<p>From what I’ve been reading on CC and the NYU website, it appears that many applicants with 1300+ SAT’s (old version) have been referred to the GSP (General Studies Program), when they clearly do not belong there in the first place. At the same time, it appears that there are applicants to the HEOP (Higher Education Opportunity Program) with 900-1050 SAT’s who are accepted into NYU and then given a summer of remedial English/Math so that they’ll be ready to handle academic studies as freshmen in the Fall. It seems like NYU bends over backwards to remediate these applicants, and then puts the applicants with 1300+ and probably excellent grades, etc. into GSP (or even rejects them).</p>
<p>Our son was recently accepted to NYU-GSP, Freshman Year in Florence program. We were a bit surprised because we are from Oregon and all that we have read is that the Freshman Year in Florence program is for international students. He is one of those 1300+ SAT kids, excellent grades, great ECs, recommendations, etc. He applied to Gallatin but was placed in GSP. Our theory is that these kids are essentially NYUs guarantee transfer pool. But, rather than the kids going to another school (and giving them their tuition money), they put them into GSP for two years and then let them transfer as others wash out from the program thru attrition. Our son talked about having a “gap” year in europe, so this program is rather intriguing to us.</p>
<p>You should understand that HEOP is a New York state program. It is for kids from disadvantaged backgrounds. Many, though not all, of the kids involved are underrepresented minorities. (Being a URM is NOT required; it’s just that a substantial % of kids who qualify are URMs. ) Thus, many of the costs of the program are paid by NY State, not NYU. The kids add diversity to NYU–not just in terms of the color of their skins. These kids are from poor families. </p>
<p>IMO, there’s a difference between a kid who comes from a family with an income of $25,000, often from a family with a single parent whose native language isn’t English, and attends a public school where half or more of the student body is eligible for a free lunch scoring a 1000 on the SAT and a kid with two college-educated parents who speak English at home and who attends a good quality high school scoring a 1000. </p>
<p>I assure you that the HEOP kids who get into NYU have VERY good grades–in most cases, though, they earned them at less than stellar high schools. </p>
<p>HEOP’s a good program. Most of the kids make it through and get a degree. The colleges like it because the funds NY State give them enable them to give more support to these kids without taking $ away from any other part of the college. HEOP kids’ graduation rates at the colleges that participate tend to be much higher than those of kids from similar backgrounds who aren’t given the extra NY STATE PAID FOR support. See </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.highered.nysed.gov/kiap/COLLEGIATE/HEOP/introduction_to_heop.htm[/url]”>http://www.highered.nysed.gov/kiap/COLLEGIATE/HEOP/introduction_to_heop.htm</a></p>
<p>for more information.</p>