Real profiles & essays — NYU

Student profiles

Representative applicants for NYU — a mix of admits, waitlists, and rejects across the admit pool. Stats, hooks, and outcomes shown for each.

• GPA / Test: 3.92 / SAT 1530
• Major: Business (Stern)
• Geography: New Jersey
• Hooks: First-generation college student, low-income
• Standout: Founded an online tutoring nonprofit that served 2,000 low-income students statewide
• Other: Captain of debate team, internship at a regional venture capital firm, multilingual (English, Hindi, Gujarati)
• Why admitted: Strong academics plus clear demonstrated interest in business and leadership in a mission-aligned nonprofit made her a compelling fit for Stern and for NYU’s urban engagement priorities.

• GPA / Test: 3.85 / ACT 35
• Major: Drama (Tisch)
• Geography: California
• Hooks: URM (Latino), admitted to arts program through audition
• Standout: Lead actor/writer in a regional youth theater production that toured three cities and received press coverage
• Other: Strong portfolio of original plays, weekend teaching assistant for youth theater classes, summer intensive at a conservatory
• Why admitted: Exceptional artistic promise demonstrated in audition and portfolio, plus geographic and ethnic diversity strengthened his candidacy for Tisch.

• GPA / Test: 3.70 / SAT 1490
• Major: Computer Science (CAS)
• Geography: Texas
• Hooks: Legacy (parent is NYU alum)
• Standout: Built a local app connecting volunteer tutors with homebound seniors, which reached 500 users
• Other: Robotics team co-leader, AP/IB coursework in math and CS, part-time job at a tech startup
• Why admitted: Solid academic profile, meaningful tech project showing fit for NYU CS, and legacy status likely helped in a competitive pool.

• GPA / Test: 3.78 / SAT 1460
• Major: Economics
• Geography: Illinois
• Hooks: None
• Standout: Placed in state-level economics competition and published local op-eds on municipal budgeting
• Other: Treasurer of student government, volunteer tax-preparer for VITA program
• Why waitlisted: Academics were in range but not distinctive enough relative to other applicants; demonstrated interest and an updated letter of continued interest could have improved chances.

• GPA / Test: 3.98 / SAT 1550
• Major: Liberal Studies
• Geography: Connecticut
• Hooks: None
• Standout: National Merit Finalist, editor-in-chief of school newspaper
• Other: Strong AP record, summer research internship at a university lab
• Why rejected: Even with elite academics, intense competition and limited spots, plus less clear evidence of fit for NYU’s specific programs, likely led to rejection despite excellent credentials.

• GPA / Test: 3.40 / ACT 30
• Major: Business (Stern)
• Geography: Florida
• Hooks: First-generation college student
• Standout: Launched a small neighborhood landscaping business that employed classmates
• Other: Varsity soccer, solid teacher recommendations
• Why rejected: Demonstrated leadership and entrepreneurship, but grades and test scores were below NYU’s typical middle 50 percent, making admission unlikely in a very selective cycle.

Real essays from Reddit

Actual essays shared by applicants who submitted to NYU — pulled from r/CollegeEssays, r/EssayDeath, and r/A2C. Loads on demand since it takes a few seconds.