<p>Don't most of the schools you're looking have Transfer app. deadline of March 1st? If you're applying for Fall 2006, I'd make choices quickly and get started on the apps! It looks like you'll apply to a lot, so there's a ton of paperwork involved, as you may already know.</p>
<p>Yes, I know, I'm cutting it very close...but I'm gonna finalize everything this weekend and hit the apps diligently. I should be ok, right?</p>
<p>Yeah, you're fine, you still got a month or so. I just started myself and just finished distributing my recommendations, deans reports, etc.</p>
<p>One thing though - Do you care at all about community? NYU is a pretty lonely place, I am in NYC and run into NYU students all the time. It seems 3/4 don't like it.</p>
<p>Well I'm not a big fan of house parties/frats/campus spirit (at least at Miami). I think I would go to Columbia or GTown before NYU and I would seriously debate about Brown/UPenn v. NYU. But it surprises me that 3/4 really don't like it. It was such an amazing place when I visited, I don't understand.</p>
<p>I've been to Miami a few times (my high school loves the place) and I have never felt more out of place. The students seem to be close-minded, arrogant, spoiled, and all around idiotic a--holes who do no independent thinking. They are honestly the worst people I have met at any school. I went to Dartmouth and in my entire time I NEVER saw one fight. In my four weekends at Miami I saw a fight break out every single night I was there - it tells me a lot about who goes there. I totally know why you want to transfer.</p>
<p>As for your schools though - </p>
<p>NYU has no real campus, so that is why so many don't like it. My best friend's brother went there because he thought it had a great music scene, he ended up not transferring because of his band but overall he hated it. I've heard many people say its lonely and people don't talk to each other in the dorms and its really hard to find a niche. I have also heard NYU students are cliquey and not so nice to each other, it basically doesn't seem like a college. Also, you have to think about whether you really are going to like NYC for college. People justdon't tend to participate in on-campus events, which is half the fun of a college experience. Its expensive (just bowling will cost 30 bucks) and there isn;t much to do except eat dinner and drink at bars (ironic, no?)</p>
<p>Brown has the NYU type artsy/liberal student body, but they all hang out instead of seperating from each other. People actually go to campus events. It has parties, but full of awesome people instead of the jerks you encounter at Miami. Not to mention so much else happening on campus. Brown's main off campus street - Thayer street - is a mini-NYC, with cool hang outs, coffee shops, restaurants, etc, all at half the NYC price and where you know the people walking around.</p>
<p>Penn is less tight and more simple in the parties. My guess is you'd like Brown much better.</p>
<p>Gtown is preppy and the students are more Miami-like than the other schools on your list. Huge bar scene. DC is beautiful, lots of political ties, and nice campus.</p>
<p>Columbia (I went for a year then transferred to Dartmouth) is great but the campus is pretty dead on the weekends and I feel like its socially a difficult school to transfer into.</p>
<p>On your list I personally would favor brown by a long shot.</p>