How to Increase Your Chances of Getting Into NYU With These 5 Strategies

New York University (NYU) is a highly competitive university students all over the world hope to attend. If you are planning to apply to NYU, you have likely already heard about its acceptance rate, which is on the lower end. 

In fact, approximately 27 percent of students who apply are admitted, meaning about 27 students of every 100 who apply are accepted into NYU.

However, do not despair! If NYU is your dream school, you can definitely prepare yourself properly to apply and succeed. Though no one can guarantee college admission, you can make yourself a very attractive candidate by keeping these five strategies in mind:

 

1. Familiarize yourself with NYU’s statistics.

Before you apply to any college or university, you should get to know important facts about the campus, its population, and the expectations admissions officers have of prospective students. Not only will knowing this information solidify your desire to attend the school of your choice, but it will also help you specify why you are passionate about the school in your application.

Some NYU facts incoming undergraduates might be interested in, for example, include:

• NYU has the highest number of international students and sends the most students abroad of any university in the United States.
• NYU New York City’s student-to-faculty ratio is only 10:1.
• Over half of the students in last year’s first-year class at NYU came from public high schools.
• 20 percent of 2018’s first-year students are the first in their families to attend a college or university. 
• 94 percent of first-year NYU students return for their sophomore year.

Students interested in attending NYU might be particularly inspired by the diversity on campus based on these facts and suggest as much in their application.

Meanwhile, if you’re hoping to be accepted to NYU, it is important to also be aware of the admissions statistics and requirements, as you should work hard to ensure your scores and GPA are competitive with other applicants. 

Average Test Scores

Of course, applying to nearly any college or university requires submitting your test scores, though tests scores are not everything. Still, it’s critical to know where you stand compared to other admitted students, especially at your dream school.

The average SAT score (composite) at NYU is 1382. Furthermore, as of 2016, the 25th percentile of admitted NYU students scored 29 on the ACT, while the 75th percentile scored 33. 

If you’ve already taken the SAT and/or ACT, you can improve your scores by retaking the tests. Even if you think you can get a higher score on one portion of the SAT, it might be worth it to have a more competitive application to NYU.

Average GPA

Knowing the average GPA at your dream university will prepare you for how much you’ll need to raise your grades before you apply. Or, you will have an idea of how your grades compete with those of the students who have already been accepted.

The average GPA at NYU is 3.66. If you know you won’t be able to raise your GPA to meet the average, you still have other ways to impress NYU’s admissions officers.

 

2. Highlight your unique experiences beyond academics.

Though your academic scores and GPA are important, they do not tell the entire story of a prospective student. Like most other colleges and universities, NYU will look at more than just academic scores when considering your application.

In fact, NYU’s admissions officers will also want to learn about your unique experiences in leadership, volunteering, teamwork, etc. If you have any specific talents, hobbies, or passions, make sure those are also highlighted in your application.

You don’t need to have done everything to be a competitive applicant, but demonstrating you have a passion you’ve invested in over time will help you stand out. Take this opportunity to share in writing your specific reasons for hoping to attend NYU, much like some of the students’ whose NYU application essays are included in NSHSS Founder, Jim Lewis’s book, Real Students, Real Stories. In their essays the students share why NYU is a perfect fit for them, and why they are a perfect fit for NYU. Craft compelling connections and provide details to supplement them. 

 

3. Collect strong letters of recommendation.

Another way to stand out among other applicants to NYU is to make sure you have strong letters of recommendation. 

Be polite when asking for letters of recommendation from previous teachers, employers, or adults you trust (who are non-family members) and tell them you are applying to NYU. Offer a token of appreciation once someone has written you a letter of recommendation, like a handwritten thank you note. 

And choose carefully. People who you know to be strong writers will likely write you the best recommendation letters. In addition, people who know you well and who have seen your skills in action will be the perfect options for your recommendation letter authors.

 

4. Write a compelling personal statement that showcases you.

Another way to stand out is to write an extra compelling personal statement. However, make sure you do not fabricate any details or try to make your personal statement like anyone else’s. 

Search for tips on writing personal statements in books like College Admission: How to Get Into Your Dream School--Real Students, Real Stories, in which author James W. Lewis interviews Brad Schiller from PROMPT, a service that helps students through the essay writing process. Though Schiller notes that compelling essays often discuss a time of personal growth or a student’s specific passion, the most important element of a competitive personal statement is usually you. Write about who you really are, not who you think you should be, and give admissions officers a sense of who you will become as a result of your experiences. 

Lewis’s book has an example NYU essay on page 88, and you can also visit NSHSS’s website for more essay-writing tips and advice.

 

5. Make your passions clear, and apply to other schools you absolutely love.

Lewis’s book also features stories of real students. Lauryn Darden, for example, who was accepted to NYU, says about the application process: 

“It was important to me that I loved each school on my list. That way, there would be no disappointment no matter where I ended up. I knew rejection was possible during this process. However, I also knew that I wouldn’t end up anywhere I wasn’t meant to be.”

Lauryn’s story offers some sage advice. If NYU is your first choice, make that clear in your application. However, apply only to schools that you love. That way, you will be happy no matter the outcome and end up on a campus that is a right fit for you and your future.