Prospective college students chose New York University for the third consecutive year as their "dream college," according to a survey by the Princeton Review. Although AU is not always their first choice, several students said the university's proximity to Capitol Hill, Library of Congress, international embassies and other resources made it a good place to spend their undergraduate years.
The Princeton Review's 2007 "College Hopes and Worries Survey" is published annually along with its 361 Top Colleges Report. Among the 12 questions the survey asked students and parents was: "What 'dream college' do you wish you could attend (or see your child attend) if acceptance or cost weren't issues?" the Princeton Review reported.
According to the survey, most students and parents report high levels of stress due to college applications. Fifty-one percent of those surveyed said financial aid will be "extremely necessary" in order to attend college.
Tiffany Bertrand, a junior in the School of Communication, said AU was her first choice because of its diverse environment and accessible resources.
"I wanted to be somewhere where my culture would be embraced and where I could learn about other cultures," Bertrand, a native of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, said.
Bertrand, who also applied to NYU, said she preferred AU because it is tucked away from the city.
Laurence Gehy, a senior in the School of International Service who was wait-listed at her first choice, Wheaton College, came to AU because of its location in the heart of international politics.
Gehy, whose hometown is Port-au-Prince, Haiti, said the accessibility of AU professors, the quality of facilities such as the gymnasium and various eateries on campus convinced her she made the right choice.
Thirty-two percent of parent respondents said their biggest worry was that their child would get into their first choice school but will not attend because of lack of financial support, the Princeton Review reported.
Harvard University, the nation's oldest higher education establishment, was students' second "dream college" choice, while parent respondents placed it in third.
Patricia Herold, a senior in School of Public Affairs, said she came to AU because of internship opportunities the D.C. area offers.
"I engage closely with my professors," Herold said. "The AU staff are very supportive, especially the religious community in Kay."
This year's "College Hopes and Worries" survey received 4,594 student responses and 1,260 parent responses from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Guam, according to the Princeton Review.
