Rejected, but WHY?!!!!!

Colleges and Universities A-Z New York University
1

<p>Ok, I'm not being cocky or anything, but I was seriously 90% sure I could get into NYU. My plan was to go to Stern, but I applied to CAS because of the easier chances. I just received my letter in the mail today, and I am pretty much in shock.</p>

<p>Major: Political Science</p>

<p>GPA: 3.6
(not great, but its target)</p>

<p>SAT: 1480/1600
Math-780
Reading-700
Writing-680</p>

<p>-Full IB Diploma coursework! (First group of kids to take IB in my school)
-Honors classes previous years
-Dedicated activities: Debate club, mock trial, business clubs, newspaper, drama, math club, ski golf and tennis teams
-Math honors society, Art Honors society, numerous school awards
-Elected Class Treasurer
-Numerous summer programs
-Work experience
-Lots of community service
-Great essays, lots of effort
-Father attended NYU Stern
-Didn't ask for financial aid</p>

<p>The only thing I felt that hurt me was that I am Asian. But other than that, I at least thought I could make the General Studies Program. I really cannot find a reason why I was denied. I mean, if I had applied to Columbia, I wouldn't have minded rejection at all. But c'mon, this is really only NYU...</p>

<p>Is there anyone else who didn't feel they should have been rejected from NYU?
jeez...</p>

2

<p>the only thing i could think is too well rounded. look at how many clubs you listed, but we all think that is helping us right? Honestly, I think its just because they couldn't chose every great candidate from early decision. and NYU is SNOTTY. Don't freak out over it. apply regular decision to some really great schools and im sure you will get in.</p>

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<p>yea...you probably should have got into cas...thats probably just unlucky...</p>

4

<p>Any small details? Perhaps your mom filled out applications or sent out emails to admissions for you?</p>

5

<p>Lol, I did every single thing myself. I stayed up late for so many nights to make sure everything was perfect. After looking around these forums some more, I see many people who seem less qualified than me. They didn't even offer GSP to me, which blew my mind. </p>

<p>Ha, and I didn't even list the full amount of clubs I do. But I am very dedicated to the political debate club JSA, working outside school for the organization, being in it for 4 years, being elected Director of Debate, attending their summer school at Yale, etc. etc. I thought that would establish myself as committed to a specialty.<br>
I just wish there was some sort of explanation they could give me. Calling them up wouldn't do anything right? Haha...</p>

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<p>You can definitely appeal...if I were you, I would.</p>

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<p>Maybe they're trying to keep a higher yield, and they figured you were qualified enough to get into a "better" school... Was it your first choice? If so, did you make that clear?</p>

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<p>Yield is not an issue in E.D., fringey. If you're accepted, you have signed a contract saying you will attend. It's a binding agreement, both ways.</p>

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<p>Wow, I have to say I'm a bit surprised...maybe your essay wasn't as great as you think it was. Being asian didn't hurt you,lol..NYU loves taking minorities, I'm Hispanic so that theory is out the window.</p>

<p>Did you have strong letters of recommendation? </p>

<p>I applied as a Spring Transfer and I was accepted into CAS, I didn't have any clubs or outside activities listed. Some people think they have good essays and they really don't..I'm planning on being an English/Lit. major so I consider my writing skills and creativity to be above average. I'll tell you, I wrote my essay in one night and it was only 3 pages long. </p>

<p>People think that if they take a week to write their essay and it's 7 pages long, it's automatically a "great" essay. In actuality, the best essays are the ones that are written from your heart, don't think about it so much, write what you feel. Admission committees can spot too much of an "effort" and many times they suspect someone else practically wrote it FOR you, if it lacks emotion and it's TOO perfect and mechanical, it can actually hurt you.</p>

<p>Your GPA may have hurt you...NYU is REALLY competitive now, their admissions rates have dropped to 36%. The AVERAGE GPA is 3.6, so that means you are right at the cutoff point and many applicant's GPAs are going to be higher.</p>

<p>I have to say, I agree with the other poster about activities, It would have been MUCH better to have participated in one or two clubs and maintain a 3.8-4.0 GPA..it sounds stupid but I bet you any amount, students with hardly any club or activities but with high GPAs got in. Well I can tell you one that did,lol.... </p>

<p>I'm 25 and had absolutely nothing on my app except some work experience and very mediocre high school performance. The things that probably got me accepted were a thoughtful and creative essay, 2 excellent letters of recommendation (I know because my Profs let me read them,lol) and a perfect 4.0 GPA (Nothing but A's through 54 credits of college work).</p>

<p>If I were you, I would attend some mid-level school (if you don't get accepted into any of your top choices) and get all A's for a year, re-apply to your top choices as a transfer and you'll be GOLDEN. I know it sucks, but hey, you'll still have 3 years at a school you REALLY want to be at and in the end you'll have the same degree that people, who got accepted as freshmen, have.</p>

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<p>You're right about the GSp thing, you should have at least got GSPed???? The GPA is withinn range but certainly on the lower side (I think they hold a lot of lower range spots for URM's and jocks). Did a lot of kids apply from your school? I think that makes admissions "either/or". According to the workspace application tracker at my school the average NYU applicant had a 3.75 UW 4.3 weighted. Didi you follow directions (only one teacher rec) and what were your SATIIs? Everything received on time? Did your read your recommendation letters? Sounds like a raw deal</p>

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<p>Doesn't really matter what we think. Just like chance threads these things are only controlled by the schools. It doesn't matter what we think. Just move on and focus on your other choices. Good Luck.</p>

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<p>Could it be where you are from? Maybe there were alot of applicants from that area, colleges do like to have a well rounded class.</p>

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<p>This is a question that cannot be answered. There are always going to be admissions decisions that we do not understand - people who "should" get in won't and people who "shouldn't" get in will. Unless you've seen the entire picture of the application, and the entire picture of the applicant pool, as well as whatever demographics NYU "needed" this year to round out the class, you have no way of guessing.</p>

<p>It does no good to obsess over it. And it doesn't do other applicants any good to speculate.</p>

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<p>you were rejected cuz nyu has their heads up their asses. who cares the school's not that great anyway you could get into a better school.</p>

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<p>activetopics Wrote:</p>

<p>["Who cares the school's not that great anyway you could get into a better school."]</p>

<p>Brilliant but that's not going to help things...NYU is one of the top schools in the country, is is Ivy League? NO but still most young people in the entire world and an overwhelming percentage of students in the U.S will never have the opportunity to attend a school like NYU..I hate to tell you this but most people don't go to Upenn, Harvard, Yale and Princeton. Attending NYU may not be the ultimate accomplishment but it's still something to be proud of.</p>

<p>Anyway, I hope you're right but a 3.6 is going to hurt him, not many schools "better" than NYU are even going to consider an applicant with a 3.6. If he doesn't get accepted to any other of his top choices, he should do what I suggested. Attend a mid-level school, get a high GPA and re-apply as a transfer, then he'll be able to get into NYU or even a better school, I have no doubt...</p>

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<p>Meh, showing you do too much stuff makes the school think you're either over exaggerating your activities (which makes you look like a liar), or you spend every waking hour trying to do something related to school or academics (which makes you look neurotic). I think that colleges, and NYU in particular, would rather see an applicant with strong essays and academic scores (grades and tests), but not too much else on their plate. Hey, we had to drive the suicide rate down somehow, didn't we? I think NYU did it by admitting less overachievers (or people who look like it), and letting kids that are smart but don't worry about their grades THAT much, in.</p>

<p>Sorry, don't mean to offend anyone, but that's the vibe I'm getting from going through the process myself last year, and seeing some friends go through something similar.</p>

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<p>"activetopics" , </p>

<p>dude, the biggest smile came on my face when i saw this...im a student at NYU stern and the school is by far the SNOTTIEST school...no so much the students but the staff...its not a great school ...not by any stretch of the imagination (good yes..great No) However the student body is very strong and the kids that get into NYU are some of the TOP studentsn so competition is fierce....im not surprised you didnt get in ...not b/c your not a good enough student, but b.c NYU can pick and choose any student they want...they get a bajillion apps every year lol...its in NYC and they exploit that..and every buys into it and rightfully so.</p>

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<p>The admissions process is a mystery to most of us. The only thing you can say for sure is that schools don't just take the kids with the best "stats". Every year, at almost every school, and certainly at schools like NYU, very capable, talented students like you are not accepted when their scores and gpa's seem to put them in the right range. These elite schools could fill their class several times over with qualified kids. The best explanation I have heard is that the admissions office get "design" its class exactly the way it wants. It could go for an artsy focus, or techie, or kids from the midwest, or from underrepresented schools. To be sure, the decision is not a statement on your talent, or your future contribution to the world. Doesn't make it easier though does it?</p>

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<p>Ah yeah, I understand what you all are saying. It's from all my research and from everything I've learned about the school, I thought I was exactly what NYU was looking for. Well, I guess I thought wrong, apparently... </p>

<p>First off, my SAT scores were way above average, at nearly Ivy League quality. I thought this would give me an edge for sure.</p>

<p>My GPA was on the exact median, but I already knew this might not be enough. It was low for me, but I thought I had good reasons for it. I was the first group of kids (15 in total out of 400) who began the IB Diploma Program in my school. It was implemented horribly at first, since my school had no experience with running it. Therefore, we had pretty low quality classes and we struggled with what we were given. As of now, only 4 kids remain, and I still am one of them. All of my letters were from my IB teachers, who know this and mentioned it. My guidance counselor also strongly wrote about how was able to push through IB and still succeed.</p>

<p>I also thought I was playing to NYU's tastes. I'm in IB, which is a huge and prestigious international curriculum, which I thought NYU would love, especially over AP's. I have been all around the world, and I have a love for other cultures and traveling. I thought that NYU loves the international aspect and cultural diversity, so I guessed this would also be perfect. </p>

<p>Even if this wasn't enough, I thought I still had some tools to give me a boost. My father graduated their Tisch Business school (now known as Stern) in 1980, and he remains an active alumni. He even visits the NYU gym and goes swimming there everyday, lol. Most importantly, I applied Early Decision, which I thought for sure would give me a boost. There are around 30 kids applying Regular Decision to NYU from my school, but I was the only one doing ED. This, I thought put me in the spotlight. </p>

<p>Someone had said doing all those activities might have hurt me. The thing is, I legitimately loved doing all those things, and I had a lot of fun with all my clubs and sports. I didn't even do them for the college application as much as I just wanted to enjoy them. For me to be hurt by this sounds absurd, in my opinion. </p>

<p>Also, this race issue. I know for a fact that NYU "tries" to create somewhat of a diverse class. After all, they go around touting diversity all the time. I certainly understand this, but I feel this was very hurtful to me. All around the top schools, I am constantly seeing blacks and latin americans getting accepted with lower credentials than whites and asians. Even though we are a minority, we make up over 33% of the school. I feel this is horribly unfair, but that is their policy...</p>

<p>Yeah, this is not the end of the world, but it was certainly a huge disappointment to me, and even more of a shock. I've wanted to go to NYU for my whole life, but I guess I won't be going next fall. Anyway, I will be applying to Boston University, Northeastern, Babson, Fordham, American, and a few others. Hopefully I can successfully transfer next year :)</p>

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<p>Good attitude mrfrizzle....you have a good plan...if I were you, I'd stay local, go to Fordham if you can, it's a lot more selective than it used to be and it has pretty strong academics...kick ass there, pull a 3.8-4.0 and I have no doubt you'll be able to get into NYU or practically anywhere else you want to as a transfer..good luck.</p>