<p>The other day at Kimmel I found myself in an elevator with about half of a tour group. their tour guide wasn't with them (probably took a different elevator since it would be too crowded) so they felt free to talk openly amongst themselves of what they thought. This is what I heard...and what I frequently hear from prospective students: </p>
<p>Mom: Gee, hon, this sure is a big 'ole school. You could get lost around here!
Pop: Yep, sure is nice though, betcha wouldn't mind comin' here, eh junior?
Kid: But omg! the school doesn't have a campus! no trees! no grass! it's not like a college...</p>
<p>this is something I hear over n over again...yep, we don't have fields of buttercups and dandelions, so what? why does this make such a big diff? most people don't go on regular hikes or roll around in hills of grass, and most people realize that NYU is in NYC. yet whenever people come visit the school, they frequently seemed shocked there's no campus.
I remember when I went on a tour in HS, I heard the same thing. "but...where's the campus? they dont' have one? oh golly" others insist it is part of the college experience to have a traditional quad...why is it so important to be able to sit under a tree outside to have fun? Is NYC not enough? Most of us come from suburbs, how much time do we spend sitting in our backyard under a tree?</p>
<p>do you think that if nyu created more of a traditional campus - added trees/lawns, it would make a difference? perhaps arouse more interest in the school?</p>
<p>nooo, nyu is perfect the way it is! i love this school, but ultimately, it's not for everyone. there are plenty of other schools with huge grassy campuses. people who need a lawn in their lives can go to one of those.</p>
<p>I didn't say NYU needed it, I'm just asking if more people would be interested in the college if it had more of a traditional atmosphere. I have to admit, although I don't really care that much about the 'traditional' look (which is why I chose nyu) it would be nice if the school were 'prettied' up, most of the buildings are so ugly (from the outside). </p>
<p>My D was interested in NYU <em>because</em> of the urban "campus" that is unlike any other campus we visited during her admissions process. She loves being in and part of what is arguably the most vital and amazing city in the world and doesn't miss having more green nature around her at all. If she does at any point, she can take the subway to Central Park and stroll around there for the day. </p>
<p>I think if NYU created a more traditional campus (though I don't see how it could, frankly) it would take away the "thing" that makes NYU different from almost every other school you can name. </p>
<p>My kid thinks it's just right the way it is, and according to the admissions office, there is no lack of kids who agree.</p>
<p>that's true, most nyu students don't care about lack of a campus, that's why we're here. still, it's possible to have an urban campus and still be pretty...look at columbia.</p>
<p>NYU's attraction is its location, and its concentration around Washington Square. The history and culture around the school is it's charm and appeal. i think if people want an urban campus with a traditional feel, they can indeed go to Columbia, Fordham or Manhattan College.</p>
<p>they are renovating the entire tisch building</p>
<p>what i dont like about nyu's campus/buildings</p>
<p>the lack of/construction of the park
the tisch, bobst, physics building- looks too cliche and redundant
the fact that like 200 people died in the Brown building aka the triangle waistline factory</p>
<p>the reason it's the most applied to is cause it's the biggest private college. bigger school = more applicants. </p>
<p>anyway I agree nyu is fine as it is. the reason i've been thinking about it is because my sister's in HS and I just gave her a tour of NYU - proudly showing off my alma mater (or do I only call it that after I graduate...) and she ewwed at it. She prefers smallish LAC's in the wilderness - think Lehigh. </p>
<p>Bobst is ugly, but I like the interior. sometimes when I'm in the lobby at night studying I'll look up and see the all the stairs above me and it sickens me to think of the students who killed themselves...
I think the physics building is fine. Tisch hall is ugly, but I hardly expect them to reconstruct it! that sculpture doesn't help matters, nor does all the concrete pavement surrounding it. </p>
<p>I didn't know the Brown building was the site of the triangle waistshirt fire! that's morbid. </p>
<p>The prettiest part of NYU is the Washington Square Mews, don't you think? That private cobble stoned alley behind the park on University place?</p>
<p>I wish they would hurry up and finish construction on the park - they're supposed to be done by 2010. gosh, how long does it take to move over a fountain a couple of yards?</p>
<p>how would a "real" campus help you in your career anyway? a city is actually a good thing since it's safer (more people around at night 24/7 and lots of nightlife, plus Nyu has a late hour transport service between NYU buildings). better yet, you can study while work in an internship at the same time since most employers are in manhattan anyway.</p>
<p>exactly, it doesn't help you in your career! it makes no difference. I'm just wondering why so many students are turned off by a lack of campus.</p>
<p>My best friend was going to enroll, and didn't because he wanted a campus. He ended up at another really good college though. I feel like so many people are like, "Oh, you go to NYU? such a nice college..too bad it doesn't have a campus." I always hear prospective students mention that. That question frequently pops up on this board. </p>
<p>Last week I was walking to class from the subway and a HS girl and her mom were lost and trying to find the welcome center so i walked them over, and the first question they asked was whether a lack of campus bothered me, and more questions about the campus. </p>
<p>anyway, it is possible to have city and campus. It's not a matter of academics/opportunities, or how safe it is. I guess it's more about aesthetics and shallow things like how pretty your college is. My HS friends who come visit comment it's ugly. I'm proud of NYU and everyone thinks it's a good college, but it is ugly. That makes no difference as to how I feel about the school, but I wish it weren't quite...an eyesore.</p>
<p>I read an article in one of the education journals that stated the NYU is the number one "dream school" of students in the US. (NYU was not the number one dream school of their parents for their kids, however.) There are other universities just as large as is NYU, so size alone does not come close to explaining why NYU gets so many applicants. The reputation of the school and it's location in NYC and as part of NYC does.</p>
<p>The reason people want a campus is because NYU forces people into the real world (or at least a close version to it) and most 18 YOs aren't ready for that and want 4 years of partying/studying on a beautiful campus first.</p>
<p>
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I wish they would hurry up and finish construction on the park - they're supposed to be done by 2010. gosh, how long does it take to move over a fountain a couple of yards?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I don't understand why you think this project is so simple. The renovation of the park is a lot more significant than just moving the fountain. You can see what the Department of Parks and Recreation is planning to do at WSP here: PlanNYC:</a> Washington Square Park Redesign .</p>
<p>
[quote]
That makes no difference as to how I feel about the school, but I wish it weren't quite...an eyesore.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>My theory of why the school is so ugly is as follows. The various buildings were all built at different times, so they don't all look alike. Given that this is NYC, the costs of rebuilding and renovation are really high. I'd rather the school spent more money on its students (ie. on financial aid) than making the school pretty on the outside.</p>
<p>I was sort of joking about the whole construction being simple. I realize it's a complicated project. I've just noticed a lot of students joke about how there's always construction going on around NYU, yet nothing ever seems to change. Anyway the park will be done by 2010 so when I graduate in 2012, I can graduate there instead of Shea stadium. </p>
<p>unfortunately, shades, I don't think we'll be getting more financial aid any time soon. And yet, construction continues to happen NYU</a> Construction oh well. I remember reading an article once about how a lot of village residents get PO'd about NYU always constructing stuff all over the place, building tall (by village standards, not NYC) buildings all over.</p>
<p>Yep, that's the problem with such a huge college; there's more applicants every year. Although after the HS class of '07, I think the classes get smaller so there should be fewer students applying. Probably won't make that much of a difference though.</p>
<p>I think it would be ridiculous for NYU to "pretty up" some of the already existing buildings. Most of the buildings weren't created by NYU, but were bought by it- the existing buildings in NYC are what make it a part of history, I would hate NYU for knocking down structures from over a hundred years ago to make our fake campus "pretty."</p>
