tojolove

any input would be great..much appreciated

filinadiangirl

well, i'm only a high school sophmore right now, and i want 2 attend the dramatic writing program. please check my chances:

-Living in Toronto, Canada
-Asian (formerly an immigrant, but got citizenship in 2000)
-First Gen. female
-So far, have a 72-75% average, but is currently increased
-Have yet to take SATS, but studying soon
-EC: stage crew of play (I live far away from my school, but we're moving to an area close to the school this summer)
-Planned ECs: yearbook, school newspaper, photography club, improv team, performing arts council
-volunteer at library
-currently searching for a summer job
-courses taken for grade 11: english, math, religion, french, drama, accounting, biology, media studies (these are all university-level, as the curriculm in ontario are different)

as well, the website says that ppl living in ontario must gain the Ontario Secondary School Diploma, in exchange for the US recommended courses, and i'm very close to earn the diploma. and i also want to know if admissions are difficult for international students?

NOCCA Junior

Well, I'm not really sure how the Canadian system works...but, for Tisch, they suggest 4 years of English and 4 (maybe 3) each of Math, Science, and Social Studies. Tisch also suggests 2 (maybe 3, can't remember) years in the same foreign language. I'm also not really sure what the 72%-75% average means, but a grade like that generally translates into the C/D range GPA, definitely less than 3.0. Basically, Tisch will be judging you not only on the quality of your portfolio but also your academics. So, be sure to especially do extremely well next year (junior year is the most important in terms of grades for any college hopeful, and colleges like to see an upward trend). I don't think admissions are more difficult for international students in terms of the portfolio/academics, but NYU does not offer financial aid to internationals. So, basically know that you'll probably have to face close to $58K in terms of just tuition/room and board alone. NYU admissions are not need-blind when it comes to international students, so an inability to pay pretty much the whole thing will be taken into account when it comes down to the admissions staff having your application on the table. But, if you know what you're going to do financially (aka getting tons of scholarship money or have rich parents), the only thing you have to worry about is getting better grades, taking SAT prep courses, and working as hard as you can on your portfolio (which will include writing samples). Here's the link for requirements to audition for the Dramatic Writing program:UG DDW Portfolio: Tisch School of the Arts at NYU
Of course, it's possible requirements might differ slightly in the next two years, so definitely check back on the NYU Tisch website for more details when audition/application time comes. Hope that helps!

scorp_ion

actually, correct me if i'm wrong, but I think in canada 100-80% is an A, and 80-70% is a B, so the grades really aren't as terrible as they seem.

NOCCA Junior

I was thinking on the American system, but once again, I'm probably completely wrong. You should still aim for high grades your junior year, filinadiangirl.

tojolove

Hi Nocca Junior, may be this has been asked before..but what is the kind of grades and Sat scores that Tisch is looking for in freshmen applying for the film program..does one have to declare the major at the time of applying or is it the same foundation for all in the freshmen regardless of their intended major.when does one have to declare the major that you want to opt for after joining.thanks

NOCCA Junior

Well, I'd say that someone applying to Tisch in general should probably have at least, at LEAST, a 3.0 GPA and around 1850-1900 SATs...of course, people have gotten in with scores lower than this, but not often. If so, their portfolio was absolutely AMAZING. Or there was something else about their application that Tisch valued...but generally, the above stats, at least in my opinion based on discussions I've had with both admissions officers and students, is the lowest of academics that Tisch is probably willing to accept. A lot of Tisch students are really academically inclined, and could have just as well gotten into CAS, Stern, and Ivys (I know one who got into Yale but turned it down for Tisch Drama). So, basically, I would tell any Tisch hopeful to reach for the highest, absolute highest, scores they possibly can. It would really suck to be artistically qualified for Tisch, but academically qualified. They wouldn't tell you the difference anyway, but if you have the grades/SAT scores/extracurriculars, at least that part of the application doesn't have to be worried about.

Majors in Tisch (with the exception of Cinema Studies) offer the BFA degree, and all students in BFA programs (like Film and Television), start immediately with artistic requirements in the freshman year. Film and Television students' schedules each freshman year semester are 8 credits of Film and TV related courses, 4 of Core Curriculum (the dreaded Writing the Essay sequence), and 4 of the liberal arts of your choice. This is the schedule for a film student each semester. When you are applying to Tisch, you have to specify a major...there's no getting into Tisch and then declaring the major afterwards. That's why each department within Tisch has its own requirements for admission.

Hope that helps!

techgirl1213

let's say you meet the academic standards for tisch (3.0 gpa w/ 1900 sat)... what would be considered an AMAZING film submission? is it enough to have made 2-4 competent films throughout high school and be active in high school film programs, or do you need ridiculously good films?

NOCCA Junior

Well, honestly, you can never tell what the admissions committee is looking for. When I say, AMAZING, I mean AMAZING in the eyes of the Tisch auditors. Although I think having experience does help out a lot (especially for film majors, who for def need a lot more high school experience than, say, the drama major, who can just get in off raw talent), you really never know exactly what you're looking for. That's why academics can be a factor...someone that they think is just as competent artistically as you are. The deciding factor might very well be the grades. But, getting back to your original question, honestly, there's nothing more to do once you submit your film and you know you've worked as hard as you can and used all your film knowledge to do it, than to cross your fingers and hope for the best. It's what I did after my drama audition :-).

nicknnora

Hi NOCCA Junior,

I would just like to ask, I've applied to the CAS, but I'm interested in doing a double major (one in CAS, the other in Tisch, Cinema Studies). Are there many people who do this and is it - I don't know - considered to be "weaker" than if you were to be in Tisch and pursue another major in the CAS?

NOCCA Junior

If you've applied to the CAS, there is a Cinema Studies major there. Tisch, as you know, also has a Cinema Studies major, but you have to apply through Tisch (meaning a submission of a portfolio, I think it's about 10 pages) in addition to the application to be considered a Tisch student. This applies to your question in the fact that, if you were accepted to CAS, you wouldn't be able to do a double major in Tisch. Only if you were seen as a Tisch Cinema Studies student (and not a CAS Cinema Studies student) would you be able to do a double major with CAS. Basically, this is because, while CAS is open to all the other "specialty" schools (Tisch School, Stern School of Business, and Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Developement), these schools' classes are not open to CAS students (for instance, a CAS student could not take any of my drama studio classes, but I can, and have to, take humanities and sciences in CAS).

You'd probably want to know what the difference is between Tisch Cinema Studies and CAS Cinema Studies. I've heard that CAS is more writing/history based and in Tisch you do that and more cinema-artistic endeavors (maybe you'd understand what that means more than I do...I'm a drama major haha).

And a Tisch student double-majoring in CAS is fine...a lot of students do it.

If you still want to do Cinema Studies, that's fine, you can do it in CAS. Just not in Tisch, because you didn't apply there. If you don't like CAS's Cinema Studies, you could always transfer next year to Tisch.

If you have any more questions about this post (it may be a bit confusing) or anything else, feel free to ask.

kwibbles

Hi Nocca Junior. I think it's really nice of you to take all this time, over the course of so many months, to hold so many nervous hands! Here's one more set of nervous hands: my daughter just got accepted to Tisch. She tried out for musical theater as a first choice and Stella Adler for her second choice but if they put her in Stella Adler, will she have any chance at all to perform musically or is it strictly drama? We're all completely thrilled at the acceptance, never really thought she'd get in (there are so many talented kids!), and I can't imagine she'd turn it down, but I'm just curious how the different programs work, or if they overlap. Also, do most Tisch kids stay in the same dorms at least for the first year or two? I know the lottery system gets a little crazy, but they do make an effort to place freshmen together. Where do Tisch freshmen for the most part room? Thanks for your help. We're really excited.

DM290

Hey. I just applied to Tisch for photography and I am, as we all are, very very anxious. Due to reading previous posts on this thread, I saw that you passed some judgements on whether we we're fit for Tisch and I was hoping that you can give me some insight as well!!!! I'm a male from Long Island, NY and I attend a very competitive high school. I have many extra c. activities---I am vp of thespian and art honor societies, president of our spirit club, part of a student action movement, and on an advising committee for the principle. In addition, I'm big on community service and student council within the school. I'm very active and have done every school show and am even the art coordinator for the hs. I also belong to many other little clubs in the school. I have about a high 3.8 gpa. The only catch: my ACTs and SATS aren't very great. I only decided to send in my ACT scores. I've come to accept the fact that with all the tutors and studying and prep. I just couldn't successfully take the test. I apologize if I come off as if I gave up, that is not what I intend to convey. Anyway, I've taken them numerous times and have even done well on the SAT 2s. I am graduating with about 7 AP classes. I chose great teacher's for my recs and worked so hard on my essays. I am just so nervous!! Furthermore, when I was going into my junior year of high school I was accepted into Tisch Summer programs for photography, so I know many people there already--from students to professors (I stayed in Goddard--fortunately it was air-conditioned because it gets so hot in the summer). The previous summer I took classes at Yale Drama. Even though acting is a great passion of mine, I really felt that I changed as a person after returning home from my summer at NYU. Each experience was "eye-opening," however I can see myself going down the photography road so much more! I wasn't able to apply early primarily for financial reasons and am constantly scolding my parents! Your opinion would greatly be appreciated. NYU has always been my #1 and the city is my life! Thanks again.

NOCCA Junior

Hello! Thanks, I'm quite proud of my CC thread haha. As you know, a lot of kids that audition for Tisch Drama have CAP 21 as their first studio--I believe about half of the annual 2700-3000 applicants. Hopefully, your daughter has been placed into her first choice. If not, there's no reason to reject Tisch all together if she were placed into Stella Adler. There are a lot of musical opportunities (well, maybe not freshman year, because we're not allowed to perform), both within most of the drama studios as well as shows. Every studio has some form of voice and movement requirement--I believe Adler students take Ballet and "Acting a Song" if I remember correctly--although only CAP 21 is the full musical theatre studio. But I know a ton of students (especially at my studio, Strasberg, where half of the students had CAP 21 as their first choice) who are in straight drama studios, had CAP 21 as their first choice, and are musically talented, and love where they are. The recent Tisch mainstage musical, Only Children, had a lot of cast members from straight drama students, not just from CAP...it was a very diverse cast.

Not to mention there are tons of opportunities for students in drama studio-wise. One of the things I really love about Tisch and the studio system is that it's so flexible to one's individual training needs. Regardless if your daughter were placed into CAP or Adler, she would need to complete the first two years in the same studio, after which she has a number of options, including switching to another studio for advanced training, continuing into the advanced track at that same studio, or taking studio abroad (in a variety of locations, including RADA in London, Shanghai Arts Academy in China, or, over the summer, a fabulous and popular ETW experience in Amsterdam). So, if she were placed into Adler and wanted to audition for placement into CAP for musical training, she could. Or she could take the wide variety of options available.

But studio training does not overlap. Each studio is separate from one another, in different locations around the city.

Most Tisch students and students in general do indeed stay in the dorms for at least their freshman year. Some move out during sophomore year, but it's really during junior and senior years that the mass moving out of housing starts. It really just depends on the person...for some, off-campus housing is actually CHEAPER, for others, they have the money for a nice apartment (some of my friends) so, hey, why not? But she should room at NYU for at least her freshman year...it's really how she'll make her best friends here, apart from studio.

As far as freshman dorms are concerned, they are, as you probs already know, Hayden, Rubin, Goddard, Weinstein, Brittany (traditional-style dorms) and University Hall and Third North (apartment-style). I'm going to assume that your daughter applied regular decision; if so, she has a very small chance of getting Hayden, which is about 90% percent ED kids. Hayden is typically considered to be the most social out of all the dorms, though there are definitely a few that will repute that. I'm a resident of Hayden and was regular decision, but got in because I applied and was accepted to the French Explorations floor (your daughter might also be interested in Explorations, maybs)...it's typically easy to get the dorm you want through explorations, though I actually do really have an interest in French culture, being of Creole heritage and from New Orleans. Typically the traditional style dorms are a bit more social, but a lot of drama students actually do stay in the apartment style dorms because they're close to practically all the studios, which are mostly uptown/Union Square area, with the exception of ETW, Playwrights Horizons, and I think Atlantic. I go to Strasberg, and the walk from Hayden is not too too far...only 12 blocks haha. But I love my dorm. I am kind of jealous of those people in U-Hall and Third North that can just wake up ten minutes (literally) before class and make it right on time though. But really, there is no one particular dorm that Tisch freshmen stay in...it's really based on location and room and personal preferences for each individual. Try visiting the NYU housing site for more details on the location/prices for each dorm. Know that there's a mandatory meal plan for traditional-style dorms.

If your daughter wanted to room with someone, she's definitely going to be able to, if her roommate has the exact same choices as she does. I know a lot of people that went to high school together (aka people from my high school) and are rooming together at NYU.

Ok, that post was probably way longer than it needed to be, but if you do have any questions/need any clarification let me know.

Hope that helps!

NOCCA Junior

To DM:
Well, as always, I have no idea what they will think of your artistic portfolio...my advice, as always, is to do your best. I can maybe help out on the academic part. Your GPA is really good, and you seem to be very involved in extracurriculars, which Tisch also highly prizes. I'm not exactly sure what your "low SAT and ACT scores" mean, but it's probably not as bad as it seems. Tisch is definitely one of the most competitive arts schools to get in academically wise, but I'm sure they wouldn't reject you based on low-ish SAT/ACT scores, especially with such a high GPA and involvement in extracurriculars and stuff. They look at the whole person in your application, including essay and, in the case of Tisch, portfolio. So if it's just SAT/ACT scores you're worried about, I wouldn't worry at all...and this is based on what I've been told and based on the SAT scores I've heard from some fellow Tischies (some of which have been really, really low haha). It sounds like you really want Tisch and you should be confident that you displayed that in your portfolio. With Tisch, it's always less certain because the arts are very subjective...what's great to one school may not cut it at another. Hopefully your portfolio is what Tisch is looking for. But, once again, they will definitely NOT reject you solely based on your low ACT/SAT scores, especially since you have a high GPA and pretty much other well-rounded qualities. But I can't chance you on your overall acceptance to Tisch...no one on this board can do that haha. I wish you the best of luck!