<p>My son is a junior in high school and we attended a Tisch Drama info session last monday afternoon. The admissions guy told us that starting this fall the auditions will also probably include some kind of dance/movement component in addition to the monologues.</p>
<p>Today I happened on the NYU admissions website and see that they have changed the testing requirements for all students. I also spoke to a Tisch admissions officer to confirm this. Now, Tisch applicants will need to submit 2 subject tests (SAT IIs) in addition to the SATs. However, they also have the option of submitting 3 SAT IIs and no SAT, or the ACT ( with writing) alone, or the SAT and 2 AP tests or 3 AP tests. </p>
<p>Did you see this at the bottom of the page?</p>
<p>Students who can demonstrate evidence of an extraordinary accomplishment outside of normal classroom or scholastic activity, such as a major publication in a national or international journal, a published book, a film or other outstanding visual or performing artistic accomplishment, a scientific or other remarkable discovery, winning a national competition, or the equivalent will be required to provide only an SAT Reasoning Test score, or two SAT Subject Test scores, or two AP exam scores.</p>
<p>My D is a Tisch senior in Musical Theater. When she auditioned in 2005, there was an optional dance audition and she did it. Since then, they took away the dance audition and so I guess they are putting it back and not making it optional. This is good to know. </p>
<p>When she applied, while SAT IIs were required for schools other than Tisch at NYU, these were just recommended for Tisch, but not required. My D took them. So, again, your information is clearly new information for next year and I appreciate your sharing that. One common thing on CC is that people share what they know about requirements from previous years and it is helpful but one always should check with a school directly as things change and your post points that out! </p>
<p>I did see that super-accomplishment paragraph too, but when I spoke with the Tisch admissions person on the phone, they said that they foresee the vast majority of Tisch applicants as NOT falling into that category. </p>
<p>Here is an excerpt of the FAQ section:</p>
<p>“You have said that students with “extraordinary accomplishment outside of normal classroom or scholastic activity,” need only submit two Subject Test or AP scores instead of three. How do I know if I qualify? Do I need to submit something to provide evidence of my “extraordinary accomplishment?”
To be honest, we expect that very few students will be in this category. And to be sure, we DO NOT want students to submit CD’s of artistic performances, papers or research findings, or portfolios of art work, etc. We anticipate that your extraordinary accomplishment will essentially speak for itself, and we neither expect nor require the submission of additional materials. Instead, you may address this issue in the “Additional Information” section of your application, or ask your guidance counselor to refer to it in his or her recommendation. Once again, our best recommendation is to submit all of your scores and let us decide whether we will use two scores or three scores as our basis of admission.”</p>
<p>So my son is taking a practice SAT II test upstairs as I write this!</p>
<p>Most very selective (academically) universities require two SAT Subject Tests (or ACT with Writing). Indeed, NYU, a very selective university, has required that for students in the other schools within NYU and has only recommended it for Tisch, in the past. Tisch cares about admitted students being very good students. Academic admission is 50% of the admissions decision. Strong academics can indicate strong work ethic as well. Taking two SAT Subject Tests is not that big of a deal. They are one hour long each and are basically achievement tests. A student should take some practice tests and can pick which two subjects they excel at. My daughters took these. My D who goes to Tisch took them in tenth grade in fact. </p>
<p>I believe that Tisch will not have a shortage of applicants due to this requirement. They attract a certain type of applicant and it is not as if they would care that some applicants don’t wish to do this. I have a D who applied to regular selective colleges (not for MT) and all her schools required the SAT Subject Tests with the SAT (or ACT with Writing). This is typical of a selective university with a certain academic standard of admission. Getting into NYU/Tisch is not ONLY about artistic talent. You have to have both artistic talent and academic talent. That is what Tisch values and so it may not fit all who are interested in theater or MT. And that’s OK. I know some academically talented theater students who feel that some stand alone conservatories, while great, do not fit what they are looking for either.</p>
<p>I seriously doubt that this new (or amended) testing requirement will deter most students from applying to Tisch or NYU. But it will bring into clearer focus that NYU is a very selective university, academically, so that those whose test scores are nowhere near the mean might stop and think twice, even if NYU is their “dream school.”</p>
<p>I don’t think it will deter many applicants either. When my D applied several years ago, SAT IIs were still optional but recommended for every NYU applicant. She did three in addition to the regular SATs. She wasn’t unique in that regard. I recall at one info session we attended prior to our audition visit where the individual running the session at Tisch said that a majority of applicants to Tisch submitted SATII scores even though they were not required. My guess is that the kids who want to apply will do what’s required, and it’s nice that they have a few different options.</p>
<p>AlwaysAMom, my D also took three SAT IIs when she applied to BFA programs, including Tisch. Back then, one of the SAT Subject Tests she took was Writing and that was before Writing became part of the regular SAT. That’s why many selective schools today only require TWO SATIIs and not three, because Writing is already part of the SAT. </p>
<p>I agree that NYU/Tisch is providing several different testing options. I mean many take the ACT anyway (my kids didn’t but many of my students do) and so if they do, it would suffice for NYU.</p>
<p>I spoke to someone at NYU admissions who said for Tisch it’s the first year they are doing this, so it won’t necessarily hurt you if you do not have any subject tests. This may be different for me because I am an international student, but she said not to worry if you don’t have subject tests. Tisch puts a lot of emphasis on your portfolio…</p>