<p>kind of a difficult comparison to make, but which has a better reputation/rankings/etc?</p>
<p>If you mean Lafayette College in PA, I have some insight. I am a graduate of Lafayette and my son- a freshman GSP is at NYU and had the choice between the two. He chose NYU because of the city but both schools have excellent reputations altho NYU is obviously better known. BTW- my son loves NYU and is happy with his decision as am I- but I think he would have been happy at Lafayette as well.
Lafayette was all male when I went there but the facilities at Lafayette are better than NYU- by far. I can answer spefic questions if you post them.</p>
<p>thanks for your response. my sis was waitlisted at lafayette and accepted to nyu gsp. we're trying to compare schools now- obviously they're very different in environment, size, etc. i went to nyu and preferred that she go to a smaller school so we are sort of disappointed she was waitlisted at LC. she doesn't have a clear idea of what she wants to major in yet, so i don't have specific questions about the academic depts. what does your son think of gsp? how does he find the social interaction w/other students at nyu?</p>
<p>My son is not real talkative but seems to like GSP. He is doing very well and finds the work load manageable. It is a different type of program for him since he was more the typical boy- good at math/science, not so hot in English, etc so the "great books" curriculum is a switch for him. He placed out of the science requirement due to AP results. He likes the class size which is in the 18-20 range.
He gets along well with his roommates and he is quite popular- enjoys the kids. There is no looking down on the GSP people that he has experienced. In fact, his workload is greater than those in other schools at NYU. He is a bass guitar player and is involved with some groups and plays gigs at various clubs so his social life is full. He is very comfortable with city life tho we live in CT and he comes home occasionally to see his girlfriend at UCONN or just to get his laundry done. Friends visit on a regular basis and it isn't a problem. But he intends to get an apartment with one of his roommates (he's in a triple) and maybe another person or 2 next yr cuz he prefers to be out of the dorm.
He considered Lafayette till the end but felt it might get tired after a few years. (It does). I prefered the small classes at Lafayette but GSP classes are just as small. And my son is not into the sports scene that much so he doesn't seem to miss the rah rah of that kind of campus which exists at Lafayette along with the Greek life which is huge at Lafayette and almost an afterthought at NYU. My wife and I have asked him whether he thinks he may transfer but that won't happen until after his soph yr he says and then he will make a decision. I think he's gonna stay in NYC.
It is a tought decision- just going to be a question of where SHE feels most comfortable. I guarantee that she will get a superior education at Lafayette- there is no where to hide- and no graduate students hogging the research opportunities. NYU may be a different story- it's up to the individual. No real downside at either institution. It's a win- win. Good Luck!</p>
<p>just remember, lafayette is the second crappiest dorm at nyu.</p>
<p>So Matt- what is your point?</p>
<p>thanks very much scrowman. it sounds like your son is doing well academically & socially at nyu.</p>
<p>mattistotle- i didn't realize there was a dorm at lafayette. granted i graduated 10 years ago (omg, it's been that long?!).</p>
<p>freeh, nyu reputation/stats are incredibly higher nowadays then in the mid 90's. It really blows lafayette away at this point, and GSP is tailored towards the classical liberal arts education with really small classes, so its actually more liberal arts like than the college of arts and science. There is a less sense of community, but with a little effort you can make tons of friends and have an experience you can find no where else. Plus the job prospects are much better. </p>
<p>(NYU is much better than the rankings show because we get crapped on by the student surveys...this seems to mostly be out of spite over the bad financial aid....we have great teachers, just no one seems to be understand that some classes are going to be boring/hard to understand no matter where you go)</p>