mlchang616 wrote:
Hi,
I am interested in applying to NYU for its strong emphasis and placement in the financial service industry.
I've been told that NYU is very much a commuter school with so central focal point for mba students to gather. I have not visited the school and was wondering whether you could comment on that.
Thanks,
-M
I am going to hear this misnomer till the day I die. I can't see how Stern is any more a commuter school than Columbia for full time, or Chicago from the Part time. The Full Time students all live in New York, maybe one person I know has a family out in New Jersey or somesuch. Space is a commodity - it is downtown New York, and you find that out pretty sharp when you try to rent an apartment.
That said, I have never found a frustration for space in the school - the majority of the building is exclusive to the Grad students (swipe access), I have never really had a problem getting a space to study (room for a team meeting or individual), except on one or two days when Damodaran had set a deadline for the project or final exam, as that meant 400 people were trying to do the same.
For lack of clear identified hang-outs you find in rural or campus schools, there is hardly a shortage of bars. Or events. Or birthdays. Same as any school where you have a bunch of people together. If anything, Stern is quite tight knit in the way it works on the FT, which is counter to the commuter tag. There are about 400 in each year (compared to 700 at Columbia), which means you get to know most people.