General Studies Program?

Colleges and Universities A-Z New York University
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<p>I applied to NYU's CAS, I received a letter yesterday with a mixed message. I was rejected from CAS but NYU offered me admission to their GSP. Is this just as good? Am I going to be missing out on part of the 'college experience' if i choose to go? Or will i be taking classes with regular CAS, Stern, Tisch students? I heard that the GSP program is under the school of continuing and professional education, which is predominantly adult. Will i be in classes with teenagers or adults? Anybody that has done this program or knows some answers, please help me out here. I think NYU is a good match for me (independent, its close to home, i'm an actor, jazz musician, i love NYC, etc...) but I dont know if i wanna be part of the 'extras' if ya know what i mean.</p>

<p>Thanks alot,
Jared</p>

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<p>Jared,</p>

<p>See the thread in this forum thats named "RD to GSP".</p>

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<p>Hi BigRed</p>

<p>My D opened that peculiar GSP letter last year around this time and instead of clarifying everything, we were perplexed for days--just like everyone else who never before saw those letters capitilized and stuck together on the NYU Web site or anywhere else. Now after a solid GSP semester plus, she's happy with the profs and the program and so are we. But, like most GSP folks, we're happy with the reality but not with the "positioning" of GSP. NYU created an awesome, small liberal arts college experience focused on the Great Books curriculum (started at JHU and continued at Columbia, et al) just for the kids who missed CAS stat-wise; or ED wise; or legacy wise; or too-many-from-that-high-school-wise; or should have applied to XYZ college cause it's way easier to get in. But NYU didn't figure years ago that today's GSPer's would have the qualifications they have now. This year' s crop of GSPer's is arguably more qualified than NYU juniors or senior in many cases. To complicate things, IMHO, I think the program is actually better than the CAS mass lecture model for Frosh and Sophs cause the curriculum is served up in smaller classes with dedicated profs. And you're mixed in with everyone else and every activity is open to you. And in the end N Y and U are the only initials you see on your diploma. So why bother calling it GSP? Why make highly qualified people sometimes feel like they're on the bench? I don't think anyone knows at this point. Why have a program within the undergrad colleges that many people think is a better ride than the gold ring that you just missed---being herded with two or three hundred people from lab to lab where you may feel like just another ass on a seat? Think Clay Aiken! NYU has to figure all this stuff out. I think GSP is great--best kept secret at NYU. Small classes; semester in Florence; intense focus on reading the best books in the world and writing like crazy (if you love to write this is the program). So enjoy! Everyone should be so lucky!</p>

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<p>Thanks for the information. As far as this program being a secret, I agree. Boston University has a GSP also. That information is in all their brochures. I was not even aware that NYU had this program. What can you tell me about the semester in Florence? Is it open to all GSP students? Also, I am not sure if GSP students at BU receive an AA degree after the 2 year program, but anyone reading the literature from NYU regarding the AA degree would understandably be put off--I mean noone applying here wants to hear that they have been accepted into a 2 year AA degree program.</p>

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<p>GSP isn't a secret for anyone who's researched NYU more than just peripherally. I have some friends who are in it. Some like it, some don't. Some feel that there's a stigma, some don't. It's a personal decision whether or not you want to try it. </p>

<p><a href="http://www.nyu.edu/gsp/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.nyu.edu/gsp/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>is gsp counted towards nyu's average sat score?</p>

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<p>Maath fact is until late last year, GSP was so buried within NYU's Web site and external/internal communications that the current dean who recently replaced the founding dean of GSP told me the only way he could find a reference to it was to use Google.</p>

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<p>I'm not an expert but what I gather is that Florence is for any GSP'er who has a decent average and wants to go. It's one of the major benefits of the program. The AA is the paper you get after two years but it's just sort of a baton pass to your next level. BTW, GSP is the second largest group of undergrads; CAS is first.</p>

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<p>I just do not think that NYU,( for whatever reason), is making it's prospective students aware of this program. I went to information sessions at NYU, and it was never mentioned. Also I would like to point out that today I received an information packet from NYU- one addressed to me, and one addressed to my parents- I think it was " Why NYU?" or something like that with information on the seven colleges at NYU--no mention of the GSP program at all--Kind of would make anyone entering under that program feel left out--and we are talking about some of the best students in the country/world--seems like NYU needs to market this program better or maybe just expand the CAS program. I do know that at BU it is one of the colleges, and I do not think there is a stigma attached to enrolling to BU through this program. In fact one of the information session students entered throught this program at BU- and then on to the College of Communication.</p>

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<p>i think they dont advertise gsp too much because they dont want too many less qualified people applying to nyu thinking theyll just get into gsp.</p>

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<p>Well, you may be right. However, alot of people who were accepted GSP this year met or exceeded the average stats presented by NYU at their information sessions in the spring--GPA3.6, Sat 1300. I do think that it would be in NYU's best interest to have these students at their university and not feel inferior--after all many would receive scholarships to go elsewhere. My point is that NYU is marketing- or not marketing this program all wrong.</p>

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<p>lilly1 - NYU does not advertise GSP because it is not a school that you are able to apply to. Simply put, GSP is like a continuation of high school. NYU places students in GSP whom they believe are not yet prepared for the school that the student applied to. NYU then monitors the student's progess. Yes, there are students going to GSP who have great stats. NYU just feels that they aren't ready for their intended major, yet. So, in response to the marketing the program, they don't market GSP because don't want to attract students with lesser goals. Students who are referred to GSP intend to major in something at one of the other schools. I guess the real reason why they don't advertise GSP is because you can't graduate or major in anything in GSP.</p>

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<p>There you have it in a nutshell--all wrong. If people with excellent stats are expected to think - as you do that GSP is an extention of Highschool--and mind you- these people are graduating in the top percent of their class- why would they accept an offer to attend at $40/year</p>

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<p>Virtually all of the students referred to GSP applied to CAS. It is really the overflow from CAS, because they receive most of the applications. You can't apply to the program at BU either, but it is stiil one of the colleges that prospective students are aware of.</p>

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<p>There are a number of misconceptions here. </p>

<p>Here are the facts of GSP--</p>

<p>*GSP students are MOSTLY those who originally applied to CAS, but not all, in fact GSPers have transferred to all NYU schools. </p>

<p>*GSP is counted in the average SAT score of NYU, and the GSP average is lower than NYU overall...thats one of the reasons why its GSP.</p>

<p>*GSP is part of the School of Continuing Ed. Its not advertised for the simple reason that you can not apply to it. NYU does not seek apps. to GSP, only a small percentage of those who don't get into the regular schools are invited to the program....so there simply isn't a need to make people aware, everyone knows of NYU already, and very simple research on the web will tell you of the GSP program. </p>

<p>*NYU is not going to just expand CAS or any other school and let the GSP people in there instead, because that will increase freshman class size in the MAP classes, and nobody obviously wants this. By junior year when GSPers transfer in, people are already dispersed into smaller departmental classes, so the extra people won't do any damage the balance of NYU being a large school, yet maintaining small clases sizes in the upper level. </p>

<p>*Look there are good and bad things about the GSP program. I've heard some really great things about the GSP core, its similar to that at small New England liberal arts colleges. Normally GSP requirements are smaller than the CAS MAP classes, but the MAP classes, which cater to Stern and Steinhardt as well, are divided into small recitations, and MAP classes are taught by some of NYU's top profs. while GSP classes are taught by School of Continuing Ed. profs. Certain things in CAS like freshman honors seminars (small classes for CAS frosh taught by people like President Sexton and various deans at NYU) won't be open to GSP. GSP students who are pre-med will take science classes and labs with CAS students even freshman year. And finally, yes, being in GSP will make you the victim of some merciless mocking by other NYU students, but really its not mean spirited for the most part, more just good natured ribbing. </p>

<p>Overall, GSP is a good program since in the end you still get a NYU degree (provided you maintain the min. gpa, which most people do). Anyone thinking about the program just needs to consider various factors in making the decision.</p>

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<p>Correct- a small percentage of students not admitted to the program they applied are accepted, however isn't it true that CAS gets the most applications? I was told that they received 25,000 of the 35,000 applications this year--like a 15/1 ratio for acceptance. Also aren't the stats for the performing arts programs at tisch lower than the average?</p>

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<p>tisch has a very high stats actually do to its extremely low acceptance rate at some of its departments. (5-6% a few of them)</p>

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<p>I know someone who got in there with less than a 1200 sat score ed- very talented though - and isn't that what it should be about?</p>

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<p>But i gotta a question~
if you got in to this program..
you have to go to Florence to study for the 2 yrs study?</p>

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<p>Hey, hhhsandy I got in ED to GSP and no you don't have to. It's only an option for one semester, but it seems great</p>