Applying to college is a long arduous process for most of us. We usually do not have the right guidance or the right knowledge about how to go about the application process. Having been accepted to NYU with a 40 percent scholarship (as an international student from India), I hope to guide you and help make your application process a more well thought, structured, and fun process. 

NYU has an acceptance rate of 27.7% and even though it claims that it has no lower limit for SAT and ACT, you would require an SAT score between 1350 and 1550 or an ACT score of 30-34 to be considered. However, NYU has made SAT and ACT optional now and requires only IELTS or TOEFL. 

NYU offers three deadlines for its applications:

• Early Decision I: November 1st deadline
• Early Decision II: January 1st deadline
• Regular Decision: January 1st deadline

Applying through early decision increases your chances of getting selected and you must apply to NYU via ED I if it is your dream school, but if it’s not, you can always apply via EDII or even via Regular Decision as I did. 

While applying to universities, we often make the mistake of considering academics as the prime and only factor but it is crucial to note that while applying to NYU, stressing what you do best in your application can take you a long way in the admission process. NYU like any other exceptionally good college wants an academically strong student with a good set of co-curricular activities but it also wants a little diversity in its class and looks at what a student brings to the class as a whole. To stand out you should try adding something peculiar to you. It could be related to where you live, your culture, something you are passionate about or any other element that you feel sets you apart from the rest of the students. 

I wrote my common app essay on my identity as an individual who grew up in the Indo-Bhutan border town and spent 9 years in a boarding school. I explained how everything in my life had shaped me into the person I had become and underlined my best achievements. One thing I made sure of was that my entire essay was well connected and all the three highlights of my essay were relevant to my story. 

The ‘why NYU’ essay is another important component of the application which has to be well researched. Just saying that I am looking forward to joining the soccer team isn’t enough. You have to mention the NYU violets. Making sure you resonate with the motto of the college is pivotal and so is conveying the societies, clubs, or any other thing on campus you would be interested in if you gain admission. Try to explain how NYU would propel you to achieve your potential and how you would give back to the university. 

To be considered for a scholarship to NYU, it is imperative to fill out the CSS form. Make sure you correctly put in all the information as NYU is need-aware in the application review and considers need and merit before awarding scholarships. 

Lastly, if NYU is your dream college but you think that your grades and CV might not be enough, don’t hesitate to apply. Give in your one hundred percent and maybe you could be the exact person the admission committee is looking for to fill their new class of first-year undergraduates.