NYU is an outstanding university with a (big) city-campus vibe. And with an acceptance rate of just 12%, it is highly selective. NYU is the perfect school for high-achieving students hoping to soak up the cultural and vibrance of the Big City. Nestled across parts of NYC’s historic Greenwich Village and surrounding areas, NYU students are truly in the thick of it: protests, weirdness of Washington Square Park, art, comedy, food, culture. It’s all there…though NYU tends to attract an affluent student body. After all, New York is one of the most expensive cities in the world.
If you are interested in excellent academics and a rich international presence in your student body, look no further. In fact, NYU has the #1 study abroad program in the country (according to U.S. News & World Report). It’s also home to the highest number of international students in the U.S. With nearly 30,000 undergrads, there are also a lot of students overall for a private university. And yet, NYU boasts small class sizes with a student/faculty ratio of 8:1. It offers all kinds of top-notch programs, including the Stern School of Business, which is ranked #5 in the country. Popular majors include Visual and Performing Arts, Social Sciences, Business Management/Marketing, and Computer and Information Sciences.
Did we mention NYU is selective? The average SAT range for accepted students is 1470-1570. The ACT range is 33-35. If your dream is to go to NYU and soak in all New York has to offer, you’re going to need have the total package on your application, from grades, to test scores, to extracurriculars and essays. College admissions are extremely competitive these days. There are tons of qualified candidates applying to schools like NYU. We recommend our students stand out by having standout resumes and summer strategies that are impressive. In this post, we talk about what NYU wants to see from you this summer.
Interested in a personalized summer plan? Call us. We love to help students match with their top choice schools.
Emphasize Your Interests
We always recommend our students focus on positioning themselves as experts in a particular academic area. The more specific, the better. Colleges want to admit a class full of experts in niche fields who are going to graduate and become the top of their very niche fields, win prizes and then donate to the university’s endowment. What they don’t want is a class full of generalists with undecided majors. Now, here’s the secret: you don’t actually have to choose a major to get into NYU. Once you get in, you’re welcome to go in undecided. But for now, you should at least cultivate a very clear academic brand for the sake of having a competitive application.
So, if you developed a strong interest in American Presidential History in the 8th grade, you might consider crafting an academic brand around this. The point is, you need to reflect on your academic interests and true passions. If you could take courses in a specific area (and skip the rest) throughout high school, what would it be? Maybe it’s English Poetry or Biochemical Engineering. As a freshman, you should explore what it is that really excites you and dive in full force. Your extracurriculars, your classes, and your letters of recommendation should all align very clearly around this academic niche. So, too, should your summer plans wherever possible.
Augment Your Academics
Taking a class is another great summer option. The first thing to know about taking a summer class is that whatever you choose should be rigorous. You should target a top-tier university and, ideally, a course that fits in with your academic area of interest. The point is to show the admissions committee that you applied yourself academically. NYU has summer offerings that are solid options, particularly for students pursuing Arts, Journalism, Writing, and Music.
Have Fun
Applying to colleges can be stressful. School can be stressful. Social anxiety that comes with high school can be stressful. You still deserve to be a kid, and most importantly, you should prioritize your mental health. So, summer shouldn’t be stressful. It doesn’t need to be a grind. But consider it as a balance between getting something accomplished and having plenty of R&R. If you’re not socializing, going to the pool or watching some tv at all, you’re working too hard.
But Not Too Much
That said, if you’re sitting around watching 8 hours of television a day, you’re not doing enough. Summer should also be about moving your goals forward and enriching yourself academically. Set a goal and see it through this summer. If you’re trying to get into an excellent school like NYU, you need to be focused and have a strategy.
College is more competitive than it’s ever been before. With so many qualified applicants in each pool, those who want to get into top universities like NYU have to stand out in other ways beyond just excellent grades. It’s not enough to be the captain of the soccer team and the lead in the school play, either. We’ve found that the most effective strategy is to really position yourself as an expert in a particular academic area, and make that area as specific as you can. Your summer plans should align around that niche.
We also want to add a note about summer jobs. Summer jobs are great and for many, many students across the country, they are necessary. The admissions committee will respect your work ethic and the fact that the vast majority of people (including the admissions folk, of course) need to earn a living. If possible, try to align your summer job (and your school-year job for that matter) with your academic area of expertise. If you’re positioning yourself as a mathematics expert, get a job as a math tutor. If you’re an entrepreneur, run the cash register at a small business or be a personal assistant to a business-owner.
Need help coming up with a great summer plan? Call us. We’re experts at helping students build standout resumes.