I am a female student from India. I got accepted into NYU. However while considering going to NYU, i heard a lot of rumours about safety,quality of education and similar things. Of course, rumours could be complete nonsense, or they could just be true. Either way, as I’m a prospective student, my concerned parents and i need to know for sure.
Disclaimer:- Bear with what i’ve heard for a moment. These rumours are only what i’ve HEARD, and they do not reflect my own opinions about NYU.
First of all i heard that the education at nyu is shabby. That person who told me this used the word “shabby” multiple times. I have no idea why. That person told me that the lack of a proper campus makes it even shabbier.
Again i heard that because there is no proper campus, there are safety issues. I heard that there are junkies here and there and that theres a drug problem even among the students.
Again, this is simply what i heard, and not my own opinion. Consider this from the point of view of an international student who has never lived alone, and her worried parents. Please nobody related to NYU take offence, and consider the above in an objective manner! 
I’d like to know whether these rumours are true or not, and what could have possibly led to their origin.
I can’t attest to what it feels like to be a female in NYC in terms of safety as I am a guy, but NYU and NYC in general is one of the safest metropolitan cities in the world. A lot of perceptions of NYC from outside of the US are based on media & entertainment with strong ties to the 80s which at the time was much less safe. Mayor Giuliani & Bloomberg’s crackdown on the mafias and firearm possession as well as support for the NYPD has rapidly changed that but the stigma sometimes still exists. That said, you should have street smarts and don’t put yourself in a vulnerable position. This doesn’t apply just to NYC but anywhere in the world. If you’re a female and it’s late at night, grab a cab, Uber, or use the NYU buses, or vans which you can call from the library to take you to pretty much any of the dorms. If you need to walk home late at night, stick to the main streets with plenty of lighting and if possible have a friend with you.
I’m not exactly sure what is considered shabby or what specifically that person was referring to but if they aren’t able to articulate it then I wouldn’t give much credence to their information. NYU is a part of the NYC and like any metro city there are a lot of old buildings. Some of the freshman dorms like Hayden are in buildings that were built over a century ago so yes… they may be somewhat dated but you will quickly realize that is the norm. Many of the dorms are being renovated so that might alleviate some concerns but students that come to NYU with the hopes of living in an amazing apartment in one of the most expensive zip codes, let alone cities in the world are delusional.
As for the education, it varies like any school which has their strengths and weaknesses. I can’t really speak to the quality of education in areas other than my own but as a transfer I would say it definitely prepared me for my career. It however is not a hand holding institution and given its location and size, is very competitive so its what you make of it.
NYU is definitely made for someone who can thrive on their own in that respect.
AoDay, made some great points. With regards to drugs, being that it isn’t a defined campus, there is the possibility that you might see vagrants or drug users. But again, that isn’t unusual in a city of any size. Drug use among students is more common across most universities than some might think, even at conservative schools. So you shouldn’t let that cloud your opinion of the school.
As far as quality of education, I think you need to take the person calling it shabby with a grain of salt. To what school are they comparing it? Compared to many Ivy League schools, Stanford, Berkley, or Cal-Tech, yes it might be considered “shabby.” However, NYU is still a well respected school in many disciplines. Like any university, it will have strengths and weaknesses.
With that said, your university education is the result of the effort you put into it. Just having the NYU name on your diploma might open some doors; but, it doesn’t guarantee your success. I know many people who went to tier 2 and 3 schools, who are quite brilliant, and very successful, while there are many who went to tier 1 schools whom I wouldn’t hire to watch my dog.
Thanks for the inputs. 
NYU is ranked 31 in the world (Times Higher Rankings). I don’t know what you mean by shabby. I left the IITs in India to come to NYU and I have no regrets. Yeah, we don’t have a campus, but didn’t you know that when you applied? Having no campus and being blended within the city makes NYU a special place.
I have a daughter at NYU - we have not had concerns about safety. She chose a dorm on union square - so there is a lot of activity my even late at night- and the subway lets outright across the street. She feels confident and secure there