<p>In most respects NYU is similar to some of the better public universities—similar size, similar student stats, similar large range of departments and programs. I’d say the top handful of publics have stronger faculties overall, but there are some areas where NYU is outstanding, and many areas where it’s very good. The big difference is the price tag: no one gets an in-state tuition discount at NYU, total COA is among the highest in the country, and on average NYU meets only 71% of need, which is not as good as the top publics (UVA and UNC Chapel Hill meet 100% of need, while UC Berkeley and Michigan meet on average 90% of need).</p>
<p>I’d never criticize someone for choosing NYU. Overall it’s a very strong school, and there are unique advantages to living in New York City. I think many applicants would need to worry about the cost, but for those for whom cost is not an issue, why not?</p>