<p>Hi all. I'm a senior in high school and I have been finding myself very troubled with what to do next year. As of right now I am basically trying to decide between two colleges, Notre Dame and NYU. I go back and forth EVERY day and I really can't decide. I know I still have a bit of time but I really need to start thinking at the rate I'm going. So I figured I would turn it up to all of you...Heres a little run down of my thinking:</p>
<p>I LOVE New York City and everything about it! I visited the NYU campus and fell in love with it right away. I love the adversity, liveliness, and independence that comes along with being in a big city. I am a part of music and theatre now so it would also be nice to be around that at NYU. I am also trying to get away from home, which is a HUGE con of Notre Dame. I live about 15-20 minutes away from Notre Dame, which I am not a fan of. However, Notre Dame is a great school, and I know I will get a great education there, which is why I am still considering it. I also love the sports and overall tradition that comes along with Notre Dame. Another huge factor is after college. I want to go to a school that will look good on a resume and for sure get me a good job. As of right now, I feel like Notre Dame would give me the edge in that. Like it will give me many more opportunities after college (jobs, internships, etc.) Also, I want to end up living in NYC (if thats any help.)</p>
<p>I guess the problem I find myself facing is that I love a little bit of everything about each school and it kind of contradicts each other. NYU, I love the city, theatre, and feel of being away from home. Notre Dame, I love the tradition and education.</p>
<p>I haven't officially decided what I want to major in yet (possibly Political Science?) but thats not for sure...just a thought.</p>
<p>New York City and South Bend couldn’t be more different for a college experience. Notre Dame and NYU are both very solid schools and will prepare you well - neither would give an appreciable advantage in poly sci and although NYU is obviously more known in NYC, Notre Dame has a vibrant alumni community in NYC as well. NYU is ridiculously expensive to attend (and living expenses are high) and is known for poor aid, so cost could be a factor. I’d recommend choosing based on where you think you’d be happier and not where you think will give you a leg up (assuming cost is not a factor). Some find living in NYC as a college student as a dream come true, while others lament the lack of community and school spirit. Based on your post, it sounds like you’re in the former category (“I visited the NYU campus and fell in love with it right away”), so I’d probably recommend following your gut and going to NYU. If you haven’t been admitted to both yet, then you’re also jumping the gun and the decision may be made for you. Good luck.</p>
<p>I’m going to go ahead and disagree with you. NYU is much stronger in political science than Notre Dame. </p>
<p>NYU is ranked overall as #17 for politics vs. Notre Dame at #36</p>
<p>Let’s also note that NYU’s specialty is quantitative politics, where NYU is ranked #6. Remember, NYU is host to Beuno de Mesquita who is known as one of the best quantitative political scientists alive today. He has come up with a number of theories in political science and has appeared on television for commentary numerous times. </p>
<p>NYU is also host to Steven Brams, who is almost as renown as de Mesquita for his work in quantitative politics. Brams, along with Taylor discovered the first envy-free solution to the n-person cake cutting problem. He is also one of the independent discoverers of approval voting, and is known for his work in applied game theory on voting systems. </p>
<p>There’s also someone, who’s name currently slips my mind, who’s worked on some obscene amount of campaigns as a speech writer and campaign director and has ‘won’ something like 15-18 campaigns for congress/governor.</p>
<p>Overall, I would say that NYU is much stronger in politics than Notre Dame; that said, NYU does primarily teach quantitative politics, whereas Notre Dame will provide a more rounded-out education in politics.</p>
<p>Maybe NYU is a bit stronger in poly sci, but the OP didn’t seem to be very sure of his/her intended major, so it probably shouldn’t hold that much weight. Overall from an academic standpoint, Notre Dame might be held in slightly more esteem, so that should balance it out. If you consider 17 and 36 to be a wide variance in the poly sci rankings, you’d have to also consider 19 and 33 to be a detectable difference with Notre Dame coming ahead in the overall US News rankings. I personally consider them peers and would choose based on fit (and cost considerations, if applicable).</p>
<p>Are they willing to pay the $60k per year for you to go to NYU?</p>
<p>Notre dame gives good financial aid, while NYU doesn’t. And, it sounds like ND would be a lot less expensive. Would you be commuting to ND? If not, then at least you won’t need plane fare. </p>
<p>If money is an issue at all, I would go with ND, and then use a bit of the savings to do some cool study abroad trips and maybe a NYC trip…and experience DIVERSITY. ;)</p>
<p>I’m stuck on why these are the top two choices you’re considering … they are about as different as possible among top 50 type schools. If NYU why not Northwestern or Chicago or Georgetown or even Minnesota? If Notre Dame why not Duke? Given there are 3000 colleges out there it seems a final pair would be much more similar than ND and NYU.</p>
<p>**Diversity. Gosh, I guess thats what I get for typing this up after all my AP Psych homework and a dead brain…haha. </p>
<p>I have been accepted to ND Early Action, but am still waiting to hear back from NYU. I realize I am jumping the gun a little bit, but I figured that waiting to post this until I heard back from NYU might not give me enough time to weigh out all the input.</p>
<p>As for the finances, my family isn’t really worried about that part. So I guess you could say that isn’t a factor in my decision.</p>
<p>Tonight at dinner, look your parents in the eye, and ask “So hey, if I get into NYU, you guys got the $240,000 and some change for it sitting in the bank, or what?”</p>
<p>You need to know now just exactly how not really worried about money it is realistic for you to be.</p>
<p>Tonight at dinner, look your parents in the eye, and ask “So hey, if I get into NYU, you guys got the $240,000 and some change for it sitting in the bank, or what?”</p>
<h1>You need to know now just exactly how not really worried about money it is realistic for you to be.</h1>
<p>Happymom is right.</p>
<p>Since they’re familiar with ND and know that it gives good FA, your family may be assuming that NYU does as well. </p>
<p>So, do ask them if they’re prepared to pay $60k per year ($240k total) for you to go to NYU. If they say “yes”, then awesome!! </p>
<p>However, if they say, “Well, it’s a top school so you’re likely going to get a lot of financial aid there,” then that’s the time to explain to them that NYU isn’t like other top schools…it doesn’t give much financial aid…NYU is notorious for horrible aid.</p>
<p>Someone who got into ND EA should be receiving at least something decent ($10,000-$15,000/yr) in scholarships and (assuming low EFC) grants. Not that it makes too much of a difference; but I don’t know of many people at NYU who actually pay full price. NYU gives at least something, even if it isn’t always a great amount.</p>
<p>The rankings on political science are likely the graduate programs. Famous faculty are lovely but if they arent your faculty mentor or professor, its sort of just window shopping. </p>
<p>NYU is not for everyone. Its VERY big. Its unbelievably expensive and it doesnt have a campus, only tall buildings in Greenwich Village. New York is exciting and all of that…but its also hyper competitive and all the glitz and glamor wears off very quickly. </p>
<p>NYU and Notre Dame are polar opposites in just about everything. Be certain of your feelings before you commit, if you get into either/both. </p>
<p>Notre Dame is the “Harvard of Catholic Schools”…the top dog. NYU is an excellent school, but its not really Catholic Friendly. In fact, its more Jewish than anything. And atheist. </p>
<p>People I know say NYU is a better experience for graduate school than undergrad. So you know.</p>
<p>Yes, those are the graduate rankings, but they give an indication as to the talent of the faculty at NYU.</p>
<p>At NYU, famous faculty regularly teach classes. I.e. de Mesquita offers a class either every semester or every other semester. Personally, I’ve never taken a class under de Mesquita (because I have no desire to learn quantitative politics from one of the ‘inventors’ of modern quantitative politics), but I have many friends who love him and have taken many classes under him. </p>
<p>Brams also regularly teaches undergraduates. </p>
<p>In the philosophy department, all of my classes have been taught by famous faculty. Of course, in the philosophy department, it’s almost impossible to not have a famous faculty teaching.</p>
<p>That said, everything else you’ve said is quite accurate. Although, I wouldn’t say NYU is not catholic friendly. NYU may be very liberal, yes, but that doesn’t mean NYU isn’t accepting of everyone. I have catholic friends; of course they’re very liberal catholics, but they’ve never had any problems. </p>
<p>I do agree with other posters though that NYU is very different from almost every other school, and is certainly very different from ND.</p>
<p>Someone who got into ND EA should be receiving at least something decent ($10,000-$15,000/yr) in scholarships</p>
<p>===========</p>
<p>I could be wrong, but I thought that ND had moved largely away from merit scholarships…and may only have a very tiny number of awards…maybe for a few very desirable URMs or something.</p>
<p>NYU is definitely strong in Poli Sci, but that is such a generic undergrad major which every college offers, that it is hard to do poorly. Whether a top 10 dept. vs. top 30 makes any difference to an undergrad is questionable.</p>
<p>Personally, I’m a big fan of going away to college. But most of the the stuff you like about ND you will not find at NYU. Similarly, the stuff you like about NYU you will not find in South Bend. (Did you apply to BC?)</p>
<p>Financing could be a huge issue. ND meets full financial need (as they define it), while NYU doesn’t come close. But with your numbers, NYU may offer you a small scholly to change the equation. Nevertheless, NYC is expensive and students go out into the City often (which costs $).</p>
<p>Why do final pairs have to be similar? It’s evident that there are compelling things about each school for him - hence the dilemma. I think it’s possible to like different types of schools at the same time - to have this kind of dilemma, versus the toss-a-coin Northwestern vs Penn vs Cornell type of decision where you’re talking about schools that are very similar.</p>
</p>