Beyond the Ivy League Glitter: NYU’s True Value to Undergrads Exposed!

One of the most popular competitive schools in the US is New York University.

As a matter of fact, many assume it’s an Ivy League school like Harvard University, Brown University, Columbia University, Dartmouth College, and UPenn — but it’s not!

Located in New York City and founded in 1832 by a group of New Yorkers, NYU is the largest private institution of higher education in the country, enrolling close to 60,000 students.

Is NYU a good school?

There’s no denying that NYU is a good school!

It’s one of the most highly-ranked academic institutions in the United States and globally, offering top-notch undergraduate programs, especially business, computer science, and engineering.

NYU is also an R1: Doctoral University, which makes it great for students interested in research.

But is NYU worth the money?

Although tuition at NYU is more than 60% higher than the average tuition at private four-year institutions in the US, many students will find attending it worth their money.

The cost of attendance grants them access to qualified professors, superb academics, and first-rate resources.

Besides, up to 99% of first-time, first-year students at NYU receive some form of financial aid.

Getting Into NYU, a Very Selective Institution

What is NYU’s Acceptance Rate?

The NYU acceptance rate is only 12%.

Rejecting more than four-fifths of applicants, NYU is a very selective school.

Every year, NYU receives more than 120,000 applications — unfortunately, more than 80% of those obtain a rejection letter or placement on the waitlist.

When is the Application Deadline at NYU?

The deadline for the regular decision (RD) application to NYU is November 1.

NYU releases RD results on December 15.

The following are the deadlines for each NYU early decision (ED) round:

Admission Plan	Deadline	Notification
ED I	November 1	December 15
ED II	January 1	February 15

GPA: Does NYU Require a Minimum?

Students need not meet a minimum GPA requirement to apply to NYU.

However, it’s worth pointing out that, at NYU, the average GPA of successful applicants is 3.8.

According to NYU’s most recent Common Data Set (CDS) report available, around 23.20% of admitted students have an average GPA of 4.0, while about 44.40% have an average GPA between 3.75 and 3.99.

Is NYU Test Optional?

NYU is a test-optional school — you may or may not report your test scores.

If you took the SAT or ACT more than once, submit all your scores because NYU superscores test scores.

For reference, 26% of successful applicants submitted their SAT scores and 11% submitted their ACT scores. The composite test scores of admitted students range from 1470 to 1570 (SAT) and 33 to 35 (ACT).

What are NYU’s Admissions Criteria?

At NYU, the following are the most important admissions criteria:

• Academic rigor
• GPA
• Class rank
• Test scores
• Talent

Meanwhile, the following are considerations, too, but with less weight than the ones above:

• Application essay
• Extracurriculars
• Character
• Interview
• First generation
• Alumni relation
• Residence
• Race or ethnicity
• Volunteer work
• Work experience
• Demonstrated interest

NYU Cost and Academics

How Much Does It Cost to Attend NYU?

At NYU, tuition for one academic year costs $62,796.

That’s around 62% higher than the national average tuition for four-year private non-profit schools, which, according to the Education Data Initiative, amounts to $38,768.

Here’s a breakdown of the estimated cost of attendance at NYU for one academic year:

Expenditures	Cost
Tuition	$62,796
Room and board	$24,652
Books and supplies	$1,442
Transportation	$2,342
Personal Expenses	$1,952
Total	$93,184

Is NYU Public or Private?

NYU is a private institution.

NYU is one of the more than 140 private colleges and universities located in the state of New York, and it’s definitely one of the most prestigious and selective among private ones.

Being a private school explains why tuition at NYU is the same for in-state and out-of-state students.

Does NYU Offer Financial Aid?

According to BigFuture by the College Board, approximately 99% of first-time, first-year students at NYU who demonstrate need receive financial aid from the federal government and/or the institution.

The average financial aid package that awardees at NYU receive per year is $59,903.

NYU meets around 65% of a student’s demonstrated financial need.

Having spent 3 years at NYU my academic experience has been very good. Professors are clear communicators and easy to get in touch with, and if further help is needed the school also has many tutors in the PTC available to help understand course work. The campus itself is very nice and well kept, and further improvements are still being made in the main buildings.

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What are the Most Popular Majors at NYU?

Undergraduate students at NYU can choose from more than 250 majors.

Some of the most popular majors at NYU include:

• Liberal arts and humanities
• Nursing
• Economics
• Information science
• Business
• Psychology
• Mathematics
• Digital communication
• Cinematography and video production
• Drama and theater production

NYU allows freshmen students to apply undeclared, and they are expected to declare a major upon completing 64 credits or by the end of their sophomore year of college.

Online Campus: Does NYU Have One?

NYU Online is the online campus of NYU for non-traditional and adult learners.

There are 100% online and hybrid degrees available at NYU Online, although most of them are master’s and professional degrees and only a few are associate and bachelor’s degrees.

Some online bachelor’s degree programs at NYU Online include:

• BA in Social Sciences
• BS in Leadership and Management Studies
• BS in Information Systems Management

Are Class Sizes Big at a Big School Like NYU?

More than half of all classes at NYU have fewer than 20 students.

Doing the math, around 59% of classes have fewer than 20 students, about 20% have between 20 to 29 students, and approximately 8% have between 30 to 39 students.

Less than 3% of classes at NYU have 100 or more students.

Is NYU Ivy League?

Despite popular belief, NYU is not an Ivy League school.

However, NYU is considered a Private Ivy alongside numerous public institutions commonly mistaken as Ivy Leagues, including Carnegie Mellon, Harvey Mudd, and Vanderbilt.

It’s worth noting that NYU is a global university system, with branches in countries such as:

• Abu Dhabi
• China
• UAE

Does NYU Have High College Rankings?

US News ranks NYU #35 in National Universities and #31 in Best Global Universities.

On the other hand, its rankings from college ranking sites popular for ranking international institutions include #27 in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings and #38 in the QS World University Rankings.

Because of its high rankings, it isn’t surprising that NYU is commonly mistaken as an Ivy League school.

NYU Campus Life: Diverse and Lively

How Big is the NYU Campus?

NYU is the largest private university in the United States enrollment-wise.

Its campus, which spans 230 acres across Manhattan and Brooklyn, has a city setting.

NYU has more than 170 buildings, most of which surround Washington Square Park in Manhattan. It’s home to 11 schools and colleges, each with a distinct academic focus and intellectual community.

How Many Students Go to NYU?

More than 59,110 students attend NYU.

Around 50% are undergraduate students, and about 48% are attending full-time.

A little more than one-fourth of NYU attendees are international students.

I was a freshman at NYU from 2019-2020 until I transferred to another school in May. I was originally from a suburban town in the Bay Area an aspired to become a city designer while being a student-athlete and playing varsity sports for the school. Unfortunately, within 2 months my experience at NYU was ruined to mental health constraints and adjusting to the 24/7 lifestyle of New York City.

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Does NYU Have a Diverse Campus?

NYU has a diverse campus.

As a matter of fact, approximately 49% of its population consists of students from minority and underrepresented groups, and, as mentioned, more than 25% of students are from outside the United States.

According to NYU, it admitted the most diverse incoming undergraduate class in 2023.

Must Freshmen Students at NYU Reside in Dorms?

First-time, first-year students are not required by NYU to reside on campus.

However, around 83% of NYU’s freshmen students choose to live in on-campus residence halls.

There are 12 residence halls at NYU, most of which are in Greenwich Village.

Is There Greek Life at NYU?

Not too many students are aware that there’s Greek life at NYU.

There are a little more than 20 fraternity and sorority groups at NYU, although less than 10% of students are members — 2% of male undergraduates are fraternity members and 7% of females are sorority members.

According to NYU, its Greek life cultivates friendships and fosters civic engagement.

Is NYU a Party School?

NYU is somewhat of a party school.

With a diverse campus and more than 300 student clubs and organizations, it’s inevitable for socializing to be an integral component of the everyday lives of NYU’s students.

Niche ranks NYU #129 in Top Party Schools in America and #10 in Top Party Schools in New York.

Is Sports Big at NYU?

At NYU, there are 23 varsity sports teams, and they are called the NYU Violets or the Violets.

The Violets have two national championship titles and numerous league championship titles under their belt.

Some of the most popular sports at NYU include:

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Cross country
• Fencing
• Golf
• Soccer
• Softball
• Swimming and diving