I got into NYU. A school I never even dreamed of getting into. I didn’t even check the decision after receiving rejection after rejection from similarly ranked schools. It wasn’t until yesterday I checked after getting an email about being offered a CAS honor program. My heart stopped. I didn’t know whether to be excited or hold it in. I know NYU may not be a tangible option financially. I tortured myself knowing this. Here’s the thing: I basically am skating by with really bad grades this year due to natural disaster that shook the whole city. I’m going to end up with a 3.2 or 3.3 gpa from a 4.3 scale. I got a 34 on the ACT (36 on science section and 35 superscore) and I am latina. I worked my way into city government, hospital volunteering, and clawed my way up to leadership positions at school with subjects I really enjoyed. I always knew that my GPA would never be perfect, so I made up for it with diverse extracurriculars that interested me like learning Japanese, sailing, photography, piloting, violin, local newspaper editing, number sense competitions, debate, robotics, youth life, dental assisting, researching, girl scouts, guitar, modeling (amateur), community service, dance committees, helping out the local judge, and planning a senior citizen prom. I travelled to countries in Africa, Europe, and latin america. I loved all these activities and am glad I can show my journey. I attribute those activities to any reason NYU would accept me. But, I did not get any aid. I was planning on going to a local private college that I got an 88k scholarship out 240k. I feel like if I don’t accept NYU then all I will ever do is wonder what my life would be like if I did. My parents were planning on paying most of my college but now they are stressed. I am the 3rd of six children. 2 are in college at that 240k school and the others are at prestigous private high schools and middle schools. Ever since I got my acceptance my heart is screaming go, but my head is saying no. I love my parents and I want to give myself the best chance in life. I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to be selfish, but this is a chance of a lifetime. I can no longer imagine going to that college that all my siblings go to. I want to reach the world and meet new people. I just don’t know what to do.
These kind of things are always very hard to decide. Some questions you need to ask yourself and your family are
- how much of a financial burden will it be?
I know you said you got no aid but if you took loans would it be too big of a burden? - Does NYU offer anything that another school you were accepted to don’t offer?
- NYU does have a prestigious name and international recognition but is that worth The increased price?
I was accepted to NYU this year too and decided to accept the offer only because my family is currently in a financial situation where we do not have to worry about the cost too much due to my dad’s GI bill but if it weren’t for that I’d be going to the same state school as everyone else
Personally I feel that if you can afford to go or are willing to take out the loans and truly believe that NYU will provide you with what you expect then definitely take it , but if you are hesitant about any part of this then don’t go.
Note that YOU can only borrow ~$5000 per year (which goes up to ~$7000 your senior year). Your parents would have to take out the remaining loans and would have to be eligible to do so. It does not sound like realistically you can afford NYU.
Please don’t think of this as your “chance of a lifetime”or your “one shot.” There is so much more to life than where you get your undergraduate degree. And you can literally ruin your life, and your parents’, by taking on the kind of debt NYU requires.