Which NYU Freshman Dorm is Right for You?

New York University (NYU) is one of the top 30 schools in the country. The campus is integrated with the city of New York, making for a unique metropolitan experience. NYU is home to nearly 27,000 undergrad students across its many schools, the most prestigious being the Stern School of Business and the Tisch School of the Arts. If you’re applying to NYU or were accepted, you likely have a competitive profile, as the acceptance rate was only 15% in 2020.

In this post, we’ll take a look at NYU campus life and go over the freshman dorm options, so you can have a better idea of which one is right for you.

Want to know your chances at NYU? Calculate your chances for free right now.

What is NYU Campus Life Like?

NYU’s campus is based around Washington Square Park. It’s different from a traditional college campus in that the buildings and classrooms aren’t on enclosed college grounds. At NYU, Manhattan is basically your campus. While this may sound overwhelming, students report appreciating the more open campus, as it feels less like a bubble.

Want to learn more about NYU campus life? Hear from these real students. 

Overview of NYU Freshman Dorms

This overview takes a look at the Manhattan-based dorms only. There are two dorms in Brooklyn for students of the Tandon School of Engineering. If you’re planning to attend NYU Tandon, you can learn more about Brooklyn housing options on the NYU website.

In this section, we provide costs for each dorm, based on a housing document released by NYU. These prices vary based on the type of room you select, and are subject to change, so consider the prices an approximate guideline.

Brittany Hall 

Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim, CC BY 2.0

Location: Union Square

Yearly cost: $13,388-$15,064

Pros:

• Recently renovated, so feels brighter and nicer
• Homey hardwood floors
• Amenities include: performance space, recreation/TV room, penthouse study room, dance & music practice rooms

Cons:

• Most suites are a combined double and triple, meaning that you’ll need to share a bathroom among 5 people; you can also opt for a 4-person suite with two doubles, though at a higher price

Founders Hall 

Photo by Beyond My Ken, CC-BY-SA-4.0,3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0

Location: Union Square/East Village

Yearly cost: $15,064

Pros:

• Newest dorm
• Huge rooms, guaranteed a 4-person suite with 2 connected doubles

Cons:

• A little further from campus

Goddard Hall

Photo by Beyond My Ken, CC-BY-SA-4.0,3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0

Location: Washington Square Park

Yearly cost: $11,196-17,910

Pros:

• Literally right by Washington Square Park, so the most central to campus and classes
• Living-learning community focused on community service and involvement (other dorms have special floors that are living-learning communities based on a certain theme, but all of Goddard is part of this community; this is why it’s called a “residential college”)
• Amenities include: community kitchen, classroom space, entertainment lounge

Cons:

• Relatively smaller dorm, both in terms of overall capacity and room size
• Special application process with essays

Lipton Hall 

Location: Greenwich Village

Yearly cost: $13,388-$17,910

Pros:

• Rooms are large
• Modern decor and feel
• Dining hall within the dorm (certified Halal and has many healthy options, particularly vegan/vegetarian)
• Amenities include: community kitchen, game room, dance & music practice rooms

Cons:

• On the other side of Washington Square Park, so it’s further away from the other dorms

Rubin Hall 

Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim, CC BY 2.0

Location: Greenwich Village

Yearly cost: $8,500-$15,064

Pros:

• 5 minute walk to Washington Square (with the famous arch), really close to classes
• Strong sense of community—former residents tend to love Rubin and look back at their time fondly
• Amenities include: a black box theater, a dance room, a piano room, a ping pong room, and a billiards room

Cons:

• No air conditioning, but the second floor common room has AC, which draws students there and creates that strong sense of community (according to real students) 
• Cheapest prices for housing

Third North (Third Avenue North)

Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim, CC BY 2.0

Location: East Village

Yearly cost: $14,000-$19,846

Pros:

• Huge dorm housing almost 1000 students, so tends to be a more social dorm
• Apartment-style dorms with shared bathroom, kitchen, and common area
• Dining hall inside the dorm
• Amenities include: outdoor courtyard, game lounge, dance & music practice rooms, and an event space

Cons:

• Known to have rats, bugs, and other cleanliness issues
• Has a reputation as a party dorm
• Not a freshman-only dorm, so not as much programming for first-years
• One of the furthest dorms from campus

UHall (University Hall)

Photo by Beyond My Ken, CC-BY-SA-4.0,3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0

Location: Union Square

Yearly cost: $17,044

Pros:

• Apartment-style: 4-person suites with 2 doubles, plus a shared kitchen and bathroom
• Really close to Union Square, so easy access to the subway
• Right next to the university gym
• Quick dining options in the dorm
• Amenities include: TV lounge, a music practice room with a piano, a small conference room with a printing station

Cons:

• One of the furthest freshman dorms from campus
• Not a freshman-only dorm, so not as much programming for first-years
• Dorms are relatively small

Weinstein Hall

Location: Union Square

Yearly cost: $13,388-17,910

Pros:

• Very close to Washington Square and NYU campus
• Several dining halls in the dorm with kosher and international options 
• Amenities include: community kitchen, game lounge, classroom space, dance & music practice rooms

Cons:

• Students report that the rooms feel kind of depressing and dark

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