So you’re going to college in the Big Apple? New York City is home to more university students than any other city in the country.

If it’s New York, it’s got to be world class. New York is home to the most important libraries, universities, and research centers in the world. As a global center for research in medicine and the life sciences, New York boasts the most post-graduate life sciences degrees awarded annually in the United States.

If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere!

Check out these top national universities in New York City, as ranked by U.S. News 2012 Best Colleges.

1. Columbia University
Columbia University is ranked 1^st in New York and 4^th in the country’s best national universities. It is located in Manhattan’s Morningside Heights.  As an Ivy League private school, it guarantees students housing for all four years on campus. As a premiere university, entering Columbia University is more of a privilege for the brainy aristocrats. Tuition and fees cost around $40,500 (according to 2011-12 report). The application fee at Columbia University is $80. Its acceptance rate is only 9.5 percent. What’s the best thing that a student can get from Columbia University? Getting an Ivy League education in the cultural capital of the world. And oh, by the way, the school is said to be really passionate and liberal – expect constant protests and rallies.

2. New York University
NYU is another private institution. Its tuition and fees are $41,606 (2011-12). Its acceptance rate is 38.1 percent. It is ranked 33^rd of the best national universities in USA. The greatest thing about NYU?  It’s New York City itself. It’s the perfect place for star-sighting. Walk down 5th Ave. and you see lots of celebrities in their crocs. The con, however, is the cost of living and the exclusivity of the school. NYU’s school life is quiet expensive and there is little school spirit or sense of community compared to other universities.

3. Yeshiva University
Ranked 45^th in the country, this school is a private Jewish institution in NYC. Its tuition and fees are $35,150 (2011-12). The application fee is $65 and the acceptance rate is 71.5 percent.  The Jewish culture is very evident in the school extracurricular activities including the Student Holocaust Education Movement, Center for the Jewish Future that sponsors projects like the YU Torah Online, regular Shabbat programs, and publications that are written in Hebrew. Like most religious schools, alcohol is not permitted for all students. As a major national research university, Yeshiva is famous for its highly ranked research opportunities at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

4. Fordham University
Located on 60th Street, Fordham University’s campuses are expanded throughout New York City. Ranked 53^rd in the country, its tuition and fees are $39,967 (2011-12). Fordham takes pride in its urban location as it says on its website “New York is (your) campus.” But because it’s NYC, expect to do a lot more responsibilities and learn to manage your freedom (alcohol is also permitted for students of legal age) because no one is going to baby you around and there is only little of the support group atmosphere of most college social scenes. For people who are afraid to cross the subway, however, there’s the “ram van” – the school’s shuttle service that transports students between the Bronx and Manhattan campus.

5. New School
New School is a private institution located in n the heart of New York’s Greenwich Village. It is ranked 128^th in USA best national universities. Its tuition and fees are $39,350 (2011-12). The application fee at New School is $50 and the acceptance rate is 63.1 percent. Alcohol is also permitted for students of legal age. New School is just the thing for those who are pursuing studies in Humanities and Social Sciences. The most popular majors in the school include Visual and Performing Arts, Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, English Language and Literature/Letters, Social Sciences, and Psychology.

6. Polytechnic Institute of New York University
Located in Brooklyn, NYU-Poly is affiliated with New York University. Ranked 138^th, its tuition and fees are $37,882 (2011-12). The application fee is $50 and the acceptance rate is 64.1 percent. NYU-Poly focuses on engineering, applied sciences, and technology. The most popular majors in this school include Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Computer Science.

7. University of Albany – SUNY
At last! A public institution on the list. University at Albany – SUNY is a public institution ranked 138^th on the survey.  Its in-state tuition and fees are $7,172 (2011-12); out-of-state tuition and fees are $15,282 (2011-12). The application fee at University at Albany – SUNY is $50 and the acceptance rate is 47.1 percent. People in the university are pretty friendly and approachable compared to other schools. Since the school has a very centralized campus, students are more likely to run into a friend every now and then. The school is also close to the state’s capitol and this could mean a ton of opportunities for students with government, law and business majors. And because it’s a SUNY, it’s always a great value. Bus ride is also free in this part of the country.

8. St. John’s University
This is a private institution located in the borough of Queens. The school also has New York campuses in Staten Island and Manhattan. It is ranked 152^nd on the survey. Its tuition and fees are $33,875 (2011-12). St. John’s University is a Roman Catholic institution open to students of all faiths. Alcohol is not permitted for students of legal age but there is an active Greek life. Student organizations include the St. John’s Bread and Life program that provides support and services for the poor. What’s “very New York” of St. John is that all its freshmen students are required to complete the course “Discover New York”, an introduction to the city that allows students to examine New York through a variety of academic disciplines.

9. Pace University
Pace University is another private institution ranked 170^th on the survey. Its tuition and fees are $35,032 (2011-12). The school is uniquely comprised of two main campuses. The New York City campus allows students to live amidst the bustling Financial District of lower Manhattan. The Westchester campus in Pleasantville, on the other hand, provides a suburban lifestyle for those who prefer uptown school experience.

10. City University New York
Well, this school is not included in the U.S. News 2012 Best Colleges ranking. But hey! Who are we to disregard this largest urban university in the United States? CUNY is a public institution that receives funding from New York State and from the City of New York. The best thing about this school, therefore, is its affordability.