<p>So it seems there have been many debates on this site on the relative merits of an NYU education versus a Columbia education, replete with all the obvious defenses of either school from people that have had little contact with either. Let me begin by saying right now that any argument beginning with "well U.S. News says..." or "the reputation of Tisch/Stern/Columbia Engineering..." yield almost no helpful insight in deciding between either, especially when you are choosing between the two for your undergraduate degree. Unless your B.A. or B.S. is the last stop in your education, you should be less focused on these sorts of "prestige" factors and more focused on how you will spend the next four years of your life, and what you will take away from those four years. </p>
<p>As an NYU student I've been able to experience some significant advantages that you simply won't be able to find at Columbia. This isn't to say that Columbia isn't an excellent school, because it obviously is, but what I do believe is that whatever imaginary academic advantages Columbia holds over NYU are easily mitigated by the tangible benefits of an NYU education. </p>
<p>One of the main things that people fail to recognize is that NYU and Columbia seem to foster different brands of thinking. NYU has emerged as a more free-wheeling intellectual environment than many other high-caliber schools, and it offers certain programs that you simply can not find almost anywhere else. For example, the Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation recently began a scholarship initiative for social entrepreneurship. Their choices for which schools to invest in? Harvard and NYU. This speaks volumes about not only the intellectual ability of NYU students, but also the fact that you will simply find a more independent breed there than you will anywhere else. The foundation decided that it believes the best investment it could make in students to help solve the problems of the world is in the students of New York University. If you want to read more about the Reynolds Scholars program, follow this link:</p>
<p>To be a freshman at NYU, you really have to be one of the most independent 18 year olds entering an institution of higher education, and this carries through to the classroom. I am a member of NYU's parliamentary debate team, and I can tell you that through weekly interaction with Columbia students as well as students from all of the other "top" schools, our team regularly destroys people from other allegedly more prestigious schools. If you are a smart kid, you're going to be a smart kid regardless of where you go. You shouldn't need the name of a college to prove that to yourself. I have yet to see evidence that Columbia will offer a better education than NYU.</p>
<p>Check out both schools for sure, but I have to say I have never had any regrets about telling Columbia that I chose to attend NYU instead when the fat packets showed up in my mailbox senior year of high school. Don't let these people who spend their time reading magazines about colleges influence your decision. The schools are academically comparable, and NYU has a better location and way more fun student body.</p>
<p>Either kidding or a troll. These 2 schools ae not in the same league (except for Stern and Tisch), pun intended. The peer group alone makes all the difference.</p>
<p>they're bothe GREAT schools. go where YOU feel confotable and make the most of it. Rankings are one thing, but the way you'll be spending 4 (or more) yrs of your life is a significantly other deal.</p>
<p>I had a long and vitriolic response to the op but I decided against it since I am not sure if he is a troll. The absurd lack of logic and intellect clearly prove this guy is either 1. Totally insecure about attending NYU or 2. A troll.</p>
<p>^hahahaha.. thats funny, but maybe true. it seems like a lot of ppl on here are either paranoid about the college they'll be attending (unless its IVY) and feel like they have to put their school on a pedestal (sp) and justify why they are going there. maybe some ppl are just curious but..trolls? lol</p>
<p>Well the reason I think he's a troll is because nobody can be that stupid. His main theme seems to be "Don't knock it until you've tried it" and "The rankings don't know NYU like I do" yet he turns around and does the same thing to Columbia by never attending and knowing absolutely nothing about it. The hypocrisy is way too noticeable for the normal CCer.</p>
<p>Also his only shred of evidence (dare I call it that) is that a certain foundation gave NYU money for "social entrepreneurship". Not only can I find tons of other similar foundations giving money to colleges like Babson/Bentley/etc. but also the fact that he feels this information is relevant is laughable.</p>
<p>I'd say it's a troll; why else would someone make such a counterproductive post by highlighting the average NYU student's insecurity and inability to do anything in an argument other than use an online thesauraus?</p>
<p>Wait, wait. You're saying the school WITHOUT a campus has a better location than the school with a campus? Their location other than that is close enough to not really matter.</p>
<p>I don't know if I would go that far; yes Columbia and NYU are in the same city, but the atmospheres around each school are very different. NYU is much more downtown and Village-y, and Columbia is more uptown, neighborhood-like. I definitely agree, though, that one of the biggest differences is campus versus integrated into the city.</p>
<p>Comparing NYU to Columbia is like comparing BU to Harvard; North Carolina Central to Duke; UIC to the University of Chicago. They're in two completely different leagues.</p>
<p>NYU is very unique and a lot of fun, and also caters to individuals who are independent and many who go on to do great things, but in terms of prestige and selectivity is not near Columbia</p>
<p>For an objective look, here are SATs 25/75 percentiles:</p>
<p>1240 - 1420 for NYU
1350 - 1530 for Columbia</p>
<p>I am sorry- I have friends of mine that attend both Columbia and NYU and they both agree that, in terms of overall academics, Columbia is stronger. They also said that the debate on 'best location' is laughable at best. You cannot compare apples to oranges. An ancient and historical campus, versus an integrated urban atmosphere? I dont think so. However, pressing the issue of location can be resolved by taking a step back- Location = NYC. While Columbia may not be in the hipster Village like NYU's buildings- many of the people I have met at NYU would give anything to not have to walk 5 blocks to class everyday. Therefore, a campus would be more advantageous to the academic and, infinitely more important, college experience. Plus, while Columbia may not be surrounded by the glamourous social scene of the Village- how far is it from it's campus? Yeah, negligble.
Hence forth, and hitherto, I claim Columbia the victor.
(PS, it should be noted that I may be attending Fordham this Fall...but I assure you, there was no bias against NYU in my response.)</p>
<p>Oh yeah, Columbia is in a great location(anywhere in Manhattan is cool), but compared to NYU...NYU>Columbia location wise. I live not too far from Columbia, and regularly find myself over there for many things. However, Columbia is a better school overall.</p>
<p>collegedude01 Comparing NYU to Columbia is like comparing BU to Harvard; North Carolina Central to Duke; UIC to the University of Chicago. They're in two completely different leagues </p>
<p>i'm not sure i would go that far collegedude. those are some pretty ridiculous comparisons there. while i definitely agree that columbia is the better school (hands down), NYU is much more in the same "league" as columbia than NCC to duke or UIC to University of chicago. lets stay reasonable here.</p>