College Spotlight Series: Everything You Need to Know About NYU

Located in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, New York University is a mecca of culture with a diverse study body. As one of the largest private research universities in the United States, NYU offers a range of disciplines and opportunities.

Are you interested in applying to NYU? Read on for information and advice.

NYU: The Quick Facts

Type: Private

Location: New York City

Founded: 1831

Enrollment 59,061 (total); 28,799 (undergraduate)

Tuition: $49,062 (2016-2017 tuition)

Admission Rate: 28%

Average SAT Score: 1410 (1600 SAT Scale); 2016 (old 2400 SAT)

An Introduction to NYU

NYU is comprised of many different schools. Schools that offer undergraduate degrees include:

• College of Arts and Sciences
• College of Dentistry
• College of Nursing
• Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences
• Gallatin School of Individualized Study
• Leonard N. Stern School of Business
• Tandon School of Engineering
• Silver School of Social Work
• School of Professional Studies
• Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
• Tisch School of the Arts.

While Arts and Sciences is the largest school, NYU is also well known for other schools, such as Tisch, which boasts notable alumni like Alec Baldwin and Lady Gaga. The university is a haven for arts, music, and culture, and has a reputation for the artistic achievements of its students and rigor of the academic curriculum.

Students & Culture

NYU’s location allows for many opportunities and internships. The student body is quite diverse, and the school is known to be open-minded and liberal. Its commitment to diversity is evidenced by the many diversity-based mentorship programs NYU operates.

The school is also well known for its study abroad programs, and more students from NYU study in foreign countries than from any other American university.

NYU is also known to graduate current and future celebrities. Athletics are not a big part of the culture, though many students are involved in intramural sports. Theater, community service, and career-oriented clubs and groups are especially popular.

Enrollment, Tuition, & Financial Aid

Freshman enrollment: 6,133

Tuition: $63,472 (with room, board, and other fees); $49,062 (just tuition)

Financial aid: 50% of students receive some form of need-based aid, and the average award is $29,971 (Visit NYU’s financial aid website for more information.)

Location

NYU’s main campus is situated In the heart of Greenwich Village, a cultural hub of New York City. Many buildings are clustered around Washington Square Park, recognized by its giant landmark archway and fountain. The Park reflects the artsy, nonconformist culture of the school.

Many theaters, such as the famed IFC, and museums are within walking distance, as is Union Square. Most freshman doors are near Washington Square Park. Students can also take advantage of New York’s easily operable public transportation system. It’s important to note that NYU doesn’t have a singular, definable campus; instead, the buildings are scattered around the area.

NYU also operates branch campuses in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai, China.

Best Programs & Popular Majors

NYU’s most popular majors include:

• Visual and Performing Arts
• Social Sciences
• Business
• Liberal Arts and Sciences
• General Studies and Humanities

Each school has a wide range of majors available.

Housing

Brittany Hall (East Village): provides themed “Explorations” floors, a large lounge and performance space, recreation room, music room, dance room, Penthouse Study Lounge, and laundry room, among other amenities.

Founders Hall (Union Square/East Village): features a large outdoor courtyard, two TV lounges, one study lounge with computers, wi-fi access throughout the lobby and lounges, recycling/trash rooms on every floor, a laundry room, and energy and sustainability focused features. In addition to Residence Advisors, the building has a Writing Affiliate to help freshmen learn and improve their writing skills.

Goddard Hall (Washington Square Park area): organized around the theme of citizen engagement; students affiliate with one of six themed “streams,” which range from social justice issues to “Poverty & Affluence” to affinity-based streams devoted to “Writing New York” or “All the World’s a Stage.”

Greenwich Residence (West Village): air-conditioned, apartment-style residence hall with bath, kitchen, and dining area in each unit; also includes a newly renovated lower lounge with a study room, practice rooms, dance room, pool table, and television. Residents are mostly sophomores and upperclassmen, but some freshmen may live there as well.

Lipton Hall (Washington Square Park area): amenities include wi-fi throughout the building, a large common room with a community kitchen, a game room, and multiple group and quiet study lounges. The basement contains music rooms, a dance practice room, and a new commuter lounge. A dining hall is located within the building.

Rubin Hall (5th Avenue – intersection of East and West Villages): offers large air-conditioned lounge on second floor, a black box theatre, a study lounge, a dance room, a piano room, a ping pong room, and a billiards room. Rubin also has a water bottle-filling station on the second floor.

Third Avenue North (East Village/Union Square): amenities include Courtyard Café Dining Hall, a mini-theater, dance studio, music practice rooms, game room, laundry rooms, TV lounge, many study lounges throughout the building, a computer lab, and an outdoor courtyard. The building also includes a substance-free floor.

University Hall (Union Square): known as Uhall; includes a TV lounge, a music practice room with a piano, a small conference room with a printing station, and a study lounge. Also includes Burger Studio and a branch of the University Learning Center, NYU’s peer tutoring center.

Weinstein Hall (Union Square): offers a big screen TV, foosball, ping pong, and pool tables and is used as both a study lounge and a space for the RAs to hold events and activities. In the sub-cellar there are music practice rooms with pianos, a laundry room, and three classrooms, which can also double as study lounges. Includes many dining options.

For more information on housing at NYU, check out A Day in the Life of an NYU Student.

Walking Through the NYU Admissions Process

Applicants will need to fill out the Common Application, along with the NYU supplement. Students will also need to send standardized test score reports and transcripts. Steinhardt and Tisch require portfolios or auditions for most majors.

You may not request interviews, but NYU occasionally invites students to interview online. If you are being “strongly considered” for the NYU Abu Dhabi and/or NYU Shanghai campus, you may be invited to meet with students, faculty, and administrators on campus.

Admissions officers personally review all applications.

Average Admitted Student

Acceptance rate: 28% (This the lowest rate in 16 years.)

SAT: 1410 average Composite SAT score (New 1600 SAT); 1320 for 25th percentile, 1500 for 75th percentile

Students are required to submit SAT or ACT without writing supplements (Alternatively students may submit three approved AP/IB scores, IB diploma, or another nationally accredited exam in lieu of SAT/ACT.) Steinhardt and Tisch applicants who submit a portfolio do not need to submit standardized test scores.

Average GPA: 3.7 (A-)

Given that a majority of admitted students are in the top 10% of their class, student should take a rigorous curriculum in high school. NYU is probably a middle school for most top students, and may be a reach for some. This varies based on the school to which you choose to apply within the university.

Deadlines

Early decision: November 1 (binding); notified by December 15

Early decision II: January 1 (binding); notified by February 15

Regular decision: January 1; notified by April 1

How to Apply

You must complete the Common Application and supplement to apply. You must also send an $80 application fee or fee waiver. Students applying to Steinhardt or Tisch must submit auditions or portfolios, with a couple of exceptions. Visit the admissions website for more information on applying.

Applying to NYU

NYU is a competitive, well-regarded school, ideal for career-focused students. Since it is situated in such a large, diverse city, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the culture and advance professionally.

For more information on NYU, check out:

How to Write the New York University Application Essay 2017-2018

A Day in the Life of an NYU Student

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