Dear Tisch Applicant,
My name is Jack and I, unlike many CC users, did not have a 4.0 GPA. Last I checked, I had a 3.18 UW. I didn’t take any APs. I slept through math classes and doodled during science labs all four years in high school. Still, I was accepted to Tisch (Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film and Television, Department of Dramatic Writing) with a full tuition scholarship ($55,000/year). If I could do it, so can you.
Let me start by saying users on CC are often blinded by the achievements of others and left unable to appreciate their own accomplishments. After I applied to NYU and joined the forum, I started to seriously doubt myself. I applied to nine other schools, none of which come even remotely close to the academic rigor of NYU, because I let what other people said about scores, GPAs, financial aid and extracurriculars get to me. If you’re waiting to hear back from a dream school and this forum is making you nervous, take a break. Speaking from experience, it’s the healthiest thing you can do. If you are thinking about applying to a top-tier art, film or theatre school like Tisch but are worried about your chances because of your academic record, keep reading.
Now, I’ll disclose that I’m not dumb. While my grades aren’t good by any means (if you chose any of my high school report cards at random, it would probably read A B B C B B), I did do fairly well on standardized testing. I reported a 2000 SAT and a 30 ACT, and I think they demonstrated my academic ability enough that my grades weren’t held against me. However, I believe my essays are what got me in, and that I would have gotten in even if I scored an 1800 on my SATs. In my opinion, conviction is the single most important part of a college application. Know why you’re applying to Tisch. Know the programs they offer in which you’d like to participate. Know the names of professors whose classes you would like to take. And when you write that all-important supplement essay, feel free to gush, but don’t pander. Don’t say “I want to go to NYU because it is good,” say “I AM NYU because I am good.” You know what you want, so articulate that well and get it for yourself. My “Why NYU” essay was among the strongest essays I have written in my life because I tied the school’s East Village location, LGBT history, and my future together in a compelling narrative. Similarly, my Common App essay was written about combatting the lack of LGBT (particularly the L, B and T) representation in film and media. I received a few comments from people who proofread my essays that I might have been pigeonholing myself as a queer writer and not a writer for the masses, but I stuck to my guns and it worked out in the end because I told the school what I wanted and exactly how I planned to get it. If you want to advocate for a cause, make a political statement or even just make people happy through your art, mention it. Tisch eats that stuff up. Of course, it helps if you can follow a great essay with a solid portfolio (or audition).
Speaking of portfolios, has anyone ever told you that art school is a waste of money? That NYU doesn’t give financial aid? They’re wrong. If art school is what you’ve decided, it is the right decision for you. If your parents are willing to help you pay for it, that’s phenomenal. If they aren’t but you can still manage to pay for the program, do it. And if you’re in desperate need of financial aid, like I was (am), apply anyway. Even though NYU is notoriously stingy with need-based aid, Tisch will throw wads of money at applicants who demonstrate stellar artistic ability in their auditions or portfolios. While full-tuition scholarships are uncommon, there are quite a few every year, and half-tuition scholarships are abundant. If you are accepted on Tisch scholarship and still can’t make it work, there’s a good chance the school will give you additional aid. A large scholarship is a vote of confidence in your abilities, and the school will do a lot of work to get you to commit. Unlike perfect business students, great artists are few and far between.
The bottom line is, College Confidential is not the right place for students like you or me to stress out about college. Tisch is among the most competitive art schools in the country, but it is unlike Stern in that there is reduced emphasis on GPAs and test scores. Ultimately, the admissions process for Tisch is entirely subjective. If you are discouraged by the replies on your “Chance Me” thread, keep your head up and remember that they don’t know what they’re talking about. If you are proud of your audition or portfolio and believe your essays showcased the best side of your personality, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. Here’s to acceptance letters rolling in to all of you in the next few months. Until then, feel free to use this thread to discuss the application process, your fears, suspicions, hopes, dreams, or current events with other Tisch applicants. You guys deserve a safe space from condescending business students. I look forward to seeing you on campus next fall!
-Jack