Transferring from NYU - REALLY need insight

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hello everyone,</p>

<p>Ok. I am currently a second semester sophomore at NYU. My major is Studio Art but I have completed most of my general liberal arts prereqs except science and math. Needless to say, I have lots of art classes as well.</p>

<p>I hate NYU for a variety of reasons; I never liked it but I told myself I had to give it a chance and that I needed to remain in NYC for the amount of arts resources. Currently, I am no longer willing to shell 50k a year to continue being miserable, and the NYC arts scene has actually left me more disillusioned than ever.</p>

<p>So I want to transfer. I am aware that the deadline is now too late for many universities, so I am thinking returning home to Florida, taking a semester of CC classes and then applying some places in the spring.</p>

<p>I still love making art more than anything, and would like to attend somewhere that had a decent art department so I could take classes and insert myself into an arts community. However I am reconsidering my actual degree aspirations and maybe thinking about pursuing other things - like foreign language. I have a penchant for language, already speak Spanish and want to pursue German. So i think any university with a decent humanities department should satisfy this requirement. I might also try psychology, or something else.</p>

<p>I have a 3.8 GPA at NYU. My question is this - what are some universities people could suggest that are ok with taking people in the spring? And would a semester of cc look bad? It can't, right, because I have such good grades? or am I wrong?</p>

<p>also I know this is stupid, but I am sort of looking to stay somewhere warm. The northeast is not for me. UF and U Miami are options for sure but I want to broaden my horizons. The rest of the southeast, maybe, hell, I'm actually even interested in California. I don't want to be in the middle of absolute nowhere but obviously I am not a big-big city person. I am fine being somewhere urban if it's not right in the middle of it. Obviously I want to go somewhere good because I have good grades and I'm pretty intellectually curious. However I also want 'normal' kids because the artsy, quirky pretensions of NYU are what I find such a turnoff.</p>

<p>can anybody help me and suggest anything? I would appreciate it so much. Many of you here seem so knowledgeable. </p>

<p>PS if anyone is curious why I hate NYU so much, I am happy to oblige, i just don't want to write a page of complaining for my very first post!</p>

2

<p>You may have a problem at some colleges taking classes past sophomore year. Any decent college requires 2 years minimum, so you'll end up taking more time in college than you need.</p>

<p>It would also be ashame to limit yourself to colleges that take Spring transfers. Do you have specific schools in mind?</p>

<p>Knowing where you're hoping to go would assist in us helping. You have good grades and hopefully decent SAT scores and prof references to go with them.</p>

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<p>Please tell us about your experience at NYU. I'm thinking of transferring there.</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

4

<p>There are two main reasons, both of which if they don't bother you, you will love NYU.</p>

<p>1.) the people. This doesn't apply if you are in Stern. But there is an overwhelming amount of hipster, indie, Urban-Outfitters, oh-so-tragically-hip smoking crowd that I find infuriating and intolerable. This is probably because I'm in the art program but they are everywhere. If this doesn't bother you you will be fine.</p>

<p>2.) I ended up hating NYC. If you love NYC and are sure you will love it, even after living here day to day, then it shouldn't be a problem. I can go into more detail if you are unsure. PM me if you wish.</p>

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<p>And hmom, I don't really know where I am "hoping" to go...I want to consider everything and not overlook any options, which is why I asked you all. I am open to going to many places if they have what I am looking for.</p>

<p>Also I'm not against spending an extra semester or year longer to finish. I'm almost intrigued by the prospect of spending a good chunk of time at another UG institution and enjoying it, I feel like I have much more to learn given I've spent so much time taking art anyways, and I've spent so much time here hating NYU I would like a semi-start over at another place. not a complete startover, but I am ok with taking some extra time.</p>

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<p>You still have time to apply for fall for most places I believe. I am from florida also, and chose cornell over UF, and am happy I did, but there are definitely things i really miss about home. Maybe look into emory, vanderbilt, and rice, I have no idea about how art is at any of them, but they seem to fit the rest of your criteria and are overall great schools.</p>

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<p>Interesting...I'm in the same predicament as you (wanting to transfer out of NYU). Would studio art be in tisch or cas?</p>

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<p>randomly enough, Studio Art is in Steinhardt. makes no sense...Steinhardt is a very random school. (music communications applied psych education and visual arts). You'd THINK it'd be in Tisch or maybe CAS....but it's weird the way they do it.</p>

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<p>I hardly know anything about art lol, however, one of my good friend's brothers went to an art program in Savanna (spelling?) GA. He loved it. I actually went to visit him one time and it was a great town, mild weather there as well. I know that Savanna has a strong art culture there as well, even outside of the school. So... I give you this information and let you search for the name of the school! lol, bc I don't remember, but I think it was a good one, for art.</p>

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<p>akern9k -</p>

<p>If you would like a bit more time to figure out what to study and where, I'd suggest that you take a leave of absence from NYU for a year. You do not have to take any classes at all. Just take the year off and get a job, read books you like, do the art that you like. Then you can do the transfer applications in January/February 2010 for admission at your new place in the fall semester.</p>

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<p>you should look into Art Center College of Design in Pasedena, CA
nice sunny soCal; however, my friend told me it is hard to get into. your art portfolio has to be superb.
Art</a> Center College of Design : Leading by Design</p>

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<p>purduefrank is talking about SCAD - Savannah College of Art and Design, i have a friend there that loves it as well.</p>

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<p>I hear SCAD is a beautiful place. Dorms are nice too. There's F.I.T as well in NYC but it pretty much has the same crowd of hipster chain smoking people hanging outside so it probably won't attract you too much in terms of people. Only upside I can think of is the tuition is waaay cheaper then NYU and you meet many different people from different majors.</p>

<p>You could also go to a school that isn't so art focused so you could explore your other interests- like foreign language like you said. Some schools have a normal college campus feel and have art majors. Even if they're not known for art, you can always major in something academic, and minor in art if you like.</p>

<p>I would still look around at some schools. Especially now since some schools have deadlines until March 1st for transfer. If your considering going to CC I would first contact some schools that you would want to transfer to after that and see if they're ok with it. In some cases, you might even be able to take summer classes to catch up if you do end up being a Spring transfer but I would double-check on that.</p>

<p>And good luck with everything. I left NYC as well with the sort of the same reasons as you.</p>

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<p>Thanks everyone for all of your insight. Can't say how much I appreciate it. I had looked at SCAD before and was definitely interested; I have only heard good things about it. mbovary, I had no idea about the design college in Pasadena. Judging by their website their programs look superb - definitely something to look into if I do take the needed time off to build a strong enough portfolio. Thanks!</p>

<p>thanks again everyone. insight dearly appreciated. best.</p>

<p>AK</p>

15

<p>Wow, is NYU really that bad? Haha, I'm applying there for Fall '09 Transfer.
I live in the suburbs so I don't know if I'd really like the urban environment. But I think I will... or at least get used to it. I need some spice in my life, anyway. </p>

<p>Suggestions... I would say go to California! If they didn't have such strange transfer regulations, I would have applied to Berkeley instead. I still want to go there. <em>sigh</em></p>

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<p>I go to NYU and I'm transferring out too!! Ah so glad I'm not the only one who thinks this school sucks.
Honestky madjammer, I would not suggest NYU to anyone who is not fiercely independent and doesn't mind being alone a lot of the time. Out of all of the urban schools in the country, NYU is by far the most urban and socially isolating. If you dont crave a "real" college experience. I personally don't think NYU is worth 60K/year at all (except for Stern/Tisch...CAS was a waste of my time). Anyway, I dont want to discourage you from applying but think long and hard before coming here and make sure its 100% what you want to do. At 18, I simply wasn't ready to skip over the best years of my life and rush into being an adult so quickly. Also, the people here make my skin crawl. But whatever, that's just my insight..I'm clearly a little bitter haha so don't take my word for it ;)</p>

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<p>@dreamer121: Thanks for the response! I figured the independent part would be crucial, but i didn't know about the isolation factor....
I always thought NYU was about connections and everything too, haha. Well, hmm. I've been to the campus and I have to say that I didn't like it too much, but I think I can get over it. It's New York City after all so.</p>

<p>And oh, I was also looking into the CAS program, but now that you've mentioned it was a waste..hmmmmmm lol. I'll heed your warning. I'll probably still apply, but yeah I'll think twice about it. </p>

<p>The problem is I don't know where to go other than NYU. My current university doesn't have my interests so... and I'm not sure exactly what my major would be just yet though I do like languages, cultures... ah, I'm at a loss.</p>

18

<p>For you who go to NYU, were you there at the protest at the kimmel center.</p>

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<p>^ oh my gosh, please tell me what that was about! I'm so confused, i saw them last night as well as today, both times I had to run to catch the subway and didn't bother asking. what is going on?</p>

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<p>They are like protesting about demands they want. I guess you can read about the demand on there website takebacknyu.com. Its kind of weird.</p>