By Samantha Craig
If you were to ask many of today’s high school students where they would like to take their collegiate education, chances are NYU would be a common answer.
The Princeton Review did just this, and not surprisingly, New York University ranked as the fourth most frequent answer by students and the seventh most frequent answer by parents. It’s important to note the emphasis on “dream” here. The Princeton Review posed the questions as, “What ‘dream’ college do you wish you could attend if acceptance and/or cost were not issues?” NYU definitely isn’t the easiest school to get into, and lord knows that the price tag isn’t easy to swallow.
For those of us who have gotten the chance to pursue the NYU experience (and stick around for a while too), the magic of everything NYU and NYC may become less appealing as we become more knowledgeable about what really be goes on behind the scenes. But with that said, reevaluating the reasons behind why NYU is such an enticing school to attend could help restore at least some faith in the university that we chose.
The main draw to NYU is obviously the city. For this reason, the university often becomes a default application since the glamor of city life is so tempting. LSP freshman Amanda Evans points out the fact that since there really is no campus, “you have the freedom to explore the city more, and get outside the realm of the college,” which is certainly not something you would have the benefit of at a rural, or even a suburban school. Jenny Peng, a junior, notes that the city can seem like “a new world, especially for students that aren’t from around here.” The city provides constant stimulation, which depending on the student, could be a good or a bad thing.
Ranked 32 nationally by U.S. News & World Report, NYU undoubtedly provides a world class education and equips students with the opportunities to forge a path into our desired field. If that isn’t convincing enough, then the fact that Times Higher Education ranked the school as #8 in “producing millionaires” should be.
Aside from all of the intellectual and social reasons why NYU is considered a “dream school,” it’s safe to say that the school has developed its own dedicated following. (Does any other school have slightly inaccurate fanfiction dedicated to it?) Nevertheless, the school has become highly idealized, enveloped by hype and allure.
When it comes down to it, the choice as to whether or not NYU is worthy of “dream school” status is a matter of personal opinion and experience. For the masses of Ivy League rejects that attend, NYU can be a bit disappointing but nonetheless a quality education. For the rest of us who were once those very same starry-eyed high school seniors, NYU can be a bit of a letdown after such a buildup in expectations of the school. Both Amanda and Jenny agree that they love it here, but sometimes it can be a little much, from the 24/7 social life to the school’s administrative bureaucracy. NYU clearly isn’t the school for everyone, and the idolization of it can lead to thoroughly fooled students.
