Hi everyone! I was accepted to NYU and Brown University, but I’m having a hard time choosing between them. I want to study English. I got a lot of financial aid from both schools, so that’s not really a problem for me. I like Brown’s open curriculum and the ivy league definitely offers lots of perks and connections, but I want to live in NYC and NYU has a lot to offer with their create writing problem. Can you give me some tips? Which would you pick and why?
Brown, unless the NYU writing program is markedly better. Though I am not familiar with the current English departments of Brown vs. NYU, a good number of Brown alums end up published authors or otherwise in a writing-related profession. Also, Brown alums do well at getting jobs in NYC. My writing went from being a weakness to a strength after four years at Brown – took many writing classes and really enjoyed them.
I’d go to Brown in a heartbeat. You have the rest of your life to experience living in NYC.
I’d definitely go to Brown. I agree, you have the rest of your life to experience NYC, but Brown is going to offer a more traditional college experience (with a campus and such) and the open curriculum is nice and flexible. And Brown is a great place to learn writing. Plus I think Providence is a nice small city for a college student; New York can be expensive and overwhelming until you’re making your own money.
“The 10 Best American Colleges for Writers,” USA Today
“The 10 Best Colleges for Creative Writers,” The Freelancer
“The 25 Most Literary Colleges in America,” Flavowire
Brown’s English dept. is amazing, and definitely better than NYU’s. Providence, while no mid-town Manhattan, is a great small city, too.
Go to Brown, get that Ivy League prestige, and THEN move to NYC (which btw, spoiler alert…its overrated)!
Brown, definitely.
Thank you all for your help and comments! I’m extremely grateful!
Another vote for Brown. Go to NYC after you finish school.
It’s great to hear from a Brown alum. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to make it to the city from Providence. You’ve made this decision a lot easier for me. Thank you!
Thank you!
BROWN FOR SURE!
Hi everyone! I have to make my decision extremely soon! So far I have visited Brown and I did like it, but my love for NY is still alive. I’m afraid I’ll make the wrong decision. I’ll be seeing NYU this week. Please send me more of what you would pick and why!
I think with Brown’s ivy status and their open curriculum (along with you getting the financial aid) I would personally choose Brown, do remember that if you don’t like Brown you can always try and apply as a transfer to NYU. If you really love NYC, do remember that you can always live there after graduation (it’s also a 3 hour bus ride if you really feel the urge to go into the city). However, don’t feel pressured to choose Brown because of the Ivy status if you like NYU more. Hope that helps a little bit!
@india1234 thank you so so much! Your answer really is just what I needed to hear. I appreciate it so much.
Brown!
Six Brown Graduates won Pulitzer Prizes this year alone:
Daveed Diggs '04, Alissa J. Rubin '80, Peter Balakian '80 PhD, Kathryn Schulz '96, Stephen Karam '02 and Michael Corkery '97.
From Wiki:
If you go to Brown, take a class with Dr. Weinstien. He will blow your mind.
Thank you everyone! I have one last note. When I say I want to study English, I want to be a writer. I’m hoping to write for the New Yorker some day. I’d like to write fiction as well as social/political commentary. I’m having a tough time choosing, though the answer is is unanimously Brown, because I do like Brown, I have visited, but I am afraid that only NYU can place me in a position to work for the New Yorker. What do you guys think?