Studying at NYU will open many doors for you, including some that will take you beyond the classroom and out into the professional worlds of New York City. The opportunities and connections available to you here—through faculty members, academic advisers, professional mentors, alumni networking, extracurricular activities, and supportive services from such offices as the Wasserman Center for Career Development and the College of Arts and Science’s Preprofessional Advising Center—make for incredible learning and professional experiences. NYU students have access to thousands of jobs, internships, and field placements with leading organizations in the arts, business, government, law, health care, and the media. You’ll have the chance to develop essential leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills. By making the most of these opportunities, you’ll gain professional expertise and, once you’ve graduated, a distinctly competitive professional edge.
Academic Advisement
Academic advisement is an important part of your educational experience. You will be assigned an adviser in your program or department, someone who ideally advise you throughout your undergraduate career at NYU. Prior to registering for courses, you will meet with your adviser to plan and discuss progress toward your degree, the upcoming semester’s selection and schedule of courses, and professional development opportunities.
Preprofessional Advisement
For those considering law, medical, or dental school or other professional training in the legal, health, or business field, the College of Arts and Science’s Preprofessional Advising Center helps students in all of NYU’s schools and colleges to plan their preprofessional education from early on and decide how, when, and where to apply for advanced degree programs. For example, advisers offer workshops and panel discussions on careers in the health professions, writing the personal statement, and interviewing for medical school. The advisement staff also interviews every applicant to health profession schools and produces a committee letter of recommendation. Additionally, the center works with student organizations to plan their own programming; for example, the Undergraduate Law Society presents a variety of events to prepare students for the difficult law school admissions process, entry into law school, and their law-related futures.
Mentoring
To get a real sense of what working in their field might be like, NYU students often team up with New York City-based mentors who provide information and guidance on a wide variety of careers and professions. You can find mentorships in almost any field you wish to explore. The Alumni Links Program and the NYU Wasserman Center for Career Development’s Mentor Network can match you with professionals in many fields. Faculty members are also available to become your mentors. You can’t predict when you’ll discover that “right” connection with a professor, when you just know that this is the person who’ll lead you forward. Because many of your professors are currently active in their fields, you may also find yourself with the chance to connect one-on-one with a professor’s friend or colleague with whom you can spend time and learn about the details of your future profession.
Employment, Internships, and Careers
Some students will get their fieldwork assignments directly from their departments in areas such as social work, teaching, and nursing. For others, the best place to start finding the part-time job, internship, or field placement that’s right for you will be the award-winning Wasserman Center for Career Development. The center offers seminars on résumés, cover letters, and interviewing skills; special programs such as career fairs and a mentoring network; and resources to help students apply to graduate and professional schools. The Wasserman Center has a 95.1 percent employment and professional school placement rate, giving NYU students a high likelihood of entering their profession or pursuing further study upon graduation. Through the NYU Wasserman Center and its Web site, you’ll have access to listings for over 48,000 positions, including more than 7,000 internships and 16,000 part-time jobs, both on and off campus. The office sponsors six major career fairs throughout the academic year, including one for internships and part-time positions, where more than 100 employers visit the campus to discuss career opportunities with students on an informal basis. The center also arranges on-campus interviews for full-time positions with over 700 of America’s leading corporations, social service agencies, and government agencies. Experienced counselors provide individual advisement, career exploration, and résumé workshops. Many students find their own internships through the numerous networking opportunities they find here. You can also consult the advisement services and programs offered specifically for your field of study in your own school.
Professional Clubs and Associations
Outside of the classroom, NYU students come together in academically and professionally related student clubs and organizations, where they find “like minds,” hone their professional skills, and gain entry into the world of their future professions. Through groups such as the Sports Business Society, the American Medical Students Association, the Undergraduate Law Society, and the Stern and Tisch Entertainment Business Association, among others in almost every major, you may attend seminars and conferences with prominent guest speakers and have the opportunity to gain leadership skills, practical experience, contacts, and opportunities in your field.
