Should I apply? Advice needed

<p>My parents and I have been arguing back and forth about NYU for the last few months. They don’t want to waste money on the application fee for a school we have no way of affording, even if I did get in. All of the other schools on my list offer pretty generous scholarships, except NYU. I’ve wanted to go to NYU since I was 13, but after I realized how expensive and hard to get into it was I ruled it out. Then over the summer I decided I wanted to at least apply to see if I got in; if I did, it would just be a personal win to know that I achieved something I wanted to, but unless I got a lot of scholarship money, I wouldn’t be able to afford it. It’s just a really long shot for me getting in.</p>

<p>My grades are really good (3.8 GPA, 1930 SAT, 700 on critical reading & writing.) My math scores were somewhat low, in the 500’s. I talked to an admissions rep at a college fair I went to and they said one of the most important factors is how many AP’s/honors classes you take. My school doesn’t have honors, just AP, and I didn’t take any AP classes junior year. I’m taking AP English now but I don’t know if that will change anything. </p>

<p>I have a lot of theater experience also. 25 community theatre productions, private voice lessons, acting training, and I did a professional intensive in NYC this summer. I’m unsure right now if I should even apply, or just not waste my time and my parents money.</p>

<p>NYU offers need-based aid or merit aid to their BM students based on their financials and talent. The more they want you, the greater that number can be. It is worth applying especialy if you have financial need and can afford to pay your EFC at least. If you do not qualifiy for need-based aid, merit aid could be a possiblility, but I would guess it would be in the $5,000 to $10,000 per year range. Remember that the real cost of living at NYU is about $60K per year.</p>

<p>I’ll log in with an opinion on your application to NYU. For background…I have 2 MT daughters. One went to NYU, the other to a mid size private school. So having been through this process twice, I would encourage you to spend your time/energy/money auditioning at the schools you would realistically attend. It’s competitive and the process is exhausting. You might easily be admitted to NYU…but the ego stroke pales in comparison to the cost and effort required to get that stroke. Scholarship $$ are very slim at NYU…doesn’t make sense given the cost to attend, but that’s the reality. Also, NYU is a very non traditional college environment…you have to be ready to give that up. Having seen both my daughters go through very different programs, I would have to say that the experience for this time in their lives, and the training was better at the mid size school than at NYU. But there is quite a bit to be gained by the experience of living in NYC and gettting familiar with that environment. But it comes at a very high cost! Good luck.</p>

<p>D is a current student (a junior) in the Steinhart musical theatre program. Of the students accepted D’s year, all but 2 are actually attending the program. (It was the highest yield of MT students that the school had ever seen.) Which leads me to believe that if NYU wants you, they will try to work it out in terms of financial aid and merit aid. I don’t know what the debt load is for some students, or whether NYU really tried to meet full need, but the kids are there nonetheless. Several of D’s friends claim it was the best financial aid offer they rec’d. We did not get need based aid, but NYU did come up with the amount of merit aid we expected. (We would have hoped for more, but it was what we were told to expect and they did come through.) Not going to lie… it is still costing us a lot of $ to send D there, but for D it has been the perfect choice.</p>

<p>Divamom…was your D at Steinhardt or Tisch?</p>

<p>My D was at Steinhardt. Of the kids in her class, very few were on significant scholarships. My D had scholarship offers at other schools that ran from 1/2 to full tuition. The scholarship at Steinhardt was for 4 years, but covered only about 15% of tuition. It was definitely NOT proportional to the cost to attend. My D did not qualify for need based aid. I would be cautious about attending a school whose costs necessitated significant loans. The performing arts field is a tougher road in terms of income earning potential. To make your way with a large college debt load is not wise. My D was fortunate in that we were able to get her through without loans. But I would not encourage a student who didn’t have the resources to take on the tuition/board bill at NYU.</p>

<p>Many of D’s friends in the program are getting financial aid and seem happy with their packages. Many said it was the best they got. Not sure what kind of debt they are taking on, but I agree that I would never encourage a student to leave any school with crippling debt.</p>

<p>We do not get need based aid. D’s award covers over a year’s worth of tuition and then some…I’d say roughly 20% of attending for 4 years. It was what we expected, even though she did get better offers from other schools.</p>

<p>D really wanted to stay in NYC and wanted to do a minor in the business of media, entertainment and technology. Plus she has done great internships in entertainment/ music/ media.</p>

<p>The OP doesn’t say whether they qualify for aid. He should not ever expect more than his EFC, but there is a shot that NYU can meet his need (or come close.)</p>

<p>I don’t qualify for need based aid.</p>

<p>Then unless your parents are willing to pay about $40K to $50K a year, it would not be reasonable to apply. : (</p>

<p>My parents aren’t paying for it, which is what makes it even more impossible for me to go.</p>

<p>That is what make the whole financial aid thing so unreasonable. Their formulas say your parents can afford to pay, but if they refuse there is no recourse. Good luck to you!</p>