The Ivy Scholars guide to New York University’s culture, admissions, and other essential information for prospective students and their families.
Location: Greenwich Village, NY
Mascot: Bobcat
Type: Private Research Institution
Population: 51,000 (26,700 undergrads)
Founded in 1831, NYU decided to be an institution based on merit instead of birthright or social class. It is now the largest private research university in the United States. It has emerged as a university focused on networking and using extensive worldwide platforms for learning, teaching, researching, building knowledge, and inventing new ways to meet humanity’s challenges.
Year Founded: 1831
4 Year Graduation Rate: 81%
Gender Distribution: 58% female, 42% male
Acceptance Rate: 28%
Residency: 33% in state, 40% out of state, 27% international
Location Type: Urban
Schedule System: Semesters
Student/Faculty Ratio: 9:1
Average Class Size: 30
Demographics: 32% Caucasian, 24% Other/Unknown, 15% Asian, 11% Hispanic, 6% Black
US News Rankings:
Independent Rankings:
Application Deadlines:
Notification Dates:
Acceptance Rates:
Average Applicant Pool: 85,000
Average Number of Applicants Accepted: 13,000
Average Number Enrolled: 6,700
Application Systems: Common App
Average GPA: 3.7 unweighted
SAT Scores: 25th% – 1250, 75th% – 1480
ACT Scores: 25th% – 30, 75th% – 34
*Test mandatory. Writing sections are not required.
Subject Test Requirements:
3 Subject Tests are required when submitting the SAT, but if submitting the ACT with the writing you do not have to submit subject tests. If 3 AP tests or 3 IB higher level exam scores are submitted then the subject tests requirement is waived.
Demonstrated Interest:
NYU does consider demonstrated interest.
Recommendation Letter Policies:
Two letters of recommendation should be submitted on behalf of every candidate for admission. The counselor evaluation is submitted by a school official and one instructor/teacher evaluation is submitted by a faculty member who has taught the student in an academic subject. Both letters are solicited to illuminate information such as non‐quantifiable personal characteristics, potential for impact at NYU, and contextual information the student may not feel is important to share.
NYU Essay Prompts:
Special Notes:
Transfer:
Admissions Criteria:
The aspects the school considers very important are: course rigor, class rank, GPA, test scores, and talent.
The factors they consider important are: essays, recommendations, extracurriculars, and character.
The aspects which are considered are: first generation status, legacy status, interviews, geographic origin, race/ethnicity, volunteering, and level of interest.
Recruited athletes do not have much of an advantage when it comes to admissions, as the school does not have any kind of focus on sports.
Artistic ability is incredibly important for students applying to Tisch. These students do not need to submit test scores, but must submit portfolios or auditions.
What is NYU Looking For?
Every student is reviewed by multiple officers in what they describe as a comprehensive review. They begin by looking at academics, then use letters of recommendation to put your classroom performance into context. Extracurriculars and essays then give officers a complete view of the student. While academic record as a whole is slightly more important, they focus on transcript and course rigor more than standardized test scores.
NYU wants to see the fit a student has through their essay. They want to see the level of interest a student has backed up by the research they’ve done. They also want to get a sense of who the students are authentically, to see if those students will fit in with the goals of NYU as an institution. The essay should also be about NYU itself, not the broader city of New York. Students should also know what they’re in for at NYU, with a lack of traditional campus and a very cosmopolitan atmosphere overall.
The choice of school is very important when applying to NYU, as students who are a good match for one are often not suited for another. It is also very hard to transfer between schools. Students who are truly undecided should apply to the Liberal Studies program, which is a two-year course which covers general education requirements with room to explore possible interests, and sets students up to transfer to another school within NYU.
The university recently founded a school-wide program for environmental studies, as part of a commitment to a more environmentally conscious campus. This is also part of a larger push towards an expansion of scientific research and knowledge creation at the school. While some of this will come from the work of faculty and graduate students, undergrads looking to work in the traditional sciences are also appreciated.
NYU Strategy:
Students should demonstrate passions, even or especially if they’re undecided. While there isn’t anything wrong with being undecided, they do want to see the passions of a student demonstrated. These passions should also feed into whichever school and major the student has applied to.
The school has a test flexible policy, and tests are entirely optional for art students (though a portfolio is required). This means students should only submit the strongest scores they have, as all scores submitted will be considered. Thus if students have multiple 5s on APs but 1200 SATs, then they should submit the AP scores and not the SAT.
The easiest way to increase your chances of admission is to apply Early Decision. While the academic bar for admission is not lowered, there are fewer applicants in the early pool, and the dedication shown by students who apply with the binding ED is appreciated by schools, especially since NYU also cares about demonstrated interest generally.
The acceptance rate for ED II is not quite so high as ED I, but it is still higher than the admissions rate for those applying Regular Decision. The interest shown by the binding decision and boost to the yield rate are still there, but the students are now compared to the much broader pool of students applying RD. There is also a slight decline from ED I as it may seem NYU is your second choice school, rather than first. That said, if NYU is your second choice school, and you didn’t get into your first choice ED, ED II for NYU is a good choice.
Since NYU cares about demonstrated interest, it is an easy way to improve your chances of admission somewhat. The essay about NYU is also a good place to show that you have done your research on the school, and thought through your decision to apply.
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Schools:
Core Requirements:
Courses of Study:
AP Credit Policies:
Honors Programs:
Research Availability:
Study Abroad:
Business Options:
Pre-Med Options:
Pre-Law Options:
Computer Science Options:
Additional Specialty Programs:
Programs for High Schoolers:
Motto: To persevere and to excel.
Mission and Values:
Residential Housing System:
NYU’s two residential colleges provide a holistic learning experience for its students. Although NYU has residential colleges and dorms, their campus is sprawled all over lower Manhattan, which is why Freshmen aren’t required to live “on campus”.
Housing Statistics:
Campus & Surrounding Area:
Transportation:
Traditions:
Student-Run Organizations:
Sports:
Greek Life:
NYU has 2,000 students who are members of Greek life, making up their 30 active chapters. With 7 sororities from the Panhellenic Council, 11 fraternities from the Interfraternity Council, and 12 fraternities and sororities in the Multicultural Greek Council, NYU’s greek-life plays a role in the broader campus community.
Nightlife:
Yearly Cost of Attendance:
Financial Aid:
Scholarships:
The average grant and scholarship total is $29,500 and the average net price is $40,000. It should be noted that first-year students usually average closer to $37,000 reward.
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