Hey guys! I was admitted to NYU 2021 and now I’m in the process of doing my housing appliation. I really really want to live in Lipton because I am a vegetarian and pretty healthy (so the healthy vegetarian dining hall is perfect for me) plus I love the location and that it was just renovated! I am Mexican, so I figured if I applied to the Spanish floor it would increase my chances of getting in. However, I’m nervous that being on a Spanish floor will make my experience less diverse, and that I will end up with all American roommates and suitemates, as I have talked to other Latinos and they all say they aren’t doing the floor because they don’t think it is really for actual Latinos, more for people who want to learn to speak Spanish and such. I’m worried about my roommate since I decrease my opportunities, and I am also worried about the floor as a whole. I was wondering if anyone has lived on the Spanish floor at Lipton or knows somebody who has who could help answer my questions? Thank you so much!
My D did not live on the Spanish floor, but was in an explorations floor this year (Laughing Matters in Weinstein), and I think it’s very likely that when they select people for the Spanish floor, they will make an effort to keep it diverse - but it can only be as diverse as the applicants available. Your friends are right - it’s not just for Latinos, but for people who are interested in exploring the cultural aspects (same as with L’Etage Francais - most of those kids don’t speak French, but are at least interested in French culture & the extra-curriculars that go along w/being on an explorations floor). Also, while special interest housing has provided kind of a “back door” to get the dorm of first choice, lots of Freshman are on to the idea of applying for special interest so they can get Lipton, so there is no guarantee you will get it… Worth a shot, though.
The real benefit of living on explorations floors are the activities organized by your RA that are often free or deeply discounted. For example, my D went to several free comedy shows this year (e.g. Upright Citizen’s Brigade, Hello There, other area comedy clubs), as well as several Broadway productions for free or $10 (when ticket price would normally be $50 or more). She would definitely encourage anyone to apply for a special interest floor, and said it was not that time consuming…she doesn’t actually hang out w/her floormates much, other then when they are going to shows or other specifically planned activities together. I’d think if you are interested in really checking out the various Spanish speaking communities in NYC, the Spanish floor would be a great fit. Give it a shot!
Thank you so much! This really helps! I think I will apply for the Spanish floor after all.
@WTXMom hi! hoping you can answer some questions I have about exploration floors. do you know if living on an exploration floor is a little time consuming? I know there are a lot of cool activities that the RA plans for the students on their floor, but how often do these activities happen and is every student required to participate? especially if it costs some $$ to attend? and do students still get a lot of free time living on an exploration floor to do other things that they want/are interested in? thanks in advance 
Hey @indiahyland - I think it varies by floor, but for my daughter on Laughing Matters, the activities that were planned didn’t create any conflicts for her in terms of her academic or other studio or extra-curricular activities, and I didn’t get the sense that the activities were terribly frequent so that they felt like a time burden…she never felt like she HAD to do something (beyond the required floor meetings that happen only rarely, and that’s every floor), but she almost always wanted to. Yes, they want you to participate in activities - and you are expected to make an effort. Most of the opportunities are pretty cool so you wouldn’t want to miss them if you could go (especially the free ones, like floor snacks, because food…). The ones that came w/a copay were always offered first-come-first-served, and my D was too slow a couple of times b/c she wasn’t paying attention to email, and ended up on at least 2 waitlists for shows that the floor offered tickets (and she came off the waitlist both times). They also usually tell you that if you wanted to go but could not afford the copay, to let the RA know and they usually found a way to get it covered. So, in other words, you should be willing to participate in activities as much as possible, because you will get out of it what you put in. I will say my D has enjoyed it and never felt like she wasn’t free to do other things instead. (Note - this may not be true for all floors…but I think they are probably all fairly similar).
I wish this kind of thing had existed when I was in college. She has had a ton of fun, exploring things in the city that are more fun b/c she is with people who are like her in that they simply love to laugh.
@WTXMom thank you so much for the elaborate response! that was super helpful!
@WTXMom also do you maybe know how easy or hard it is to get accepted to an exploration floor? maybe not so much as an acceptance rate (hahaha), but are these floors super competitive, or is it more on the guaranteed side if you write solid responses to the questions on the housing form?
@WTXMom + I’m only super interested in one of the exploration floor, but is it a disadvantage to only apply for one vs. multiple?
Hi!! I’m on an explorations floor this year that…really isn’t active. We have a handful of really cool events but nobody really goes. It did help me make friends, though. I’ve heard of other exploration floors being better–it really depends on your RA. But absolutely nothing is mandatory besides the floor meetings everyone has, and not many have a copay–and the ones that do, if you’re financially struggling, the building/floor usually has some money built into the budget to cover students who can’t afford it out of pocket.
I also don’t know anyone who didn’t get into an exploration floor who applied to one (although it might not have been their first choice). Just put some actual thought into your application and you should be good!
@indiahyland - I think @wonderlanddd answered your questions for the most part, but I will add that my daughter said that many people were placed on the Laughing Matters floor that didn’t even apply (probably b/c it’s Weinstein), so I really think it depends on which ones you apply for. Her first choice was NYC Show - in Lipton, and she obviously didn’t get that one. I imagine the ones in Lipton fill up, b/c just about everyone wants to be in that building. Sooo, I don’t really know whether it would be a disadvantage to apply for only one or not. Just give it a shot and see what happens! Definitely take some time with your answers to the questions on the application though…
@WTXMom thank you!!! @wonderlanddd may I ask what exploration floor you are on? and thank you for your response!!
also it’s not first come first serve right? so as long as you submit the housing application by May 1, you have an equal chance at getting into the floor you’re applying for?
I feel like I maybe painted it in more of a negative light than it is–it’s not that there isn’t events, it’s that my particular group of people on the floor don’t go to a ton. I’m currently on the music floor and our RA is great and schedules cool events, it’s not her fault everyone is super busy and has given up on it. And yeah, it’s not first come first serve. That changes for sophomore year and up, but that’s not something you should worry about right now.