Firstly, what is your GPA and test scores, if you don’t mind sharing? It’s a good indicator of what schools to be looking into. Also, no offense to the Clark students, but I found that the students I spent time with when I visited weren’t studious at all.
I think the “New College” @daloon was referring to was my school (well, one of them anyway) is the liberal arts college, Eugene Lang College, within the New School University. You said you already got in, which is a good start. If you haven’t visited, we’re in the East Village-Lower East Side part of NYC (the main Lang building is on 12th street (there is an entrance on 11th as well) between 5th and 6th Avenues. The class style is fishbowl discussion style, there is a lot of focus on writing and self-directed learning, and there are no majors, but there are “concentrations.” The student makeup is pretty diverse, and a lot of the student body could be categorized as either hipSTERS or hipPIES. It is a bit ‘spensive, but the aid is pretty good (my best friend here ended up paying the school only 4,000.00 for both semesters, including her housing costs). Be aware that NYC is a hugely expensive in terms of living expenses. Food is a major part of that (if you live anywhere except the 13th St Residence, you only have 150.00 per semester at the cafeteria, which is essentially a glorified deli), and you’ll probably be doing most of your own cooking. Books, transportation, entertainment, etc. will also put a good dent in your wallet. Also be aware that your classic college ‘activities’ and clubs are pretty limited here and that sports are essentially nonexistent. We are much more into protesting and weed smoking. Social justice is a great thing to study here, though; everyone is very active and interested in that and related topics.
This is taken from the facebook group “You Know You Go to Lang When…”, as compiled by a few friends of mine, with some contributions by yours truly.
You know you go to Lang when…
1) No one knows what school you go to.
2) You need to use Project Runway as a reference to explain where you go to school. They still don’t get it.
3) Your class collectively spends more time on their hair than they do on their assignments.
4) You spend more in American Apparel than you do on tuition.
5) You make fun of Parsons kids on a regular basis.
6)You chased Bob Kerry down 5th Avenue.
7) You hate NYU but you love their library.
8) Your library is on five different floors of the jazz building.
9) You’ve watched kids smoke a joint in the corner of the courtyard during class.
10) You’ve smoked a joint in the corner of the courtyard during class.
11) You know that Paul Dano still hasn’t graduated.
12) You’re in the minority if you eat meat.
13) You have a close bond with 2 Brothers Pizza.
14) …Unless you’re vegan (which is highly probable), in which case you practically live at Mamoun’s Falafel.
15) You vehemently deny being a hipster, despite your undying love for flannel and your Ray-Bans.
16) Having a class discussion relevant to the material is a rare occurrence.
17) You’ve waited for fifteen minutes for an elevator at 16th Street or Arnold Hall.
18) Half of your school buildings don’t have accessible staircases.
19) You have no money, and you dress like it too.
20) You know how disgusting the coffee at 65 W 11th is but drink it religiously anyway.
21) You’ve been uncomfortably close with way too many people in the elevator.
22) You’ve laughed at Parsons kids up until 4 AM because you don’t actually have work.
23) You don’t have midterms. Or tests. Or real classes.
24) You’re a straight girl in dire need of straight boys. Good luck.
25) You will protest ANYTHING.
26) You’ve been solicited by SDS every day since you got to Lang.
27) You’re always drunk.
28) You don’t have science, but you can take a class called “Quantum Universe.”
29) You’re assigned to buy more novels than textbooks.
30) You chose Lang because you don’t have to do math.
31) You frequently use the term “post-modern” (or its commonly used variation “PoMo”) as an adjective, noun, and verb.
32) Your hair looks best unwashed and you position your head on your pillow at night in a way that will really maximize your cowlicks.
33) You drink PBR because you feel compelled to look like a cheap (but cool) asshole.
34) You live in Williamsburg.
35) If you don’t live in Williamsburg, you lurk there so everyone thinks you do.
36) You bought your dishes and a checkered tablecloth at a thrift shop to be kitschy, and often throw vegetarian dinner parties.
37) You have one Republican friend whom you always describe as being your “one Republican friend.”
38) You have refined taste and consider yourself exceptionally cultured, but have one pop vice (ElimiDATE, Quiet Riot, and “Entertainment Weekly are popular ones) that helps to define you as well-rounded.
39) You will do anything to avoid getting a job. Prostitution is not out of the question.
40) You drink cheap wine and consider yourself cultured.
41) You have no school-spirit, which is convenient because you don’t have sports!
42) Your only sports are chain-smoking and protesting.
43) You know that “avant-garde” is just French for bullshit, but you throw it around anyway.
44) There is at least one person in each of your classes that needs to shut the fuck up now, please.
45) Reading? What reading?
46) You won’t be in copious amounts of debt after graduation. Oh wait, no, that’s magical fairy unicorn land. My bad. (Thanks, Kim.)
47) You’re Facebook friends with Neil Gordon and the possibly fake Bob Kerry. They mean nothing to you, but you feel it’s important to befriend the dean and president (despite your lack of confidence).
48) Even if you don’t smoke cigarettes, you certainly smell like you do.
49) You would take the stairs, but you can’t breathe past the first flight.
50) Your parsons friends hate you because you don’t take foundations.
51) You’ve stood in an aforementioned crowded elevator in awkward silence unless you—or another Lang kid—are drunk (which would not be surprising in the least).
52) You’re far more concerned about poverty and malnourishment than you are with the freshman 15.
53) You can get credit for a boat-building class. In New York City. What the fuck?
54) Your school is considered the number one dodgeball target in the country by the Princeton Review.
55) You don’t have a major, you have a lengthy and awkwardly-worded “concentration”.
Obviously, this is intended to be humorous. There are a lot of great things about Lang, especially if you want to live in the city. The number one problem I’ve heard is that some people aren’t ready for this kind of city living and are looking for more of a campus experience. Being a hipster, or at least embracing the fact that you will be constantly surrounded by them is a must, however, haha. Congrats on your acceptance!
Composing members:
0
Composing members:
0
