<p>my decision comes down to these two schools : NYU, and the U of Vermont.
I was also accepted to the Honors College at UVM, which would be an incentive to go there, as I also received some money, and I'm not sure if I can afford to go to NYU. However, I am worried that if I do not attend NYU, that I will be passing up a good opportunity and a better-looking degree. I am planning to attend graduate school anyway, and would probably apply to NYU for graduate school if I do not attend there next year. Does anyone have any suggestions? Does the Honors College at UVM measure up to NYU?</p>
<p>Personally, I would choose UVM honors college for a few reasons. First of all, UVM has 7,000 or so undergrads and only 100 honors students per yr. Secondarily, i'd much rather be in Burlington. I think that an NYU degree will look better in terms of prestige, but I honestly think that you'll receive a better education at UVM.</p>
<p>Not familiar enough with either to help but re: better looking degree....a solid effort at Vermont ( or anywhere) ought to secure a spot in grad school. So how about going to the place which is the best fit if the cost is not the primary determinant?</p>
<p>I would pick UVM anyday over NYU. UVM, both non-honors college and honors college will give you an excellent education, with so much more attention than at a place like NYU. Secondly, Burlington is not near the distraction of NYC. I really don't think NYC is a good college town because it is so big, and it is very distracting for a student. Burlington offers plenty of things to do without being the country's biggest city. Even in your non-honors classes you are going to find more motivated students than at NYU. Finally, the size of NYU is enormous. It is so much easier to have research oppurtunities and work with your professors, which is important for grad school, at a smaller school. Yet, UVM isn't so small you'll know everyone.</p>
<p>"Even in your non-honors classes you are going to find more motivated students than at NYU."</p>
<p>How do you possibly know this? Have you measured the motivation level of the students at these schools? Being 16 years old, I highly doubt you know much about NYU.</p>
<p>"It is so much easier to have research oppurtunities and work with your professors, which is important for grad school, at a smaller school."</p>
<p>Again, you really don't know much about NYU. There are plenty of undergrad research opps. Grad school placement is definitely better than UVM. These state school honor programs are mostly paper tigers, this is a fact thats well known.</p>
<p>I'm not entirely sure if you're assumption about grad school placement is correct, jwblue. UVM, from what i've seen, does pretty well. </p>
<p>I haven't looked the #'s up specifically, though.</p>
<p>The numbers will tell the story. Look at the number of graduates from each school at top grad schools. </p>
<p>Harvard Law:
NYU-14
UVM-1</p>
<p>Georgetown Law:
NYU-11 (7 of which were from CAS, where I assume the OP would be going)</p>
<p>UVM=2</p>
<p>Sources:
<a href="http://www.law.harvard.edu/admissions/jd/colleges.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.law.harvard.edu/admissions/jd/colleges.php</a></p>
<p>NYU undergrad is also among the biggest feeder schools to both NYU Law and Medical Schools. NYU's acceptance rate for those who apply to medical school is 84% (twice the national average) and 100% for those with GPAs above 3.5. There isn't even an issue here with graduate school placement.</p>
<p>Thanks for all of your suggestions... here is the issue. At NYU, I was not accepted into CAS but rather GSP, which I'm not sure if any of you are familiar with or not, but essentially I would be taking different courses (in classes in which they tell us we will be receiving more individualized attention, but i don't know), and then if after my first 2 years i was able to maintain a gpa of 3.0, i'll have a smooth transition into CAS and will graduate with a BA from CAS. I am planning on going to graduate school, and I just feel as though even though UVM is a great school, I feel like it isn't as prestigious as NYU and might not open as many doors. Granted, I consider myself pretty ambitious and i realize that I'm going to have to open many of these "Doors" myself, but I feel like the NYU name could really help me get my foot in there. I'm just wondering... will UVM Honors be a place where I can sort of spread my wings and rise to the top and really milk the school for all it is worth, and NYU gsp be a place where I'm second string and just another number? I am so, so confused. I feel like NYU is where I should be, but I don't want to miss out on the "college experience," and if UVM is a place where I might be given more room to be a "big fish," is the pricetag of an NYU education worth it?</p>
<p>** sorry, if after 2 years i AM able</p>
<p>If your heart says NYU, it's probably right. You can read all the statistics you want, but if you feel like "NYU is where I should be" and your reasons are right, go there. However, if grad school is your only concern, then you need to find other (not more important necesarily) priorities. It's not all work, no play. You need to find where you will be academically, socially, and otherwise comfortable, and that's a decision know one can make for you.</p>
<p>do you automatically gain acceptance if you have the right gpa after 2 years, or do you have to apply?</p>
<p>From GSP: You are automatically admitted to whichever NYU school you originally applied to if you maintain a 3.0 for 2 years. Getting a 3.0 is not very hard at all (NYU is known for grade inflation..like most private schools)...you shouldn't have a problem getting that.</p>
<p>jwblue, from reading through some posts on the NYU board, i see that you're an alumn and all and i'm wondering- what do you think i should do? of course, you're going to be biased because you loved your time at nyu, but now that you're out in the work force and you really see what's going on, what do you think? I'll tell you that I'm not sure what I'm going to major in, but it's probably going to be English. I applied originally to the Dramatic Lit, theatre history and the cinema major... but now i don't know. i'd also like to study religion, philosophy, and history. did you grow up near the city? did you feel that you missed out on the "typical" college experience, now that you are in the work force and actually living in the city (i assume)? In other words... because you are working in the city now, do you wish you had had a college experience somewhere else ?</p>
<p>Edb, I don't know how much I am gonna be able to help but I have a few thoughts here. </p>
<p>First off, who am I? I am a parent and I live in Vermont. I have even taught as a part time adjunct a while back for graduate school at UVM. As well, my college freshman daughter who goes to Brown was granted a full scholarship to UVM last year, as well as Honors College and has several peers from high school currently in Honors College. Further, I have another child who is graduating high school this year who was just admitted to NYU Tisch. So, I know a thing or two about each of your schools. </p>
<p>First off, I have no idea where you are from. As soon as I mentioned the title or crux of your thread to my high schooler, she said, "well, where is he from? If I grew up in the city, I would want to go to UVM but having grown up in Vermont, I want to try the city." Neither of my kids wanted to go to college in Vermont only because they grew up here and wanted to try a new environment. However, both have said, had they not grown up in Vermont (we live in a rural area, not Burlington, though go to Burlington a lot), they would have really thought it would be great to go to college in Burlington. It is a great college small city. All of it is in walking distance to UVM. Besides all of Burlington, there is the surrounding area, Lake Champlain, the Green Mountains, and all that offers (have no idea what you enjoy doing in your free time). </p>
<p>The part of your post that kinda doesn't sit great for me is the focus as to which college will look better when applying to graduate school. I don't think this is as big a deal as you are making it. I think it is YOU that gets into graduate school, not necessarily the college from where you graduated. I think your record and what you accomplished is what is going to matter on that front. In fact, perhaps you might even accomplish more if you go to UVM, just as an example. Maybe you will stand out (afterall, you got into Honors College at a well respected university). While JWBlue quotes how many graduates of NYU got into certain law schools vs. ones from UVM, that is not the best comparison as there are simply MORE students at NYU than at UVM. If you really want to know more about how graduates of UVM fare in graduate school admissions, inquire at UVM about acceptance rates and so forth. However, I think you are putting too much emphasis on this one factor in terms of picking the college you will attend. I think there are far more important criteria that will make or break your feeling that you picked the right college environment for you. </p>
<p>For instance, the size and setting alone of NYU and UVM differ greatly. NYU is huge (not knocking that, afterall I have a child considering attending) but that is a fact. UVM, considering it is a state university is not big at all....around 7,000 undergrad approximately. It is not a typical state university in that many of the students are from out of state. Many students who attend UVM are very good students. From our high school, valedictorians and kids ranked in the top five have gone there in the past couple years. My D's close friends, all from the very top of her class are in Honors College this year and enjoying it. Since you would be in this part of UVM, I can say with assurance that you would be among very good motivated students. It sounds a bit like you might be in an easier part of NYU before switching over into CAS after two years. Just the opposite at UVM. Do you want an urban environment or a very small city? Look at the departments you are interested in studying. Do you care about campus life? That is a clear difference between the schools. What about distance from home? What feeling did you get when you visited the schools? Can you return for any accepted student events? Have you spoken to current students? Ask them specific questions that you care about. What extracurricular interests do you have and what opportunities are there at each school to do these? These sort of factors, in my view, are going to make more of a difference between these two settings than which name will get you into graduate school. In fact, perhaps standing out at UVM might help you more than your standing at NYU. I do not know what kind of student you are (must be pretty good if you got Honors College) but you will do better with grad school admissions if your grades in college and your accomplishments in college look good. Is that more likely in one of these settings than the other? Part of that whole thing is thinking about if you want to be a big fish in a small pond or a little fish in a big pond.....as that is kinda what your situation entails here. </p>
<p>I'd pick which school fits you best. In terms of "prestige", NYU is higher than UVM but UVM is not a slouch school and being in Honors College elevates you as well. Pick which environment you want. I don't think the chances at grad school admission are gonna differ greatly between these two schools but the other aspects of the experience are going to be quite different and so I would focus on THOSE aspects and pick which feels right for you. I can't say which is right for you without knowing more of what you want in a college. You can figure that out though!</p>
<p>"While JWBlue quotes how many graduates of NYU got into certain law schools vs. ones from UVM, that is not the best comparison as there are simply MORE students at NYU than at UVM."</p>
<p>a) NYU does better even when you account for size difference.</p>
<p>b) NYU has many undergraduate schools, but the people who apply to grad. schools are mostly in CAS...a school of about 5500, which is actually smaller than UVM, but still does better in grad. school placement (7 vs. 2 at Georgetown Law).</p>
<p>"did you grow up near the city?" </p>
<p>-Nope, I went to boarding school.</p>
<p>"did you feel that you missed out on the "typical" college experience, now that you are in the work force and actually living in the city (i assume)?" </p>
<p>-How are you defining a "typical" college experience? Living in dorms, drinking a lot, playing on a sports team...if so, I did all of that at NYU. If you define it has being in a rural area where you look out the window and see cows...NYU is probably not for you.</p>
<p>"In other words... because you are working in the city now, do you wish you had had a college experience somewhere else?"</p>
<p>-Not at all.</p>
<p>My guess is that the question about a "typical college experience" meant more to do with a "campus" vs. an urban school where the "campus" meshes with the city as in NYU. Clearly one of these schools has the more typical "campus" and one does not. I am not passing a value judgement here because it is all about what you want in a school. One of my kids would never consider a campus like NYU and one loves the idea. So, it is about what you like. </p>
<p>But as a point of reference, at UVM, you are not in a rural area and you are not looking out the window and seeing cows. I live in a rural area so I know what rural is. But in Burlington, where UVM is, it is a small city. You look out the window and see college campus buildings and greens and walkways and the downtown area that is full of low rise buildings and bordered by Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains on one side and the Adirondacks on the other. No cows near campus. I know as I just spent ten nights at the hospital at UVM with my daughter and looked out the window at college students changing classes on pathways between buildings and greens. Downtown is full of shops, cafes, and cultural things to do. It is nothing like NYC but it is not a pasture with cows either. It all depends what you want in a college campus and location and setting. Just know that Burlington, Vermont is a small city but a very fun college town. If you want a huge urban area, that won't be it. But it is NOT like going to school in a rural town such as a school like Colby, Williams, Middlebury, Bowdoin. It is a happenin' small city and it is surrounded by the country and yes, cows are not far away. Afterall, Vermont DOES have more cows than people!</p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Not trying to be rude, I'm really not, but this is far and away the most ridiculous thing I have ever read in my life.</p>
<p>NYU vs UVM...hahaha</p>
<p>UVM is horrible. It's ridiculously cold and in the middle of nowhere. The students are 90% from Vermont and generally (not stereotype because i know this) potheads who love the outdoors. It has a joke reputation and the admission standards are ridiculously low....i know someone who got in with a 960 sat and C+ average.</p>
<p>You're comparing this to NYU? One of the most prestigious Universities in America?</p>
<p>susan, thanks for your thoughtful response. to answer your question, I live in a New Jersey suburb of Manhattan, about 40 minutes or so outside the city. I have grown up here, so I've been going into Manhattan since I was really young. I went to visit UVM in February, and found it to be really nice. That is part of where my dilemma comes from... for some reason, I sat in the orientation thinking, "wow, this is a great school, and i SHOULD go here" but i felt some weird feeling in my stomach that said that i wasn't going to end up there. Basically, this is sort of a financial issue, sort of not. UVM is going to be pretty much half the cost of NYU for me, but i feel like an NYU education will pay off in the long run. And you're right- do I want to be a big fish in a small pond, or a small fish in a big pond? I always like to stand out and be noticed and be given a chance to shine, but I feel like at NYU I'll be around so many people that will inspire me, whereas at UVM I'm sure i will meet many, many bright people, especially in the Honors College, but maybe not as many as i would in new york. I recognize that other people are even less financially secure than I am, and that they have turned down top universities for state schools simply because that was all they could afford. My worry is that I'm going to make the wrong decision. Frankly, i dont think there IS a wrong decision, but I guess it's just more comforting sometimes to think that there is a right and wrong answer.</p>
<p>Jwblue- thanks for your responses as well. I guess you're right about the "college experience" comment- I should have phrased it differently. I really meant campus life. but switching topics for a minute, do you think that at NYU, I'll be ignored because im a GSP student,and not a CAS student? I just don't want to waste my time at NYU... I may not be the brightest person there according to SAT's, but I'm ambitious and creative and I want to make sure that if I try to get involved, that i won't be disregarded simply because im in gsp.</p>
<p>and as for YOU, "gemaco," i found your comment incredibly rude and condescending. first of all, UVM is not horrible... it has a well-respected reputation. furthermore, it is absolutely not in the middle of nowhere, seeing as it is right in burlington and has been ranked one of the best "small cities" in the country. also, check your stats... whether that was an exaggeration or not, students are NOT 90% from vermont and how dare you generalize them as "potheads who love the outdoors." a) just because marijuana is abundant on campus doesn't make any statement as to the caliber of student considering on princeton review some of the top schools (wesleyan, vassar, reed, AND nyu) are ranked as having "reefer madness." b) what does liking the outdoors have anything to do with anything?</p>
<p>the school does not have a joke reputation, and while i am not saying its reputation is COMPARABLE to nyu, there are financial issues as well and i'm an excellent student who wouldn't consider going to a school with a "joke" reputation. </p>
<p>frankly, i don't know why you even bothered to reply. the purpose of these boards is so that people can help one another through the college process, and your post did nothing of the kind.</p>
<p>Not everyone picks a college based on prestige. You might but that does not make that the most important criteria for everyone. </p>
<p>I am not pushing UVM over NYU and in fact, my own kid is considering attending NYU and my other kid turned down a full ride at UVM. However, I think you gotta get your facts straight. </p>
<p>From UVM's website: </p>
<p>"63 percent of undergraduate students are from out-of-state, representing 48 states and many foreign countries"</p>
<p>So, 37% of students are from Vermont, which is not nearly the 90% that you claim. As mentioned in my previous post, UVM is not like some other state universities in that a majority of students are from out of state. </p>
<p>Is it cold at UVM? You bet. Do some kids want or enjoy that? Yes. </p>
<p>Is it easier to get into than NYU? Yes. </p>
<p>Are the majority of students who attend "potheads"? No, that is a stereotype and in fact, the kids I know who attend are NOT of that nature. I am sure such students attend but that is not the majority. </p>
<p>Do many love the outdoors at UVM? My guess is likely yes because when you pick a school, part of making that choice is picking the environment in which you wish to live. Just as some might enjoy an urban campus, many might enjoy the small city or big college town like Burlington with a surrounding area that allows for outdoor activities. That is why one college is not right for all people. It is narrowminded to think that warm climates or urban life is what everyone might want. </p>
<p>As well, I gather you are from a more urban area and to you, anything as small as Burlington, VT seems like "middle of nowhere" but while it is not a big city by any means, it is surely a very livable and favorable small city and most would not characterize it as in the middle of nowhere but I guess I can see your wording given your perspective. Now, if you said, I live in the middle of nowhere, you might have a point. But Burlington is Vermont's largest city and while it is very small compared to big East coast cities, it is still a vibrant small city. Also, Montreal is less than two hours away. </p>
<p>This student is also comparing doing GSP at NYU before transferring into CAS for two years with being in an Honors College which is a set of very bright students. I realize UVM is not as selective as NYU and believe me, I know. But you also need to realize that not ALL people choose to attend the "hardest" or most "selective" or most "elite" school on their college list to matriculate at. Some truly try to find the right match....</p>
<p>Susan</p>