NYU area

Old Jul 30th, 2008, 06:21 AM
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NYU area

My family is traveling to NYC in a few weeks, and my daughter is interesting in seeing the NYU campus. She's still a couple of years away from needing an official tour, but we'd just like to get a feel for the campus. Any suggestions for things to do/places to go in that general area (I know it's Greenwich Village) that would appeal to two teens? And I know this may be a silly question, but will we be able to easily find an NYU t-shirt?

It's (obviously!) our first NY trip, so I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with our planning.
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Old Jul 30th, 2008, 06:48 AM
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NYU tee shirts are available at the NYU Bookstore at 18 Washington Place.

Unfortunately, Washington Square Park has been largely torn up in order to move the fountain into a direct line with the arch and 5th Avenue. I don't know where people get these ideas. Worked fine where it was for over a hundred years.

Have a falafel at Mamoun's -- a favorite haunt of NYU students. http://www.mamounsfalafel.com/

I'd suggest your daughter take one of the tours if they're available. You can get a feel for the school and the students. Sign up online.

The kids wander from Union Square to Washington Square to Astor Place and even St Mark's. Walk these areas and you'll find plenty of shops and restaurants. Walking south and west of WSP you'll find even more.




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Old Jul 30th, 2008, 06:50 AM
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NYU doesn't really have a campus per se. But it does have Greenwich Village!

I had a group of high schoolers there recently and they liked shopping on Broadway around there, we walked through the park, they hit a street bazaar, and they had NYC pizza and loved it.

Of course there are about a million things to do in NYC.

The bookstore (for the t-shirt) is easy to see from the street.

If you're going anyway, go on the tour! No one will care.

Don't fall in love with NYU unless you are very wealthy. They are notoriously stingy with financial aid.
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Old Jul 30th, 2008, 06:53 AM
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I live in the NYU area and have 2 older teens. I love this neighborhood. NYU doesn't have a true campus in the traditional sense, the neighborhood is the campus.

As far as things to do in the area, there's wandering through Washington Sq Park (although there is major construction, but still musicians or other street entertainers performing in and around the park), also Union Square Park which has become a magnet for teens (also under construction unfortunately, but only at the north end). In the Union Square area there are several stores if you are into shopping (FIlene's, Forever 21, DSW, American Eagle, Barne's & Noble, Virgin Records, etc). ALso the Farmer's Market on Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat (the one on Saturday is like none other). CLoser to Wash Sq. Park, there's all the small cafes, restaurants and shops around MacDougal and Bleecker Sts.

My kids always enjoyed going to the Forbes Gallery on 5th Av near 13th St. It's free, and has exhibits of M. FOrbes various collections (monopoly boards, historical documents, toy ships, etc).

The E. Village is filled with many interesting little restaurants and is great for people watching. St. Marks Place is worth strolling down.

If you are here during a weekend, there usually is a street fair happening somewhere in the general area. For a cheap lunch check out the recession special at Grey's Papaya on 6th Av and I think 8th St (+/- a block), or a slice of Joe's Pizza (best pizza by the slice around) on Carmine St near 6th av.

Walk down Broadway through Soho for more shopping or just to check out the Apple Store in Soho. You can even take in an off broadway show like Stomp or Blue Man in the area.
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Old Jul 30th, 2008, 06:53 AM
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There is no campus per se. Classes are held in many buildings on different streets. A common phrase is that NYC is the campus. Many buildings are around Washington Square Park.

There is a book store right off the Square on the eastern side that will have all the t-shirts and gear you want. Here is the info:

http://www.bookstores.nyu.edu/main.store/

The dormoritories are also spread out a bit. The newest ones are on 14th Street and there is one all the way downtown on Water Street.

My niece went to NYU undergrad school and I went to grad school and I still the use the gym.

For better or worse it is highly competitive, with the undergrad admissions slightly easier than the Ivies and many of the grad programs on the level of the Ivies.

One of the nicest features of NYU is that whatever you are there are others of you. It is however the largest private college in the country and that can be daunting. On the other hand, there is a whole world out the door.

I would recommend simply walking the area. There is the beautiful Washington Square Mews one block north of the Square with cobblestone and old carriage houses to blocks of wonderful brownstones and limestones and other streets with some of the best specialty shops in the city.
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Old Jul 30th, 2008, 07:04 AM
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Just though of a few more things if your D is interested:
Strand Books (Broadway at 12th st) - if she's a book kid
Forbidden Planet (Broadway at 13th) - if she's into sci-fi
Max Brenner Chocolate restaurant and store (B'way and 14 st, and also E. 10th st and 2nd av)
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Old Jul 30th, 2008, 08:43 AM
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Wow, thank you so much for all of the great info. Can't wait for our trip!
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Old Jul 30th, 2008, 09:16 AM
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This is probably the wrong thread to ask this, but since so many of you have noted how expensive and how selective NYU is, are there any other colleges in or close to Manhattan with which you are familiar? Columbia, obviously, is also expensive and selective. How is Hunter College?
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Old Jul 30th, 2008, 10:00 AM
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For more college info check collegeboard.com and talk.collegeconfidential.com.

Hunter and Baruch are decent for CUNYs. I think there are also some honors programs in the CUNY system that are good. Other schools in the general NYC area are Pace, Fordham, St. Johns, and QUeen's College. In NJ, but a short train ride away are Drew and Fairleigh Dickenson, also the Rutgers branch in Newark.
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Old Jul 30th, 2008, 10:01 AM
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I almost forgot in the same neighborhood as NYU is the New School.
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Old Jul 30th, 2008, 10:25 AM
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Also in the NYU area is the college I attended, Cooper Union. It has very few courses of study (Art, Architecture, and Engineering), but is highly ranked in all disciplines. The clincher--tuition free!
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Old Jul 30th, 2008, 10:28 AM
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You ctan contact NYU about a program they have for students considering their program. You listen to a speaker for about an hour or so, then they have a tour I think of a dorm? My daughter and I attended when she was just finishing her sophmore year. THey emphasize how strict they are on academics. Most need a gpa of at least 3.75+ and lots of extra-curricular activity over the years - not just the last 2 years of high school. It's an excellent school.
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Old Jul 30th, 2008, 12:50 PM
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Thanks for the replies. My daughter just attended a 1-week summer program at NYU and had a blast. She'd love to get in, but I think she better have lots of back-ups.
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Old Jul 30th, 2008, 12:51 PM
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NYU is a good school - but like all colleges, it's good for some kids, maybe not for others.

Taking that into consideration, NYU is ranked by US News as the 34th National University in the country. (It is important to understand the methodology of the rankings however.)

When shopping for a school I'd encourage anyone to spend the $15 for the annual subscription to US News Premium Online College site because it has tons of hard data that are sometimes difficult to get your hands on - including of course average SAT scores, GPAs, financial aid packages, scholarships, etc.

Class of 2007 had an average GPA of 3.6 and SAT scores (25/75 percentile) in the combined range of 1210 - 1410.

Their financial aid statistics are really poor though when compared with comparable schools. But many kids there have families for whom the cost is not a problem and they wouldn't be anywhere other than NYC.
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Old Jul 30th, 2008, 01:47 PM
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Cooper Union is an exceptional school although it has a limited ciriculum.

Hunter and Baruch are part of the CUNY system and either have no or little dorm space. The City colleges go tgrough cycles of excellence and for these schools it is on the upswing.

Fordham in the Bronx does not have a national reputation but is well respected in the NY area
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Old Jul 31st, 2008, 03:30 AM
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Fordham also has a very beautiful campus.
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Old Jul 31st, 2008, 06:04 PM
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Hi ElizaT,
There are so many good suggestions already. I just wanted to add that my daughter & I enjoyed looking at all the shops on Broadway; we walked all the way to Chinatown, had some great food, pastries from bakeries, fantastic fresh fruits...... We had a great trip.
Agreeing with the comments above about NYU, I feel that the school is too spread out, that a lot of the freshmen need to be in a little more secured & controlled environment, as this may be their first time away from home for many of them.
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