<p>Hi Everyone</p>
<p>I am a Stern freshman this year living in Rubin Hall overseeing 5th Avenue and 10th Street. Since these topics helped me a lot last year, I'm going to do my best for all you prospective Sternies and NYU'ers. Also since Thanksgiving is like in two days and I have nothing to do since i'm not going home.</p>
<p>A bit of background of myself. I'm a finance major and possibly marketing with minors in either physics, philosophy or psychology. An international stern scholar who got no money. In case anyone is wondering, Stern was not my first choice school. So it actually ticks me a bit coming back to college confidential... but oh well.</p>
<p>Academics: </p>
<p>Sternies starts the first semester of freshman year focusing on the liberal arts. You take a history class or a philosophy-ish class, a writing class (that everyone hates), a math class, and a science class (you don't have to if you have AP credits, in which you'll then take micro econ). Second semester becomes mroe focused on business, with business-writing, micro econ, statistics. Freshman classes are generally easy, and do not have the stern curve. Yes, the Stern curve is harsh. Although I haven't been subjected to it, from what i've heard from upper-classmen, it means only 2-3 people in every class get A's, regardless of percent grade. Sternies are not all nerds. Both of my roomies are Sternies, one is another scholar, yet they are some of the chillest people I know. All they do is party and hmm, i'll leave it to your imagination.. all the time. Most sternies I've met are really chill, with the <em>occasional</em> one being hardass/pretentious/ultraambitious. Class size varies from 10 ppl in your writing class to large lectures, although the lecture classes have recitation classes, which is pretty much discussion/debriefing classes with around 20-30 people. I haven't taken any real Stern classes so i can't comment on their difficulty.</p>
<p>Location:</p>
<p>Hmm, ya, this is one of the main reasons to go to NYU. Rubin Hall is on 5th Avenue, and is two blocks from Washington Square Park (the end of 5th ave). In case people don't know 5th ave, it is pretty much the most famous avenue in New York. It is the avenue with all the expensive shopping, and business stuff. Trump Tower, Empire State Building, World's best Apple Store, and Central Park are all on 5th Ave. Broadway is just 2 blocks down, which doesn't require explanation. Subway system is really convinient, and it'll get you anywhere in NYC very quickly.</p>
<p>Student Life:</p>
<p>Tons of clubs to join, as in any university. Stern is the one school in NYU that focuses ALOT on clubs. it is the only school with a "common hour" aka a common lunch hour when every stern club meets. No other school in NYU has this. Stern clubs covers the entire spectrum of business, including investing to marketing. They have tons of resume/interview workshops that you'll get sick of them after a month. they ALWAYS have free food. Guest speakers are common, often from large firms like Morgan Stanley. One thing to comment on, NYU doesn't have a real campus. Most NYu student activities take place in Kimmel building (which is where they shot the finale of The Apprentice), so if you have any clubs, you'll likely have to walk there. Frats in NYU aren't as great cause NYU isn't walled in, and because you can argue that there are other things to do in NYC than drinking all the time. Living in a residence hall is great because all your friends are right there. Partying is pretty rare in NYU, because residence halls have R.A. (residence assistants) on each floor to bust people drinking/smoking in the dorm. Don't get me wrong, people drink and smoke all the time, but its just that you won't have huge, rowdy college parties like you see in movies. </p>
<p>Stern Student Life:</p>
<p>This is one of the highlights of being a sternie. Stern pampers you like crazy. No other school at NYU gets the same amount of pampering. Stern has various rich, wall-street alumni that donate a ton of money for sternies to get "cultured". There'll pretty much be an event a week that you have a 75% shot of getting into (cause of limited tickets, but trust me, you'll probably get in at least 2 a month). These vary anything from broadway shows to carnegie hall performances. AKA not crappy shows, but real, NYC shows. So far i've attended Jersey Boys (broad way), Carnegie Hall, and Blue Man Group (front row seats, broadway), and have eaten with Alumni at expensive uptown restaurants. Stern also treats students to the US Open every welcome week, as well as expensive restaurants. There are constant stern events open to the more professionally inclined. CEO's and Presidents come talk all the time. Chuck Prince (CEO of citibank) and other various famous people are just some to name. Stern has too much free stuff to name... it is the only school other than tisch that gets free printing for students. Also, each stern class is divided into about 10 cohorts, these are pretty much socializing groups of 50 sternies each. they give you 1000 dollars each semester to blow on your choosing. I am the director for my cohort this year, actually, and I've blown 500 for 15 people to see Avenue Q (broadway), and we're blowing another 500 to go eat chocolate in a week.</p>
<p>Stern Scholars:</p>
<p>Terrific Program. Period. Contrary to what you might hear, getting into stern scholars is NOT random. We had eboard elections a month ago, in which HALF of the scholars class ran for positions. I read all these half class' resumes, and they are amazing. Most of these people could have gotten into Wharton, and Ivy Leagues. In fact, my scholars roommate got into dartmouth and cornell. Another girl I know got into Columbia and Wharton. A guy I know got into Harvard but picked stern scholars. Oh and I also know two non-scholars who got into Stanford and Princeton, but chose stern for financial reasons. Most scholars have gotten into lower-tier Ivy leagues. The scholars program pampers you how? every year they take you out traveling. Freshman year, just a month into college, they took us to florida and made us stay in a beach-side hotel in the tourist town of Naples. The hotel was a golf resort with 4 stars, 2 queen sized beds, and had a gulf of mexico view. We were there to volunteer for like, half a day, and just chilled out at the beach for the next 4. Next 3 years, we go to Europe instead. These trips really show how much the scholars program get. They spend $1200 on each scholar for the trip, thats a total of $110, 000 for the scholars class for a long weekend. The scholars class gets $20 000 a year to blow on whatever they want. Other perks include: Money, if you are eligible, Guest speakers: Special guest speaker events with famous people only available to scholars (some scholars hate these cause they're mandatory), classes: scholars take business writing classes taught by stern faculty while everyone else takes business writing taught by CAS faculty. </p>
<p>Internships:</p>
<p>I know 2 freshmans already interning in Wall Street. Companies recruit alot on Stern campus, including top investment firms like Goldman Sachs, morgan stanley, leyman bros. Competition is tough for these, but there is enough to go around if you are ambitious enough. I was at a senior internship panel a couple days ago, and half of them interned junior year at Goldman Sachs, a quarter at morganstanley/leyman bros and the other quarter at less prominent banks. Don't worry about getting internships. As long as you don't completely mess up your academics, you can find one no problem. There are just too many firms in NYC. </p>
<p>STernie stereotypes:</p>
<p>This is extremely prevalent. In fact, i was at a special NYU diversity retreat recently, and they had these categories for stereotypes.. asians, whites, blacks, gays... and... STERNIES! As a sternie, you are often stereotyped as ambitious, cutthroat, and asian. Ambitious: Umm, yes.. Cut-throat: No. Asian: yes, statistically, Stern is mostly, 60-70%, asians (oriental and indians mostly). It's especially funny when you go out with someone from Steinhardt (school for education), cause people always go, "how the hell did you guys meet". Well take these stereotypes for what you will. All of it are just for kicks-and-giggles.</p>
<p>To be continued... (if i have time.. gota get working on my essay again)</p>