nyu admissions essay famous

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June 21, 2014

Famous College Essay

We’ve never written about this essay on our college admissions blog before. But we figured…why not? If one were to ask us what is the most famous college essay ever written, we know the answer hands down. It’s this NYU applicant’s essay from many, many years ago. To this day, it remains well known in the highly selective college admissions community. But, today, we’d like to discuss it. Look, it’s extremely well written. Rarely — and we mean rarely — have we seen students with this kind of writing ability. Did we say rarely yet? Because we do mean rarely. And it’s quite funny. The guy can make 30-minute brownies in 20 minutes.

And while it was a great essay at the time and the writer definitely has a sense of humor, we strongly discourage students from writing essays in this style. For one, every single admissions officer — from the ones who are first out of college to the veterans of the departments — will know from where you’re taking inspiration. Also, this essay is kind of mocking the entire college admissions process. The writer is essentially saying that he has done all of these amazing things in life and he hasn’t even yet gone to college. Sure, it’s written tongue in cheek but, at the end of the day, the essay says little about the actual applicant. Because, presumably, little or none of it is true. That’s the whole point.

Look, this was a great essay all of those years ago. There’s a reason it’s a famous essay. What we’re saying is don’t even think about taking inspiration from it or writing anything stylistically similar because that is not a good idea for you. Here’s the essay:

“I am a dynamic figure, often seen scaling walls and crushing ice. I have been known to remodel train stations on my lunch breaks, making them more efficient in the area of heat retention. I translate ethnic slurs for Cuban refugees, I write award-winning operas, I manage time efficiently.

Occasionally, I tread water for three days in a row. I woo women with my sensuous and godlike trombone playing. I can pilot bicycles up severe inclines with unflagging speed, and I cook 30-minute brownies in 20 minutes.

I am an expert in stucco, a veteran in love, and an outlaw in Peru.

Using only a hoe and a large glass of water, I once single-handedly defended a small village in the Amazon basin from a horde of ferocious army ants. I play bluegrass cello. I was scouted by the Mets. I am the subject of numerous documentaries. When I’m bored, I build large suspension bridges in my yard. I enjoy urban hang gliding. On Wednesdays, after school, I repair electrical appliances free of charge.

I am an abstract artist, a concrete analyst, and a ruthless bookie. Critics worldwide swoon over my original line of corduroy evening wear. I don’t perspire.

I am a private citizen, yet I receive fan mail. I have been caller number nine and have won the weekend passes. Last summer I toured New Jersey with a traveling centrifugal force demonstration. I bat .400. My deft floral arrangements have earned me fame in international botany circles. Children trust me.

I can hurl tennis rackets at small moving objects with deadly accuracy. I once read Paradise lost, Moby Dick, and David Copperfield in one day and still had time to refurbish an entire dining room that evening. I know the exact location of every food item in the supermarket. I have performed several covert operations for the CIA. I sleep once a week; when I do sleep, I sleep in a chair. While on vacation in Canada, I successfully negotiated with a group of terrorists who had seized a small bakery. The laws of physics do not apply to me.

I balance, I weave, I dodge, I frolic, and my bills are all paid. On weekends, to let off steam, I participate in full-contact origami. Years ago I discovered the meaning of life, but forgot to write it down. I have made extraordinary four course meals using only a mouli and a toaster oven.

I breed prize-winning clams. I have won bullfights in San Juan, cliff-diving competitions in Sri Lanka, and spelling bees at the Kremlin. I have played Hamlet, I have performed open-heart surgery, and I have spoken with Elvis.

But, I have not yet gone to college.”

What do you think about this college essay? Let us know your thoughts by posting a Comment below. We look forward to hearing from you! Oh, and if you’re a rising high school senior, now is the time when you should be working on your college essays . So contact us  today to get started!

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How Hugh Gallagher Got Into NYU... (his actual essay)

<p>I dunno if any of you guys have ever come across this, but its supposedly the guy’s actual essay. Haha I think its cool… too bad i wasnt creative enough to come up with something like that…</p>

<p>some extra info if you wanna read up on it: <a href=“ http://www.annonline.com/interviews/980223/biography.html[/url] ”> http://www.annonline.com/interviews/980223/biography.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt ;

<p>The following was taken from an actual application for admission to NYU (New York University)</p>

<p>NYU Essay: In order for the admissions staff of our college to get to know you, the applicant, better, we ask that you answer the following question: are there any significant experiences you have had, or accomplishments you have realized, that have helped to define you as a person?</p>

<p>Gallagher 's Essay:</p>

<p>I am a dynamic figure, often seen scaling walls and crushing ice. I have been known to remodel train stations on my lunch breaks, making them more efficient in the area of heat retention. I translate ethnic slurs for Cuban refugees, I write award-winning operas, I manage time efficiently.</p>

<p>Occasionally, I tread water for three days in a row.</p>

<p>I woo women with my sensuous and godlike trombone playing, I can pilot bicycles up severe inclines with unflagging speed, and I cook Thirty-Minute Brownies in twenty minutes. I am an expert in stucco, a veteran in love, and an outlaw in Peru.</p>

<p>Using only a hoe and a large glass of water, I once single-handedly defended a small village in the Amazon Basin from a horde of ferocious army ants.</p>

<p>I play bluegrass cello, I was scouted by the Mets, I am the subject of numerous documentaries. When I’m bored, I build suspension bridges in my yard. I enjoy urban hang gliding. On Wednesdays, after school, I repair electrical appliances free of charge.</p>

<p>I am an abstract artist, a concrete analyst, and a ruthless bookie. Critics worldwide swoon over my original line of corduroy evening wear. I don’t perspire. I am a private citizen, yet I receive fan mail. I have been caller ‘number nine’ and have won the weekend passes. Last summer I toured New Jersey with a traveling centrifugal-force demonstration. I bat .400.</p>

<p>My deft floral arrangements have earned me fame in international botany circles. Children trust me.</p>

<p>I can hurl tennis rackets at small moving objects with deadly accuracy. I once read Paradise Lost, Moby Dick, and David Copperfield in one day and still had time to refurbish an entire dining room that evening. I know the exact location of every food item in the supermarket. I have performed several covert operations for the CIA. I sleep once a week; when I do sleep, I sleep in a chair. While on vacation in Canada, I successfully negotiated with a group of terrorists who had seized a small bakery. The laws of physics do not apply to me.</p>

<p>I balance, I weave, I dodge, I frolic, and my bills are all paid. On weekends, to let off steam, I participate in full-contact origami. Years ago I discovered the meaning of life but forgot to write it down. I have made extraordinary four course meals using only a mouli and a toaster oven.</p>

<p>I breed prizewinning clams. I have won bullfights in San Juan, cliff-diving competitions in Sri Lanka, and spelling bees at the Kremlin. I have played Hamlet, I have performed open-heart surgery, and I have spoken with Elvis.</p>

<p>But I have not yet gone to college.</p>

<p>Wow, that was pretty hillarious and a very unique (yet ballsy) thing to do. Good for him. Just goes to show that risk taking can pay off.</p>

<p>u know…everyone raves and raves about this essay…i personally do not see why it is so good…stringing a bunch of “creative” sentences together is much easier than writing an actual personal statement…</p>

<p>It’s over-rated. Definitely.</p>

<p>Humor is pretty hard to write effectively.</p>

<p>its so overrated</p>

<p>It’s an incredible essay, but it wasn’t written for admission into NYU. It won the scholastic writing competition in 1990 + was later reprinted in Harpers.</p>

<p>More info here: <a href=“ http://www.annonline.com/interviews/980223/biography.html[/url] ”> http://www.annonline.com/interviews/980223/biography.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt ;

<p>Then why is it described in that article as his college application essay?</p>

<p>Oops, I didn’t post the right link. “This is a copy of an essay that was written by Hugh Gallagher. The urban myth is that is that it was submitted by him for consideration in admission to NYU. The truth is, that this essay earned Mr. Gallagher first place in Scholastic Inc.'s high school writing contest in 1990.”</p>

<p><a href=“ http://www.utdallas.edu/~thib/fm_wav.html[/url] ”> http://www.utdallas.edu/~thib/fm_wav.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt ;

<p>EDIT: HOWEVER, apparently that it was an urban legend, was itself an urban legend: <a href=“ University of York ”> http://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/~susan/joke/essay.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt ;

<p>Gallagher says he did send it to colleges.</p>

<p>its not even that funny seriously…6 teachers gave me a copy of this essay last week when i asked them for some advice on essays…SIX…its getting annoying…</p>

<p>it may have worked here, but being cute only goes so far in the real world.</p>

<p>I want to meet that kid!</p>

<p>shiet my essays no where as creative as that. mine’s really str8 foward. I hope my very humble essay will suffice.</p>

<p>you ever hear the urban legend about the guy who, in his philosophy final, answered the exam’s only question, “Whis is courage?”, with two words?</p>

<p>This is.</p>

<p>That rocks.</p>

<p>“This is”</p>

<p>i heard that someone wrote “this is” to the college ap question, what’s the biggest risk you’ve taken?</p>

<p>All those stupid replies to papers are ridiculous. Just look up Snopes, there’s a dozen of them. </p>

<p><a href=“ http://www.snopes.com/college/exam/exam.asp[/url] ”> http://www.snopes.com/college/exam/exam.asp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt ;

<p>fack those pple are ingenious</p>

<p>essays make up maybe .1% of NYU’s decision. dont stress.</p>

<p>I got that in class</p>

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See the Essay That Helped This Student Get into NYU

Roberto Vivancos/Pexels

As part of College Confidential's essay series, we're sharing personal essays from students who were admitted to college during a prior admissions cycle. The student who wrote this as his essay was accepted to New York University, and we are sharing it with his permission.

"It's a mammoth tusk," my friend said.

I held up the item that I'd just dug out of the ground and examined it against the light. It was only a few inches long, beige in color, and hard as a rock. "Mammoth tusks would be huge," I told him, stuffing it into my pocket to examine later.

When I got home that day, I set the item on a shelf in my room where I stored all of my artifacts. Even then, in second grade, I had at least 25 different things in my collection. Some of them were simple to identify: A marble, a plastic comb, some fake coins from Chuck E. Cheese. But all of them were mine – dug from the ground in the woods around my neighborhood and cleaned off by me for later inspection.

My tools weren't fancy. I had a small metal garden shovel that my parents no longer needed, an old paintbrush, and a metal tool that I assumed was a stainless steel chopstick (found previously in the dirt at a playground). My method was pretty simple: Use the shovel to dig a hole, and if it hit anything, I'd use the chopstick to pry it out. After that, I'd dust it off with the paintbrush and take it home.

My best finds were the things I couldn't identify. Did I dig up a piece of an old parachute? Or was it just someone's sock that fell out of a backpack during a hike? Is someone looking for this item, or was it purposely discarded? I would go over these unidentifiable objects repeatedly, touching and polishing them to try and get their history to flow into my body. Sometimes I'd have a dream where I definitively diagnosed my items. I'd wake up and say "Oh that's right, the rusted metal I found on Tuesday wasn't an old beer can – it was discarded war ammunition." Then I'd realize that this insight came from my dream, not from real life, and I'd be back to square one.

My hobby continued for years, and eventually my grandparents bought me a metal detector. I took it out on a dig in sixth grade, eager to bring up a tub filled with gold and silver coins, but the only things I detected with it were a belt buckle and an old crucifix pendant, which my brother assured me was cursed, so I put it back where I'd found it.

Even though those were decent finds, I felt like the metal detector was taking part of the fun out of my digs. After a few weeks, I put it in the garage and grabbed my previous tool bag. Armed with my shovel and other materials, I could once again dig holes throughout the woods, with or without my friends, and make discoveries.

My collection of archeological items is smaller now. When we moved, I had to part with a few things, but I was sure to keep the ones I couldn't identify. Into the trash went the marbles and belt buckles. Onto the shelf in my new house went the tusk, the parachute, the ammunition and other items that had been ambiguously ID'd by me.

Last year, while cutting through the woods to my friend's house, I lost a soapstone keychain. I looked for days, but never located it. Sometimes I wonder if a second grader out digging may have found it.

"Is it a tusk?" he asked his friend.

Then, in my dream, he proudly put it on a shelf to fuel his own sense of wonder, never knowing who left it there or why, only to create his own stories about it.

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The Ultimate College Application Essay

NYU Essay Prompts

• Why Us - Example 1

View our complete guide to NYU.

New York University is the most applied to private school in the country, and asks for only a single essay outside of the personal statement. This is a 250 word “Why Us” essay, which is on the long side for such. Having just one essay is both a blessing and a curse; while it does cut down on the amount of extra work you will have to do, you only have this essay to introduce yourself to the school.

This essay should have very little overlap with the personal statement, and should try to showcase some of your values, along with stating why NYU is the best place for you to go to college. Below is an example of a well done NYU essay from a former Ivy Scholars student. When the prompt was asked, it had a 400 word limit, but overall NYU is looking for the same things.

Why Us - Example

Why NYU? (400 Words)

My ballet bun bobbed as I walked down 5th Avenue, cracking my knuckles in preparation for my performance at the Youth American Grand Prix nationals. It was my first time in the city, and I was intimidated. “Jas, did I tell you about the NYU tour?” my friend Annie inquired, her bun bobbing in unison with mine. “It’s the perfect place for you. I just know it.” 

For me? I had always thought of New Yorkers as strong, independent, and fearless, qualities my insecure, fifteen-year-old self didn’t think I’d ever possess. By the time I began researching colleges two years later, confidence and self-worth had blossomed in place of my previous trepidation. Annie’s comments echoed in my ears, and as I scoured the NYU website, alumni testimonials, and everything in between, I realized just how right she was that fateful summer day.

The first thing that caught my eye was a study abroad trip to Abu Dhabi. Having heard countless stories about the Eid celebrations of my mother’s childhood, I have long wanted to engage more deeply with my heritage. This has proved difficult while living in Texas, and I am eager to immerse myself in Muslim culture through this distinctive program.

NYU will also provide me with countless opportunities to engage my diverse interests. During my freshman year, I intend to explore a wide variety of academic fields including child and adolescent psychiatry, biology, radiology, and statistics. This exploration will enable me to both dive into my major with confidence and contribute to the well-rounded education I am dedicated to pursuing. 

Finally, I am thrilled by the fact that NYU’s campus is the city itself. I can’t wait to walk those busy streets again, donning my signature ballet bun as I trek to class at Broadway Dance Center or Peridance. Along with pursuing my personal dance goals, the countless offerings for NYU students – including discounted Broadway shows – will allow for me to immerse myself deeper into the city as a whole while developing my artistry, and supplementing my education. I can’t wait to be the strong, independent, and fearless New Yorker I once looked at in bewilderment.

Why Us - Analysis

This question is about as straightforward as one can be, and is incredibly open ended as well. While NYU does suggest you focus your response on the program of study and school within NYU you are interested in, there are no guidelines beyond that. This allows you to discuss anything about NYU which interests you, and about yourself which makes NYU well suited for you.

This essay, like all “Why Us” essays, is not a place to merely tell the school that they are great; they presumably already know that. Rather, the point of this essay is to explain why the school is the right place for you specifically. How do the programs offered by the school complement your interests and desires, and how will your unique talents and abilities be well served by the school in turn. This essay should make the pairing of you with the school seem like an obvious conclusion.

In the example above, the author goes point by point about what draws them to NYU, touching on each briefly, but with enough detail to make it seem well thought out. Further, they include some details about themselves that admissions officers might not know otherwise; such as their desire to more deeply explore their heritage. This is not a necessity, but can be useful, as there are no other essays to put these tidbits of information in.

While the author does not dive too deeply into academics, it becomes clear from the essay that this is not due to lack of passion; rather the author has such disparate interests that there is no time to dive into all of them in the essay. If you are certain about what you want to study, you should devote a reasonable portion of the essay explaining why you want to do so at NYU, instead of some other institution. The more detail you use, the more convincing your reasons will be.

The author touches briefly on the city of New York itself, which is the best way to do so. There are many colleges and universities in New York, so the bulk of the essay should not be devoted to how great the city itself is, with NYU itself as an afterthought. Talking about the school’s relationship with the city is fine, but it should not be the main focus.

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New York University | NYU’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Select-a-prompt short response.

We are looking for peacemakers, changemakers, global citizens, boundary breakers, creatives and innovators - Choose one quote from the following and let us know why it inspires you; or share a short quote and person not on our list who inspires you, and include why.

“We’re used to people telling us there are no solutions, and then creating our own. So we did what we do best. We reached out to each other, and to our allies, and we mobilized across communities to make change, to benefit and include everyone in society.” Judith Heuman, 2022 NYU Commencement Address

“I encourage your discomfort, that you must contribute, that you must make your voice heard. That is the essence of good citizenship." Sherilynn Ifill, 2015 NYU Commencement Address

“If you know how to fly but you never knew how to walk, wouldn’t that be sad?” Lang Lang, 2015 NYU Honorary Degree Recipient

"You have the right to want things and to want things to change." Sanna Marin, Former Prime Minister of Finland, 2023 NYU Commencement Address

"It‘s hard to fight when the fight ain‘t fair.” Taylor Swift, Change, Released 2008, 2022 NYU Commencement Speaker

Share a short quote and person not on this list, and why the quote inspires you.

Common App Personal Essay

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

Published October 03, 2023

3 Tips to Choose the Right Common App Essay Prompt

Lisa Mortini

Senior Assistant Director, NYU Abu Dhabi Admissions

It’s time to start preparing your application to NYU. If you’re wondering how to choose the right prompt amongst the seven offered by the Common Application, then keep reading.

TIP 1 – Which YOU are you presenting to NYU?

Don’t just jump on the first prompt you read and start writing. Before you choose a prompt, you may want to ask yourself: are you excited to talk to us about a specific achievement? Do you want to give us insight into a hardship you faced and conquered? Are you keen to tell us about how you challenged the world around you? Are you so passionate about something that it’s all you can talk about these days?

Each of the seven essay questions in the Common Application will highlight and reveal a different facet of your personality. Do your research on NYU to truly understand why we are the school for you. Use your findings to decide which of your own qualities, skills, and character traits show that you are a good match for NYU. Then choose the prompt that will help us best understand that you are indeed the right fit for the school.

TIP 2 – Are you sure you’ve read this right?

While the seven prompts from the Common Application seem straightforward, are you sure you’ve really understood what they are asking?

Do read each question—and especially the one you will choose to answer—very carefully. These prompts are not as simple as they appear. Many of them have layers and sub-questions. Do not latch only on one key word and run away with it! You want to make sure you are actually understanding the question before you answer it fully.

I heard this tip from a colleague once and it never left me. To make sure you’ve actually answered the question, ask someone you trust to read your essay draft but remove the question first. Ask them afterwards what they think the questions was. If they get it, bingo! You’ve answered the question. If they are off-base, then you may want to rework your answer to make sure it covers what is actually being asked.

TIP 3 – Trust your instinct

Many of you will already have, in the back of your mind, an interesting story about your life that you’d like to share with NYU. It’s an interesting anecdote that would accentuate your fit within our student community. But then, you hesitate. You’re unsure if you should choose this story or another one. Or another one. Maybe this other one would do?

Bottom line is trust that you know yourself.  If you feel a specific story would represent your personality well and convey your fit to NYU better than another, then choose that one. Don’t debate forever. No time to waste!

Be careful if choosing prompt 7: “ Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design. ”

While great personal statements can come from this prompt, my application reviewer experience tells me it’s not always the savviest choice. As this question is very open, you may be tempted to use an essay that you’ve already written for a completely different reason. These essays tend to be more impersonal. They often focus on a school subject, a project or activity you were a part of. They don’t really tell us about YOU. What makes you interesting, unique, and a good fit for NYU. My recommendation would be to write your application essay for this purpose specifically and choosing one of the six other prompts will ensure that you do just that.

EXTRA BONUS TIP

As we are still navigating uncertain times, you may be tempted to use prompt 7, the open essay, to write about recent events and how they have most certainly affected your life. “How the COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted Me” might well be on its way to become a recurring essay topic.

Before you chose this particular subject for your main essay, do ask yourself: What have I lived through that thousands (if not millions) of other high school students around the world have not also gone through? What is my angle on this? How would choosing this subject help me differentiate myself from others and help reveal my true personality? If you are struggling to find satisfying answers to these questions, another topic may be more appropriate.

Additionally, don’t forget that the Common Application has given you a dedicated space in the ‘Additional Information’ section to talk about your experience with COVID-19 or another recent natural disaster that may have impacted your academic career. This should give you ample space to share with us any Covid-19 details that you deem relevant.

Finally....

If you are still unsure what to do with your essay, let me refer you to my earlier post about writing a great application essay . While written with international candidates in mind, it should prove useful to all who apply to NYU. Another great article about strengthening your writing is my colleague David’s post about how to proofread your college essay .

Happy writing! We really look forward to reading your application very soon.

Lisa is a Senior Assistant Director of Admissions for NYU Abu Dhabi and the Global Admissions Team, based in the London office. Born and raised in France, Lisa also lived in Denmark and spent a couple of years in leafy upstate New York.  She is a dedicated gardener, a keen traveler to India and Japan, and loves watching the tennis at Wimbledon. She now spends her free time playing with her little rescue terrier dog, Cooper.

More from Lisa:

6 Proofreading Habits for Your College Essay and Beyond

Finished your first draft of your college essay? Here’s the next part—proofreading and editing. These tips will guide you through the treacherous proofreading process to make your writing as sharp as possible.

Tips for International Candidates Writing the Common App Essay

If you’re an international candidate who keeps staring in wonder at the Common App essay with no clue where to start, this article is for you!

How to Approach the Common Application

There’s no wrong way to approach the Common Application, but here’s two different strategies you might want to choose from when you apply to NYU.

New York University (NYU) Supplemental Essays Guide: 2021-2022

Not sure how to approach the “Why NYU” essay prompt? CollegeAdvisor.com’s “Why NYU” Essay Guide will show you exactly how to write an engaging “Why NYU” essay to maximize your chances of admission. This guide will also reference CollegeAdvisor’s “Why NYU” essay examples  article  from last year. The piece includes two “Why NYU” essay examples from students who were admitted to NYU. We also reference feedback from former admissions officers on why each “Why NYU” essay was successful.

If you need help crafting your answers to the NYU application essay, create your free  account  or  schedule a free consultation  by calling (844) 343-6272.

New York University ( NYU ) Essay Guide Quick Facts:

• For the class of 2025, NYU accepted  12.8% of applicants  to its New York Campus.  U.S. News  considers this school to be  most selective .
• We recommend answering the required NYU essay, and any additional prompts, comprehensively and thoughtfully.

What is NYU known for?

NYU prides itself on the fact that the city is its campus. In 1831, the university’s founders aimed to create an institution of learning that would be “in and of the city.” Thus, NYU’s main campus has no gates or walls separating it from the rest of Greenwich Village. This differs from other schools in the city, such as Columbia University that has a central quad and gates separating itself from the Morningside Heights area. Side note: Barnard College, Columbia University’s affiliated women’s college has its own quad and set of gates, albeit adjacent to Columbia’s campus.)

However, the breadth of NYU students’ learning extends far beyond the confines of Manhattan. NYU has more international students and students studying abroad than any other university in the United States. Students hail from 133 countries and nearly every state in the U.S.

What are three interesting facts about NYU?

• NYU’s main campus is located in Manhattan. However, the university also has campuses in  Shanghai ,  Abu Dhabi , and other  global academic centers .
• The origin of NYU’s color, violet, is  obscure . Many believe it’s a nod to the violets that grow in Washington Square and around the original university building. Others trace it back to Athens, Greece—a center of learning in the ancient world. The violet flower was strongly associated with the city.
• NYU has many world-renowned  alumni , including Lady Gaga, Adam Sandler, and Angelina Jolie.

How many essays do you have to write for NYU?

New York University has  one  required NYU essay prompt in the 2021-2022  Common App . Each applicant will produce a “Why NYU” essay in addition to their Common App personal statement. As you look at the  NYU admissions page , you’ll notice that there are additional requirements for Steinhardt (an  audition or portfolio  for all applicants to the Music Department with the exception of Educational Theatre, and a  portfolio  for those applying to Studio Art) and Tisch (an  audition or portfolio  for applicants to all programs). A pplying to one of these programs? Make sure you complete all of the requirements referenced on the pages linked above.  This NYU essay guide will only cover the required “Why NYU” essay. However, you can use the tips here to help craft the  Steinhardt portfolio ,  Tisch portfolio , and  Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholars Program  essays as well.

How long is the NYU essay?

When writing your “Why NYU” essay, you have a maximum of 400 words to convey your interest in attending NYU. While 400 words may seem like a lot, you will want to strategize to use them wisely. You’ll also see below in the “Why NYU” essay prompt breakdown that there are several layers to the NYU application essay. Accordingly, you’ll need to answer each portion of the NYU essay prompt in order for it to be considered complete.

Due to NYU’s relatively low acceptance rate and competitive admissions process, a strong NYU application essay is key to maximizing your admissions odds. In fact, this is your chance to show NYU your demonstrated interest (DI). Demonstrated interest is what universities use to gauge just how interested a student is in attending their particular school. Want to read more about using supplemental essays to convey DI to each school that you’re applying to? Check out this article on DI by  Forbes .

Why does the NYU essay have a word limit?

The “Why NYU” essay has a word limit because admissions officers have a limit. Last year, over  100,000  first-year undergraduate hopefuls applied to NYU. In short, the “Why NYU” essay has a word limit to help admissions officers process the large number of applications.

There’s more to the picture, however. The NYU supplemental essay prompt also enforces a strict word limit to test your (the applicant’s) ability to respond to their prompt clearly and succinctly. The NYU supplemental essay prompt is intentionally broad. Thus, each writer has ample opportunity to discuss their research on the school, passion about their potential major(s), and general excitement about NYU.

Finally, the NYU admissions committee is looking for well-edited, dynamic writing in each “Why NYU” essay. Having a 400-word limit helps admissions officers identify both strong and weak writing quickly. Most importantly, they’re looking for students who they believe will bring diversity to their community and will excel in a rigorous academic environment.

“Why NYU” Essay Prompt (Required)

We would like to know more about your interest in NYU. What motivated you to apply to NYU? Why have you applied or expressed interest in a particular campus, school, college, program, and or area of study? If you have applied to more than one, please also tell us why you are interested in these additional areas of study or campuses. We want to understand – Why NYU? (400 words)

This NYU essay prompt is more than just a simple “Why NYU” essay question. In fact, there are several layers to the NYU essay. The admissions team is interested in your reasons for applying not only to NYU, but your interest in a particular campus, college, program, and area of study. Consequently, it’s best to approach this NYU supplemental essay as an NYU-specific personal statement. Similar to your Common App personal statement, you’ll want to treat this NYU essay as an introduction to the admissions committee.

How do you write the “Why NYU” essay?

Begin your “Why NYU” essay writing process with a brainstorm/free-write session. Start a list and write down every reason that contributed to your decision to apply to NYU. It can be as simple as “wanting to live in NYU;” as big as “majoring in education studies to make sweeping reforms in NYC’s school systems;” and as specific as “taking a music course with adjunct professor Questlove.”

Take no more than ten minutes to write this list. When you’ve finished, write two more lists, one titled “academic goals,” and the other titled “professional goals.” Spend ten minutes each completing these lists–these don’t have to be specifically related to NYU like the first list, but this is simply an opportunity to think about your area of study and goals for the future.

Make connections

Now that you have these three lists, take some time to draw connections between the three. For example, if your “why NYU” list includes the bonus of living in New York City while attending school, try to connect it with one of your reasons from the other lists. In other words, consider the fact that many students will list wanting to study in New York City as a reason for attending NYU.

To help your NYU essay stand out, you’ll need to create stronger connections between the school and your academic, personal, and professional goals. An example of this in a “Why NYU” essay could look like a student who is excited to study urban planning at NYU. In their NYU essay, they could link their interest in studying the history and future of New York City as the main reason for pursuing this particular program at NYU.

In fact, in the first of the “Why NYU” essay examples, the writer draws a clear connection between their interest in studying at the Stern School of Business and the opportunity to participate in the International Business Exchange Program:

Essay Example 1:

The Bachelor of Science in Business Program excites me, as it entails a well-rounded yet intensive study in core business disciplines. However, what draws me to Stern is the emphasis on gaining a global perspective, which is crucial in today’s rapidly changing world economy. Through the International Business Exchange Program, I will be able to gain a first-hand cultural experience that will mold me into a global citizen and business leader. Not only will I be taking courses in the most prestigious business schools across the globe, but I will also have new doors opened for me to network with alumni.

In just a few short sentences, the writer is able to state their school of interest (Stern), connect it to a program (the International Business Exchange Program), and talk about how NYU can help them accomplish their professional goals.

Identify the connections in your lists of personal, professional, and academic goals related to NYU. Then, it’s time to think about how you’d like to open your NYU essay. The second of our “Why NYU” essay examples perfectly demonstrate the power of a persuasive opening anecdote or story. The first few sentences are meant to draw the reader into your story. This is true of any essay, the “Why NYU” essay included. Consequently, you’ll want to use dynamic language that sets the tone for your NYU supplemental essay. Let’s look at our “Why NYU” essay examples for inspiration:

Essay Example 2:

Before I began interning for the International Rescue Committee’s refugee youth acclimation program—right in the heart of the Lower East Side—I underwent weeks of training in providing trauma-informed support, reminded repeatedly that these kids have gone through more than I could possibly imagine.

Similar to the language in the first of our “Why NYU” essay examples, this writer is able to say a lot in a few sentences. They’ve not only identified their extracurricular/internship work with IRC but also established their level of commitment to helping refugee youths.

As you can see, both of these “Why NYU” essay examples deal with the very different subject matter. One essay deals with a refugee volunteer looking to study racial policy. The other focuses on a finance student looking to network with future NYU alumni. Both candidates, however, are clear in what they want to study at NYU and why it is important for them to pursue that particular program there. They are also able to draw connections between their passions and interests to their proposed academic programs.

Do your research

Make a strong case for why you want to pursue a particular program at NYU. Use the “Why NYU” essay examples for reference; this is the most important part of your “Why NYU” essay. If you’re unsure of what you want to study, now is the time to research  NYU’s programs . The major referenced in your NYU essay may not be what you pursue if admitted, and that’s okay. If you can, however, identify potential majors of interest in your NYU essay prompt response and connect them to your overall candidate profile. This can help you write a stronger NYU essay.

For example, if your extracurriculars deal with creative writing and your high school courses are mainly in literature, picking a STEM major, simply to impress the admissions committee will likely raise red flags. In cases like this, you may want to talk about the ways that an NYU education will help you find your academic area of focus. Your “why” may not be as clear, but you can still write a successful “Why NYU” essay that focuses on what draws you to the unique community at NYU.

In other words, authenticity is key. Don’t submit a NYU essay that simply tells the admissions officers what you think they want to hear.

“Why NYU” Essay Draft Key Questions:

• Does your “Why NYU” essay talk about your motivations for attending NYU?
• In your NYU essay prompt response, do you demonstrate that you’ve done research on the schools, programs, courses, and organizations that NYU offers?
• When applicable in your NYU essay, do you mention specific NYU campus traditions, courses, regional attractions, professors, etc.?

What should I include in my “Why NYU” essay?

The NYU supplemental essay prompt asks two deeper questions: “What motivated you to apply to NYU?” and “Why have you applied or expressed interest in a particular campus, school, college, program, and or area of study?”. Both of these questions should be answered when drafting your “Why NYU” essay.

Naturally, NYU’s desired location in New York City leads many of its applicants to apply to the school. You can speak about the unique opportunities that the big city presents. However, you want to ensure that your response is specific enough to NYU. What does NYU have to offer that Columbia and Fordham don’t? Remember in the second of the “Why NYU” essay examples, the writer was able to specifically name the major (public health policy) that they wanted to pursue at NYU, as well as where they wanted to carry out research ( CASSR ). As in the “Why NYU” essay examples, it’s best to be as specific as possible.

After all, the NYU essay prompt asks “What motivated you to apply to NYU?”, and not “What motivated you to apply to college in New York City?”. A solid strategy in approaching this NYU supplemental essay, then, is to center your essay around NYU. This might seem obvious. However, you’d be surprised how many students realize  after the fact  that their completed NYU essay revolves around the city of the school and not the school itself.

Tell a story

For this NYU supplemental essay, it’s important to reflect on the past experiences that have led you to be interested in a given area of study. Was it a specific moment in your life or a series of experiences? You have the option to choose either path in writing this NYU application essay. Take a look at both of the “Why NYU” essay examples on the CollegeAdvisor  blog . The first NYU essay example highlights multiple experiences that led the author to their interest in pursuing a finance major. The second of the “Why NYU” essay examples makes one volunteer experience the focus of their NYU essay prompt. Both are strong and a great reminder that your “Why NYU” essay should be as unique as you are!

To recap, the NYU application essay you submit should be thoroughly researched. After familiarizing yourself with NYU’s  campuses  and  programs , you should include specific details related to your program of interest in your “Why NYU” essay. If it’s relevant to your essay you may also want to write about specific NYU  clubs/organizations  and  events/traditions .

NYU Application Essay: Final Thoughts

Completing the NYU supplemental essay can seem daunting, but don’t let the NYU essay prompt discourage you from applying. At the end of the day, the NYU essay prompt is not intended to trip you up. Rather, view the NYU application essay as an opportunity to further introduce yourself to the admissions team.

Use this NYU supplemental essay guide to help you approach the NYU application essay with confidence. Before and during your NYU essay writing process, make sure to spend some time reading over our “Why NYU” essay examples. Use the feedback from former admissions officers included with each NYU essay as guiding criticism for your own draft. While your experiences are going to be different than what is outlined in the “Why NYU” essay examples, your reasons for wanting to attend NYU should be just as clear as you read in the sample essay.

After completing your NYU supplemental essay, make sure to revise your NYU application essay. You should ask a counselor, advisor, or other trusted adult to help you proofread for spelling, grammar, and clarity. Good luck!

This 2021-2022 essay guide on NYU was written by  Juliana Furigay , Columbia ‘23. For more resources on the college admissions process, click  here . If you need help crafting your answer to the NYU essay prompt, create your free  account  or  schedule a no-cost advising consultation  by calling (844) 343-6272.

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5 Unique Essay Introductions from NYU Admissions Essays

• college application essays

As the excitement from the acceptances of last application cycle settles, the anxiety and eagerness of the next class of applicants begins to rise. Rising seniors are increasingly interested to find out what colleges and universities are out there, and what they want to pursue in higher education. For those who want to attend a city school, New York University will, without a doubt, be a consideration. With 6,000 students in each class and the endless opportunities that New York City has to offer, NYU is one of the most attractive universities out there. Take a look at the following  essay intros  from NYU students on AdmitSee:

Class of 2019

What can I offer NYU? One of NYU’s prominent features is its active involvement in underprivileged areas. So why should a “forprofit” ideal contradict the concept of helping the poor? As a future freshman here, I will combine NYU’s culture of community service and its strong business background to fuel our students’ entrepreneurial endeavors. View full profile .

Class of 2020

I stared at my polished railing as the photons danced in the humid air allowing me to perceive reality. I could taste salt water in my crimson lips as I stared into what I thought was oblivion. I snapped out of my depressive trance and wiped away my tears. I couldn’t be weak, not now. Moving back to Bangladesh was, in the eyes of a 12 year old, a curse. Keep reading . 

I waited patiently outside of the men’s bathroom.  My 6-year-old brother insisted on venturing in by himself.  Reluctantly, I left him go, but I was worried.  In reality, only five minutes had passed, but to me, it seemed like an eternity.   Five minutes turned to six, and my heart sank as I heard him screaming frantically from within.  My fears had been realized; my brother was in trouble again.  Without hesitation, I rushed into the bathroom to find my brother crying at the top of his lungs. Continue reading . 

Ngozirebecca

Memories of exciting battles like these are safely snuggled away in the pages of some of my most beloved books, and in their fantastic, otherworldly settings I have become the confident girl I am today. When I was younger, I seriously struggled with self-acceptance. Watching movies like Mean Girls or The Breakfast Club, I could never pick out people who looked like me. Leading ladies were gorgeous and delicate, not tall and awkward with afros that struck fear into the hearts of passersby. Insecure, I skulked into high school, the proverbial black sheep amongst ravenous coyotes and mama bears. See full profile . 

ShaneNYUStern

This was all very different to me. It wasn’t the fact that I was on a plane. I had flown many times before. It wasn’t the fact that I was flying to Europe. I had done that two years ago when my family returned to Moscow with my adopted sister. This time, it had to do with me. I was sitting next to an old English man with ruddy skin that glared my direction every time the cabin jostled and I accidentally bumped him. I was flying by myself to go somewhere I had never been before. I was flying to London. View full profile . 

Are you looking to apply to NYU ? Make sure to search through profiles of students accepted to see essays, stats, and advice. See how they got in, and how you can too!

About The Author

Frances was born in Hong Kong and received her bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University. She loves super sad drama television, cooking, and reading. Her favorite person on Earth isn’t actually a member of the AdmitSee team - it’s her dog Cooper.

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New York University (NYU) 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Decision: Nov 1

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 5

New York University (NYU) 2024-25 Application Essay Explanations

The Requirements: 1 essay of 250 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s) : Community , Diversity

In a world where disconnection seems to often prevail, we are looking for students who embody the qualities of bridge builders—students who can connect people, groups, and ideas to span divides, foster understanding, and promote collaboration within a dynamic, interconnected, and vibrant global academic community. We are eager to understand how your experiences have prepared you to build the bridges of the future. Please consider one or more of the following questions in your essay: 

What personal experiences or challenges have shaped you as a bridge builder , how have you been a bridge builder in your school, community, or personal life , what specific actions have you taken to build bridges between diverse groups, ideas, or cultures , how do you envision being a bridge builder during your time at our university and beyond.

NYU aims to admit students who will be active participants in and contributors to a dynamic and inclusive campus culture, so all of these prompts focus on the idea of community in a different way. The first one asks you to describe your background and what has made you into a person who can bring others together. The second asks you to describe concrete ways you have built bridges in your life so far. The third asks you to describe actions you’ve taken in a more expansive way; rather than in your personal life, focus on broader cultural or ideological bridges. The last prompt asks you to think about how you will foster collaboration once you’re admitted to NYU. Note that you can talk about any number of these questions in your final essay. Maybe you’ve volunteered at your church’s food pantry every other weekend since you were in middle school or canvassed for political candidates that you believe will generate positive change for generations to come. Whatever your example(s) may be, don’t be afraid to touch on what those experiences meant to you as well as the work you hope to do in the future (hopefully around NYU’s campus!).

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How to Get Into NYU: Admissions Stats + Tips

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• Average Academic Profile of Accepted NYU

What is NYU Looking for?

How to improve your chances of getting into nyu.

With a campus in one of the world’s great cities with easy access to everything from Wall Street to Broadway, it’s no wonder so many college-bound high schoolers are anxious to attend NYU. After all, who wouldn’t want to attend a prestigious university known for its excellent business program— 12th on CollegeVine’s list of the top 15 colleges for business majors —along with producing some of the most notable names in the arts? As the saying goes, if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere . 

Getting into NYU is challenging. NYU received 80,210 applications for its class of 2025, of which they accepted a mere 16,918 applicants—an acceptance rate of 21.1% .

NYU’s acceptance rate is low, but your personal chances of acceptance depend on the strength of your profile. Our free admissions calculator can help you to understand your chances at NYU. It considers factors like your grades, test scores, and extracurriculars to estimate your odds of admission along with providing insight into how to improve your profile!

Average Academic Profile of Accepted NYU 

The average high school GPA of NYU’s Class of 2025 is 3.71. 

The middle 50% SAT and ACT scores of NYU’s class of 2025 are 1390-1510 and 31-34 . 

NYU didn’t report the average high school class rank of its class of 2025, but plan on graduating near the top of your class—21% of the class of 2021 had a high school GPA of 4.0 and 85% of them had a GPA better than 3.5.

NYU has a handful of prestigious and top-ranked programs—including the Stern School of Business, one of the most respected programs in the country—and is particularly well-known for finance. Becoming a “Sternie,” a nickname for Stern students, is particularly challenging; the Stern School of Business receives a large number of applicants and its acceptance rate is lower than that of NYU’s overall acceptance rate.  

Another of NYU’s highly esteemed colleges is the Tisch School of Arts, which houses the Dance, Drama, and Cinema programs—one of CollegeVine’s best undergraduate performing art schools and the Hollywood Reporter’s top American film school . Academics are important at the Tisch School of Arts, but the admissions process heavily weighs artistic talent and the strength of your portfolio is almost as important as your profile.

How NYU College Evaluates Applications

According to their 2020-2021 Common Data Set, NYU considers the following factors “very important” :

• Course rigor
• Test scores

These factors are “important” :

• Recommendations 
• Extracurricular activities 

These are “considered” :

• First generation 
• Geographic residence 
• Racial/ethnic status
• Volunteer work 
• Work experience 
• Applicant interest

And these are “not considered” :

• Religious affiliation
• State residence 

Discover your chances at hundreds of schools

Our free chancing engine takes into account your history, background, test scores, and extracurricular activities to show you your real chances of admission—and how to improve them.

1. Achieve at least a 3.71 average GPA while taking the most challenging classes available

NYU considers GPA, class rank, and course rigor all “very important” when making admissions decisions. The average high school GPA of NYU’s class of 2025 was 3.71 , 21% graduated with a 4.0, and students to top schools like NYU have typically completed between five and 12 AP classes . You’ll want to earn all (or mostly all) As in the most challenging classes available to you for consideration as a serious applicant. 

Highly selective schools that receive huge volumes of applications, like NYU, use the Academic Index to weed out candidates they deem unqualified. Academic Index is your entire academic performance represented by a single number. If your Academic Index fails to meet a college’s standards, you’re at risk of not having your application read. 

If your GPA isn’t up to NYU’s standards, and you’re early in your high school career, check out our tips for increasing your GPA . If you’re a junior or senior, it’s more challenging to increase your GPA, which makes earning high test scores the easiest way to increase your Academic Index. 

2. Aim for a 1510 SAT and 34 ACT  

Test scores are “very important” to NYU admissions. The middle 50% SAT and ACT scores of NYU’s class of 2025 are 1390-1510 and 31-34 . Any score in the middle 50% is good, but the higher you score into the range, the better your odds of admission are.

To improve your SAT/ACT score, check out these free CollegeVine resources:

• How to Get a Perfect 1600 Score on the SAT
• How to Get a Perfect 36 Score on the ACT
• More SAT Info and Tips
• More ACT Info and Tips

NYU will allow you to select what SAT results you want using score choice and will review the highest SAT scores you send. If you take the SAT, NYU will create a composite score using the highest score from each section, regardless of the test date. NYU’s standardized test policy offers an advantage to those who sit for an exam multiple times. Plan on taking the SAT/ACT two to three times to maximize your score. 

Due to the disruption of testing in light of COVID-19, NYU instituted test-optional admissions in 2020-2021 and has extended it to the 2021-2022 admissions cycle. However, CollegeVine still recommends taking an exam (if you can do so safely) and submitting scores provided they’re at the 25th percentile or above. Applicants who submit test scores are accepted at higher rates than those who do not. You can get recommendations on whether or not you should apply test-optional using our free chancing engine . 

3. Cultivate one or two Tier 1-2 extracurriculars (find your “spike”)

NYU views extracurricular activities as “important” to admissions and talent/ability as “very important.” Possessing a highly developed interest known as a “ spike ” and having one or two supporting extracurricular activities that show high levels of achievement or leadership are great ways to fulfill this requisite. 

Some extracurriculars are more valuable to the admissions process than others—the four tiers of extracurriculars are useful for understanding how colleges weigh your activities outside of the classroom:

• Tier 1 activities are both uncommon and exceptional—for example, winning a renowned national award or attending a prestigious merit-based summer program. 
• Tier 2 extracurriculars demonstrate great achievement or leadership but are more common than those of Tier 1. These include being class president or winning a local competition. 
• Tier 3 activities are great for highlighting your interests outside of the classroom but lack the distinction of higher-tiered activities. These include holding a minor leadership position in a well-known club or captaining a varsity sport. 
• Tier 4 is home to the least-impactful activities, such as participating in a club or sport, and general volunteer work. 

4. Write engaging essays

At top schools like NYU, almost every applicant has astounding academic profiles, making essays—which NYU views as “important” to admissions—one of the best ways to set yourself apart from other applicants. All applicants are required to answer one prompt about why they want to attend NYU in 400 words or less. Some NYU applicants, like those applying to the Tisch School of the Arts or to the MLK Scholars Program, will have to submit additional essays. 

Attention-grabbing essays avoid cliches and are written in your own unique voice, and an effective college essay will highlight why you’re a good fit for a school and how they’ll benefit from having you on campus. For advice specifically about the NYU essays, check out our article, “ How to Write the NYU Essays 2021-2022 .”

5. Letters of Recommendation 

Recommendations are “important to NYU’s admissions process. You must submit a recommendation from your high school counselor that can include both personal and academic details, as well as highlight extracurricular involvement. You’ll also need a letter of recommendation from a teacher, preferably one who taught you within the last two to three years in a core academic subject, that provides insight into what you’re like in the classroom.

Letters of recommendation are an important factor in NYU admissions, which makes getting a glowing one an important step in earning a place at NYU. Teachers aren’t compensated for writing letters of recommendation, so the approach is everything when requesting one. The nine rules for requesting letters of recommendation from teachers are a guideline to follow to ensure you get a great rec. 

6. Apply Early Action/Early Decision

NYU offers early decision (ED) admissions, a binding process where you commit to attending if accepted. ED is a great way to boost your odds of acceptance as early decision acceptance rates are generally higher than overall and regular decision rates. However, ED isn’t right for everyone—it’s best-suited for applicants for whom NYU is their first choice and are sure they can afford it because through ED you’ve committed to attending before seeing NYU’s financial aid package. 

How to Apply to NYU 

Application Requirements

NYU uses the Common Application. In addition, you’ll need to submit: 

• NYU supplement
• Official transcript
• School report
• Guidance counselor recommendation 
• Teacher recommendation letter 
• Mid-year report
• Audition or portfolio (for Steinhardt and Tisch only; testing is optional and an audition or portfolio may be submitted in its place)
• Additional materials may be required for specific programs

NYU is test-optional for the 2021-2022 application cycle. If you want to submit test scores,  NYU accepts the following: 

• 3 SAT Subject Tests  
• 3 AP or IB higher-level exams 
• IB Diploma 
• Other international examinations

Learn more about NYU 

Interested in learning more about NYU? Check out these other informative articles: 

• What is NYU Known For?
• College Spotlight Series: Everything You Need to Know About NYU
• The Ultimate Guide to NYU
• How I Got Into NYU

Want to know your chances at NYU? Calculate your chances for free right now .

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We also now offer the Remote Writing Center for NYU's Global Students that offers interactive writing consultation via Google's video chat and document sharing functions for all students in the Global network.