Transferring into Gallatin?

<p>Hi, guys. I applied to NYU ED but was rejected unfortunately. But despite my rejection, I would still love to attend NYU in the future, so I decided that I will apply as a transfer student my junior year in college.</p>

<p>First off, I'm going to Penn State in the fall and I've been eye-ing Psych and Film as my intended majors. I want to apply to NYU Gallatin because I hear the program is incredible since you make your own majors (which is amazing because I want to incorporate psych with film). Now, I know it's a little too early to think about tranferring since I haven't even started school and I might even end up loving Penn State to the point where I don't want to transfer, but I still want to keep my goal of getting into NYU and keep my grades up.</p>

<p>Typically, what kind of grades do you need to get into Gallatin? I'm probably guessing it's a 3.5+, maybe? Also, if I apply my junior year, do they look at my high school transcript? I'm not terribly disappointed, but I was an average student: 3.4 gpa uw, 27 act, 1800 sat, decent ecs, etc... </p>

<p>Also, should I be involved in extracurriculars in college like I was in high school? I'll probably only be involved in like one or two things I like to do, which are Newspaper and Film club. I know NYU puts a ton of emphasis on essays but I'm not too worried since I love creative writing.</p>

<p>Anyways, thanks for reading. Hope I can get some advice on this.</p>

<p>Hey grigg02! I was just accepted to Gallatin as a transfer for my sophomore year. </p>

<p>Gallatin is a funny school because (from what I’ve been told) they’re more concerned with your essay/your individuality rather than your GPA/SAT scores/grades. Obviously those things are important, but not the major determining factors. My high school grades and SAT scores were average, and I can tell you that you’re in better shape grade-wise than I was in high school.</p>

<p>So what got me into Gallatin? A few different things, I’m pretty sure, were what got me in (because it definitely wasn’t my SAT scores).</p>

<p>First, I had AMAZING extracurricular activities. I did a crap load of stuff at my university. I wrote for the school newspaper, was a Student Ambassador (giving tours), the Vice President of my Dorm Council, a member of the Film Club, a member of the Environmental Club, a member of the Jewish Club, a School Blogger, had an internship with a film festival in New York, and was the official school mascot. I took advantage of absolutely every single opportunity that my school offered, and not only did it make my college experience more exciting, but it beefed me up as a candidate.</p>

<p>Second, my letters of recommendation were great. One of my professors was an adjunct who also taught at NYU, and he wrote me a great letter. This proved that someone who teaches at NYU thought I was worthy of being a student there. Another letter came from my internship in New York City, which then proved that I was capable of taking advantage of the opportunities in the city. Long story short, make sure your letters prove how interesting and strong of a person you are.</p>

<p>Third, my essay. This is definitely the most important part of your application. Make it interesting and make it original. Take as long as you need to whip out a perfect essay (I went through three different topics before finally choosing one). The essay can be as long as you want it to be. It just needs to prove that you are an interesting person who really stands out from the crowd.</p>

<p>So, I’d say that as long as you have a 3.5 GPA for your first semester of college, your grades/SAT scores shouldn’t really be your biggest concern. Rather, make yourself out to be an interesting candidate. Do EVERYTHING you can at Penn State (it’ll be worth it in the end). Make relationships with important people. Work on your writing. Good luck!</p>

<p>grigg and treef,</p>

<p>You would have to be a very interesting, unique and standout candidate if you are competing with the likes of Emma Watson (Gallatin transfer applicant?) and Dakota Fanning (Gallatin ED applicant).</p>

<p>[Emma</a> Watson And Dakota Fanning Might Be NYU’s Newest Child Stars · NYU Local](<a href=“http://nyulocal.com/on-campus/2011/02/22/emma-watson-and-dakota-fanning-might-be-nyus-newest-child-stars/]Emma”>http://nyulocal.com/on-campus/2011/02/22/emma-watson-and-dakota-fanning-might-be-nyus-newest-child-stars/)</p>

<p>By the way, treef, Congrats on a great job at college and the dedication to completing a superb application for transfer admission to NYU!</p>

<p>I’m going to Gallatin as a freshmen this year. Here’s the thing, their admission process (like so many schools) is random. But I noticed that the OP said he/she would be trying to transfer in as a junior. That would be a very hard transition. Two years somewhere more “traditional” and then adjusting to the curriculum and location of Gallatin = tough. But good luck to you, I feel like with Gallatin if you want it badly enough it’ll happen. :)</p>

<p>Hey grigg,</p>

<p>I transferred into NYU Gallatin just this year and completed my first year at NYU! WOW, what an experience it is. I also serve as the Student Transfer Ambassador to Gallatin and I spoke at the Spring 2011 Transfer Orientation.</p>

<p>First off, let me tell you that NYU is definitely not at all what I thought it was going to be like. Because it is the epitome of an urban school, it is very difficult to acclimate to the community and even to find the community due to the fact that there is no closed campus. Basically, you have to be extremely outgoing and social and confident if you’re going to have fun here at NYU. Life in the city can be very isolating, and especially as a transfer, you have to deal with not being able to participate in the community building measures NYU takes during freshman year. If you put enough work into it and involve yourself in things that you are passionate about, you will have an amazing time at NYU. It was hard for me at first, but I really dedicated myself to finding my people and doing activities that I love. This summer, I’m making it a point to identify areas I am dissatisfied with at NYU, and making an action plan to involve myself with things that will be the best usage of my efforts and time and will help address these problem areas. I feel like you have to be that serious about NYU to make the most of it. You are going to Penn State, a school with a fantastic closed campus and a great sense of community. It will be easy to acclimate there; I believe it’s listed on the Princeton Review’s list of schools with the happiest students. That is a REALLY good indicator of the kind of experience you will have; NYU is actually listed on the schools with the unhappiest students due to the fact that you really have to be a specific, independent kind of person to enjoy life here. Definitely go into Penn State with an open mind and appreciate that it has a closed “traditional” campus; this will be great for campus life and community. It is much less visible here.</p>

<p>That being said (I just really wanted you to be aware of that, because lord knows I wasn’t), NYU is an amazing school with an awesome reputation, and you can grow as a person SO much by attending it. It’s also in the best city in the world, and there is so much to do. Gallatin is a fantastic program if you want to study an unconventional path of study, but you have to remember that your degree must be marketable and make sense for careers in the future. You can royally screw up at Gallatin if you don’t put enough effort into figuring out a fantastic individualized degree; it really is a lot of work to make your own major because YOU are the one choosing the classes as opposed to having the university pre-choose them for you. It’s a lot of responsibility, but if you’re passionate enough, it can be the perfect undergraduate experience for you. The interdisciplinary seminar model is great too because first and foremost, Gallatin is a liberal arts school, and it’s really cool to learn about core subjects like politics, philosophy, literature, religion, classics, etc. woven together in contexts that interest you and can inform your specific concentration as well.</p>

<p>Like treef said above, the Gallatin (and NYU for that matter) admissions process is very qualitative, and it has a LOT to do with your essay and personal statements. Gallatin students are innovative, individualistic and unique, and that’s what they want to see in the essays. Also, if you put heart and soul and TRULY communicate that Gallatin is the right school for you, why your current university doesn’t allow you to study what you want to study, and how you can give back to the Gallatin and NYU community, that will work in your favor. Grades are also very important; I had a 3.87 from Hofstra University when I transferred in, but it was only one semester of grades and I actually had a 2.67 in high school. My SAT was a little higher than average, and I didn’t take any subject tests. I was also HIGHLY involved at Hofstra (president of my residence hall, VP of the Hofstra Investment Club, elected student senator in SGA, member of the Financial Management Assoc., recipient of a Hofstra University Recognition Grant totaling $42,000 and I received an invitation to attend the Hofstra Univ. Honors College, a selective honors school with an entirely different curriculum). As long as you have a strong identity, can write well, can communicate clearly the concept you wish to study at Gallatin and why you’re right for it, get REALLY involved at Penn State and start your application early so you can draft and redraft and redraft, I think you have a good chance. Psych and film is a cool combo. A lot of people come in and out of NYU because it’s not the right fit or they realize that it is after being at another college, and Gallatin is made up of approximately 60% transfer students.</p>

<p>I would also really recommend visiting the school and staying over with a friend. That will definitely give you an understanding about if you want to attend. NYU is not for everyone, and in fact, is probably for only 1 in 30 students that think they want to be there. It’s tough socially and academically, but if you find your place here, it’s amazing. Good luck at Penn State, and enjoy having a campus!!! Let me know if you have ANY questions, because that what I do as the Gallatin Transfer Student Adviser!</p>

<p>These are terrific responses, guys. Thanks so so much!</p>

<p>The reason why I plan on transferring during my junior year (or possibly just applying to NYU Tisch for grad) is because NYU is SO expensive. Penn State is a much much cheaper route for me. I have a friend who was accepted into NYU and she had to decline her acceptance because it was just too much money. I was fotunately able to visit NYU earlier this year and honestly, I loved this school. I’m a type of person who can enjoy both the isolated and hectic environments since I used to live on a farm (now the city). The environment of NYC really doesn’t bug me at all; in fact, I love it. </p>

<p>One thing I am really worried about is what I should do to beef my app up. I’m not really enthusiastic about the idea of taking a ton of extracurriculars; I like taking maybe up to 3 or 4, but things that I am really passionate about. I like running so I am probably going to end up doing IM sports at Penn State…but is that considered an “EC?” I also like writing and doing layouts, so I will definitely write for my school paper. I’m also hoping to join a film club and maybe an international club thing since I have a big interest in the international world. I also wanted to start some clubs like “International/Foreign film club” since I love foreign films. Also, I’m mainly into critiquing films more than the production, but If I were to go into film, I would look into Cinematography. I also really want to do well and get into the Honors College at Penn State, which would require me to have a 3.75+ gpa. And, of course, build good relationships with my professors and have them write me good recs. Would this make me a competitive applicant as a transfer student? I’ll probably think of something creative for my personal statement.</p>

<p>Thanks so much. Amazing, amazing answers…</p>

<p>Grigg-
Just to let you know NYU isnt looking for a load of ECs. They want to see a good amount of quality ECs in which you have leaderships positions. They would much rather see you involved in a few clubs in which you are president than 10 clubs in which you just attend a meeting or two every now and again. I think I read that on either the application or somewhere on the website.</p>

<p>:)</p>

<p>citygirl,</p>

<p>Sounds right. Above all, remember there is only so much an applicant can “create” out of thin air. You gotta really be in to whatever it is you are doing, because you love it and it is a part of who you are. Just pursue your passion(s) in the best way you know how. :)</p>

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I know this may be a belated reply but I would like to give my two cents. I was also rejected by NYU as a freshman because I honestly just wasn’t the strongest candidate, since some personal adversity had gotten in the way of being the best in school. Anyway, I attended Penn State and I was just happy to go to college and make friends - I started in one of the 2011 LEAP programs. I had such a fantastic time during the summer. Halfway through the fall I started getting frustrated. I was in the Nittany Grotto Caving Club (amazing people and fun in that group), got into Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, and maintained a 3.53 GPA. I lived in Simmons with honors kids and took advantage of the K-floor’s meetings with Dean Brady. I got frustrated because I felt like I was living in the middle of nowhere, which I was. I grew up in Europe and spent six years living in New York City, and while PSU boasts a beautiful campus I needed far more stimulation. I wanted to be a part of things - the rush and the intellectual buzz. I took a semester leave of absence this past fall and reapplied to NYU as a transfer for the spring. I was accepted, and I am due to start the end of January.</p>

<p>I will share what I have learned about Gallatin so far: making your own “concentration” is a blessing and a curse. I accepted late because, for a time, it was difficult for me to choose between the two schools. This pushed me back in terms of registering because your advisor needs to clear you before you can register. What this means is that you go to your advisor, talk about which areas of study interest you, and then you have to find courses, put together your schedule, and send it to her so that she can approve it (make sure nothing conflicts and that you’re not waiting for a class that has a 10 person wait list). As a Gallatin student, you need two Expository Writing courses and four Interdisciplinary Seminar courses. These are intended to give students basic requirements so that we’re not flailing about in the dark. My English 15 course from PSU counted as one Expository Writing class, which is nice. What is AMAZING about Gallatin courses is that they, like someone else posted, incorporate different subject matters into one course. I am registered for International Human Rights for the spring. There are others that concern the written word, identity, time period, and narrative writing all in one. So administrators (or whomever) work hard to make the courses interesting, since that’s what Gallatin is all about. You take generally four courses (16 credits) at Gallatin, which surprised me because at PSU you can take up to 21 credits.</p>

<p>Another thing to note is that the first two years are spent taking whatever courses you want. In this respect, Gallatin acts exactly like PSU’s Division of Undergraduate Studies. This means that Gallatin will accept all your course credit from your previous school. The only difference is that at PSU, you will declare a prescribed major. At Gallatin, you will declare a “concentration,” or your unique area of study. Now here comes the part that gives reason to why it will be difficult to go into Gallatin as a junior: as a junior at Gallatin, you are expected to have declared a concentration already and probably begun minor preparation for your senior colloquium. I don’t see how they can accept juniors, to be honest, because you’d be coming in without a concentration that’s the first year of preparing for the colloquium. But about the colloquium (you can find more information about this on the Gallatin website): it’s a two-hour-long discussion/presentation of your concentration to (as I understand it) your advisor and two or three other faculty members. You have to incorporate 20-25 books into your presentation, and the amounts are broken into time periods. But don’t let this overwhelm you, as it did me at first, because preparation begins about two years before your colloquium.</p>

<p>I understand cost is a huge factor. Luckily, my mother is a professor at NYU so I qualify for tuition remission (NYU pays for 90% of tuition). As such, my total cost per semester will cost about the same as a semester at PSU. This was a huge bonus for me; NYU a few years back decided not to apply this to graduate school as well, so this was my chance. I didn’t want to go back to Penn State, though I have amazing friends there, because of a few things, which may or may not seem minor to others. I couldn’t stand the beer-chugging frat guys and the 5"-heel-and-mini-skirt-in-the-dead-of-winter-wearing girls who seemed to wash over the undergraduate student body. I didn’t grow up with football (though being at games was a lot of fun) so I didn’t like the cult-like obsession with it outside of the stadium. It was more than this, though, and I am sorry if I offend anyone. I felt like I had to work very hard to find the students who were off the radar - my gays, my musicians, my poets, etc. I felt like, outside the classroom, the cultural scope of PSU and its undergraduate students was very limited. It was hard to relate to people. A lot of my friends were grad students, which made me feel even more set apart from my undergraduate classmates. Second thing: I wanted to be able to apply what I was studying outside the classroom. I felt like anything I was studying ended at the classroom doors, and that bothered me. I love NYU’s applied approach. Third: NYU’s motto is “In and of the city, and In and of the world.” They’re not just saying that for reputation. NYU is the first school, to my knowledge, to actually have branch campuses abroad. There are so many places to go that I may not go to after college, and that’s super exciting. PSU is a bubble; that’s exactly what some people want and what some people don’t.</p>

<p>Two last things about Gallatin, which I should have mentioned earlier: you can generally cross the red tape that other students can’t when it comes to taking classes in other schools. I am currently on the wait list to take a scriptwriting class in Tisch, with the consent of the professor. You just have to make sure to be clear as to why you want to take that class. Lastly, in my application I made clear that I had been involved at my former school, but listed two or three fundamental reasons why it was not the school for me and hashed that out in paragraph form. I emphasized that though PSU is a good school, I wanted the experience I knew NYU could give me. I’m not a huge city girl, but I love walking around the village and going in and out of cafe’s and meeting people from all walks of life. And there is a sort of heart of campus: Washington Square Village. There’s some intense student life there.</p>

<p>I hope this has helped, and good luck with everything!</p>