New York University, most commonly known as NYU, is a top liberal arts and research university in the heart of New York City. If you want to be in the midst of the action in New York, this is the place to be. Steps from iconic historic and cultural sights and experiences, NYU is truly in the middle of it all. The school is extremely popular among students interested in all fields, but especially the arts, business, finance, and entrepreneurship because of the opportunities New York City offers, alongside the formidable resources of the university. It is also the top school for international students in the United States, and has not just study abroad programs, but entire state-of-the-art campuses in Shanghai and Abu Dhabi.
But you probably already know all of this. If you’ve ended up on this post, you’ve most likely been on the receiving end of a waitlist offer from NYU — or you’re nervous you might get one and want to have a plan of action in advance in case you do. NYU has not published their waitlist stats for recent years, but we do know that the number of students applying to NYU has increased dramatically, by nearly 40%, since 2017. Last year, they received over 100,000 applications, and based on the long-term trend that predates the COVID19 pandemic, we expect to see the number of applicants continue to steadily rise.
At the same time, the size of the undergraduate student body at NYU has not grown to match the demand. This is the situation at most schools, as they can’t simply accept more kids. There are only so many beds in dorms and seats in classrooms, and so the acceptance rates have been driven down by the demand. In the 2021-2022 application cycle, NYU had a 12.45% acceptance rate. This is less than half of what the acceptance rate was in 2017, but still over 4% higher than where the acceptance rate stood for the 2022-2023 application cycle the following year. For the class of 2027, the acceptance rate plummeted to only 8%.
The education is the same. The experience is the same. And it’s long been a great education and experience, but it’s fundamentally the same as it was just a few years ago. Despite that, the acceptance rate is half of what it was just a few years ago.
So, if you’ve been waitlisted, it likely has little to do with who you are and has a lot to do with demand for beds. It also means that gaining admission off of the waitlist isn’t, they say, all that personal. But it is. Who gets in off the waitlist will be who is remembered positively as an ideal cultural and academic fit for the NYU experience — if they can just find one more spot. Your job now is to show that you are that person, and that they should prioritize you if or when a spot opens up.
We know that in a recent year, no one was accepted off of the waitlist. So, you’re facing an uphill battle. In other years, though, they’ve admitted hundreds off of the waitlist, so there is hope. Treat this post as your step-by-step guide to how to get off the waitlist and into the first-year class at NYU.
If you’re on the receiving end of a waitlist decision, send us an email. We help exceptional students get into their top-choice schools.
Line up a Backup
The first thing you need to do if you were waitlisted by NYU is to accept a spot at a different school. This may seem counter-intuitive, but getting in off a waitlist is difficult to pull off even in the best of years. You need to make sure that you have a college that’s lined up and happy to have you, so accept an offer and place a deposit. It’s important to note, though, that you will almost certainly lose your deposit at the school you accept if you are admitted by NYU and choose to attend. That’s simply the price you pay when you play the waitlist game, so it should be something you are ready for.
Follow Instructions
Next, you need to follow instructions really carefully. Most schools allow, welcome, or even require students to send updates like grades, a letter of continued interest, or even additional recommendations. NYU wants (practically) none of this, and even says, “we cannot evaluate any new credentials or materials at this time.” The fastest way to rule yourself out of admission off of the waitlist is to not follow directions, so you need to really truly hear this.
Since NYU is so clear about what they want and don’t want, we’ll let them do the talking here:
“The only thing we ask of our applicants is to respond to our waitlist offer online by the date outlined in your waitlist offer letter. You should not submit any new letters of recommendation, writing samples, resumes, certificates, DVDs, CDs, photos, or additional information. Please do not ask anyone to write you an additional letter of recommendation or ask that anyone calls to advocate on your behalf.”
They go on to say…
“…you should not submit any new materials whatsoever. Please also understand that given the volume of our applicant pool, we do not interview any candidates for admission and we will be unable to meet with you in person about your status on the waitlist. While you are welcome to visit NYU at any time, please do not make a special visit to campus to discuss your status on the waitlist.”
You can, however, update them on “any new accomplishments and/or relay your level of interest in NYU by way of our Waitlist Response Form online,” so that’s what we’ll focus on next.
Get on the Waitlist
If you want to be placed on the waitlist for reconsideration by NYU as spots open up, you need to tell them that. If you want to provide any updates, this will also be the time to let them know. They don’t require the updates (nor even really encourage them, as described above), but they will only look at your application again if you complete the waitlist response form in the NYU Applicant Portal.
For the form, plan to pull together 2-4 relevant academic updates or major personal achievements outside of the classroom. These need to be significant, and not just to your parents. A high grade on a test does not qualify. Think awards, recognitions, honors, or new leadership positions.
You also need to let them know on the form that you will attend NYU if accepted. They should be 100% confident that you are 100% in on NYU. This is especially important because one common reason students are waitlisted is that a college isn’t confident that they would attend if accepted. So, you need to make sure that there is no doubt that if you get into NYU, you will go.
When you’re filling out the waitlist response form, you’ll also have the opportunity to note if there are schools at NYU other than the one that you initially applied to that you would be interested in attending if spots open up. The waitlist is not ranked, so answering quickly won’t get you a ‘better spot,’ and they can’t tell you if you’re close to the ‘top’ even if you asked (which you won’t, because you’re following instructions), because there is no ‘top’ to be close to. But don’t hold off on submitting the form. If you know you want to be on the list, let them know as soon as you can. Then step back and wait.
Be Patient, But Stay Alert
You’re going to have to wait until well into summer to hear back, most likely. The very earliest you would hear anything from NYU is the first week of May, but they say it may take all the way until August 1st for waitlisted students to know for sure if they’re in or out.
Once May 1 hits, you need to be checking your email and the online portal at least every three days. If you are offered a spot by NYU, you will have just four days to claim it. If you don’t, you lose it. And if you lose it, there is no appeals process.
If you are one of the few offered a spot off of the waitlist, remember that you cannot defer your enrollment to take a gap year. You also need to read the offer letter really carefully as it will specify what program you were accepted into, and you need to make sure that you actually want to do that program before accepting a spot in it.
Some students are also accepted by NYU as “spring admits.” As a spring admit, you are required to take a gap semester in the fall and will start at NYU in the spring. Then, you are required to take a series of summer courses your first summer, so you are caught up with your class. We encourage students who love NYU to accept a spring admit offer if one is extended, as there are so many amazing things you can do during your gap semester that will make you feel even more prepared for college when it’s your time to start.
We know right now can be a frustrating and stressful time, but we need you to stay focused and to trust the process. You’re going to have an amazing time in college wherever you end up, you just need to get to the first day of freshman year.
We are experts in turning disappointing admissions decisions into live-changing opportunities. Reach out if you’re trying to figure out what to do next.