Firstly, this comment over here is classic: "I think this is a great Privet university with an astonishing education." ROFLMAO someone should kick this guy in the privets.
Another genius says "Expect long hours of work and class. The average amount of class time is over thirty hours and if you take a harder program double that for the amount work you'll be doing outside of class. Not for the feint of hard and it's easy to let it wear your down." Feint of hard? wtf O.o I think he means faint of heart. This guy seriously needs to read a book.
Another review:
YU has tremendous potential which is totally squandered by the limitations put on it by an increasingly right wing student body (representative of an increasingly right wing modern orthodox world). Some of the professors are good and particularly in the math and sciences, you can get an education at YU which sits on par with more competitive schools. However, the majority of the social sciences are a disaster because a key component of a social science education is entertaining many different opinions and persepectives. Granted, you won't find EVERY opinion represented anywhere, but you can't really learn about sociology or the world around you in an academic manner when EVERYBODY is virtually the same (grew up Orthodox, thinks very conservatively, doesn't really know much about the world outside of the Orthodox Jewish bubble). Too many things are taboo here and if you don't fit the mold, you will feel that you are being greatly deprived of a well-rounded education if you major is any of the liberal arts. There is NO social life and you are VERY far from what's happening in the city because you live 5+ minutes from a local train in washington heights, manhattan.... If you believe in the idea that you can have a progressive Jewish school which by representing the diversity of the Jewish community (Orthodox AND otherwise) you can really blend religious, ethical learning with an open minded liberal arts education, come to YU and try to change things- there may be change on the horizon.... but if you don't want to fight and be miserable a lot... don't get caught in the trap of YU's lucrative financial aid packages and deceptive advertising
Another one
I don't see the overall benefit of going to this school over any other. Students should not be required to enroll in Jewish studies. If it is important to them, they will study it on their own. Pretty much all YU students are the same. Most have grown up locally and Orthodox and developed a parochial orthodox mindset which makes them fearful of outside ideas. College is supposed to be a place where controversial new ideas are entertained. That is the whole point of intellectual exploration. At YU, students and administrators alike are afraid of ideas which they think may ruin their idyllic enclave of spirituality and so they only see what they want to see. That is being both academically dishonest and lazy.
Lastly, a liberal arts education is overrated. If you are going to study something, pick one thing and become good at it. A liberal arts education means you know a little bit about many things but are good at none.The positive side is that the faculty and administrators are generally pretty friendly and helpful and I have been able to develop strong relationships with some of them. They are pouring a lot of money into the sciences which is good if you are interested in that. They have great financial aid packages and lots of free food. Also an excellent track record for law school and med school. Basically, your decision to go to YU should be based on whether or not you like learning Torah. If you do then you will be happy. But be careful if you don't
And yet another
This place is depressing, especially if you are in the dorms. If you want to come here, make sure to visit first and get a tour from students. Its not a bad place, it has its ups and downs, but its small, in washington heights (spanish neighborhood) and no girls on campus! Plus, the fact that everyone is Jewish can work for and against you - against because some people enjoy a more diverse and coed atmosphere.
And another
I got full scholarships so I won't spit in the well I have drank from,,, that said,,,
if you are a NY'er, have friends who you allready know, are super smart, rich, etc, and buy into the schitzho ultra/mod Orthodox propaganda then YU is the place for you.... to get into med, law or bus school. Most students hate it and hate themselves for being such cowards and only caring about grades and grad school,,, morale sucks; Administration is mafia (don't mess with them, they retaliate)... there are students spies/rats in all dorm buildings, specially Rubin. I liked it, did my own thing in NYC,,,but forget about openmindedness,,,and there are some real A.H.'s there but you can avoid them. Overall a potentially great school, held back by its ethnic and religious paradigms...
We ain't done yet
Look, if your thinking about coming to YU make sure you know EXACTLY what your getting your self into. If your a religious guy who loves learning torah but also wants to get a degree then it will probably be good for you. However, beware! If you like learning too much you probably won't like YU because it doesn't offer enough learning. There is a very small group of people that love YU. The rest don't like it because it has too much or too little torah learning. Make sure you realize that your going to be doing 16 hours of Jewish studies on top of your secular course load. Be aware that there is NO social life on campus. Also if you want to meet girls, your going to have to be very proactive. Oh yeah, and be aware that when you come you will be surrounded by a lot of people that hate it here. So, if you don't want to be around people who complain that the school sucks, then I wouldn't come. But, then again, if you want a VERY affordable school (that for some strange reason has great connections) with a student body of Jewish orthodox males then YU is probably for you. Oh yeah, and also be aware that a lot of guys at YU are not religious. I'd say about thirty percent don't keep shabbat. So don't come in thinking that you'll be surrounded by people who are passionate about Judaism. I hope this opened your eyes a little.
3 comments:
What, exactly, is your motivation for crafting this compendium? What bothers you so much about YU? No one should have a complex about a school they don't attend.
You can find trashy reviews of any institution; such comments don't delegitimize a university. You picked all the most negative and asserted that those constituted "the truth."
I concede: to appreciate and love YU, it takes considerably greater discernment and mental clarity than that which is displayed on your blog. You'll probably never quite get it, but to be less pathetic, you should at least lay off.
It's not a complex, dickface, modern orthodox pimp it as the jewish harvard and it ain't so.
Judging from the reviews, YU only seems to make sense if you are an orthodox jew who wants to get into medical or law school because YU has connections. To be fair though every university has networks and connections.
Reviews like the ones you references are inherently biased. People who didn't have a good time will find a way to complain. People who got a lot out of the school and went on to successful lives are far less likely to leave comments.
Further, YU is a private school with an openly-stated religious agenda. If you don't like the agenda, why are you going there?
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