Yeshiva University Top Questions

What is your overall opinion of this school?

Eliana

Yeshiva University is a small Jewish liberal arts college located in New York City. Its aim is to provide a strong Jewish and secular education by integrating Jewish and secular classes into one curriculum. While the college emphasizes the importance of academics it also offers an array of extra-curricular activities. Yeshiva University’s size, in terms of its student body and faculty, impacts positively and negatively upon many facets of the college. On the one hand, a smaller student body means smaller classes and teacher student ratio, allowing for students to generate a relationship with their professors, helping to advance their academic careers. On the other hand, however, the small student body may negatively impact a student who is not attending the college “plugged in” to a social group. This college is divided into cliques that makes it difficult for students to experience different types of people and further makes the college feel insular and disconnected. The relatively small college size further negatively impacts the college from offering a diverse array of courses. This could be frustrating to a student not yet clear on where they are going as it precludes a healthy sampling of different spheres of interest. Moreover, the student body’s size and the college’s Jewish curriculum does not allow for a diverse student body which prevents students from experiencing a full multicultural world. Yeshiva University is unique in that it is a liberal arts college that boasts of a dual curriculum. Students are required to complete a certain amount of Jewish and secular classes and requirement classes from a liberal arts perspective, graduating with an Associate in Jewish studies and Bachelors in the student’s major. Although this dual curriculum provides a broad and comprehensive education it is, at times, a source of irritation among students. In order to complete both the dual curriculum requirements and the, liberal arts general requirements many students take six to seven classes per semester creating a heavy workload and a grueling finals schedule. Although small in size, Yeshiva University does offer a wide range of extra-curricular activities. The university offers a variety of clubs and lectures in which students can choose to partake. Additionally, the school takes advantage of its prime location, New York City, by offering tickets to many cultural institutions, such as museums; concert halls and theaters in order to broaden the minds of its student body. Lastly, Yeshiva University’s location provides some pluses and minuses. The college is split into two campuses, a women’s campus in mid-town Manhattan and a men’s campus situated in Washington Heights in upper Manhattan. Living in a city setting is enjoyable and exciting as students can encounter many new, cultural events and expand their minds with different experiences. However, it also has it downsides. The women’s campus does not have a campus grounds. Rather, the streets of New York City connect the various school and dorm buildings It would be nice during the term to be able to lounge outside on campus grounds, but this is not an option at the women’s campus. Although the men’s campus does boast a more traditional campus it is still located in New York City and, as such, its campus grounds is not too impressive nor does it contain a nature setting.

Rachel

I like YU, I didn't know much about the school before I came here, but you pick everything up quickly. The best thing about Stern is that everybody is genuinely nice. Whether it be a teacher, dean, or a student everyone on campus is very helpful. Stern is also in midtown Manhattan and has a lovely campus that is in walking distance to most of the city's subways and buses. YU also a shuttle between its buildings and the other campuses. Stern is very small and everyone knows everyone. This doesn't change based on if you went to Israel or not (I personally did not). The majors here all have great classes and if you can't find exactly what you're looking for then you can create a shaped major. You can also take classes at other schools like FIT. Having two cafeterias is one of the best things Stern has. I am a vegetarian and having a solely dairy caf is wonderful, I also hear the meat caf is great! All the staff at YU is wonderful and personable. Most administration will remember your name after meeting with you once. I don't think you could get things like that at different schools.