Profile

Founded by Alfred Gallatin in 1831, New York University has grown from humble beginnings as a small college of 158 students to one of the most sought-after and competitive universities in the country. Today, NYU is the largest private university in the United States, with fourteen schools and a student population of over 50,000. With classrooms and dorms scattered mostly throughout Greenwich Village and Union Square, but also as far as the Seaport and Brooklyn Heights, NYU doesn’t have a traditional campus, and instead shuttles students using its own bus system. But Washington Square Park, which is surrounded by NYU dorms and classrooms, serves as its de facto quad; commencement is traditionally held each spring in the shadow of its iconic arch. — Lucy Tang