Can I get into NYU's CAS as a transfer even though my gpa sucks a little?

Colleges and Universities A-Z New York University
1

<p>What do you think? Am I NYU material? Please give me your input. I'm so NYU obsessed it's kinda sad. I'm hoping my ECs will wow them into forgetting my bad SAT score and gpa(s).</p>

<p>--> International, transfer student from Kuwait. Starting Sophomore year in September.
-- REapplying to NYU.
--> HS GPA 3.0
--> University GPA: 3.1
+ a lot of activities + full time job.
--> Able to show financial support to pay for 4 years at NYU (they need financial documentation proving that for international students). Also have a full scholarship from the government if I get into NYU. Don't know if I should mention that.
--> Applying for journalism. Might double major in photography and journalism or international relations/political science and journalism.
Took IB English
Lots of hard classes (all the sciences), but not calculus.
Graduated from private, American school in Kuwait
SATs: Awful. Took it in '04. 600 on reading, 500 on math.
TOEFL: 267 (250 is what they want in the toughest journalism schools)</p>

<p>WORK HISTORY</p>

<ul>
<li>Head of Marketing of parliamentary candidate</li>
<li>Designer and programmer of parliamentary candidate, made website for them. <a href="http://www.q8g.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.q8g.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li>
<li>Proofreader for a newspaper, two years.</li>
<li>Head of newspaper Web team in charge of website</li>
<li>Head of Advertising of Municipal Council candidate</li>
<li>TV Host for show on the main govt. channel here.</li>
<li>Part-time Salesperson</li>
<li>Built Database of Consultants for UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)</li>
<li>Sales person</li>
<li>A lot of web design projects for father's companies.</li>
</ul>

<p>VOLUNTEERING EXPERIENCE</p>

<ul>
<li>Orphanage</li>
<li>United Nations Development Programme</li>
<li>Kuwait Women’s Cultural Society.</li>
</ul>

<p>UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE</p>

<p>Kuwait University activities:
• Currently working on the creation of the first “Debate Club” at Kuwait University, under the English department at the College of Business Administration (May 2006-current).
• Model United Nations (MUN)
o Member of KUMUN (Kuwait University Model United Nations), and one of the very first members of MUN at my uni.
o Participant in PEARL MUN
o Part of the Arab League ambassador delegation of KUMUN.</p>

<p>Conferences:
• Marketing Director of the “Asian Dewaniya” conference, which was sponsored by Japanese and South Korean embassies.
• Participant of the aforementioned “Asian Dewaniya” conference, and head of the “Free Speech” topic group.</p>

<p>HIGH SCHOOL CLUB EXPERIENCE</p>

<p>HS School Activities
• Forensics – Debate member
• Forensics – Serious Duet Acting (won 3rd place medal. regionals though!)
• Forensics - Comic Interpretation
• Editor-In-Chief, founder, High School Magazine
• English Club (Several times, won top spots in governorate government schools writing competitions.)
• Student Council Member
“Model United Nations” Experience:
• Acted as ambassador
• MUN delegate
a university student in Kuwait</p>

<p>ADDITIONAL SKILLS</p>

<p>• Languages: Arabic and English, fluent in reading, writing and speaking.
• Excellent knowledge of HTML.
• Web and graphic designer
• Photographer... I really love photography and film.
• Kickboxing
• Knowledge of computer programs:
- Macromedia Dreamweaver, Adobe GoLive, Microsoft FrontPage, Adobe Photoshop, 3DStudio Max, Jasc Paint Shop Pro, Adobe Illustrator, etc.
- Very good experience with word processing programs such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft Office programs in general.</p>

<hr>

<ul>
<li>Really great recommendations from my boss, supervisor, a professor that's a really respectable lawyer and IB English teacher. Might get mother to write one too.. I'm not sure if I should or not. But she's a big shot of sorts here. lol. </li>
</ul>

<p>And I think I wrote a very good transfer essay of why my university here isn't for me at all. Even though it's the best college in the country. Internationally accredited <em>business</em> school too. I hate business. </p>

<p>So do you think I have a chance? I'm REapplying, btw. I didn't get accepted before because they didn't even have all my documents. </p>

<p>Other colleges I'm applying to for Spring '07:
- Cornell for International Relations
- Syracuse, but Fall '07 =\
- Notre Dame, for international relations
- U of Virginia for foreign affairs
- U of Wisconsin at Madison for journalism or international relations
- Northwestern for Journalism
- U of Missouri at Columbia for journalism
- U of Texas at Austin for journalism
- U of Michigan at Ann Arbour for political science</p>

<p>Don't tell me I need safeties, those are the colleges that have my major and have a scholarship to. My parents aren't paying a cent for tuition. =&lt;/p>

2

<p>Enn - I think you should put the fact that you speak fluent Arabic way higher. For obvious reasons, this is a sought-after skill these days. While your stats may not be mind-blowing, your practical experience is. Find a way to highlight it. Maybe use some creativity? Create a website, that includes some of your writing samples, photography, pictures of you 'in action' (the tv host thing?) photographs of your school, where you live - anything to give a sense of you as a person -- and then include the link in your essay, encouraging admission people to check it out? </p>

<p>Also - you ask a good question about whether to mention the full government scholarship in your apps -- repost it separately to make sure more CC parents/experts see it & can advise you. It would seem to me, that the prospect of a school getting 100% international student tuition without the hassle of having to even consider giving financial aid would be attractive.... but I'm really not sure. </p>

<p>Anyway good luck! Your resume seems very impressive.</p>

3

<p>your major obstacle is not that you did bad in HS, but rather you didn't improve in college. your EC's are amazing, but regardless, your college gpa really shows that you probably are not academically up to par for NYU.</p>

4

<p>katliamom, not getting into the whole chances issue because, honestly, none of us know :), but I will say that the prospect of 100% international student tuition will not matter a whit to NYU. They do not give any need-based aid to internationals, and very few merit based scholarships. Internationals must provide documented proof of availability of funds through tax returns and certified bank records prior to the issue of student visas, once they're accepted at NYU. It may, however, be the case that this would be a plus at other colleges.</p>

5

<p>I swear Katliamom, you're reading my mind. It's a little creepy. lol. I'm starting up another website, a political blog though. It's at <a href="http://www.tobe.frih.net/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.tobe.frih.net/&lt;/a>. JUST got Wordpress set up, I didn't even start on it. I spent about 30 minutes on it tops. But yeah once I get around to it, I'll be sending an updated resume or just a link to the colleges, maybe. That portfolio website is a great idea. Like an interactive resume. I love that idea. Thank you! =]</p>

<p>Like I said Alwaysamom, I do have financial proof of being able to support my education for 4 years, and all they ask for is one year, so that's even better. But I thought that the idea that I have 2 ways to pay for my education might make them want to accept me even more? ... not sure? I might email the colleges I'm applying to and mention it when I get the interactive portfolio done and finish setting up the debate club. </p>

<p>So many people apply to NYU, so yeah I don't think they care that I'm Kuwaiti. If anything, I'm thinking it might hurt my chances because I'm Arab and it's New York and.. yeah. =&lt;/p>

<p>Matt, yeah I think that's a big obstacle for me too. I mentioned the reasons (sort of) in my resume explaining about my college. And I never actually tried at all, so a 3.1 for not even studying is okay (not that it's an excuse). But I'm going to actually study this semester and prove that I can really do it, even if I don't get accepted this time. There's always Fall '07. </p>

<p>I'm going to go with that online portfolio idea. It's really good.</p>

6

<p>And Alwaysamom.. I do realize that the college acceptance process is almost random at times, but what I think I'm looking for are ideas to maybe improve my chances and I did get a few here right now. Maybe a little hope too? And if there's a 'no' in the responses then it's a reason to work even harder.</p>

7

<p>Good luck with the website, Enn. I know kids who have done very "out-of-the-box" things with their apps. One girl, a competitive runner who also wanted to run on the college team, sent in her lucky running socks (washed, luckily) as proof of how much she wanted to get in. She did get in. And even got her socks back. Another sent a video (this was in the pre-DVD days) of himself performing at a piano recital. So I figure, an informative, entertaining website can't hurt!</p>

8

<p>Alwaysamom, yea, you're probably right about NYU and the scholarship. On the other hand maybe it COULD help with University of Missouri, a public school. The public university where my husband taught always welcomed international students because it made financial sense...</p>

9

<p>It did help with Mizzou, actually, I think. I've spoken to the admissions person (officer?) and they were a bit surprised I didn't mention the scholarship and they seemed to like it. But it's not my first choice, although it's broadcast journalism program is outstanding.</p>

10

<p>Out-of-the-box things, eh?</p>

<p>So If I get an NYU tattoo, do you think it might help me? lol. Actually, you're giving me more ideas. I could get a temp done. ooh. Although it might seem too desperate. But like imagine an NYU fan site. It would be satire -- sort of -- but it would be a little funny and they might like it. It would sure set me apart from the rest... </p>

<p>So many things to do and yet so little time to do them.</p>

<p>Okay, I'm going to be running off to a tattoo parlour now!</p>

<p><a href="kidding">i</a>*</p>

11

<p>why do you call kuwait hell? Don't you guys have no income tax and have just about every medical and educational service provided to you free of charge?</p>

12

<p>Matt, just to clear things up -- do you hate me or something?</p>

<p>That's true. Except, public education is utter crap. No, seriously. I've been to a public school here most of my life. It's revolting how behind it is when compared to private schools here or just any good school. Extremely underfunded, bad teachers, horrible facilities, no clubs, really old textbooks, a lot of preaching, etc...</p>

<p>As for the medical services -- they're okay. But you'd be crazy to have a serious surgery done at a public hospital here. The government sometimes actually pays for you to get it done in another country, but you need to have major connections to get that approved. </p>

<p>Not to mention the lack of true democracy and free speech here. Oh, and the sexism that exists in the law -- hell, a law based on a religion. You know that if you're female, you're not allowed to get married to the person of your choice? Your 'guardian' has to approve your marriage. Even if you're 40. Ah.. and our Parliament just got DISSOLVED a few months back. </p>

<p>There are some good things about the govt., for example them having a scholarship program for students accepted to good colleges in the States and into certain majors. </p>

<p>And there's also.. hm.. can't think of much else.</p>

<p>I could go on all day about why I don't like this country, but that isn't the point of this thread. =]</p>

13

<p>Enn -- a tattoo is no longer "out of the box" -- preppy waspy blondes get them these days. (Smile.) And don't forget, the purpose of your website is TO SELL YOURSELF, forget NYU fan site parodies. (Though one little line won't hurt.) And now, no more kidding. Get to work. And good luck. </p>

<p>(Man, don't I sound like a MOTHER?)</p>

14

<p>I've already applied to about 6 schools, and I thought I finished all my work for now until other applications came out for Spring '07, but yes, I'll work on that website asap.</p>

<p>Aren't you a mother though..? lol </p>

<p>I'm glad someone's telling me to get to work. FINALLY.</p>