<p>Wow, I haven't been on this board in about two years, but since it is finals time (ie, major procrastination time), I shall answer some questions! </p>
<p>I'm a junior at CAS, English major, pre-med.</p>
<p>Some rules:
1. No "chances" questions. I have no idea how admissions works, and quite frankly, I'm not even quite sure why NYU accepted me. I don't want to read your stats. I don't care.
2. Don't be whiny.
3. Don't be stupid.</p>
<p>Ask away!</p>
<p>How are the dorms, which do you recommend?</p>
<p>What do you hear about the CAS economics program? Is it any good?</p>
<p>----zapakovex: How are the dorms, which do you recommend? </p>
<p>Depends on what you want in a dorm.</p>
<p>Everyone always wants Hayden for some reason, but since everyone wants it, most of the kids in there are ED kids who had first choice. I’ll tell you already you have almost no shot at Hayden. For me, location is the most important thing- I’d like to roll out of bed and get to class in five minutes, so I’d probably pick Weinstein, but Weinstein has tiny tiny rooms (but awesome location, dining hall, tutoring center); Goddard is also right on campus, but you can only pick it if you want to be part of the Explorations program. Rubin and Brittnay are the next closest- they’re OK and have larger rooms but they also don’t have air conditioning- you don’t think it’s that important now, but seriously, for the first couple weeks of school you’re going to be sweating like crazy. Uhall and Third North are the farthest freshman dorms- on the whole, quieter, larger rooms, kitchen included (which is great, unless you get stuck with suitemates who don’t clean, then it gets disgusting). Uhall is hands down better than Third North though (Uhall’s building is practically new, closer to grocery, closer to the school gym, closer to Union Square) so pick Uhall if you’re between the two. </p>
<p>My advice is to pick the closest freshman dorm possible. You’re never going to get the chance to live THAT close to campus ever again (seriously, ever again), and it’s a lot easier to make friends in neighboring dorms because of it. </p>
<p>----NuclearPakistan1: What do you hear about the CAS economics program? Is it any good? </p>
<p>I find that a lot of kids who are in the econ program are kids who didn’t want to risk their chances of admission into NYU by applying to Stern- I do have a lot of friends who are econ majors though, so I guess the program is OK. I’ve never taken a course in the department, but I do know that everyone takes the same large intro courses at first.</p>
<p>Did you study abroad at London? I won’t have to worry about this for a while but I’m not doubling up on orgo/physics next year (soph) so London is the only choice I have. Won’t be a huge deal if I don’t, though.</p>
<p>How difficult is orgo and physics at NYU? I just wanna get an idea of what the workload is like. Next year I’m going to take orgo as my only science but I’m still curious.</p>
<p>-high fives of procrastination-</p>
<p>resident Steinhardt junior who procratinates here year round, not just now. lol. i should go bump my own thread. </p>
<p>do you procrastinate on the livejournal board too? i’m thinking of starting this year’s anonymous secrets post. . .</p>
<p>----baobab: Did you study abroad at London? How difficult is orgo and physics at NYU?</p>
<p>I didn’t go- I wanted to last semester, but London got closed out (apply by the first deadline if you want to go!). But everyone who went LOVED London. Though they did also add that they felt guilty about eating because it was so expensive there. On the upside, the sciences are definitely easier there. For this reason, try to go to London in the spring and be careful about studying abroad in London during the fall semester- when you return in the spring to New York, you’re going to have a hell of a time trying to play catch up on Bio/Orgo/Physics. It really hurts your grade, so if you’re going to go, either go for fall or for the full academic year.</p>
<p>Just go into Orgo and Physics with the mindset that they’re both going to take up a lot of work. I made the mistake of underestimating Bio II since I did well in Bio I, and I got rocked. I never made that mistake again. I put a lot a lot of effort into Orgo (still taking it now) and it’s been paying off so far; pay attention to mechanisms and draw them out constantly because most of Jones’ test aren’t memorization based. Physics I and II were pretty easy for me because I took AP in high school, but everyone who hadn’t complained that the department didn’t do enough to actually “teach” the material- it’s a lot of self learning. But that’s every large intro science course at NYU; lots and lots of self learning. Read the book slowly and carefully, then do lots and lots of problems.</p>
<p>Just a suggestion for those of you who really want to do well- you’ll have quizzes in Bio lab, Physics lab, G Chem lab, G Chem recitation, and in Orgo lab. When you’re scheduling your courses, try to leave at least a class period free before each. I know it’s tempting to squish all your courses together and end the day early, but seriously, you can use that free time right before class to review for the quiz, and it helps A LOT to have that material fresh in your head. You’ll do so much better on the quizzes. I just learned this this semester; I wish I had known to do it before.</p>
<p>----missamericanpie: do you procrastinate on the livejournal board too? </p>
<p>Nope. I procrastinate on SDN (student doctor network), which is like a bigger and more specific version of collegeconfidential. </p>
<p>And now I’m back to watching Brothers & Sisters and eating my pizza :).</p>
<p>How much debt will you be in after you grad, if any? You think NYU is worth paying a lot of money?</p>
<p>Did you attend the CAS orientation in JUNE/JULY? Do you think it’s absolutely recommended to attend one of those orientations other than the class registration? (I believe it’s the most important activity during 3-day orientation, is it?) I’m asking since I don’t think I can attend one… 
I will be able to go to nyu during welcome week though…</p>
<p>----nbafan135: How much debt will you be in after you grad, if any? You think NYU is worth paying a lot of money? </p>
<p>I won’t be in any debt- I’m incredibly fortunate to have parents who were willing to pay for my entire college education (I was neither smart enough nor poor enough to get a scholarship). I do feel guilty all the time though, because my parents work really hard for their money; I worked part-time throughout college for all my pocket money (including food) and I’ll be paying for grad school myself (hello loans). But if I didn’t have my parents, I don’t think NYU would be worth paying that much money. I know plenty of people on loans here, and they’re always stressed out. For me, at least, NYU isn’t high enough on the ladder to be worth sinking yourself into that much debt, especially this early on.</p>
<p>----whatimgonnado: Did you attend the CAS orientation in JUNE/JULY? Do you think it’s absolutely recommended to attend one of those orientations other than the class registration? </p>
<p>I didn’t go to any of the regular orientation; I went to Cambodia on a mission trip instead for the entire summer. I don’t regret my choice, but I got screwed over for registration since I was at the last “orientation” meeting and I couldn’t get any decent politics courses (I was a politics major then, and I had to take a stupid “elective” course instead that was a complete waste of my time… and money). Try your best to go to an actual orientation if you can- but if you have legit better things to do with your summer, NYU does reserve some core MAP courses for late freshman registration (ie, earlier orientation groups can’t register for those spots); plan on taking those, since you’ll have to take them eventually anyway.</p>
<p>I did notice however that the freshmen who went to orientations had an easier time with “friends”- initially, at least- since they knew other people from their sessions. No one knows anyone else that first week since classes haven’t started yet, and it’s nice having people to go to Welcome Week activities with. You might miss out on that if you choose not to go to an actual orientation.</p>