<p>Hey Class of 2016,</p>
<p>I am a soon to be junior at NYU and have been through it all academically, socially, living situation, the application process, horrible forms you have to fill out, etc. There is no question I won't answer (although not sure if the moderaters will allow) but frankly I don't think theres anyone more knowledgable about coming to this school than me (just saying). Anyways, I know when I got in I had all these questions but felt too embarassed to ask and frankly didn't really care about everyone elses test scores and stuff--I just wanted to get MY questions answered. So if you have any questions feel free to message me personally or post it on the thread--I'll do my best to answer them and hopefully give you some insight. Frankly, my friends would be shocked to know I'm doing this but I feel for you guys going to a school like NYU that is so different than other colleges so I am more than happy to do so. Plus, it gets me away from doing finals.</p>
<p>Happy Asking!</p>
<p>My child will be in the Class of 2016 this Fall, it will be our first trip to NY, we are from overseas but we are not “country mouses” either!
(I say “we” 'coz I’m the parent, so please excuse if I don’t use my child’s gender)
Anyways, my question is–
a) how did you feel being on your own when you started as a freshman? Did you have difficulty adjusting to the new environment? i.e. if you come from another State)</p>
<p>b) Is it true that NYU is a sort of “cold” university meaning everyone is unhappy 'coz it’s a university without walls and doesn’t have a college “feel” to it?</p>
<p>c)Is it easy to make friends or are the students “stand-offish”?</p>
<p>d) And what makes you say “I feel for you guys going to a school like NYU that is so different than other colleges”, what do you mean?</p>
<p>Please excuse my questions, this is just out of curiosity but I know my child can handle any situation, by Fall my child will be age 19 then!
Last question – is it true that NY is just so overrated and after all it’s just the same as any other cities of the world except for the crowd?</p>
<p>Thank you for answering these “sillY” questions! 
You can tell I’m a Mom!</p>
<p>@intlstudent2016: You came to the right person, I have so much respect for parents who send their children to NYU because it really is such an independent city.
Firstly, the first few weeks of freshman year were a struggle, no doubt about it, but I truly believe that is part of the college immersion process. Every student goes through different trials and tribulations but honestly my overall emotion was excitement. But with excitement comes some letdown due to the fact I invisigned that I would make a million friends in one day, start acing classes as of day one, and would be in love with New York City. Obviously, that all happened over time as opposed to the span of 48 hours. I was lucky because I came from Los Angeles, California and a large contigency of NYU are California kids. I will say though that just being in the dorms, in classes, etc is the best way to make friends. Just because you have basis of conversation due to a similar upbringing or mutual friends doesn’t always mean a great friendship will develop. I would encourage you to allow your child to go to welcome week events and branch out because it helps SO much.
By no means would I say NYU is a “cold environment” (I mean except for the winter–but that’s a whole other story)…there is very much so a college environment at NYU but each student is responsible for making his or her ideal college experience. No, there isn’t an enclosed campus but as a freshman you really don’t leave Washington Square Park and the freshman dorms unless you are going out in another part of the city. Everyone at NYU understands what it’s like to have ‘your first day of college’ and everyone is pretty open to helping and understanding. I, frankly, was certain I was going to go to a big school with a football team and such and ended up at NYU by chance. I think going to NYU really does allow a means to mature and grow up far more than students are able too at other colleges.
Now this question is a bit of a toughy, every student is different so it is hard to say which ones are standoff-ish or which ones are friendly. I am incredibly outgoing so I didn’t struggle to make friends but I did have trouble making friends outside of my initial social group. It took a little bit for me to find my bearings but I will say that I have a few suggestions to make the friend-making-process easier. Firstly, encourage your child to find people who are international students so the process of coming to the states is a little easier. Second, it is so essential as a parent that you are sympathetic to what your child is going too but do not let them give up. In the beginning I called my parents several times saying I wanted to transfer etc. As a parent you need to remember to remind your child that it is going to be a tough transition but all the freshman are in very similar positions and just because he or she may not like her roommates or hallmates isn’t the end of the world. Lastly, your child should take advantage of New York City. I ended up making a lot of friends from Eugene Lang (a small liberal arts school just a few blocks away from NYU) and was so happy I did. He or she will find that a great place to meet people is doing homework in the park as opposed to the library, going to sports games or art shows, or whatever it is they are interested in.
I say that comment because NYU does not have the typical football team, big sorority and fraternity greek life, an enclosed campus, or a college town. But that is what makes NYU so different; moreover I think that’s why NYU students are so thankful they were able to go to art gallery openings, concerts, Yankee games, etc as opposed to drinking beer in a house for hours at a time.
I hope this helped and if you have anymore questions feel free to ask, I wish you the best of luck and hope your student thrives at NYU, as I’m sure he or she will. :)</p>
<p>10 things you wish you knew before you attended (or 20…or w.e u can think of, haha)</p>
<p>sinyu911—thank you for your interesting reply! I’m pretty sure my child will be able to adjust easily although like you NYU wasn’t his/her first choice. It was also by chance.</p>
<p>First choice was actually Stanford considering it’s an ideal academic school but the main reason was Stanford was nearby our close relatives (San Fran), but when my student got rejected the UPenn alumni who interviewed him/her suggested to try NYU because my child is into creative writing and politics, in other words Liberal Arts.
UPenn and Dartmouth by the way was changed to regular admission.</p>
<p>“moreover I think that’s why NYU students are so thankful they were able to go to art gallery openings, concerts, Yankee games, etc as opposed to drinking beer in a house for hours at a time.”
I like to hear this 'coz as a mom this is one of my concerns! (the drinking part)
I personally can’t wait to see NYU and the city and judge for myself although I know that my 3 weeks stay will not be enough.
But my child is super-excited both in learning and independence!
This is our ultimate gift, the best education we can give!</p>
<p>Thank you again and good day from down-under!</p>
<p>@Woopthack: I’ll try to give you a variation of things…
- I wish I would of given more thought to my roommate as opposed to ‘random’ rooming…I ended up having a very bad living situation and should of researched people on Facebook as opposed to leaving it up to fate.
- I wish I would of known that the dining halls aren’t the sole places to eat. New York City is full of amazing restaurants and such and I didn’t realize that until the end of the year.
- I wish I would of known my way around the city better. It sounds corny but it’s best you arrive early and walk around ‘campus’ just to see where the other dorms are in relation to your respective dorm…it makes things so much easier. As well as getting familiar with the educational buildings.
- I wish I would of known that there is not just one ‘type’ of person who goes to NYU…I spent a lot of time thinking I wasn’t part of the NYU mold but realized in time there really is no typical NYU student.
- I wish I would of known that although professors don’t take role it is CRUCIAL to do well in the class. I got to college and was totally thrown into a loop at the freedom and thought it didn’t really matter if I went to classes especially the big ones. Although, spending your day watching TV shows on Netflix is great, it’s a better idea to go to class, you’ll be happy you did in the end.
- I wish I would of known how insane the clubbing scene is in NYC…I got there and thought I would be going to dorm parties and such. Boy was I wrong, although I shouldn’t endorse clubs or what goes on at clubs, for those who are interested it is worth checking out. It is a great way to meet people who go to surrounding schools and other people who live in the city.
- I wish I would of known how AWFUL the freshman NYU ‘underground’ clubs are…for you freshman out there you’ll start getting requests by sleezy promoters who are throwing ‘awesome amazing parties’ that are 18+, especially during welcome week, save yourself the $10 and disappointment and find something else to do.
- I wish I would of known how bad the weather can get in New York. I know that may seem like a given, but if you are from somewhere that doesn’t really have that harsh of weather, make sure to get yourself a Northface, or a REAL cold weather jacket. Faux fur jackets from Forever 21, H&M, etc will do you no good.
- I wish I would of known how helpful your friends from home could be when your feeling lonely…remember, just because you’re all at different schools doesn’t mean you can’t be there for eachother. Keeping in touch with your high school friends or camp friends is the best way to get through a tough day.
- I wish I would of known that there is NO need to spend thousands of dollars at Bed Bath & Beyond on things that you THINK you MAY use, because you won’t…case in point anything that was featured on a infomercial is not worth buying…trust me.
- I wish I would of known that taking cabs is not the only mode of transportation the city has to offer. I come from a city where everyone drives and public transportation is basically non-exsistent…try and take the subway as much as you can (and learn the system) so you can save up money for the times you really do need to take a cab.
- Lastly, I wish I would of known how fast the year was going to fly by…take advantage of every day of your freshman year because it really is the time to make mistakes, mess up, etc so you know better going forward.
Hope that helped!</p>
<p>sounds great! thanks again for taking the time to write</p>
<p>where did you live freshman year and if you had to do it again where would you live?</p>
<p>@aarcot I lived in Weinstein my freshman year and I’m not sure I would of preferred to live somewhere else…different roommate, FORSURE, but for all the crap Weinstein gets it’s really not so bad. The rooms are small, but the rooms in Hayden are super old and the dining hall is super overrated. Most of my friends either lived in Hayden, Weinstein, Founders and a few in Third North…I think Founders and Third North are WAYYYY too far your freshman year. So if I were choosing again I would either choose Weinstein or Hayden.</p>
<p>Lots of questions, sorry. You don’t have to answer them all! but thanks for doing this I love when people make threads like this!</p>
<p>1) What do you know about Project Outreach, the 4-day service project freshmen can get involved in before Welcome Week? I was huge in community service in high school and think it’d be a good way to make a lot of friends early on and get to know NYC sooner than I normally would.</p>
<p>2) I was SO excited to go to NYU (I would move in tomorrow if I could!) because I knew what I absolutely didn’t want in a college experience (huge football spirit, greek life, gated campus in the middle of nowhere). But now I feel like maybe I have to be super independent to survive there. Which I’m not yet. I feel like I’m just a kid still and what do I know about independence and the real world? Will NYU/NYC run me over? Does freshman year help you make a transition or is it just “throw you out there and let survival of the fittest work its course” as many people seem to imply? </p>
<p>3) I’m from Minnesota. Do you know any students from MN at NYU? I’ve only found one other on tumblr. Haha just curious if any of us ever venture out of the midwest at all.</p>
<p>4) I’m paying for this school largely through scholarships and there’s not a lot of room for extra spending, unfortunately. Is there a noticeable discrepancy between students like me and those who are paying full tuition? I want to experience everything that a typical NYU student does for fun (clubbing, shows, etc) but don’t really have the money… What fun free/cheap stuff would you recommend for the dirt-poor college student?</p>
<p>@dreamer2012 No worries on all the questions, I must say some of these questions aren’t exactly my forte but I will do my best to answer
I honestly don’t know a lot about Project Outreach, my roommate I know did it and we don’t really speak but I know she really enjoyed it. She always talked about how cool the ‘counselors’ were as well. You will find out about all the Welcome Week stuff in June/July and I am certain most of you will spend hours and hours looking at the options. When you get to school they give you a schedule of all things you can do during the actual welcome week but as you already know Project Outreach is a few days beforehand. But yes, I think it’s a great way to meet friends with common interests.
There are many ways I could answer this question but I think it’s best I don’t sugarcoat it…I was in the same place as you (as I’m sure many of the freshman are) about lacking that independence instinct but honestly within time you will start to develop it. As I addressed before you just have to keep a positive attitude and keep reminding yourself that EVERYONE is going through the same thing…hell there are still days when I’m at school I get home sick. But those days will be minimal as time goes on. ‘The Real World’ is truly what you want your world to be so if you rather hang with friends in the dorms or go to dinners in the dining halls as a chill activity the sense of independence won’t be as hard of a jolt. But I would encourage you to challenge yourself and do things you wouldn’t of done before because these are the years you can do that. I would hardly say you’re thrown out to fend for yourself but do remember unlike most high schools, college doesn’t really have structure–you have to create structure…so make sure you plan out a schedule or at least the things you want to do (doing your homework, going to the gym, going to a museum) in advance.
I personally do not know anyone from MN but there are a lot of kids from the Midwest…I suggest you go on Facebook to the class of 2016 group and see if there are any kids from familiar towns or cities you may be familiar with…
This is an inherently awkward question to answer but I obviously see where you’re coming from…the reality is yes there is gap between the ‘rich’ kids who have money at the fingertips and those who don’t but I would hardly say it is the end-all-be-all of being someones friend. Financial situations are just a reality of life in general but honestly shouldn’t inhibit you from doing those fun NYC activities…in terms of free stuff/cheap stuff…although it is cliche going to Central Park can be so much fun if you go with a bunch of friends and just chill out there for the day. Especially because you’ll be surrounded with so many people and things going on at all times that it’s nice to have those chill days to just relax. Also, Washington Square Park will become a hangout because it’s sort of the base of campus. Hmm, I mean Chelsea Piers is a lot of fun, it’s not free but a lot of the sporting events are held there which is cool to go watch, also check out the NYU tickets schedule because you can get AMAZING discounts for plays, sports games, concerts from there. Food wise, there are a TON of places just around campus that have great food for a small price. It takes maybe 2 minutes of researching and you’ll find a ton of places (I suggest Yelp)…and although it may not seem economically friendly I will give you some words of wisdom. If you have friends in the tri state area GO VISIT THEM. There are so many buses that go to upstate NY, Penn, Conn, Boston, etc for SUPER cheap. I mean you really are in the hub of so many cool places around you that you might as well take advantage of it. Lastly, there will be a ton of free events hosted by your dorm and RA’s that are either free or $2, $3…like going to museums, ice skating, bus tours, restaurants, movies so take advantage of those…the snobby freshman may say they’re lame but honestly after I realized I was being a little brat and finally went I realized how much fun those outings were…
I really hope that helps, if you have any questions feel free to message me privately and I’d be happy to help :)</p>
<p>This is nice of you to do! I’m actually an incoming junior transfer from CA and I wanted to ask you about living (I have huge post about it sitting unanswered but whatevs I’m not bitter…) Is there a particular dorm(s) that is known for housing more juniors? My main concern is meeting people as I don’t know a soul, and that’s why I’m opting for NYU housing.</p>
<p>I got to be honest because I only had one friend who transferred and that was this past year…the two dorms I know most juniors live in (if they aren’t living off campus) is either Alumni or Lafayette. I warn you that it is pretty tough getting into alumni due to how close it is to campus and that it’s all singles…the thing about Laf is that it is in China Town which really really is a pain. Yes, there are shuttles to campus but I personally don’t care for the area. I would think the only other option would be Palladium which encloses the university gym and is right by Union Square. The location is great, there’s trader joes literally right down stairs and a bunch of other helpful places nearby. It is nice that there is a dining hall and the gym but I personally wouldn’t want to live in that big of a dorm. I have many friends though who lived there this past year as sophmores and loved it. Feel free to message me if you have any other questions, I’m sure it’s a little daunting coming in as a transfer especially when you don’t know anyone so I’m happy to tell you a little bit more about ways to meet people. :)</p>
<p>Thanks for your answers! much appreciated! </p>
<p>About dorms, do students usually get their first or second choices? I’m trying to figure out if I should put my first choice as my second choice in order to up the chances of getting it.</p>
<p>Everyone keeps saying the parties are at bars and clubs, but what does that mean? Isn’t that just going to a bar or club. . . or is it like an event? is like the club only open to certain people? </p>
<p>How many people move to off campus housing? I imagine it’d be pretty expensive to just like rent an apartment in Manhattan.</p>
<p>I don’t know if you would be able to chance me, but if you could I would really
appreciate it!
Applying as a transfer to Steinhardt for MCC as a sophomore for fall </p>
<p>Stats:
Female, South Asian (Indian)
Financial Aid not needed
Attended a science, engineering track school in south texas (literally 10 mins away from Mexico), with a very competitive class
Poor rank, gpa (I actually don’t even know my final rank and gpa an don’t want to know lol)
First semester college GPA: 3.8
Second semester: hoping for a 4.0 if all pans out well (they have not asked for my second semester grades though)
In high school I was President of Environmental Club, I was a Student Ambassador, Historian of Pan American Student Forum, I was also apart of a volunteer program called Teen Court where we provided restitution for minors who had minor felonies
I play the indian classical instrument the harmonium, and am a trained classical indian singer and perform at local hindu events
Before my freshman year of college I interned with a local hospital in the public relations department.
Currently I am a member of Alpha Lamda Delta, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Pre-Law Society, Political Science Association
I also work at Barnes and Noble 20 hours a week
Excellent rec
I think I had pretty well-written essays, but I’m biased lol
Applied last year got rejected for political science at cas, reapplying this year at steinhardt for media, culture, and communication for a fall sophomore
Did not submit SAT scores.
Also speak two other languages besides english: telugu my mother tongue, and hindi</p>
<p>sinyu911 --“but for all the crap Weinstein gets it’s really not so bad. The rooms are small, but the rooms in Hayden are super old and the dining hall is super overrated.”
What do you by crap?
what do you mean by overrated? and as for the Hayden rooms, did you mean super old as in dilapidated?
and how small are the rooms in Weinstein? I read that Weinstein has tiled floors or timber floors? I’m particularly concerned with the flooring 'coz my student is allergic to dust and I’m worried!
And how far is Third North from the main classrooms for freshmen?
Did you get your first housing choice?
And if you were to do it all over again as Freshman, which Hall would you have preferred?
Please excuse my too many questions!<br>
Thanks in advance for your answers! :-)</p>
<p>P.S. I meant “what do you mean by crap”? :-)</p>
<p>@Dreamer2012: Housing choices are made randomly so if you want to do that it could either work out in your favor for the best or not…I would recommend just doing it in the order you actually want but in the end that choice is up to you. </p>
<p>@inquiring1: Well yes and no, frats often have parties at bars and clubs that are open to anyone to go too…I’ve gone a few times in the past and they are fun if you have friends in greek life. Interms of just going to clubs in NYC, to be completely honest it isn’t easy getting into clubs in NYC…especially if you’re underage. Obviously knowing people who may work security or be the doorman/doorwoman will help a lot but if you try and get into a club with a bad fake ID and don’t really know anyone with ‘connections’ you’re most likely to get turned down or have to wait in a long line. </p>
<p>@hsclassof2011: I think you have very high chances, the progress you made will be highly regarded and will make your chances significantly higher than your first time around. The only thing I would suggest is submitting your SAT scores so they do not think you are trying to withhold information from them. I don’t think they will be considered much in the admissions progress due to the fact your a transfer but just a suggestion.</p>
<p>@intlstudent2016: Feel free to ask as many questions as you want, you’re a parent, that’s your job! Weinstein has a reputation that it isn’t that good of a dorm because the rooms have that jail cell look (cinderblock walls, small windows) but honestly although those are a few cons there are a lot of pros. It is VERY close to campus, 2 dining halls, a printing center, the campus tutoring center, and has a very close knit community.
Hayden has the reputation of being the ‘cool’ dorm, why?, I know NO IDEA. Most people put it as their first choice simply because that’s what they’ve heard from their friends or people they may know who have gone to NYU. The rooms are fine, better than the cinderblock wall look, but they have carpets (which will only cause more dust), and the bathrooms tend to have that 1970’s feel…honestly though I have seen rooms in Hayden that are nice and big and other ones that are crowded and small, so it really is the luck of the draw and something the student has no control over. I will say though that no matter what dorm your child ends up in he or she should stock up on allergy medication because living in a dorm comes hand in hand with having dust…it’s just the nature of a bunch of teenagers living under one roof.
Third North is a 10 minute walk from campus, and if you don’t already know is apartment style living. Meaning there is a kitchen, a small communial area, and they may house 3-5 students per room. It really matters how the assignments are made but for those students who like to cook and get their own groceries it’s quite the luxury. Other than that there is a dining hall in Third North (which I would consider to be the best dining hall) but the downside is how far away it is from campus.
My first choice was Weinstein (so yes, I got my first choice) and if I could do it again I would indeed live there.
Lastly, it’s essential that incoming students and parents know that there is little one can do to change your housing situation. Look, you’re not guarenteed your first choice but I do not know a single soul who was upset with their dorm, there are pro’s and con’s to each one so if you don’t get your first choice it isn’t the end of the world. Although it sounds trite, as a freshman part of the growing up process is making the best of every situation…if you don’t get your first choice give yourself 10/20 minutes to complain about it and once again know YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE IN THIS SITUATION. For parents, the security at every dorm as well as every academic buildings is very very strict. As I’m sure your main concerns are your children being safe, no matter what dorm they end up in, they will be under good supervision. NYU takes many safety precautions all around so you can be at ease about that. Hope that answered all your questions!</p>
<p>Wow, thanks for such detailed answers. You’re helping me TONS. </p>
<p>I feel kinda reluctant to tell people I’m going to be a communications major at NYU, I feel like it’s considered an “easier” major and people don’t take me as seriously… Is there some type of stigma attached to certain majors at NYU? I know Steinhardt is often considered an easy major and it just bothers me. I do want to take up a double major in CAS because I’m getting a lot of AP credit, hopefully in psychology or sociology. When exactly do you have to declare one? Is it possible to do a double major plus a minor (like I’m pretty sure it’s possible but is it actually do-able)?</p>