New York University, Essay Example

The appeal of New York University for me lies substantially in its self-proclaimed value as being “in and of the city” as it is “in and of the world”. This tells me in no uncertain terms that this is a school which exists as a channel of living in today’s world, and not as an isolated and remote center of learning. New York City is an international experience in itself, and the university’s other sites can only reinforce the wide array of cultural influences the New York location itself has to offer. To me, this translates to my attending a true “school of the world”, a thriving university network where diversity is welcomed and absorbed by the student.

My own history has, in a very real sense, led me to NYU’s doors. I know no other life than that  of seeing every cultural and societal element not directly in my experience as an inevitability, an opportunity to learn, and a pleasure. Being raised in today’s modern Miami is a cultural expansion in itself; my Hispanic heritage was widely reflected and my own culture honored, yet I was never without welcome exposure to the many influences that render the city a thriving metropolis. Then, attending boarding school helped me to understand, at a young age, that diversity exists in any environment at all, and that greater openness to it leads to, in a fortunate circle, a greater sense of self.

I speak three languages as well, and would not necessarily like to stop there; communication on some level is at the heart of everything we do, from learning in school to forging real friendships. Also, the time I spent in France made me understand, through living it, how real cultural exchanges of meaning occur whenever we make contact, and in the simplest interactions. The opportunities for  genuine learning in this way, from dialects to points of view, are rewarding on multiple levels.

Studying at NYU, in an atmosphere where the enormous value of cultural diversity is reflected in a truly international faculty and student body, can better enable me to embrace the diversity I will surely encounter as I take my place in the world. I  believe that committing to what NYU is as a school “of the world” can only increase my regard and knowledge of the cultures I have experienced, as well as those I have yet to know.