- What are the biggest pros and cons of going to NYU?
Ooph. Obviously the pros and cons will differ depending on each person's individual perspective, but for me the pros have been the immense amount of resources NYU and NYC have to offer and the overall diversity of cultures and backgrounds of the people I've met along the way. The largest con is the expense. The city is expensive. The Village is expensive. The university is expensive.
- I saw a lot of posts on this sub about the poor social environment and how it's hard to find and make friends. Is this really a big problem?
I think comes across as more of a problem on this subreddit just because the people who use this subreddit have that problem to a greater degree than the average student (that's how it comes across anyway). I've made a lot of friends through my fraternity and classes. Most people in this subreddit hate fraternities and downvote posts that mention them 9. But then again: I'm not complaining about my social life and they are. So... take from that what you will.
- Are you happy at NYU?
Definitely. I've made lifelong friends, had lots of experiences (from the eyeopening to the crazy to the totally mind altering) in and outside of the classroom. I've also made valuable professional connections that will help with both graduate school and my career.
If I could give you any advice it would be to only apply to NYU if you are 100% self-motivated. This University can offer you a whole lot, and the sad truth is that 99% of students here don't take full advantage of everything that's at their disposal (sometimes simply because they don't realize certain resources exist for them to use). Be curious. Search. Question. Ask administrators for help (not just your peers! they're in the same boat as you and don't necessarily know more than you!). You can achieve a lot at NYU if you have the motivation to seek out the resources you need and put them to work.