NYU: Gallatin - From Someone There

Colleges and Universities A-Z New York University
1

<p>I cannot tell you how much I love being at Gallatin.</p>

<p>I know that there are a lot of people that may be wondering what it is like here (I know I did), and I'm writing this up so that others that are considering applying may have an idea what it might be like studying here. So I'll outline a few things for those that may be curious in one sweep.</p>

<p>OVERVIEW:
The Gallatin School of Individualized Study is one of a number of colleges at New York University, along with the famous Stern School of Business, the equally famous Tisch School of the Arts, the College of Arts and Science, and the Steinhardt School. Gallatin, like the each of the colleges at New York University, harbors a group of individuals that have common interests: at Stern, people interested in economics, marketing, and management; at Tisch, people interested in becoming actors, playwrights, and movie producers; &c. But what about Gallatin? Gallatin brings together individuals...that...well...are individuals! The school's philosophy focuses on each student as a person that has very specific interests (or interests of all types, as I do!) and builds a course of study that is tailored to each person individually. If I had to tell you what Gallatin was about in one word, I'd say "Opportunity." They give you an unbelievable amount of freedom to do what you really want to do in college, and at a pace that you can manage. That said, it takes a very particular kind of person to be a successful student at Gallatin, which brings me to my next point: admissions.</p>

<p>ADMISSIONS:
Admissions, unlike what most of you may be used to, is taken with a very different approach that schools such as Stern or CAS may take. Gallatin has a reputation among the already "weird" NYU for having students that are "extra weird." That said, the people at admissions here at Gallatin look very closely at your application. Your essays, I hear, are a very important part of the admissions process, and if they accept you, they notify you immediately of your acceptance (as they did for me, and believe me, I am a very eclectic person). The person that they are looking for is someone that doesn't quite fit into one particular genre, or knows exactly what they want with a very different approach, or has no idea what they want to do because they want to do everything. But above all, they are looking for someone who is self-motivated. If you want to talk about it in a psychological context, a "Type-A" person. Gallatin is a place that will give you tons of opportunities but the successful Gallatin student is the kind that will take advantage of those opportunities. </p>

<p>All that said, they are looking for a unique individual that is self-motivated. The people I have met here are the most precocious I have met at NYU so far. The girl across from my dorm hall is a Gallatin, and owns a fashion limited liability company that donates parts of its proceeds to help women in Myanmar. At my orientation, there was a person who walked in with crutches because he had recently sprained his ankle training for a marathon (who was also releasing a vocal album that year and has travelled to at least a dozen countries in the past year). Another person in my orientation group that I met has written two novels and three novellas, and another person wants to study the aesthetics of medical equipment in hospitals as their concentration. Each of these people, along with all the others that I have met from Gallatin, also have pretty up-there test scores and grades: everyone I have met has applied to at least one ivy league school or equivalent, many of them were accepted but decided to come here instead. Best of all: there are only about 150 of us in our freshman class, of the 40,000 students at NYU. There are very few spots and admissions is very particular about who gets them. </p>

<p>To give you a more detailed picture about who they might accept, I'll offer my stats (which are not perfect):</p>

<p>High School: Competitive Public
GPA: 3.6 UW, 4.1 W
SAT: 2390 (800 W, 790 CR, 800 M, 12 Essay)
SAT II: 800 Math IIC, 700 Lit
Ethnicity: Asian
AP Courses: 6 Courses
AP Scores: 8 AP Tests (Psychology, Statistics, English Lang., English Lit., Phys. C: Mech., Phys. C: EM, Calc. AB, US Gov.) Four 5s, Four 4s.
Summarized Extracurriculars: Literary and Oratorical LGBT Activist working with legal groups to pass legislation in CA (4 years), Speech and Debate State Finalist, 13+ Varsity Finalist Awards, President (4 years); founded, owns, manages, and works at web design firm grossing $50K+ anually; XC Runner (2 years, JV); Oil Painter, selling work and galleried art (13 years); fiction manuscript in progress (I'm taking an independent study course to work with a prof. individually on it next semester!); photographer, with galleried work; &c.
Honors (not many): National Honor Roll, National Forensics League w/ Distinction, National AP Scholar, Student-Athlete Award
Essay about: Being gay.</p>

<p>Yes. I'm strange. But just to give you an idea of what it might be like. I'll finish this later. I have a social contract philosophy theory course to go to. :D</p>

2

<p>After you graduate from Gallatin, how sure are you that you'll be able to get a good job? With a degree in "individualized study" hurt you at all, or are you scared of it holding you back? Do you believe that this "individualized" education was worth the money, and that NYU Gallatin has set you up for a position to be "payed back" (good career, etc.).</p>

<p>I'm seriously interested in Gallatin, but these are a few of the things I'm worried about. Money is of concern, and a lot of people I know tell me to just "major in this, major in that, then do these minors" at other schools. They tell me that a "real" degree will help me out in the long run. On top of that, idk if grad school is in my future or not, but A LOT of people have been pushing that as well.</p>

3

<p>just follow your interests. remember that no one is going to not hire you because you didnt have a "real degree". you will have a valid college degree and thats from one of the top 50 schools. Gallatin is basically a school where students can freely study the exact things they want for their career without following a basic guideline from a major. i havent heard about anyone failing in their career just because they went to Gallatin. if that is so, it probably be unpopular and disappear as a failed concept. i think Gallatin is worth it even though im in CAS.</p>

4

<p>thanks, this helps a bunch</p>

5

<p>Gallatin students don't grow up to be failures - I remember on my tour at nyu, they told us that one of the best lawyers in the country went to Gallatin and majored in 'evil' or something ridiculous like that. haha not sure if that's true or not, but I doubt Gallatin grads grow up to be 'losers' who don't get hired because they have an individualized degree rather than a typical one. They are probably as sucessful as the average NYU grad, plus Gallatin students are really motivated/driven....</p>

<p>I'm not a gallatin student btw</p>

6

<p>most students at Gallatin put "concentration" in place where job-seekers generally put their major(s). since there are technically no standardized majors at Gallatin, some students put a creative name for their major/concentration at gallatin.</p>

7

<p>I applied to Gallatin because I believe it is a absolute fit more me! I hate the typical four year curriculum at most universities plus I love to write! Gallatin is known for the rich array of writing classes it offer!
When you graduate from NYU Gallatin, what will appear on your diploma? BS/BA in Individualized Study? Or BS/BA ____________ (your concentration)?</p>

8

<p>Again...Wow. By the time I finished reading the first post I was sitting with my mouth hanging open. I feel like I have wasted away four years of my life and have not accomplished anything. To be honest, my mouth is still open. I want to go to Gallatin so badly, but I know now that I won't get in. My stats are decent, but I'm certainly no genius and I don't own my own company. Anyone else feel like they are not worthy of a Gallatin acceptance letter? This thread kind of killed my dreams. Thanks.</p>

<p>P.S. Does Gallatin put people in LSP? I don't know if I would accept the invitation if I got into that, but it now seems to be my only hope.</p>

9

<p>Well, I hope they can see how much I can bring to the school. If not...oh well, but I think I got it all in my short answers and essay.</p>

10

<p>Thanks for this thread. Very helpful.</p>

<p>I just applied to the graduate program. I hope it's similar to how you describe undergrad.</p>

<p>I'd been looking all over for a program to fit my unique pursuits and none of the Ivies or equivalent seemed to fit. Then I found Gallatin and I almost cried.</p>

11

<p>Wow, Gallatin sounds awesome. And to be honest, TOO awesome for me. The students certainly are self-motivated like you said.</p>

12

<p>applejack-that's exactly how I felt. I was in complete awe that there was a place on this earth tailored to me exactly.</p>

13

<p>Wow.
Damn.
I can only TRY to match that.</p>

14

<p>I'm sure many of you must have been checking this thread, and I apologize for taking so long to get back to you (I've just been doing so much!). I'll first reply to a few things you guys have asked.</p>

<p>
[QUOTE]
After you graduate from Gallatin, how sure are you that you'll be able to get a good job? With a degree in "individualized study" hurt you at all, or are you scared of it holding you back? Do you believe that this "individualized" education was worth the money, and that NYU Gallatin has set you up for a position to be "payed back" (good career, etc.).

[/QUOTE]
</p>

<p>This was a worry for me in the beginning, but I think that getting a bachelor’s as an undergraduate is really just a first step to something else (graduate school, law school, etc.), so really, it’s something that I really don’t worry too much about. But as I think the best answer to your question, as I said before, I cannot stress enough how much Gallatin is only what you put into it. I have met with at least three of my professors each week for the last few weeks, helping me out with papers, setting up projects, giving guidance as to how to get into publications, pointing me to outside extracurricular groups, etc. The things I’ll be getting out of the undergraduate program along with my degree are invaluable - and will probably impress any employer or graduate program admissions officer. If everything goes right, I will have been published (a novel as well as in journals) with the help of my professors, gone to be part of at least one grassroots organization (FYRCE, an LGBT organization in NYC), worked at a few jobs/internships (I'm applying to be an admissions ambassador here at NYU/try to get an internship at a law firm or mag), and had the best education for someone who simply loves learning for the sake of learning.</p>

<p>
[QUOTE]
I'm seriously interested in Gallatin, but these are a few of the things I'm worried about. Money is of concern, and a lot of people I know tell me to just "major in this, major in that, then do these minors" at other schools. They tell me that a "real" degree will help me out in the long run. On top of that, idk if grad school is in my future or not, but A LOT of people have been pushing that as well.

[/QUOTE]
</p>

<p>
[QUOTE]
When you graduate from NYU Gallatin, what will appear on your diploma? BS/BA in Individualized Study? Or BS/BA ____________ (your concentration)?

[/QUOTE]
</p>

<p>Just to make this clear: a Gallatin degree is a real degree; you get a B.A. and instead of a major as the title, you have a concentration title of your own making. For all purposes, you could put “Physics” or “Philosophy,” but in the spirit of the school, most students will put something much more suited to their plan of study. So on your transcript, it will read something like:</p>

<p>INDIVIDUALIZED BS/BA DEGREE: (Name of Concentration)</p>

<p>And you don’t need to worry too much about what your plans afterwards are. Here’s a list of things that people have done and graduate programs they get into after they finished the undergraduate program at Gallatin (taken directly from the Gallatin website NYU > Gallatin > Prospective BA Students:)</p>

<p>
[QUOTE]
Adelphi University
Ph.D., Clinical Psychology</p>

<p>Boston University
M.A., Sociology</p>

<p>Brown University
Ph.D., Theater and Performance Studies
M.F.A., Acting</p>

<p>Carnegie Mellon University
M.S., Computer Science</p>

<p>Columbia University
M.B.A.
M.P.A., Earth Systems Science & Environmental Policy Management
M.S., Journalism
M.S.W., Social Work</p>

<p>Georgetown University
M.A., Communication, Culture & Technology</p>

<p>Harvard University
Ph.D., African and African American Studies
Ph.D., History
Ed.M., Education Policy and Management
M.B.A.</p>

<p>Hunter College
M.S.W., Social Work</p>

<p>Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.B.A., Sloan School of Management
M.S., Comparative Media Studies</p>

<p>New York University
Ph.D., Art History and Archaeology
Ph.D., Chemistry
M.A., Arts Administration
M.B.A., Stern School of Business
M.F.A., Dramatic Writing
M.P.A., Public and Nonprofit Management and Policy</p>

<p>Pratt Institute
M.S., Dance Movement Therapy</p>

<p>Princeton University
Ph.D., Classics
M.Arch., Architecture</p>

<p>Rice University
M.B.A.</p>

<p>Royal College of Art
M.A., Animation</p>

<p>Rutgers University
M.A., Education</p>

<p>School of Visual Arts
M.F.A., Photography</p>

<p>Texas A&M University
Ph.D., Political Science</p>

<p>The City University of New York
Ph.D., Sociology</p>

<p>The George Washington University
M.A., The Elliott School of International Affairs</p>

<p>The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
M.A., Middle Eastern & Islamic Studies</p>

<p>The London School of Economics and Political Science
M.Sc., Human Rights</p>

<p>The New School
M.A., Media Studies</p>

<p>The University of Chicago
Ph.D., Committee on Social Thought</p>

<p>The University of Iowa, Iowa Writers' Workshop
M.F.A., English-Creative Writing</p>

<p>The University of Michigan
Ph.D., Musicology</p>

<p>The University of Texas at Austin
M.F.A., Directing</p>

<p>Temple University
M.A., Speech-Language Pathology</p>

<p>Tufts University
M.P.H., Public Health</p>

<p>Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York
Ph.D., Religious Studies</p>

<p>University of California, Berkeley
Ph.D., German Literature and Culture</p>

<p>University of California, Los Angeles
Ph.D., NeuroEngineering
M.A., Urban Planning</p>

<p>University of California, San Diego
Ph.D., Economics</p>

<p>University of California, San Francisco
Ph.D., Neuroscience</p>

<p>University of Cambridge
M.Phil., Latin American Studies</p>

<p>University of Kent
M.A., International Relations</p>

<p>University of Oxford
Ph.D., Anthropology</p>

<p>University of Pennsylvania
M.B.A., Wharton School
M.S., Historic Preservation</p>

<p>University of Southern California
M.F.A., Film Production</p>

<p>Yale University
Ph.D., English
M.A., Archaeological Studies
M.F.A., Graphic Design</p>

<p>LAW SCHOOLS</p>

<p>Columbia Law School
Cornell Law School
Harvard Law School
Howard University School of Law
New York University School of Law
Northeastern University School of Law and Tufts University School of Medicine (J.D./M.P.H.)
Northwestern University School of Law
The University of Chicago Law School
University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law
University of Southern California Gould School of Law
Yale Law School</p>

<p>MEDICAL AND DENTAL SCHOOLS</p>

<p>Harvard Medical School
Mt. Sinai School of Medicine
New York University School of Medicine
The Albert Einstein College of Medicine (M.D./Ph.D. Program)
University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine

[/QUOTE]
</p>

<p>
[QUOTE]
Again...Wow. By the time I finished reading the first post I was sitting with my mouth hanging open. I feel like I have wasted away four years of my life and have not accomplished anything. To be honest, my mouth is still open. I want to go to Gallatin so badly, but I know now that I won't get in. My stats are decent, but I'm certainly no genius and I don't own my own company. Anyone else feel like they are not worthy of a Gallatin acceptance letter? This thread kind of killed my dreams. Thanks.

[/QUOTE]
</p>

<p>We have a 30% acceptance rate. You have a good chance. I will tell you that the people I described are in no way the typical Gallatin student; if anything, the people I described will end up being the cream of the crop – people that you will hear as being the success stories later on. Gallatin is something that people don't know very much about, and because of that, we're a very small community of people that attract a very particular kind of person. These people are self-motivated, if anything. Don’t be discouraged by it; in fact, if anything, it will cultivate the self-motivation you have inside of you, but simply have not fully embraced with the help of others. So my bottom line is to apply, you’re in for something good.</p>

15

<p>What, specifically, are you studying?</p>

16

<p>^To answer your question</p>

<p>THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM:
I have an unbelievable amount of freedom when it comes to getting into classes and learning what I want to learn. I'll give an overview of what it was like for me to develop my course of study.</p>

<p>First of all, I have no idea what I want to do. Not because I don't have an interest in anything - quite the contrary, I have quite a wide range of interests in almost everything. This is what I really love about the program at Gallatin, I get so much freedom to pick the classes that I want to take. I can take classes in different schools, get into intensive courses, and bypass some of the red tape just by talking to a few people. Here's my first semester as a freshman:</p>

<ol>
<li>FIRST YEAR WRITING SEMINAR: UTOPIAS AND DYSTOPIAS</li>
<li>FIRST YEAR SEMINAR: THE CITY AND THE GRASSROOTS</li>
<li>20TH CENTURY CONCEPTS IN SPACE, TIME, AND MATTER</li>
<li>TOPICS IN HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY</li>
</ol>

<p>Let me break down my courses for you.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>FIRST-YEAR WRITING SEMINAR. Gallatin puts a lot of emphasis on writing. I mean, really, a lot of emphasis on writing. So as a freshman, you will be required to take a Writing Seminar (capped at 18 students max? I don't remember the exact number from the dean meeting I was at) surrounding some sort of theme. Mine, as you can tell from the title, is on Utopias and Dystopias. We've been watching films like Code 46, Paris is Burning, Children of Men, taking readings from Plato, Marx, Rosseau, Freud, and Le Guin. Using these texts and mediums, we write four different papers (descriptive fiction, compare & contrast, literary-critical, final). These papers are written in a workshop setting, where you will go over the process of writing. For my class it usually goes, getting a prompt, writing a one-page draft (submitted to the prof. for comments), then expanding that draft to about three pages (which you share with a few other students to edit and critique), then finishing it as a full five page paper (graded, and it can be rewritten). I will say this is my most mundane class (for me it is, anyways) simply because I think it would be so much better with a seasoned professor that is much more passionate about the material (she knows her stuff, but is just kind of dull at times). Needless to say, though, I am fascinated by Utopias and Dystopias, as I imagine many people are as well! There are also so many other types of writing seminars you can take (and with other professors) each of them different and some just as much (if not more) interesting.</p></li>
<li><p>FIRST YEAR SEMINAR. My urban studies class, which I definitely enjoy going to. Basically, we study the process of urban renewal and gentrification (urban redevelopment by real estate of government) through different social theory, novels, and yes...walking tours of New York! My professor is a great guy, extremely politically aware, knows his stuff so amazingly well, and one of the hippest people I've met. (He likes using the phrase "proverbial **** hitting the fan," especially when he talking about the Bush administration and the stock market). There's a lot of reading, but the material is definitely engaging (I know so much about Taxis and street vendors, it's ridiculous). The discussions are also very engaging, as the material we follow up on is as well (they occasionally get very heated when we talk about gender and politics). Love this class. There are also other classes as well that will fulfill this requirement: I know one class in particular that is always extremely popular because of the professor, but it's called SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF REALITY, where they watch The Matrix and discuss similar works with similar themes.</p></li>
<li><p>ELECTIVE. My 20th Century Theoretical Physics class, which fulfills my ONE - yes people, ONE - semester science OR math requirement my entire four years at Gallatin. This is probably my favorite class so far. I know it sounds intimidating, but it is an amazing class, because it is just so interesting. This is a class that I am taking in the Physics department (not at Gallatin) but I know other people enjoy it because you only need to know basic algebra to understand Einstein's theory of relativity and Quantum Mechanics and they keep it at that level for this class (though, personally, I'd be interesting in doing the calculations too). I could go on for hours on physics after this class. I always come out of it with a completely different outlook because of the nature of the material (warping of space and time, destruction of common sense, etc.). I call it the class that can give me an epiphany on demand. I know so much about Black Holes, how the Universe might end, how space and time work, how gravity works, and so much stuff that I am always so sad to hear that you would never learn because you don't go just one chapter ahead of your high school physics textbook. I absolutely adore this class.</p></li>
<li><p>ELECTIVE. Topics in History of Philosophy, my intensive political philosophy class. This is something great that I was able to take advantage of specifically for being in Gallatin. This class is usually only open to majors of philosophy - almost everyone I know in the class is a Senior - and yet I still get to take it as a Freshman! Granted, it is an extremely difficult class, there's a reason it's an intensive course (Topics courses are the intensive courses here), but it's in one of THE best philosophy departments in the country (NYU's philosophy department is usually ranked 1st or 2nd) and I get to take it as a first semester freshman!</p></li>
</ol>

<p>My second semester, if I get this right will look something like this:</p>

<ol>
<li>INDEPENDENT STUDY: WRITING THE EPIC NOVEL</li>
<li>WRITING SEMINAR II: WRITING BEYOND LANGUAGE: THE SURREAL, THE MONSTROUS, AND THE MYSTICAL</li>
<li>ADVANCED LOGIC</li>
<li><p>THE UNIVERSE: ITS NATURE AND ITS HISTORY</p></li>
<li><p>INDEPENDENT STUDY AT GALLATIN. I get to design my own course so that I can write the book that I've always wanted to finish. I get to work one on one with a professor of my choice, who is amazing (she has her law degree from Harvard and did her dissertation here at NYU on Virginia Woolf, who I also love. She's also worked with Jacques Derrida!!). This is already in and of itself amazing, if everything goes well.</p></li>
<li><p>The second part of the first year writing program. Sounds cool, don't know what it'll be like.</p></li>
<li><p>Just an advanced logic course, again I get to take almost any class anywhere that I want, as long as I meet the prerequisites if I need to.</p></li>
<li><p>My cosmology class. I just love physics.</p></li>
</ol>

17

<p>Hi. I applied to NYU Gallatin as a spring transfer. So I guess I will be hearing shortly from NYU!
Anyways, I composed my essay and let them know I am interest into "political marketing." (I know it is a strange major). The major is comprised of subjects including marketing, international affairs, political science, communications and East Asian Studies. Do you think I have a shot at NYU Gallatin?
I also explained the reason why I am interest in “political marketing”. Due to my background and the place I come from, etc.</p>

<p>I AM SO SICK OF THE TYPICAL FOUR YEAR CIRRUCLUM AT MY CURRENT SCHOOL!</p>

18

<p>Sorry, here are a lot of questions:</p>

<p>Do people who apply to Gallatin get placed in GSP? If so, how exactly would that work? I mean, can you really have a Gallatin education in only two years? Or is do you simply receive either an acceptance letter or a rejection letter? I'm a little confused about how a person do the whole individualized studying if they start out in a rigid program like GSP.
Thanks.</p>

19

<p>wrldtrvlr - yeah I think you can go on to Gallatin, I've met people in LSP/GSP who are planning on going on to Gallatin. My advice - if you get placed into LSP, DO NOT TAKE IT. It really is a terrible program. I'm in it, I hate it, everyone I know in it dislikes it, we're just hanging on for another year so we can get the heck out of here. I have zero freedom with my classes, few choices if any, I only get to pick 1 class for myself a semester, and even that's another requirement!!!!</p>

<p>This is an example of how stupid LSP is - I'm an Economics Major, and I'm not allowed to take an Economics class. Seriously, I tried to sign up for Econ I, the basic intro course - not allowed!!!!</p>

20

<p>Okay, so...I don't know how to phrase this, but what do they like to see, in terms of applications? You've already said self-motivation. I'm independently studying screenwriting and AP Psych, as well as putting together an art portfolio and working on a novel and a script, but I really don't know how good that is. Academically, I have a bunch of rigorous courses and such, and currently have about a 3.63ish. But, I can't do half the things you've done. I'm at a new school for sophomore year, and it'd be a little hard for me to start any clubs or organizations. And my school doesn't seem to offer much. My basic question is, what can I do? Any advice, suggestions?</p>