Is NYU or Dartmouth more fun as a college experience?

Neither is more fun in any universal way. NYU is more fun for someone who wants constant motion, independent socializing, and the energy of New York built into daily life. Dartmouth is more fun for someone who wants a close-knit campus, a more unified student culture, and a social scene that is centered on the college itself rather than spread across a city.

NYU tends to suit students who like making their own plans and don’t need the whole campus moving together. A lot of the excitement comes from the city: concerts, restaurants, internships, neighborhoods, nightlife, and the feeling that something is always happening. The tradeoff is that NYU can feel less traditionally collegiate, and students often say social life takes more initiative because people are spread out, busy, and living in different parts of the city.

Dartmouth fits students who want the school itself to generate the fun. Hanover is small, so campus life matters a lot, and that often creates a stronger sense of shared routines, recognizable faces, and weekend traditions. The social scene is usually more concentrated, with clubs, outdoor culture, campus events, and a residential feel that makes it easier to run into people and feel plugged in day to day.

If “fun” means variety, spontaneity, and having the entire city as your backdrop, NYU has the edge. If “fun” means a lively campus where it is easier to feel that everyone is part of the same social world, Dartmouth tends to deliver that more naturally.