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| An Introduction to Colleges & Universities in New York City | ||||||||||
An Introduction to Colleges & Universities in New York City | ||||||||||
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By Beau Johnson Contributing Writer - NewYorkColleges.com September 29, 2005 |
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New York City is home to some of the most prominent images of the American landscape: enormous skyscrapers and the Empire State Building, the welcoming Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, Rockefeller Center, and Central Park. The city includes large populations of immigrants from more than 180 countries, making it one of the most cosmopolitan places on earth, presenting a wonderful blend of cultures, foods, traditions, and people. New York is the largest city in the United States. With over eight million residents, it is more than twice the size of Los Angeles, the nation's second-largest city. It is one of the world's global cities, home to an almost unrivaled collection of world-class museums, galleries, media outlets, performance venues, stock exchanges, and international corporations, as well as all the international embassies of the United Nations. New York hosts more Fortune 500 companies than any other US city, including the Associated Press, Bear Stearns, CBS, Verizon, Pfizer, Random House, Jet Blue, Revlon, Time Warner, Marvel Comics, Sony, and FAO Schwartz. The city produces more than $500 billion each year, which would make it the 16th largest world economy if it were its own country. New York is located on the U.S. Eastern Seaboard, along the Atlantic Ocean. It was founded for its excellent harbor and access to several rivers, including the Hudson and the East River. The city is divided into five boroughs (counties): The Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, and Brooklyn. Recreation in the area is as endless as the view from the Empire State Building's pinnacle. Attractions include The city produces more than $500 billion each year, which would make it the 16th largest world economy if it were its own country. Broadway theaters, Fifth Avenue shopping, Times Square (especially on New Year's Eve), Greenwich Village's independent shops, Coney Island's carnival atmosphere, and more than 14 miles of public beach. The city has a humid continental climate and its temperature varies widely, but not often to extremes. Temperatures in the winter rarely go below 0°F and summers breach 100°F with equal rarity, though temperatures in the 90s are common. Spring and fall temperatures average around 50°F. Educational Statistics (based on the 2001-2002 school year):
Going to School in New York City
New York City is as much a focal point in the educational realm as it is in any other. The area features some of the most renowned schools, field experts, and programs that the world has to offer. The choice to seek an education in New York will provide students who are unaccustomed to urban life with an entirely new scope of experiences, ideas, and challenges. The sheer magnitude of the city allows for potential students to better understand the tremendous advantages, along with the challenges that face the acquiring of an education in New York. One of those advantages comes in the high concentration of schools in New York City and the quality of instructors that attracts, according to Joe Fodor, senior writer at City University of New York- Brooklyn College. "The concentration of schools in the New York area tends to attract the best instructors in their fields. Schools have the luxury of selecting the best teachers from a large teaching pool," said Fodor. Those schools and quality instructors also make for an especially strong environment for professional study. "[New York City is] very well known for its medical schools like Cornell and NYU, and its law and business schools, such as NYU and Columbia," said Fodor. There are a multitude of factors to consider when choosing a college in New York City. The importance of those factors will of course vary from student to student. Curriculum is likely an incoming student's chief consideration. The courses and programs offered should support the field the student is most interested in. "The number one consideration should definitely be the program," said Cyndy Marchese, Vice President, International, at Berkeley College. "The student should try to make sure their school offers all the courses within their interest." Naturally, New York City offers quite a few options for students to explore, including: Private Colleges & Universities Public Colleges & Universities Professional Schools Degrees offered at schools in NYC are varied. A short list includes the following: Liberal Arts, Applied Science, Commerce, Computer Science, Design, Information Technology, Medicine, Mathematics, Music, Economics, Pharmacy, Philosophy, Architecture, Business Administration, Surgery, Religious Education, Technology, Business, Electrical Engineering, Forestry, Education, Environmental Studies, Fine Arts, and Physical Education. Robert McHugh, an associate in higher education at the New York State Office College and University Evaluation says that the city's flexibility can be a great asset to an undeclared student. "One of the advantages of having so many schools is that it's easy to change fields without too many problems," said McHugh. "In general there are a lot of [credit] transfers, but students should definitely get prior approval when they can." For those who are unsure, it is a good bet to err towards a school with a broad program in liberal arts, or any other area that the student can narrow his or her interests down to.
Costs
Cost is a major consideration in a college choice. McHugh said that cost is often the prime factor in determining between attending a private university and a public one. "The public sector is obviously cheaper, especially for New York residents, and still probably cheaper for out of state students, but independent (private) institutions are often seen as selective and prestigious," he said. A third option was offered by McHugh. "Some students will find out what credits are transferable and take those at a CUNY (the U.S.'s largest urban university system) school before transferring to say, NYU. That way they get the prestige, but also save a lot of money." McHugh gave a last bit of advice on determining between public and private institutions. "Ask yourself whether you're more interested in credentials or education. Public and proprietary schools are much more efficient relative to supplying degrees. Private schools define education as a closer relationship between students and teachers. That requires more time, and a more motivated student." Marchese had similar thoughts on the subject. "Berkeley, for example, is meant for students who are highly-motivated and focused. They know what they want. For a student that has a more general idea, or wants a quieter, more traditional setting, there are better-suited options." The prospective school's location and size should be evaluated for the comfort of the student. New York's Schools are usually very large institutions but there are so many (a total of 94) that students will likely be able to find one that caters to their liking and educational needs. Examples of average tuition for the 2004-05 academic year are as follows: Private Universities Public Universities Technical/Professional Schools
Financial Aid
Students need to evaluate education based on its value and whether they can get scholarships, or, if the student must borrow, if that debt load will likely be manageable upon graduation in their chosen field. Students can get a good idea of college costs and financial aid at NYMentor. After checking into federal financial aid (FASFA), potential students can find consolidated scholarship and grant information on New York City at the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation. Examples of financial grants, breaks, and loans for NYC:
Internships Resources in the metropolitan area can also be used to get students in, and then help them be more successful once out of, New York schools. "The city is home to several major grant-giving organizations, as well as over 1,000 public and private libraries," said Fodor. "Also, the diverse job market offers great opportunities for internships." "Prospective students want to make sure a school will help them obtain internships, so that they can graduate with valuable real-world experience," said Marchese. "Also, they'll want to evaluate what kind of atmosphere they're comfortable in. Most students prefer the personal touch of a smaller setting, but some are more comfortable in large environments." Students can consult companies and institutions themselves to find internship opportunities, or they can check with the city government at www.nyc.gov/internships. Also, internships can be approached at job listing sites like Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, and more specifically, at InternJobs.com.
Employment in New York City
New York City is the chief center of finance in the world economy with Wall Street in Lower Manhattan's Financial District. Financial markets based in the city include the NASDAQ, New York Stock Exchange, New York Mercantile Exchange, American Stock Exchange, and New York Board of Trade. New York is also the center of many of the service sector industries in the U.S., and by far the most important center for American mass media, journalism and publishing. Manhattan's Madison Avenue is synonymous with the American advertising industry, while Seventh Avenue is nicknamed "Fashion Avenue" as it serves as an important center for the fashion industry. New York also has important scenes for art, music, and theater, with an increasingly active artist community. With these specializations and so many corporations headquartered in New York, it is safe to say that the job market there has strength and versatility incomparable to almost any other US city. Graduates in the area who have made the city home would be sound in starting a career there.
Summary
New York is the nation's primary destination for students who come from out of state. According to the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, this amounted to approximately 25,000 out-of state freshmen in 2000. "When schools are more selective, there's more of a nationwide draw of students," said McHugh. "So there are intensive programs to help students acclimate well. It's a tremendous investment, but schools don't want to risk losing students." There can be tremendous culture shock involved in a student's transition to New York City, because it is unique to any other city in America, and the difference will of course be especially striking compared to a small town's atmosphere. But many New York institutions are prepared to go to great lengths to make even the most out-of-place students feel welcome. "New York is a top spot for international students, so naturally, there are a lot of resources," said Marchese. "We do try to be a small-town school in a big state." Along those lines, Marchese recommended students take advantage of Metro International, a service resource for New York City students to ease transitioning.
Though there are inherent difficulties to pursuing an education in a place as overwhelming as New York City can be, that pursuit will definitely pay off in cross-cultural and industry experience, and great personal growth. "It's almost as if you'll know to come here," said Fodor, "and it will be hard sometimes but you will do it. It's either sink or swim. You have to have passion." | ||||||||||
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