First off, I am a junior is high school, and thus, trying as difficult as it is, to conform to a college / university. Currently, I live in Indianapolis, which is a great city (very friendly and pleasant) and all...but pales in comparison to such cities like New York and Chicago. Almost, as if it is a city on training wheels.
LA is out of the question. Though it pertains to cinema better, and though I have indeed visited the city, I just didn't like it...too far away, and not as majestic as it so greatly seemed. No offense to you LA locals, but it didn't really call my name so to speak.
My hopeful interests of study are roughly as follows (and of course, subject to change):
Cinema & Film production, animation/editing/sound design, video-game developing, architecture, flight-engineering and/or piloting, programming, and business internships.
For colleges, I am still in debate. NYU has been a potential candidate I have considered...but a question sharply comes to my mind: Is it too massive? Intimidating? Non-personal, or alienating? I am a very introverted person. However, I have come to believe it is an excellent place for anything an individual seeks, especially the interests I have listed above.
The U. of Chicago is out of the picture...$41K/year is sky-high financially. Please, leave suggestions of any other Chicago Universities that might fit my situation better.
Also, the debate to reside in my own state: IU, Purdue, Ball State? It gives me a headache.
Would the trade off of moving to New York bee too daunting for a 19-year old entering college (I'm 17 now fyi)? Is there too much competition to enter a successful business position? I have the nerves to do it, that is a prime reason why I love big cities so much (though, I am extremely naive regarding NYC, as I can only make generalizations right now at least).
I hear Chicago is cleaner, friendlier, less dense (obviously), and of course, less expensive. Additionally, Chicago is only about a three hour drive from Indianapolis. What I can concur from my visits, is that Chicago is very elegant, polite, and cheaper, yet still offering tons of opportunity.
Is making 100K in NY really just "average" compared to smaller cities?
BUT, NY seems to have more opportunity for cinema like positions, as with engineering, architecture...and everything. To me, it makes Chicago look like an apprentice, NY being king. something I can never get out of my head; the idea that NY is the "capital of the world", the real deal.
Really, I can't make an accurate judgement as I never have been to NY. I would greatly appreciate what you friends think...especially the veteran NY-ers. More importantly, one who has been through careers and figured out the "system" of living there.
Same with you Chicago and Indiana folks...and everyone else who genuinely has been through many situations and is a keen observer of the matter.
All help is greatly appreciated.
更新1:
@MM : No, I'm not a hipster (I hope you are joking). Second, I am very naive, I am not trying to inflate what I already know to sound "sophisticated". In fact, NY kind of scares me. My question is really, living there after college, and whether going to a university THERE would show any difference to Chicago or a local, in-state college? I do understand your perspective, as you probably think of me as someone who doesn't really know adult life well, which is actually true a bit. That is where my question comes in.