Dorms
Columbia students live for EC (or if you're a baby, Carman).
NYU kids get to start off near the park but are quickly relegated to Alphabet City (sorry).
The real difference is whether you're invested in living on campus or whether you'd like to be absorbed by the nebulous city. Either way neither school has a real sense of spirit - so, it doesn't really matter.
[Photo via @haleyalaine]