| Perhaps you can talk to the head of the department that reviewed you artistically and perhaps they will give you some imput. From there you might be able to gather what might have happened. But NYU won't say you were accepted academically and not creatively or vice versa. I think that admissions always has the final say. The way it was explained at an info session, is that the apps come in to admisssions and are reviewed academically. The ones that "pass" a preliminary academic screening are forward to the various departments that requrie auditions/ portfolios. These department heads will give their assessments back to admissions who will then forward back their final decision. In some cases there may be some back and forth/ push and pull, but in the end admissions has the last call. Also, the assesment made by the department head may take into account academics. as well. I don't think there is a decision made on either end that is purely based on artistic merits. | 
College Confidential is dedicated to providing the best free college admissions information available on the Web, through our many articles and this discussion forum. For those of you who wish more personal advising, College Confidential offers private counseling services, conducted via e-mail, with services starting at $89. Counseling is conducted by our Director of Counseling Dave Berry, co-author of America's Elite Colleges and/or with Sally Rubenstone, co-author of Panicked Parents Guide to College Admission, and our other outstanding associates. See College Counseling for more information.
