Which has stronger school spirit, NYU or Notre Dame?

Notre Dame has substantially stronger, more visible school spirit than NYU. Its residential campus, major football culture, and long-standing traditions create a shared identity woven into ordinary student life, not limited to occasional events. Students commonly rally around the Fighting Irish across sports, from football Saturdays in Notre Dame Stadium to basketball, hockey, and other varsity competitions.

Traditions are a major differentiator. Pep rallies, the Victory March, residence-hall communities, game-day rituals, and campus-wide events give Notre Dame a cohesive atmosphere. Because most undergraduates live in or near a self-contained campus in South Bend, students tend to encounter the same traditions, classmates, and activities repeatedly, making participation feel natural rather than something they have to seek out.

NYU does have student organizations, spirited individual communities, arts events, and Division III athletics, but its culture is much more decentralized. There is no enclosed traditional campus, and students are dispersed across Greenwich Village and other parts of New York City. Many students build their social lives around clubs, academic programs, internships, neighborhoods, and the city itself rather than university-wide athletic events or shared campus rituals.

For the specific experience you describe, Notre Dame is the clear match: expect prominent traditions, packed game days, and a campus where identifying with the school is highly visible. NYU can be deeply engaging, but its energy comes more from New York City and smaller communities than from a unified, sports-centered campus culture.