New York University

In NYU-speak, Beauty equals unreality; Compassion and Taking a Personal Interest equal delusion; Seeking the Heart of the Matter equals not living in the real world. This is all very curious (I'm sorry, I'm speaking from the perspective of an intelligent observer of human behaviour). Why, to quote Wallace Shawn, the most New Yorkiest of New Yorkers, is anything that takes place outside the carve and grumble of Wall Street "less real?" I suspect most of these reviews have been fed by a steady diet of disatisfaction (hooray for disatisfied misfits!), promulagated by people who somehow swallowed the wholly irresponsible argument that life in a zoo is better in the cages than outside. Personally, I'm not much into the zoo scene, but I do have compassion for the animals imprisoned there. The difference, of course, is that we are not really speaking about actual forged-steel bars, but psychological barriers. Come on you NYUS, life is what YOU make of it--not the place you live. I know some wonderful people in New York City! Just because the general cut-throat terrain resembles, in its more salient aspects, the crusty rim of an asshole doesn't mean you have to take the plunge, dive right in and add to the general shittiness of the world. We have work to do here; so lend hand, and enough of this silliness.

1st Year Female -- Class 2008

Innovation: C+, Faculty Accessibility: F

NYU was my top choice, mainly because of the location and because it offered an undergraduate journalism major, while Columbia didn't. NYU's journalism program has a great reputation (as does the entire school) but I didn't find it particularly rigorous, having attended journalism workshops with college instructors while I was in high school. Based on that, I think the education I got at NYU was just as good (or just as mediocre) as I would have gotten at a less expensive school. NYU has a stellar reputation, but many of the kids I met were total idiots. I don't know how they got in. Maybe all the drugs slowly eroded their minds, or maybe they just acted like morons to impress people. How to deal with an overabundance of idiots? Seek out people you enjoy being with, because I'm sure dimwitted kids roam campuses everywhere. Based on the reputation and probably the glossy brochures, I had such high hopes for NYU - but I was miserable in my first year, faced with the classic triad of freshman horror - a bad roommate, unappealing core-curriculum classes, and the reality of finding yourself in an environment where you don't know anyone and nobody seems to care about the fact you exist. But after I ditched my evil roommate and moved to the luxurious Water Street dorm sophomore year, things were definitely looking up. I found in my time at NYU that the location tends to be the reason people go there. The actual education is fine, but nothing special, and it's true that a lot of the students there are rich, spoiled assholes. Nevertheless, I did find a bunch of good friends there and ended up graduating with two majors and a high GPA. I also found an awesome job that pays relatively well (for journalism) at a large daily newspaper, but all the networking and internships to get me that job were my own work, and not something that NYU helped me find. I really feel that I could have gotten the internships just as easily if I had gone to Kansas State or somesuch. If I had to do it over again, I'm not sure if I would still choose NYU. My gut tells me no; that I would have been happier at a smaller college where more attention is paid to students. But living in New York City during your formative years is also an amazing, valuable experience, and unfortunately New York City doesn't offer a small, supportive college nestled in Greenwich Village. It offers NYU - take it or leave it. I decided to take it, mostly because I didn't want to go through the hassle of transfering, and I didn't really hate it THAT much. Please keep in mind, though, that NYU is truly not for everyone. If you are a super-driven person who manages well completely on your own, give NYU a shot. If you grew up in a very supportive environment with a close-knit family, a group of good, close friends and high school teachers you considered friends, like I did, then going from that environment to the tough reality of NYU may be too drastic. I have a friend who left after one year because she was unhappy there (I met her after I graduated); a person from my high school who went to NYU a few years before I did transfered to a more traditional college - there's no shame in transferring or even dropping out if you're in a situation where you're not happy. But it's better to avoid that situation in the first place, so do your homework about NYU and any other college you're thinking about. I was so blinded by the beauty of New York and the thrills that awaited that I didn't check out the school thoroughly enough before I accepted the invitation to attend.

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000

NYU is a unique type of school for a certain type of student. This school is not for the weak hearted or people who need to feel sheltered. This school gives you real world competition and those whom cannot handle it get weeded out early and quickly. If you need to live on a campus and have your hand held, then DO NOT go here. However, if you're hardheaded, motivated, honest and hungry, then this place could be your ticket to lifelong success and there may prove to be no better school for you. Also, if you want to experience the real world and have a leg up on others when you enter your respective field in the real world, this place will provide you with that. NYU is absolutely excellent if you perform well because you will be able to find well paying jobs in the city through its connections as well as your hustle. New York is the best place for hustling bustling people because employers reward confident and ambitious go-getters. After graduating and entering the investment banking field, I realized that I was much better prepared and confident to take on the business lifestyle and I attribute this to my NYU experience. Many of my friends who went to schools with campuses and football games are experiencing extreme difficulty finding jobs and many are not exposed enough to survive in the rough and tumble lifestyle of New York City's corporate sector. NYU prepares you best for professions due to not only your academic preparation, but also your street smarts and savviness that you develop (Which count for more than you would believe in the business world) during your time there.

Male -- Class 2000