New York University

Academically, NYU is great, but the competitiveness depends on your major and your school. For example, pre-med and Stern business students are really hardcore. The social scene is hard when you're under 21. There is no real unification within the student body and everyone goes out into the NYC nightlife, getting in where they can with fake IDs. The social scene gets harder as you become an upperclassman under 21 because everyone starts moving into apartments which further spreads students out throughout the city

3rd Year Female -- Class 2012

Campus Maintenance: A+, Collaboration/Competitive: D-

A school for people who really want to learn, but have a good time while doing so. This is not a frat or party school, athletics are not a big deal at all, you will not get ahead just by being popular or attractive. You will get what you put into it and make genuine friends along the way. The professors are there because they love what they do, and film and television professors have industry experience, many work in the industry while teaching. For a school that surrounds you with grounded, intelligent people while providing an exciting and entertaining environment, NYU is the best there is if not the only.

4th Year Female -- Class 2005

Education Quality: A+, Perceived Campus Safety: B+

Listen, people complain about NYU like it's some surprise to them that it has a minimal campus feel or that it has very individualistic students. However, NYU, just like every other school, is not for everyone; it takes a certain kind of person (one who likes cities and is very independent) to thrive at NYU. These things shouldn't be a shock to incoming students; maybe they should check out a school before they actually send them a whole lot of their money. Just a thought.

And, as for the lack of campus, maybe this is just me, but I feel like this is one of NYU's strongest suits (contrary to what others think. NYU teaches you to LIVE in a city, not just to go to school in a city (cough, Columbia). While going to NYU, you cannot help but to feel like you're just living in New York and happen to be going to NYU, as opposed to the other way around. As for the "lack of community," people are right: you won't PASSIVELY find your niche here. You have to put yourself out there and actually try to make friends and find things that make you tick. There are PLENTY of clubs, organizations, or groups to find people with similar interests to yourself at NYU, but they you won't find them by sitting in your room twiddling your thumbs. In order to go to NYU and actually enjoy yourself, you have to be a self-motivated person who wants to live in a city. If that's not you, maybe you shouldn't have applied to NYU in the first place.

1st Year Male -- Class 2013

Education Quality: A+, Useful Schoolwork: B-