad and for my MBA. Professors tend to be approachable and friendly though it is a mixed bag b/c of so many adjuncts and lecturers who aren't getting the $ to take a keen interest in you unless they are really into their subject. On the grad level however I think you probably won't find a better group of professors in the country.

The cultural programs at NYU tend to be a little bland and administration-controlled. Hazing at frats and sororities does happen, and that's probably not a good thing. I had the fortune of being able to enter an old "underground" student organization that avoids dealing with the university, outside of specific professors and administrators, as much as possible less the PC/EO police determine that we were breaking rules. There aren't many serious outlets for out of class intellectual pursuits, i.e. debate, lit societies, etc. outside maybe the couple of underground societies.

In general, there is a lot of interaction from people from varying backgrounds with a little effort. Some of the Asian students tended to separate themselves (I assume those that did were from abroad) but besides that there is a lot of cooperation and student interaction in and out of the classroom. There is also a bit of competition among MBA students.

From what I've noticed working with corporate employers and in academia, most tend to see NYU grads as intelligent and the school has a really good rep. The popular image of the school is strong in academics, if lacking in the "clubby" or "collegiate" atmosphere.

I've found that, having attended Cornell (MPA) and NYU that it is NYU that provides me with the strongest alumni network and the best NY metro area alumni networking. (Whether that is b/c NYU's size and location I don't know.) Word to the wise: Lack of an engineering school hurts NYU b/c the option isn't there for students and engineering helps research and rankings. That's not going to change anytime soon. Whatever you do avoid the program with Stevens Institute- they try to poach students from NYU who apply for the joint program and Stevens has to be the most Gawd awful social environment ever. I was considering NYU engineering only to turned off b/c of the Stevens people and the ADVISOR who told me about NYU's plans to reconstitute their engineering program. Still pissed about that to this day!

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000

NYU is not for everyone. Tons and tons of people want to go here but have no idea what it's going to be like. They just figure it'll be great because it's their "dream school." It's very easy to get lost in the system and feel alone. However, this experience also makes you grow up faster. It's less like going to school and more like living in the city with your friends and going to class on the side. You'll never be bored here; there's always something to do and you experience things that most people don't get to do until after college. You have to be proactive about making friends, finding things to do, and getting what you want. There is no hand-holding. Everything from meeting new people to getting the classes you want won't happen without some work on your part. It's not an easy place to be, but if it's right for you, it's really really right and you couldn't imagine yourself anywhere else.

3rd Year Female -- Class 2008

Campus Aesthetics: A+, Individual Value: C-

I want to start out by saying that I LOVE NYU. I would never want to be at any other school. I think people have to really consider what they believe to be the pros and cons before coming to a school like NYU, being that it is different from most other universities. I was not the clear cut NYU student in high school. I was not sure if I would be able to live in the midst of one of the greatest cities in the world, be completely independent and be a part of an incredibly large undergraduate class. However, after choosing to come to NYU I have never looked back. Among an undergraduate body that totals almost 20,000 it's hard to find others who don't share a same common interest. Those people who say all they find are arrogant, close minded people are definitely not trying hard enough to find those he/shes meshes with. There will always be people you don't agree with or get along with at ANY school you go to. The people I have met at NYU are some of the most interesting, driven and genuinely friendly people I have ever met. The awesome thing about having such a large student body is that you can have several friends from tons of groups. People tend to complain about the "no campus" act. Anyone coming to NYU should know this! There is no enclosed campus! In high school I was not sure if that was my thing; now I would never want to be kept within the confines of a campus and absolutely love having New York City right outside my door. NYU is New York City and I always feel a sense of community especially around Washington Square Park. I love being independent and having the freedom to virtually take part in whatever is happening on campus or in the larger city. It's amazing the resources that NYU has. The location is prime; people spend their whole lives trying to save money to live in a place like NYC and as students we get to enjoy the benefits of being in what most would call the center of the world. What could be better!!?! Every professor that I have had has been stimulating and student oriented. The work is challenging and the professors expect a lot out of their students. I find that the kids I have met have encouraged me to be more proactive within my own life; their backgrounds are all so diverse and interesting that it makes me want to learn more and experience new things. There is sooooooooooooooooo much to get involved with at NYU it is really unbelievable. A piece of advice if choosing to come here (which I highly highly highly recommend (: ) would be to find out about local and on campus events and attend whatever seems to interest you especially within your first few months at school. The social life here is awesome- anyone who says that it isn't clearly doesn't understand that the city is beyond filled with the best nightclubs in the world, the coolest bars and lounges, the widest array of concerts that you will find anywhere and tons of cool things that you wouldn't even think of until coming to school here. Finally, I will say that it does get expensive living in NYC but there are plenty of things to do on weekends that don't require money. Yes, people do occasionally have parties in dorms and walking around with your friends can be an event within itself. If you are looking to have the absolute best college experience than come to NYU! I LOVE IT!

1st Year Female -- Class 2013

Education Quality: A+, Collaboration/Competitive: B+