NYU Stern Junior, AMA

Colleges and Universities A-Z New York University
1

<p>Hi all, with a cousin going through college applications, I've been reminded how stressful college applications are, so I've decided to take some time to help those with questions. I will likely not disclose personal information beyond what is in this post. </p>

<p>HS Stats:
SAT 2200+
10+ AP, average 4.5
GPA 4.4+/5.0
Several academic ECs, including @ state level </p>

<p>College:
GPA 3.7+
Worked with the advising team to welcome accepted students in the past
Have had experiences interning throughout the city at different types of financial institutions during the semester
Worked at a foreign investment bank overseas (reputation is equivalent to lower bulge bracket) sophomore summer
Working at a bulge bracket investment bank this summer
Studied abroad in Europe
Have lived both on and off campus</p>

<p>While questions regarding "chances" are understandable, understand that I was accepted three years ago and things may have changed, and that I am not an expert in admissions decisions. </p>

<p>Instead, questions regarding actual life at NYU and Stern in particular I can answer more thoroughly and thoughtfully.</p>

2

<p>Thanks for posting, Alwayslivewell!</p>

<p>I have been admitted to Stern and have a ton of questions.</p>

<p>What is the best freshman residence hall?
What appliances/apparel/items (that normally wouldn’t be a high priority) do you most recommend to bring to NYU?
What clubs, social events, and settings are best for making friends during freshman year?
What is the difficulty of freshman classes and classes of the following years?
Is finance the no-brainer major since it seems to be Stern’s specialty ranking-wise?
As a junior, will you be doing study abroad or IBEX? What is the difference and why did you choose one over the other?
What are the internship opportunities like? What are the most prestigious firms that visit the campus and what do they look for?</p>

<p>That’s not a few questions. Sorry. But I’m really curious.</p>

3

<p>How cutthroat and competitive is the actual environment on NYU? I’ve heard that the competition that exists between students there is insane. </p>

<p>Also, how difficult was the coursework? I’m looking at schools for finance, and right after being scared as to whether or not I can get in, I’m scared that I may not be able to do well at a top school when ‘competing’ against so many other qualified students in the class room.</p>

<p>Is it realistic to earn an A or B in almost every class without studying for 5+ hours per day?</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

4

<p>@colcon – Congratulations on your admission!</p>

<p>What is the best freshman residence hall?
Depends on where you would like to live, area wise. U-Hall is in Union Square, Hayden is right on the square, Founders is on 12th st, Weinstein is on University Place. Think about what is important to you. If it is proximity to campus, then you want to live in Goddard, Hayden or Weinstein. If it is a dining hall, U-Hall, Weinstein, Rubin or Hayden. Founders has had the newest rooms in the past. There’s a lot of information already online, and I haven’t lived in dorms in awhile. Sorry. </p>

<p>What appliances/apparel/items (that normally wouldn’t be a high priority) do you most recommend to bring to NYU?</p>

<p>I bought a stainless steel hot water boilder and a Keurig machine for tea and coffee. It has saved me countless dollars. The rest depends just on whether or not you plan on cooking a lot. </p>

<p>What clubs, social events, and settings are best for making friends during freshman year?
The big clubs–IAG, Finance Club, Accounting, Marketing, are all great clubs. Don’t discount the smaller clubs though, as members are very passionate about them and you can learn a lot and make many friends. </p>

<p>What is the difficulty of freshman classes and classes of the following years?
This obviously depends on how you structure your schedule. I would describe my freshman courses by saying that they required a slightly different way of thinking than high school courses–more analysis, time management and self-control. The difficulty is purely based on how quickly you adjust. </p>

<p>My major classes have all been taught by exceptional professors who often have had real world experience in the specific class, which is invaluable as a resource for things like office hours. </p>

<p>Is finance the no-brainer major since it seems to be Stern’s specialty ranking-wise?
Do what interests you. I believe roughly 70% of Stern has a Finance major, and many double major as it is easy to do so. It won’t really differentiate you in recruiting if you do or don’t have one, particularly as you can still take finance courses, although if you do start taking courses beyond Foundations, the major is a logical track. </p>

<p>As a junior, will you be doing study abroad or IBEX? What is the difference and why did you choose one over the other?
I studied abroad in Europe this past Fall. IBEX is a more specialized program. See: <a href=“http://www.stern.nyu.edu/portal-partners/current-students/undergraduate/study-away/semester-away/international-business-exchange-program/faqs/index.htm[/url]”>http://www.stern.nyu.edu/portal-partners/current-students/undergraduate/study-away/semester-away/international-business-exchange-program/faqs/index.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>My friends studied abroad under the normal program, and I wanted to get a more well-rounded selection of elective classes so I participated in the normal one.</p>

<p>What are the internship opportunities like? What are the most prestigious firms that visit the campus and what do they look for?</p>

<p>They are what you make of them. On campus recruiting junior year sees many top names come in (I assume you like to hear names like Goldman, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan) as well as names that will become more familiar to you once in the industry (Evercore, Blackrock, etc.). Beyond OCR, there are many, many opportunities you can pursue in the city on your own during the semester, or with the help of upperclassmen. I’ve had excellent semester experiences with firms in the city which have helped open doors for my future. </p>

<p>Firms generally have a screening process to determine who gets first round interviews–this will be based on networking, GPA and past experiences. Beyond the first round, you must perform well on technical and behavior based questions during subsequent interviews, and your GPA and networking matter much less.</p>

5

<p>@BoundforBoston </p>

<p>How cutthroat and competitive is the actual environment on NYU? I’ve heard that the competition that exists between students there is insane.
I would say that there is a healthy level of competition, as obviously everyone wants the best grades, the best internships, the best jobs. That being said, you will have a group of friends to rely on and to seek advice from in these processes. </p>

<p>Also, how difficult was the coursework? I’m looking at schools for finance, and right after being scared as to whether or not I can get in, I’m scared that I may not be able to do well at a top school when ‘competing’ against so many other qualified students in the class room.
The “Stern Curve” does not apply to all classes–only required classes and in general most Finance classes. Coursework makes you think analytically and some help you develop practical life skills, and if you have been accepted to Stern and work hard it is definitely possible for you to do well.</p>

<p>Is it realistic to earn an A or B in almost every class without studying for 5+ hours per day?
Yes. I don’t think I’ve ever “studied” for 5+ hours per day averaged over the course of a semester. Beyond normal reading and assignments, there is a heavy emphasis on group work which will supplement your individual work. In these circumstances, you have to adjust your schedule and work with team members. I don’t know where you got 5+ hours from, but that has not been my experience or that of my friends.</p>

6

<p>So you had a 4.4 GPA out of 5.0 correct? Or I am just reading it incorrectly. </p>

<p>I know this doesn’t mean much but could you chance me.</p>

<p>SAT: 2310
GPA: 92.4
APs:9-10
EC’s: Finance Club President, Finance Blog Head Editor, Officer inDECA, Student Gov’t senior member
I have one alumni connection my brother and I will not be applying for financial aid I am also a first generation college student. Do you think if I applied ED I I would have had higher chances than RD?</p>

7

<p>@NJHopeful95</p>

<p>I got in with a 3.88 GPA, 2160 SAT, 7 APs, no hooks, and no impressive ECs. From what I’ve seen on CC’s recent round of EDII decisions, you’re in. You should apply for FA though. Might as well. You’ll get tons of scholarships for sure! That is, “tons” by NYU’s standards.</p>

8

<p>@NJHopeful: It was technically 4.4 weighted, but it was impossible to receive a 5.0 at my school. I had a 4.0 unweighted. </p>

<p>I assume you’re on the Eastern seaboard as you have a x/100 GPA (& your username)? If you’re in the tri-state area with those stats, I’d say they are comparable if not higher to people I am familiar with. In general, I believe ED applicants are able to get in with slightly lower statistics, as you’re demonstrating that you’re committed to attending if you receive an acceptance, which is valuable for a school because it reduces the guesswork in how many RD seats they must extend to fill their class (as not all accepted students will attend).</p>

9

<p>Hi, thanks for doing this! I was also admitted EDII and have a couple questions.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Do you partake in internships during freshman year? Are your internships usually paid?</p></li>
<li><p>Is it possible or common to pursue a career in real estate/ real estate finance?</p></li>
<li><p>How is the social scene? I have read greek life is making a come back at NYU do you notice this?</p></li>
<li><p>What are something you wish you knew going into freshmen year and or wish you did differently?
Thanks!</p></li>
</ol>

10

<p>Hi! I was also accepted ED2 to Stern and have questions.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>How well is Stern represented on the Street? and did you think it’s relatively simple to find a job?</p></li>
<li><p>(I know this may seem a bit superficial) How are the girls/parties at NYU from a Stern perspective? </p></li>
</ol>

<p>Thanks!</p>

11

<p>@IvyGolfer:

  1. Do you partake in internships during freshman year? Are your internships usually paid?
    I had an on campus job freshman year as I had no prior work experience (paid, non-work study position). Over the summer I had a paid internship at a very recognizable F100 multinational, I won’t disclose details about it. On NYU Careernet, as well as iNet (it’s a consortium career site with the same layout as Careernet, and partners with schools like Penn and some others that I can’t remember to share some listings between schools), there are listings of all sorts. I refused to take non-paid, or even worse for-credit jobs (which you’re essentially paying for). </p>

<ol>
<li><p>Is it possible or common to pursue a career in real estate/ real estate finance?
Sure it’s possible. I know Stern has several real estate related classes that some of my friends have taken and enjoyed. </p></li>
<li><p>How is the social scene? I have read greek life is making a come back at NYU do you notice this?
For Stern specifically, some people choose to rush AKP or DSP as they are business frats (they take men and women), and grow their social circles like that. Outside of Stern, I have heard of more people choosing to participate in Greek life, but personally it never particularly appealed to me, because NYC is such a lively and diverse place to be that it seemed a disservice to limit myself to a frat. </p></li>
<li><p>What are something you wish you knew going into freshmen year and or wish you did differently?
I’m pretty pleased with how I’ve done so far, but I think it’s very important to make sure you manage your time wisely. You can potentially have normal class hours, and then on top of that commitments for group class activities, club activities (academic related), work related, social related and even other things that demand your time. Personally, there were a couple of times when my internship was demanding 30+ hours a week and it was very tough to balance all of these. Know your limits, and make sure you set time apart for yourself.</p></li>
</ol>

12

<ol>
<li>How well is Stern represented on the Street? and did you think it’s relatively simple to find a job?
Stern is extremely well represented on the Street. We have thousands and thousands of alumni all around the world. By job, I will take it you mean a well paying job at the illustrious Goldman Sachs as an Investment Banking Analyst. In that case, it’s tough. There are many hundreds of your peers who will be doing OCR in any given year for that coveted summer analyst spot, and there are only a couple of bulge bracket banks. You asked before whether NYU is well represented, so I think you’re asking if that will help get you a job. Sure it can, but keep in mind that all of your peers likely have access to the same group of alumni and just because you are from NYU will not mean that you are at an advantage against first your classmates, and second the thousands of other students from schools like Wharton, Harvard, Duke, etc. who are also trying to obtain those internships. </li>
</ol>

<p>That being said, I believe that if you put in enough time and effort, you can get a job somewhere. It really depends on a person’s specific resume, skill set and likeability as to exactly what job they will receive an offer for. </p>

<ol>
<li>(I know this may seem a bit superficial) How are the girls/parties at NYU from a Stern perspective?
I’ve enjoyed the social life in NYC. I’m not really sure what information you specifically were looking to get.</li>
</ol>

13

<p>Did you live in a big city before coming to NYU? I have lived in the suburbs my entire life and am kind of afraid it will be a bit of a culture shock at first. Any opinions/advice?</p>

14

<p>I’ve lived in the suburbs and in mid and large size cities before. The biggest transition is that of cars -> walking, subway, bus. NY’s grid system makes it very easy to know where you are, all the time. Over time you sort of have an internal compass that will point you to where you need to go, but in numbered streets & aves you should never need to walk more than a block to figure out where you’re supposed to go. Pick up a map of campus and figure out where your dorm is, where the school is and take a look at the subway routes on google maps. Obviously smartphones are a help, but you can’t always count on them. There is no service inside most subway stations, and not on underground trains. Download a good mapping app on your phone. </p>

<p>Food-as a freshman you will have a meal plan, and likely no kitchen(ette). Eat on campus for as long as you want, and then start to venture out in to the areas around NYU (St. Marks, West/East Village, Union Square, Chinatown, Little Italy, etc). </p>

<p>New Yorkers have a reputation for being rude and mean, but especially around the NYU area, don’t be afraid to ask for help if you’re lost. </p>

<p>Also, personally, I’ve begun to care more about dress and fashion, particularly after living abroad. I hold myself to a high standard, and many New Yorkers do as well. There’s no real reason to bring it up to incoming Freshmen, but in suburbia I would say a good 30-60% of kids wore sweatpants to school. Here, much less. Stern, even more so. It’s not something you should worry about, and I’m not trying to influence you. Do what’s comfortable for you, but I’m just giving you a heads up that many people in Stern do have internships or interviews very often, and so will be dressed in business casual/formal some of the time–this applies only really to sophomores/juniors/seniors.</p>

15

<p>Would you say that Sternies dress more business casual rather than the hipster-ish style that NYU is known for? So should I stock up on khakis, button downs, and sweathers?</p>

16

<p>Sternies dress in all manner of ways. The only reason I brought it up is because I know some people from deep Southern suburbs who seemed shocked by NYC dress. Decide for yourself after you arrive.</p>

17

<p>You seem to have a lot of experience in the field from your internships. I would like to ask general questions about the field even thought Stern didn’t accept me.</p>

<ol>
<li>How important is your college’s name when you’re trying to find internship programs domestically & abroad? </li>
<li>What are the advantages of staying in the city for college vs going to a SUNY state college upstate.</li>
<li>Have you ever been offered a job from your internships?</li>
</ol>

18

<p>I think I briefly touched on this before, but sure:

  1. Domestically - There’s a difference between targets and non-targets for sure. See: [Comprehensive</a> List of Target Schools | Wall Street Oasis](<a href=“http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/comprehensive-list-of-target-schools]Comprehensive”>Comprehensive List of Target Schools for Investment Banking | Wall Street Oasis)
    Furthermore, different firms have different preferences, i.e. some firms will recruit exclusively at Harvard and Wharton, others will recruit specifically at MIT/Stanford. However, it isn’t necessarily ‘easier’ to ultimately get a job, as at a target you’re competing with a greater pool of candidates who want to do the same thing.
    Abroad - depends on the region. Asia likes top brand names (Ivies, Stanford, MIT, you get the gist). EMEA is a little more lax about this.
  2. A) Exposure to more professors who have working experience (this is tremendously valuable). B) Internships during the semester. C) Personal preference for city life vs. traditional college campus life.
  3. I’ve received return offers for all of my prior experiences, full time offers result from your junior year summer internship in most cases.</p>
19

<p>I noticed most of Stern related posts are about finance and banking. What about marketing? Is it much harder to find jobs/internships outside of finance and banking? My D is thinking about marketing with minor in graphic design (not sure if NYU even offers that).</p>

20

<p>Everything I know about marketing is hearsay, as I haven’t personally done it myself. However, two of my very good friends are marketing majors; one is going in to advertising and the other in to a F100 marketing department. What I understand is that the competition is similar but different. Depending on what you want to do with your marketing degree, you’re potentially competing against the usual Ivy League suspects, in addition to a whole host of world class design institutes for the more advertising/graphic design/web design sort of fields. </p>

<p>I believe Tisch offers web design and possibly some other design-related courses/disciplines. </p>

<p>Marketing departments do recruit on campus. I know several F100 firms recruited for marketing positions, but I don’t think I’ve really seen outfits like Ogilvy, BBDO or Wieden recruit. Could be wrong though. </p>

<p>My friend going in to advertising developed a close relationship with a professor who helped them get their first internship, which eventually led to a full time offer.</p>