The Big Apple, The City of Dreams, the City that Never Sleeps — New York City's bustle, fast pace and the allure of its bright lights attract tens of thousands of college students each year to the largest city on the East Coast.
And college students in New York City have a vast array of educational options, from notable state colleges to well-respected private universities. New York City also is home to many career and vocational schools for fashion and beauty.
Many vocational colleges in New York City dovetail with the city's rich fashion, arts and media industries. There are dozens of colleges that offer certificate programs in film, music, theater, cosmetology, jewelry, ballet, and other areas. Fashion design and apparel and textile manufacturing are two of the most popular certificate programs at Fashion Institute of Technology, while acting is the most popular program at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. Other education options can be found through the city's culinary and healthcare-focused schools such as Mildred Elley, where students can train to be a medical assistant.
There are dozens of public and private two- and four-year colleges in and around New York City. Located in Upper Manhattan, Columbia University, the private Ivy League college, was founded in 1754, making it the fifth-oldest university in the U.S.
New York City also is home to several campuses of the State University of New York system (SUNY) as well as the City College of New York system (CUNY). The CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice and CUNY Bernard M. Baruch College are two of the largest public postsecondary colleges in New York City.
Touro College, The New School and Pace University all are large private colleges, although their enrollments pale in comparison to New York University, which has an annual enrollment of more than 50,000 students. Business, digital communications, nursing and liberal studies are among New York University's most popular programs.
Few U.S. cities have as many options for advanced education as New York City — there are more than 40 public and private institutions in the city that offer master's and doctoral degree programs. Many graduate students attend CUNY's Graduate School and University Center, while students who excel at dance, drama or art may attend the prestigious Juilliard School. Other popular options for master's and doctoral degrees include CUNY Hunter College, New York Law School and Columbia University.
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