<p>Amandakayak’s first comment is right on the money. Only thing to add is that the advising and personal attention situation is worse for undergrads as there are many undergrads across NYU’s multiple divisions and every NYU CAS graduate I’ve met…including those who graduated a few years ago has complained about the quality of advising and class size. On the other hand, if you’re fine with the expense, being proactive about searching out all the information yourself and taking advantage of NYU’s strengths and its presence in NYC…it can be a great place to get an education. </p>
<p>As for my own experience at Oberlin, largest class size I’ve had was around 45…and that’s very large by Oberlin standards. Most classes averaged between 15-20 and the smallest class I ever had was 2 including myself…and the class was held in a bakery owned by the Prof’s spouse. The close intimacy not only provided more intellectual stimulation, but also placed every student on notice that Profs have high standards and one cannot slack off by hiding behind other classmates or skipping out on classes as a roommate found out when the Prof of our 9 am Chinese language class actually showed up to his dorm in the late afternoon to inquire as to his absence. </p>
<p>As for whether one is bored or not, that depends on how active you choose to be in the wide variety of extracurriculars, campus events, the vibrant arts and music scene, and plenty of opportunities to be involved in political activism of various kinds provided your politics leans progressively left. </p>
<p>"NYC has plenty of free & discounted entertainment (street musicians, museums…). Washington Square Park is it’s campus. There is certainly a lot to do there that doesn’t require $$. "</p>
<p>That may be true, but since many NYU undergrads tend to skew upper/upper-middle class in one extremely expensive city, trying to avoid activities which involve spending $$ could easily lead to one’s social isolation…not a small consideration on a campus where it is so easy to feel isolated from everyone else. Since the vast majority of those high school classmates who attended NYU were scholarship students with limited means, they experienced this isolation most keenly because of the lack of money and because they commuted from home for financial reasons.</p>