Living Like a New Yorker! | Pace University

You won’t be able to

meet anyone or build

great memories here if

you go to class and

straight home

afterwards.

Get lost! Try new food!

Ride in a taxi! See live

music! Watch a sports

game like the Brooklyn

Nets or New York Yan-

kees! Do things you

wouldn’t normally do

back home. I’ve lived

here for over 20 years

Welcome to the Big

Apple! You are

about to begin a trip

that you will remem-

ber forever. The

combination of stud-

ying as a student and

exploring as a tourist is

one of the best ways

you can experience

what it is like to live in

New York City.

Here at the English

Language Institute (ELI)

we are excited to help

you reach your goals of

improving your English

and knowledge of

American Culture.

We want to be more

than just your

school—we want to

be your friends, your

guides, and your most

importantly your “go

to” people for answer-

ing questions you may

have about navigating

New York City.

There are over 8.5

million people living in

NYC. That’s poten-

tially 8.5 million new

friends!

The Pace Advantage to Living in New York City

Being a student at Pace University

comes with many advantages!

You have access to different facilities

and services that will make your time

here more enjoyable.

Be sure to take advantage of these

services while you are here!

Athletics & Exercise Facility C-Level

24hour Computer Labs 2nd Floor of 1PP

Wi-Fi Access

Library Study Rooms 1st Floor of 1 PP

Cafeteria 1st Floor of 1 PP

Free Shuttle to Pleasantville campus

Student ID for Student Discounts in NYC

Quick access to 11 NYC Subway lines and NJ PATH

Page Index

Directions and

Subway System

Connect! Wi-Fi

Places to Eat

Tips & Gratuity

Saving $$$

Taxis and Car

Services

Contacts & Apps

Geng a Cell

Phone

Opening a Bank

Account

PA CE U N I V E RSI T Y

E N G L I S H L A N G U A G E I N STITUTE





YOU MADE IT!

and I have 150+ ways for

you to fall in love with this

city.

We’ve prepared this guide

for you to help make your

time here more comforta-

ble. There will be some

things you will still need to

figure out but if you need

help you can always stop by

and ask.

Daniel A. Lenkowsky

Assistant Director of

Admissions & Student Life





-Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg

When you are in Manhattan, any-

thing North of 59th st. or when

you are going north is considered

uptown. For example, if you are at

14th st, and you are going up to

73rd st, that is considered going

uptown. So, you are at 110th st,

and you are going down to 51st

st, you are heading downtown.

Midtown is right in the middle of

Manhattan. It's the section of

Manhattan between 14th st and

59th st. from the west end of

Manhattan to the Eastern side of

TIP

Manhattan.

Downtown Manhattan is normally

anything South of 14th st.

However, once you get below

Houston St, some people refer to

that as “lower Manhattan. “ Pace

University is considered to be in

lower Manhattan.

Avenues go North and South

through Manhattan. Streets go

East and West through Manhat-

tan.

When asking for the location of a

business or site you should ask for

the Cross Streets. This way

you can pinpoint on the map the

closest intersection.

For example, If you ask someone

“Where is 1260 Sixth Avenue?”

almost no one will know. If you

ask “Where is 50th Street &

Sixth Avenue” you will be able

to get directions!

Use this method when in a taxi.

Many trains will stop on the same

street BUT they may be on differ-

ent sides of Manhattan.

Make sure you take the correct

train to be on the correct side of

Manhattan! (east side or west

side).

For most train stations, East

Side trains are the 4/5/6/N/Q/R

trains.

Pace University is conveniently

located near 11 subway lines!

You can ride the following trains

to Pace:

2/3/A/C trains to Fulton Street

4/5/6 trains to Brooklyn Bridge/

City Hall

J/Z trains to Chambers Street

R train to City Hall

West Side trains are 2/3/A/C.

Did you get lost? Don’t panic!

There are a few stations that are

MAJOR transfer stations and al-

most all trains connect.

Almost every subway train will

stop on 42nd street in Manhat-

tan. Other stations that connect

to many train lines are 14th Street

Stations and Fulton Street.

TIP

New York City Transit | The Subway

We encourage students to use

Citymapper.com at home and

on your mobile phone to help you

map the best subway ride be-

tween two places. It’s easy, quick,

and will adjust to any special con-

struction happening that may

change the train route.

NYCmate is also a free subway

map app that has all train lines.

You should purchase an

unlimited ride MetroCard.

You can ride the subway 5x a day

easily. It’s faster than taking a taxi

or bus and really goes to almost

anywhere in Manhattan. If you pay

each time you use the train you

will spend a lot more money.

Unlimted ride MetroCards can be

purchased at machines or at glass

ticket counter in the subway sta-

tion .

Getting to School & Getting Lost ...

The subway in New York City

is 24hrs, 7 days a week. Some

trains are express, some are local.

Express means it will skip certain

stations. Local means it will stop

at every station.

Just because a train is the

same color doesn’t mean it

will go to the same station as

another train.

Uptown, Downtown, East, West—Where?

Page 2

DIRECTIONS AND SUBWAY SYSTEM

Subways to Pace

5.2 million people ride the NYC

subway during the weekdays

(Monday—Friday). Having all of

these people makes it difficult to

do construction and repair the

trains.

The MTA regularly does re-

pairing during the late nights

and weekends. If you are trav-

eling after 10:00pm at night on the

weekends you should expect the

train to have a different schedule.

Check train service online at

www.mta.info for the week-

ends.

Normally signs are posted in sub-

way stations alerting riders to

changes over the weekend. Give

yourself extra time on the

weekend when riding the

train so you are not late.

TIP

“Pace_Secure” Wi-Fi network.

Enter your username and pass-

word.

NYC Public Parks with

free Wi-Fi access

Central Park

Union Square

Battery Park

Bryant Park

New York City has a lot of free

Wi-Fi , but we don’t have it every-

where. Every Starbucks, most

coffee chops/cafes, and a lot of

restaurants will have Wi-Fi

networks. It is OK to ask if you

are a paying customer “Do

you have Wi-Fi for use?” They

will tell you which network and

give you the password to use.

While on the Pace campus you

can access Wi-Fi using the

City Hall Park

There are websites and mobile apps you

can use to locate free Wi-Fi in New

York City.

Some popular ones are…

www.openwifinyc.com

www.openwifispots.com

New York Free WiFi mobile app

CONNECT! WI-FI

Sightseeing? These trains are the closest ...

Ave/53rd St.

Times Square—1/2/3/N/Q/R/ to

42nd Street/Times Square.

Metropolitan Museum of Art—

4,5,6 trains to 86th Street.

The MoMa— B/D/F/M to 47-50

St/Rockefeller Center, E/M trains

to 5th Ave/53rd St,.

5th Avenue Shopping—Start at

the top, and walk down from

N/Q/R staon at 5th Ave/59th

Street staon.

Statue of Liberty—4/5 trains to

Bowling Green

Empire State Building— B/D/F/M

trains to 34th Street, 6 train to

33rd Street.

Grand Central—4/5/6 trains to

42nd Street/Grand Central.

Radio City— B/D/F/M to 47-50

St/Rockefeller Center, N/Q/R

trains to 49th St, E train to 5th

Late Night and Weekends on the Subway. Lot’s of Changes ...

Page 3

SUBWAY SYSTEM, SIGHT SEEING & WI-FI

TIP

Having trouble with

your Apple products

while here?

Need to x your phone

quickly?

The 5th Avenue at 59th

StreetApple Store is 24

hours. You can always

buy a charger or speak

to a Genius there!

The Cafeteria at Pace University is regularly open while classes are in session . Students can purchase

food, beverages, and small snacks at the Cafeteria on the 1st floor of 1 Pace Plaza or Spotlight Café on B-

level of 1 Pace Plaza. There is even a Starbucks at Pace University on the 1st floor of 1 Pace Plaza!

If you want to eat outside there are a lot of different options. Pace is located in the Financial District,

home of one of the world’s business centers—Wall Street! All the busy bankers and financial advisors

need to eat at some time so here is our list of different restaurants close by………………...

Many Options—Give Them a Try!

Page 4

PLACES TO EAT NEAR PACE UNIVERSITY

Pizza & Italian____________________________________________

Rosella’s Pizzeria—164 William Street (Between Spruce & Anne Streets)

Lile Italy Pizza—11 Park Pl (Between Broadway & Church Streets)

Japanese________________________________________________

Takahachi Bakery—25 Murray St (Between Broadway & Church Streets)

Haru—1 Wall St (By Beaver Street & Pearl)

Thai___________________________________________________

Bennies Thai Café — 88 Fulton St , downstairs (Corner of Gold Street)

Arroy Dee—20 John St (Between Nassau and Broadway)

Other___________________________________________________

GRK—Greek Food—111 Fulton St (Between William Street & Nassau Street)

Benton Cafe—Korean Food—123 William St (Between Fulton Street and John Street)

Squire’s Diner—American (Diner style) - 80 Beekman St

Chipotle Mexican Grill—111 Fulton Street (At corner of William Street)

Smashburger— Burgers—136 William St (Between Fulton and John St)

Hale & Hearty Soup— 111 Fulton Street (Between William Street & Nassau Street)

Open Kitchen—Grocery and Market/Salad Bar– 123 William St (Between Fulton and

John St)

= oers student discounts.

Lunch in our

neighborhood can cost

$9.00 on average

TIP

Tipping is a part of the US service

economy and our taxation system,

and all visitors should understand

that it is part of our local culture.

Tipping is expected of all diners

and customers in certain situa-

tions. Here are a few suggestions

to make tipping easier for you

during your stay:

Dining & Bars

A Range of 18% for good ser-

vice— 25% for excellent service.

In a sit down dining restaurant $1

or $2 per drink ordered at a bar.

Room Service/Housekeeping

15% - 20% of the total bill.

Taxi Driver

15% or more depending on quality

of service, weather, distance, etc.

Barber/Hairdresser/Nails/Spa

15% to 20% of the total bill.

Car Valet

$2—$4

Hotel Luggage Handler

$2—$4

Coatroom Attendant

$1- $3

Tipping Etiquette in NYC

Page 5

TIPPING—WHEN AND HOW

 Bills will show a p included as

"gratuity" or "service charge"

 Groups of 5 or 6+ people at

restaurants will usually have a tip

automatically added to their bill.

 Most servers prefer ps in cash.

 When pping at restaurants it is

OK to add it to the credit card

but cash is sll preferred.

 Normally nails/barber/haircut

you can only p in cash.

Do not ask for a separate bill when

eang with friends. You can pay

one bill with mulple credit cards.

Why do we tip in the US?

In many states in the USA, waiters and bartenders in restaurants are paid below the

minimum wage, because the employees are expected to make up the dierence in

ps. It is important to p even if you come from a country that doesn’t p or do

not believe in the concept. If you are going to be living like a New Yorker or vising

you will have to adjust to this pracce. If you do not p you may have a bad con-

frontaon or argument with the waiter/bartender. If your restaurant waiter was

terrible and rude to you, you can ask to speak with a Manager rst. This way you

can tell someone you will not be leaving a p and why.

Tipping can be BAD too! You should not be tipping government workers like

police officers because it is illegal. This can be seen as paying to “get out of trou-

ble” which is also known as a bribe.

TIP

Many museums in NYC have FREE admission or “Pay By Donation Only” to enter.

There are also special days/nights when a Museum you normally pay to enter is free.

Below is our list of Museums with FREE or “Pay By Donation Only” (PBD) hours……

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) - PBD all days, times.

The Metroplitan Museum of Art (MoMa) - FREE on Fridays 4pm—8pm

Bronx Zoo—PBD on Wednesdays

New Museum of Contemporary Art—FREE on Thursdays 7pm— 9pm

International Center for Photography—PBD on Fridays 5pm—8pm

Rubin Museum of Art –FREE on Fridays 7pm—10pm

Whitney Museum of American Art—FREE on Fridays 6pm—9pm

The Frick Collection—PBD on Sundays 11am—1pm

American Museum of Natural History—PBD all days, times.

Brooklyn Museum—PBD all days, times. FREE on First Saturday of the month 5pm—

11pm with a big party that is fun to attend.

Museum of the American Indian (Smithsonian) - FREE all days, times.

Neue Gallerie—FREE first Friday of the Month, 6pm—8pm.

There are a few ways to get

cheaper tickets to Broadway

Shows…

TKTS Booth—Visit the RED

TKTS booths in Times Square

or Downtown Brooklyn to buy

discounted tickets to Broadway

shows playing today or tomor-

row.

Student RUSH tickets —If

You have to see at least 1

Broadway show before you

leave NYC! It doesn’t really

matter which one (although the

Lion King and Wicked are our

favorites) but just make sure you

get to experience NYC theater.

If you are here for a long time

then try to go to off-Broadway

shows and smaller theaters to

see local performers.

you wake up early you can visit

the Box Office of the theater the

day of the show with cash to pur-

chase discounted tickets.

There are usually lines for the

better shows so be prepared!

Bring your Pace ID!

Lottery— Some theaters have

a “lottery” system. On the day

of a show 2.5 hrs before it you

can visit the Box Office and put

Broadway Shows

Free Admission to Museums

Page 6

SAVING $$$

TIP

How much should you pay

for a PBD museum?

We recommend anything

between $2-$5 and

ask for a student ticket.

your name in for the Lottery.

If your name is drawn you can

get tickets as cheap as $30!

Page 7

TAXI! TAXI!

A few tips and alternatives to taking the beloved yellow cars of NYC.

The fare

$2.50 upon entry

0.50 for each addional unit

**A unit is:

A)1/5th of a mile, when the taxicab is travel

-ing at 6mph or more .

B) 60 seconds when not in moon or travel

ing at less than 6mph.

Traveling between 4pm—8pm Monday—Friday?

Add an extra $1.00 surcharge.

An extra .50 surcharge is added evenings between

8pm—6am.

Tell the cab driver the cross streets where you are going. For example, say “47th street & 10th avenue, please” instead

if “543 47th street.”

Giving Directions

When in a yellow taxi, you have the following rights—don’t forget them or be afraid to enforce them!

-Ride in a car that is clean, in good condion, and has passed all required inspecon - Smoke free ride

-A safe and courteous driver who obeys all trac laws -AC/Heat on request

-A driver who does not use a cell phone while driving (hands-free phones are not permied)

Passenger Rights

Alternative Taxi Service—UBER App

In case you cannot get a taxi you can use UBER. UBER is a smartphone app that locates private drivers close to you that will take

you to your desnaon. The p is automacally included in your fare so all you need to do is get in the car and exit at your des-

naon. Your credit card on your account prole will automacally be billed.

UBER is great when you have to travel to another borough, late at night, during rain, if you are in an area without yellow taxis.

UBER is very safe and a popular alternave to yellow taxis in NYC.

USE PROMO CODE “ WSKW1 “ WHEN YOU REGISTER FOR UBER TO GET $10.00 OFF YOUR FIRST RIDE!

English Language Institute

212-346-1562

Pace Security

212-346-1800

Birnbaum Library

212-346-1332

Health Care Unit

212-346-1600

Bookstore

212-346-1605

New York City

Emergency (For Medical/Police)

911

Crime Victims Line

1-800-771-7755

Poison Control Center

800-771-7755

Subway Lost & Found

212-712-4500

Con ED Electric Company

800-75 CON ED

Pace University

Page 8

LOCAL CONTACTS & APPS

New York City Apps

Citymapper

Has the ocial NYC subway map and every neighborhood map and bus maps for each bor-

ough. It also comes with maps of the Metro-North Railroad, Long Island Rail Road, New

Jersey Transit and PATH trains

UBER

The Uber app connects you with a driver at the tap of a buon. You can request a car to

pick you up with a safe driver that will bill directly to your credit card and includes p. No

need to pay in the car! It’s safe, easy, and very convenient in NYC.

USE PROMO CODE “ WSKW1 “ WHEN YOU REGISTER FOR UBER TO GET $10.00 YOUR

FIRST RIDE!

CabSense NYC

CabSense NYC analyzes data from the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission and

other sources to help users nd the best nearby street corners to get a taxi based on the

day of the week, the me and their locaon.

Weekender

The Weekender app—the only ocial MTA app—is your guide to geng around NYC when

construcon changes your weekend subway service. The app displays all service changes so

riders can navigate around diversions.

NYC Sample Sales

The NYC SampleSales app informs you of dozens of sample clothing sales throughout the

City that you might be unaware of. The perfect app for a shopper!

OpenTable

The perfect app for the foodie on the go, OpenTable allows users to search for restaurants,

see menus and reviews and make reservaons.

CultureNOW: Guidebook for the Museum Without Walls

Some of New York’s best art isn’t found in the Met or MoMA—or within the walls of any

museum, for that maer. This app showcases the vast number of public works of art to be

found throughout the City streets. Users can nd informaon on arsts and individual piec-

es, browse photos, take neighborhood tours and listen to podcasts featuring arsts, archi-

tects, historians and curators.

Page 9

GETTING A CELL PHONE IN NYC

AS AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT

As an Internaonal Student in the US you will be asked many mes for a Social Security number to open a cell

phone account, apply for a drivers license, apply for an apartment, etc. Unfortunately you cannot receive a Social

Security Number unless you have a legal part-me on-campus job approved by Pace University. When applying

for a cell phone there are many opons. Some are easy to get but the service and phone quality may be very

poor. Other companies will allow you to get a cell phone contract if you pay a deposit ($200 USD or more).

For inexpensive phones and non-complicated pre-paid opons

Cricket Wireless www.cricketwireless.com

Phones start at $9.99. Purchase monthly or yearly minutes. Can also purchase data for Android phones. 57 Mo

Street, New York, NY, 10013 (212) 587-3840

Metro PCS www.metropcs.com,

Phones start at $19. $25 per month for talk/text; $40 per month for talk/text/data. Extra for Internaonal: add

$10 per month for talk; $5 per month for text. 20 E. Broadway, New York, NY 10002

For pre-paid and smart-phone opons

T-Mobile www.t-mobile.com, (212) 571-5077

Phones start at $30. SIM Card is $10. Monthly rates start at $60 for unlimited talk/text/data. Can suspend line if

leave US and not lose your number. 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10038

Verizon www.verizon.com, (212) 510-6160

Phones start at $40, Pre-paid monthly rates start at $35 (non-data) or $45 (smart phones) or $0.25/minute. Inter-

naonal rates are $0.50/text or per minute (cost based on country). Must have an Social Security number with

good credit history, or pay a refundable deposit for contract plan. 100 Wall St., New York, NY, 10005

AT&T www.awireless.com, (212) 528-3054

Phones start at $30. Pre-paid plans are $25/$40/$60 and include various features of domesc/intl talk/text/data.

217 Broadway, New York, NY 10038

The above is provided for informaon purposes only and does not represent any endorsement by the

English Language Instute at Pace University.

Page 10

OPENING A BANK ACCOUNT IN THE US

Deciding on a Bank

New York City has A LOT of dierent banks. A few things to consider:

Which bank is close to home? To School? Which bank has a lot of ATM machines I can use

while I am in NYC? Which bank is also located in other cies?

Documentaon to bring with you to open an account

Documents you should take with you to open your account:

 Your unexpired passport

 Your I-94 entry record

 Your I-20, DS-2019, or I-797 approval noce

 Any secondary form of idencaon you may have

 Leer conrming your current acve student status from the Pace University Internaonal Oce (“bank leer”)

 Proof of address

Types of Accounts & Cards

Checking Accounts

Banks oer dierent types of checking accounts designed to t individual needs. The cost of checking varies from

bank to bank. Some banks charge per transacon, some have a basic monthly fee, and others oer free services if

you maintain a certain minimum balance in your account at all mes. You should be able to access informaon re-

garding your personal account, including all transacons and deposits, through the bank's website. This will be se-

cure informaon that you can access. Be careful to keep an accurate record of every check you write in order to

avoid having checks returned and incurring addional charges. “Bouncing” a check (wring a check for more money

than you actually have in the account) is illegal and can cost you me and money. Through some banks, you can

apply for a line of credit aached to your checking account that provides overdra protecon.

Debit Cards

A debit card, also known as a check card, allows you to withdraw or deposit money to your bank account using an

automac teller machine (ATM) and to make purchases at stores that accept the card. Some debit cards carry a

credit-card logo (such as Mastercard or Visa), and can be used in place of a check or credit card. Debit cards are not

credit cards, however, and they can be used only to the extent that you have funds in the account to which they are

linked.

Savings Accounts

A savings account enables you to save money and accumulate interest on your savings. Interest is paid either

monthly or quarterly. The dierence between a savings and a checking account is that you cannot write checks on a

savings account.

Page 11

OPENING A BANK ACCOUNT (CONT.)

Cashing checks

To cash a check, you will need to endorse it by signing your name on the back. In addion, you will be asked for

personal idencaon in the form of a driver’s license, a State of New York State ID card, or a Pace University ID

card. Some stores will cash a check for you if you shop there regularly. Supermarkets may allow you to pay by

check, with authorizaon from their credit department, if you present the ID they request (usually a New York

State ID).

Bank Cards

Many banks issue cards that enable you to deposit and withdraw money 24 hours a day by use of an Automated

Teller Machine (ATM). These machines, which are frequently located outside the bank, are very convenient. By

using a bank card, customers avoid waing in line at the bank and have access to funds or money aer the bank

closes. Banks that are members of a naonal ATM network allow you to access your funds with your bank card at

selected ATM’s throughout the country. There are many ATM’s located on campus.

Credit Cards

Credit cards may be convenient, especially if you unexpectedly have major expenses. You can pay University and

medical fees, airplane ckets and car repairs with any major credit card. You must understand that you can easily

accumulate large bills with credit cards, and before you know it, you may be in debt. Before you accept a credit

card, you must be sure to understand all your obligaons. Most banks charge an annual fee. If you are unable to

pay your full balance each month, you will be charged high interest rates (usually 18% or higher) on the remaining

balance and any addional charges you make. Make sure you stay within your budget when making credit card

purchases.

Foreign Currency

If you deposit a check drawn on a foreign bank in your U.S. checking account, it may have to go through a collec-

on process. This means that the money is not available to you unl the U.S. bank has collected it from the for-

eign bank. It may take several weeks before the money is credited to your account.

In countries with restricons on foreign exchange, you may need to provide your sponsor or your family with cer-

caon of enrollment in order to receive money from your home country. The applicaon forms for leers of

cercaon are available in UC Internaonal Services oce. Please allow ve working days for processing.

Banks near Pace University

JP Morgan Chase: 214 Broadway, New York, NY 10038

Bank of America: 150 Broadway, New York, NY 10038

TD Bank: 182 Broadway, New York, NY 10038

Cibank: 250 Broadway, New York, NY 10038