Written by Victoria Adesoba
Academics at NYU is highly valued, despite the fact that it has lost a bit of its status over the past couple of years. However, the school is making an effort to regain its reputation as one of the most academically sound institutions in the country. Large revisions of general and lab courses have been commissioned, and other actions have been taken to help students further learn and succeed outside of the classroom. Typically, the deeper into specific majors you go, the professors become more engaging and classes more stimulating. Classes usually range from very large in size (500 students) to very small (around 15 students), but overall, if you remain engaged during each class and ask questions, you will learn a great deal, no matter the amount of students in your class.
Expectations at NYU are high, and professors are experts in their fields. The big difference in professor quality comes from whether or not their brilliant minds are as adept at teaching as they are at researching. Almost every professor on campus wants to hear what students think, and all professors are available in some capacity or another, be it email or office hours. Generally, the more interest and effort students express in their classes and the more they establish personal relationships with professors, the more they get out of the class. Be sure to get to know a good number of your professors, as most of them are pioneers in their respective fields; thus, getting to know them may be beneficial in terms of requesting letters of recommendation or for valuable academic opportunities.