Expert Admissions hosted a webinar with Billy Sichel, Assistant Vice President of Undergraduate Admissions at NYU. We discussed what the admissions office sees, how NYU’s review process works, how to avoid delays in processing, the factors that go into admissions decisions (including AI—or not), and more.
What the Admissions Office Sees
Not every school on the Common App sees the same information. In addition to deciding which supplemental questions to ask, each college chooses whether it receives every field on the application or only some of it. Commonly suppressed fields include sensitive information like the applicant’s Social Security Number, test scores (at test-blind or test-optional schools), or other additional information. So if you download the preview of your PDF from the Common App and a field is missing, there’s no need to panic.
NYU’s Review Process
As the largest independent research university in the US, NYU receives 120,000 applications per year for a variety of big and small programs within its many colleges. Despite the large volume of applications, the university is committed to practicing holistic, in-context review; for NYU, that means that each application is read by people who understand the full context of the student’s application and the requirements and priorities of the program to which they are applying.
When opening your application, the reader first sees basic biographical and academic information, then the transcript and school profile, then recommendation letters, and finally the more personal side: essays and any additional information that is provided.
Most applications at NYU are reviewed by more than one reader. How many people read a student’s file depends on how straightforward the decision seems, with less clear-cut cases moving to a second or third reader. The first reader tends to focus on the student’s context based on their high school and geographic region, while later readers focus more on the intended school or major.
How to Avoid Delays in Processing
NYU receives tens of thousands of applications on the last day before a deadline. And while every application is treated the same, last-minute submitters may have to wait longer to receive login credentials or notification of portal updates, including access to a checklist showing whether an application is complete. The benefit to applying well before the deadline is peace of mind.
In addition to the information directly received from the Common App, NYU processes roughly 3.5 million pages of supporting documents each year, including transcripts, recommendations, resumes, and audition materials, and each of these has to be matched to the right application. Submitting your supporting documents as soon as they’re ready is always a good idea.
Documents submitted through a school platform like Naviance flow through seamlessly. Those sent by email or postal mail sit in a holding pattern until they’re matched to the rest of the application using identifying information like name, date of birth, address, and Common App ID. It’s ideal to include as many of these details as possible, since a document with less identifying information, like just a first and last name, can take a week or two longer to get matched during busy periods.
NYU also requires the Self-Reported Transcript and Academic Record System (STARS), where students type in their own transcript. Students can start this early on the STARS portal; it takes an hour or two, but only needs to be filled out once to be sent to all schools that accept it. Fill it out carefully, and make sure to use the same email as you did for your application so it matches instantly.
How Decisions Are Made
As with all universities, the final admissions decision from NYU reflects both an applicant’s file and the university’s institutional priorities.
These priorities can shift year to year in ways entirely outside the admissions committee’s control. Overenrollment one year can affect decisions for the next several years, for instance. Or a school may be looking to enroll several oboe players one year but not the next. NYU’s optional supplemental essay question, about “being a bridge-builder,” reflects its current priority to enroll students who can work together across differences. Answering this question thoughtfully and completely is a great way for a student to show the admissions readers that they are a good match for NYU.
And for students wondering how to stand out among 100,000+ applicants: be yourself. Contrary to popular belief, readers aren’t looking for the most impressive accomplishment or most memorable essay; they are looking for you to be genuine, and they can tell when an application is true to who someone is.
AI and Applications
NYU does not use AI to make admissions decisions, instead relying on its readers’ wealth of experience in evaluating applicants and gauging authenticity. In that vein, while NYU welcomes students to use AI during the college research process, they should not use it for the work they submit. Essays and other writing must be original.
Students should trust that they can write a strong essay on their own, and NYU’s admissions readers promise to read it with the care it deserves.
To reach the NYU admissions staff directly, email admissions@nyu.edu, use NYU’s chatbot, or call the office.
For all the details on these topics and more, watch the webinar above.
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