<p>Is NYU-Polytech hard to get in with a 3.4 gpa? I have extracurriculars and I plan to apply for Fall 2012 if it’s not too late or Spring 2013. I also want to know what kind of essay they want me to write?</p>
<p>Also when does the merger complete?</p>
<p>NYU-Poly at the moment is easier to get into than main NYU because they don’t receive as many applications, but it has been getting harder over the last few years because of the affiliation. Still, with decent grades, challenging coursework, and a 1350+ SAT (Reading and Math, but Math should be higher), you should be able to get in. Extracurriculars help, but they mostly look at grades and SAT. For the essay, try to be creative and make sure it is well written. If possible, also try to show how invention, innovation, or entrepreneurship are important to you. This is NYU-Poly’s philosophy: i2e, and I think it would impress them if you wrote about something relating to that than just a generic essay that gets tossed around to every college.</p>
<p>As for when NYU-Poly becomes fully consolidated into NYU, there is still no set date. The merger is often said to be “event-based”, but the two schools have already begun system and database integration (student information, alumni information, financial information, bank accounts) so it really can’t be much longer. </p>
<p>NYU-Poly is also already having some of its departments merge with other departments within Poly or with other departments at NYU in order to be ready for the merger. The Department of Chemical and Biological Science recently merged into the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering to form the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, because NYU already has a chemistry department, and the Poly chemistry professors mainly did engineering research (protein engineering, tissue engineering, drug delivery engineering) anyway. The NYU-Poly math department is to become a sub-division of the famed math department at NYU Courant. There are other department mergers being discussed as well, to avoid redundancy with NYU. </p>
<p>The NYU 2031 plan (NYU’s strategic building plan for the next 20 years), written in 2010, actually mentions the merger being complete in three to five years (2013-2015). The current president of Poly is set to leave next summer, with a new person (hired by NYU) taking his place. So the answer is soon, but we don’t know how soon yet. College mergers usually happen during the summer, so in the summer of 2013-2015, the merger is very likely to be finalized.</p>