<p>My friend goes to NYU and I was in NYC visiting him last weekend. I don’t know - it seems like he’s “missing out” on a lot of what I have at Brown, and what people have at almost any other school. I feel like he’s having fun, but its not very cohesive fun - as if you’re kind of alone. Sure it was fun to run around NYC, but I couldn’t go to a college without a campus. I feel like you only get to college once, and even the little things that make college so great like throwing a frisbee around on a nice day, seem to be missing. In a way NYU almost feels like being in your twenties. Personally I’ll wait for NYC when I’m actually in my twenties.</p>
<p>It’s very situational and varies from person to person. Some people enjoy that kind of an experience. One thing’s for sure - you can’t beat the location. You have the entire city at your finger tips.</p>
<p>Honestly, not trying to be metaphorical or anything, but the city really does feel like a campus. If I want to throw a frisbee or play football I just go to Central Park, East River Park, or even Washington Square Park (if there’s space). You get so used to referring to the areas of Manhattan that it becomes commonplace similar to how your typical college campus has its own “lingo-designated” areas.</p>
<p>You’re definitely right about New York being the campus. For what it’s worth, even Fordham’s slogan is “Fordham is my school, NY is my campus.” Really, with any schools in NY, you have to treat the entire city as your campus. To tell you the truth, I like how’s NYU’s “campus” is situated. I’d rather have some open space and be in the heart of the city than be confined to a campus that is in the middle of no where (like Cornell in Ithaca).</p>
<p>"To tell you the truth, I like how’s NYU’s “campus” is situated. I’d rather have some open space and be in the heart of the city than be confined to a campus that is in the middle of no where (like Cornell in Ithaca). "</p>
<p>Since my alma#1 was invoked, I will just say I have degrees from both of these institutions and IMO the experience of being a college student at Cornell is far superior to the experience at NYU. In Ithaca you are in in the close company of 30,000 college students in a college town that caters to students. In NYC you are disbursed remotely into a sea of older people with money, in a city that is geared to working professionals. The connection to the school, sense of community, is greatly reduced.</p>
<p>My own D2 did not think she agreed with me, attended college in NYC. She has now transferred to Cornell, where she is much happier.</p>
<p>NYC is a great place, but after college, for working professionals with money. A college experience should involve a sense of community with your fellow students, and close proximity to the school as the center of your academic, physical and social experience. Otherwise you are just a glorified commuter, navigating your own way, alone, in the vast, faceless, soulless city.</p>
<p>YMMV and good luck to all.</p>
<p>But in Ithaca, can you go from sitting in class in the morning, to walking into an internship at a major news network in the afternoon? That’s what I do. </p>
<p>It’s all a matter of what you’re majoring in, what you want out of the college experience and what you feel you NEED from the school. I won’t argue that there’s some value in being sequestered in a college town and on a college campus. </p>
<p>I grew up in the town that you are calling the city that “caters to older people with money”, and NYC attempts to cater to EVERYONE. I turned out fine, and I am still here and I intend on staying in NYC for as long as possible. </p>
<p>There’s something for everyone in NYC, but I still feel this is one of those “agree to disagree” things. There is no one answer.</p>
<p>
No, you don’t get it. Some people don’t want that. You can get the peppy-toss-a-frisbee-on-the-quad-go-to-the-big-game experience at like 99% of colleges. People specifically come to urban schools like NYU, Fordham LC, Boston U, etc, because they don’t want that experience. I’ve visited many colleges, including Cornell, and I totally get why it appeals to most people, but I wouldn’t be happy there. Not everyone wants the traditional experience and many people would be unhappy in a small town in the middle of upstate NY - these are the types of students that turn up in urban schools.</p>
<p>I feel like the reason many people are unhappy at NYU is because they secretly wanted the traditional experience, lied to themselves about it and came here maybe because it’s better ranked than their State U, and then naturally they want to leave and are miserable. So I hope any HS students reading this get an idea of what NYU is really like so they don’t make that mistake.</p>
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That is is your experience.</p>
<p>My daughter has friends at Cornell and Sate U and being in the middle of nowhere is not for everyone. 2 of them are trying to transfer to Columbia and CUNY. Lot of drinking and partying cause there isn’t much else to do.<br>
You do not have the answer for all.</p>
<p>It’s not a “soulless city” nor do you need to “navigate your way alone.” NYC is a college town and there are just as many college students/young people here as anywhere else. There are just so many things to do in the city that you cannot get sick of it - I do not think that such can be said about places like Ithaca. There is everything for everyone in the city due to its diversity, whether you’re a sports fan, an artistic person that loves going to museums/art galleries, or a concertgoer. The city isn’t geared towards “working professionals” and “older rich people” as monydad suggested. Out of all places in the world, it is New York City that caters to people of every demographic. And the city is so affordable that you can do just about anything there, from eating out every day to going out with your friends, if creative enough.</p>
<p>I think the point is that NYU is a very distinct college experience. I think its also very polarizing. People seem to love it or hate it - and make sure you are aware of that before applying/ attending. </p>
<p>NYC is very unique in that its a monstrous city and NYU is located in the middle of it (unlike Columbia). So even other “urban” schools like GW and Boston University seem downright suburban compared to it. Other schools in cities like UCLA, Berkeley, Penn, Harvard, etc seem like they practically are in nature.</p>
<p>Just know what you are getting into.</p>
<p>Well, middle of NYC would probably be Midtown, not Greenwich Village. Though not in the immediate area around Washington Square and NYU’s “core,” but the Village, especially west of 6th Ave, has a very nice, warm charm to it (just a couple of blocks from WSP anyway).</p>
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<p>I think this sums up how I feel!</p>
<p>Thanks for the comments, all.</p>