NYU is test-optional. If you choose to submit neither the SAT/ACT nor AP scores, that is perfectly acceptable. However, if you choose not to submit the SAT/ACT, you can use AP scores instead, but you must submit at least three specific AP exams to satisfy their testing pathway. To me it’s kinda dumb? They’re basically saying if you want to submit AP scores submit these three. But regardless, no standardized test scores are a requirement for this cycle.
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Lol, thank you SJ. We can agree to disagree. But NYU favors full pay students, shhh.
Regarding your course rigor, I’m wondering why you haven’t taken any physics. Generally speaking, Earth Science and Environmental Science are not considered “college track” sciences. And I’m only seeing two years of language. Your rigor is not as strong as some of the candidates you will be competing against and may hold you back.
Regarding letters of recommendation, NYU allows for up to three letters so if there is a teacher that you feel will write a great letter, you should ask them. Find every possible way to boost your application.
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You’re disagreeing with actual statistics…ok. I’m out.
The first two years of high school are basically all classes I’m required to take. Everyone at my high school takes all of those classes, besides law. And they take those classes at either the regular or honors level. I originally was going to take AP Bio my senior year but I didn’t want to risk dropping my GPA and my upward trend for a class that dosen’t even closely relate to my major, so I replaced it with APES. I’m well aware I don’t have the most rigorous classes, which is a result of me deciding I want to go to college at the beginning of my junior year. Hence why I started a mentorship program at my middle school to help students avoid late academic realization like I had. However, I hope I make up for that in my ECs. Again, I’m glad I won’t be up against the Stern students who did take AP Physics and AP Calc BC, so the 10 APs I did take, will hopefully be competitive enough. Regarding two years of french, there was only one more french class I could take before I exhausted the courses offered. I could have completely finished the french offerings at my school my sophomore year if I chose to. My french teacher is the one who is writing my rec, and I expect it to be pretty good. As mentioned, she was accepted for the major I’m applying to, so she knows what they’re looking for.
I will agree with you since it bothers you. NYU favors low income students 
A college does not have to look at individual applicants’ FA applications (or lack thereof) in order to favor applicants from money by increasing the weight of correlates to family money. Examples include SAT/ACT (relative to GPA), legacy, expensive extracurriculars, recommendations, etc.
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My exact point as I stated above. Low income students are not spending 10k for a 2 week summer program, hence why I find it favorable to write about. Although thats not what the essay is about, it’s a way for them to indirectly infer your income.
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OP, I wonder why you bother posting on a message board when you aren’t paying attention to what experienced posters are telling you.
Do NOT write about anything that suggests or emphasizes that you are affluent or are comfortable around affluent people. Unless you are F. Scott Fitzgerald, the likelihood that this will result in a strong essay is pretty weak.
The reality that Steinhardt’s class may or may not be comprised primarily of affluent international students is completely irrelevant. They aren’t admitting cohorts- they admit individual students. Knowing two or three or five students whose stats were weaker than yours but had more money than you- or knowing a student with GREAT stats but who needed aid is not a valid statistical practice. You have anecdotes- terrific. That doesn’t mean that NYU doesn’t admit kids who need a lot of aid- they do; or that getting in if you are affluent is a cake-walk because it’s not.
Your background looks intriguing. Your “rigor” seems slightly below the typical NYU admit these days which is neither here nor there- you took the classes you wanted to take and that’s fine. I would NOT go test optional. Your scores are fine, and going TO suggests that they are much lower than they are and will not add to your application at all.
Take a look at the media studies program at Fordham. You need more than one college to apply to, even though you seem quite sure that you’ll be getting in to NYU. And I hope you do.
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Hi Blossom. The two “experienced posters” you mention opinions disagree with each other. When you say “aren’t paying attention,” I assume you’re talking about my push back on the financial aid conversation. If that’s the case, your advice would be to ‘listen to what the experienced posters are saying,’ but the experienced posters have two completely different claims.
Again, my supplemental essay has nothing to do with affluence. I’m not sure if you read my thread about the essay, but it says nothing about “being comfortable around affluent people” nor does it “emphasize that I’m affluent.” I’m not sure where you got that from, or why that assumption was made. In fact, I portray myself as the exact opposite, as evidenced by my previous message. I started this to see what people thought of my chances, not to argue whether NYU is actually need-blind or not. Thank you for your kind wishes.
I am responding to this, which is what you wrote. Bridging the gap between a Palestinian friend and an Israeli friend is enough of an essay, without having to signal ANYTHING. The fact that you’ve hung out with really wealthy people ( 99.9 % is a very high number) is neither here nor there. It won’t help you; it could hurt you. Being wealthy is not a problem. Calling attention to it, “signaling” in some way “I belong at NYU” is what’s the problem.
Good luck.
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There’s a misunderstanding. I’m reposting what I previously said since that was skipped over.
"Totally agree. The essay I’ve written has nothing to do with affluence, and is solely about the bridge I built between two people who would likely never cross paths because of geopolitical division and how that extended into my own bridge. NYU looks for bridge builders, global competence, and independence. I chose this supplemental essay topic because it not only answers the prompt but it displays the three qualities I listed. It was only after I wrote the essay I considered the potential benefit the program might have on my application.
I can almost guarantee all of the Vogue students NYU admitted were full pay. Participating in the program might signal “I’m another full pay student.” Obviously this is 100% not true and it’s just something I thought of and observed after drafting the topic. Also, Vogue Summer School is very similar to NYU life. It’s a diverse group of students studying in NYC. So I think it’s reasonable to acknowledge the benefit that might have on my application. I think they could view this as: this student has already experienced what it’s like to be a student in Manhattan, we know they can handle it and know what to expect. Thank you for your feedback!"
I hope this reiterates it better. I didn’t write the supplemental in hopes of “signaling I’m a rich student!” Not at all. Thank you for acknowledging the actual message of the story, but I’d sure hope a summer program wouldn’t hurt my chance of admission like you possibly suggest. No where do I call wealth to attention, and that signal isn’t mentioned anywhere at all. Of course I’m going to acknowledge that many of my peers who I did Vogue with that also now attend NYU are all full pay students. I’m not sure why that’s causing a discussion.
Right, this is my original suggestion on this thread before you provided us with specific information about your AP & SAT scores. If your AP scores are not all "4"s and "5"s, then I would choose not to submit. I would submit the 1400+ SAT score which is a great score for Steinhardt. I don’t work in the NYU admissions office but you don’t want any staff member to guesstimate a lower SAT score, if this is part of the process (not suggesting that it is).
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But this is what you stated in the original prompt about possibly signaling full pay. Expect diverse perspectives & critical commentary. Experienced people have lots of different takes on what and what not to discuss in writing (in application essays) and what and what not to say verbally (in interviews). If NYU admissions is specifically targeting full-pay students, an institutional goal in the next cycle (≈50-60%), they won’t need to rely on applicants directly stating or indirectly suggesting it. Admissions committees are highly trained to “read between the lines” & screen applications by certain criteria in meeting institutional goals, which can change from cycle to cycle.
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Here’s the deal: A non-competitive summer program geared mostly for wealthy kids is typically not a huge plus for admissions. Assuming you’re already mentioning it in your activities, bringing it up again in an essay may be a negative. Several people, my self included, have mentioned this.
If the experience you had bringing together two kids from different cultures is really something about yourself you’d like to highlight, great. But you’ve admitted that you think the fact that it occurred during the summer program is going to help you in some way. My two cents: it’s not and might be a negative.
Of course, this is only an opinion. What you choose to do with it is up to you.
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Please be aware that NYU does reject full pay students each year - don’t make a nonsensical assumption, like a 90% admit rate for full-pay or even 50% - not true!
NYU received over 120,000 applications with approx. 25,000 applying ED, the highest of any private university in the U.S.
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Hmmm. Do you know if there are any PPT slides available anywhere online? NYU meeting 100% demonstrated need doesn’t necessarily mean that they are practicing need-blind admissions. They could have misstated something in their presentation or confusing “need-blind” with the new NYU Promise Program. Unless I see it in print on the official admissions webpage, I wouldn’t believe it.
Reminder that this is a chance me post. Please direct comments to the OP and answer their questions.
Don’t twist arguments. I never said they favor them. But a quarter of the student body is low income enough to receive Pell grants, and the average aid to freshmen is around 60% of the cost of attendance. Do the math.
I guess if we disregard every common belief that NYU is notorious for not giving good financial aid, I will be in luck