Why NYU? Forum

[francesfarmer]

Conventional wisdom says don't write a "Why X" to a top 6, don't write a "Why X" if you're applying ED, and don't write a "Why X" if you have nothing groundbreaking to say. So should I triple not write a "Why NYU"? I'm a 172/3.4 and I pray for the WL.

[iMisto]

I think you're in with an ED... and without a WhyNYU.

[Swimp]

My understanding of the "conventional wisdom" is that a Why X essay would be superfluous anywhere you're applying ED or at any school that doesn't offer ED (e.g., Harvard admissions knows why you want to come to Harvard). I've never heard someone say this about NYU.

[francesfarmer]

I think you're in with an ED... and without a WhyNYU.

Thank you. I'm told they love ED and the stats on the internet indicate this is true, but obviously I am worried being below 25th for GPA and at median for LSAT (though I hope their LSAT has dropped over the last cycle).

[francesfarmer]

My understanding of the "conventional wisdom" is that a Why X essay would be superfluous anywhere you're applying ED or at any school that doesn't offer ED (e.g., Harvard admissions knows why you want to come to Harvard). I've never heard someone say this about NYU.

I read it here on some big "Why X" thread that sending a "Why X" to a T6 is pointless because obviously you want to go to any T6.

[Swimp]

I think you're in with an ED... and without a WhyNYU.

Thank you. I'm told they love ED and the stats on the internet indicate this is true, but obviously I am worried being below 25th for GPA and at median for LSAT (though I hope their LSAT has dropped over the last cycle).

I believe the LSAT median has to now be either 170 or 171, based on the new 25-75 quartiles they reported to their students.

[francesfarmer]

When did they report this? My NYU 1L friend is obviously not spying well enough for me (but she sure as hell better be taking good notes!).

[Swimp]

When did they report this? My NYU 1L friend is obviously not spying well enough for me (but she sure as hell better be taking good notes!).

During orientation, supposedly. A couple of TLSers who just matriculated there were discussing this maybe a week ago but now I can't find the thread.

[francesfarmer]

When did they report this? My NYU 1L friend is obviously not spying well enough for me (but she sure as hell better be taking good notes!).

During orientation, supposedly. A couple of TLSers who just matriculated there were discussing this maybe a week ago but now I can't find the thread.

I found it, its on the one about "class sizes and medians" as opposed to just medians:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... &start=175

I was camped out on that median thread for a while waiting for NYU. I'm glad their 75th is no longer 175 like LSN lists but now I'm horrified of getting in and paying sticker. Oh well, sticker is a thing people pay to go to much shittier law schools...

[02889]

Are there any thoughts on incorporating some of this into your personal statement? Since there's no page limit, my NYU PS is currently about a page longer than the rest, and has some sentences about why NYU fits with the theme of my PS.

[francesfarmer]

Are there any thoughts on incorporating some of this into your personal statement? Since there's no page limit, my NYU PS is currently about a page longer than the rest, and has some sentences about why NYU fits with the theme of my PS.

People definitely tailor their personal statements, its just as good as a "Why NYU," I think. I am so on the fence about writing one still. My PS is not about lawyering.

[bernaldiaz]

My understanding of the "conventional wisdom" is that a Why X essay would be superfluous anywhere you're applying ED or at any school that doesn't offer ED (e.g., Harvard admissions knows why you want to come to Harvard). I've never heard someone say this about NYU.

I read it here on some big "Why X" thread that sending a "Why X" to a T6 is pointless because obviously you want to go to any T6.

I'm writing a Why Chicago- I really want money there and like what I wrote. Maybe write something up and see if it's worth sending. That's what I did. I just had an idea for an essay, said I'd write it but probably not use it, but then it turned out pretty good so I'm going to send it along.

[francesfarmer]

My understanding of the "conventional wisdom" is that a Why X essay would be superfluous anywhere you're applying ED or at any school that doesn't offer ED (e.g., Harvard admissions knows why you want to come to Harvard). I've never heard someone say this about NYU.

I read it here on some big "Why X" thread that sending a "Why X" to a T6 is pointless because obviously you want to go to any T6.

I'm writing a Why Chicago- I really want money there and like what I wrote. Maybe write something up and see if it's worth sending. That's what I did. I just had an idea for an essay, said I'd write it but probably not use it, but then it turned out pretty good so I'm going to send it along.

I'm trying but its just like "I want to go to NYU because PI/clinics clinics clinics!/New York." I have worked in PI for 2 months and I live in New York. Beyond that I have nothing to say at all! Its really frustrating and I want to get this app out ASAP.

[Crowing]

I'm applying ED to NYU and I'm not writing one because a) conventional wisdom says ED makes why x irrelevant and b) NYU doesn't by itself provide the option.

[indigomachine]

FWIW: Had a brief Why NYU at the end of my app last cycle; applied basically at the deadline and was admitted in first round with pretty "ok" stats for NYU. Idk if it helped or not, but it certainly didn't hurt.

I'd be sort of surprised if we're down to 170 as opposed to 171, but I guess not that surprised.

[francesfarmer]

FWIW: Had a brief Why NYU at the end of my app last cycle; applied basically at the deadline and was admitted in first round with pretty "ok" stats for NYU. Idk if it helped or not, but it certainly didn't hurt.

I'd be sort of surprised if we're down to 170 as opposed to 171, but I guess not that surprised.

169-170-173 just seems like a super weird spread to me so I doubt the median is 170, personally.

Was your essay semi generic? Keeping if brief is an option--like, "NYU has amazing PI opportunities, and is in New York, where I also am! What a coincidence." I might do that.

Your profile says you got $ and were ED, is that abnormal?

[indigomachine]

FWIW: Had a brief Why NYU at the end of my app last cycle; applied basically at the deadline and was admitted in first round with pretty "ok" stats for NYU. Idk if it helped or not, but it certainly didn't hurt.

I'd be sort of surprised if we're down to 170 as opposed to 171, but I guess not that surprised.

169-170-173 just seems like a super weird spread to me so I doubt the median is 170, personally.

Was your essay semi generic? Keeping if brief is an option--like, "NYU has amazing PI opportunities, and is in New York, where I also am! What a coincidence." I might do that.

Your profile says you got $ and were ED, is that abnormal?

Re: $ With ED, I think it's not that abnormal, but it's worth noting that I appealed my original aid decision which was sticker. I have another friend who got in ED same time as me and got roughly the same (slightly more) aid right off the bat. I've mentioned this in other threads, but I think there's some confusion over the ED-$ relationship. People who ED tend to be borderline candidates who are generally less likely to get aid, at least on the basis of merit, and the way need-based aid part of the app is done can obfuscate relevant information. I appealed based on need for details not covered fully in my original aid app and got aid; doubt this would have changed one way or another.

Re my Why X: the bulk of my actual PS was focused a lot on the development of my interest and work a particular research area. My Why-X portion mostly focused on how that area fit in with specific NYU programs with some reference to the culture at the school when I visited. I mostly avoided mentioning NYC outside of a really brief reference to the village / diversity because it felt a little awkward to say the reason NYU was my first choice was NYC with CLS right uptown and it's not like I could tell them "I want to be in NYC and really just don't want to be at CLS" (no offense to the CLSers on TLS; they seem great). The whole "why X portion" definitely wasn't more than a few (2-3?) sentences.

ETA: FWIW I actually am going to my first meeting with one of the research groups I think I mentioned in my PS today

[francesfarmer]

You're making me really hopeful that I might get $ on appeal. I have strange financial circumstances (as in my only parent makes <$20k a year with no job or marketable skills but has $600k+ home equity) and all I want is to get out of school with less than $200k principal. I can live in NYC for $17,000 a year easy, so I am semi hopeful.

My issue in bringing up NYC is not that CLS is also here, but that Fordham, Brooklyn, Cardozo, and CUNY are here too. Obviously NYU is better than all of these but I don't think its a compelling argument at all to say "I want to stay in New York so obviously NYU has to let me in."

Congrats on your research group! Living the dream!

[indigomachine]

You're making me really hopeful that I might get $ on appeal. I have strange financial circumstances (as in my only parent makes <$20k a year with no job or marketable skills but has $600k+ home equity) and all I want is to get out of school with less than $200k principal. I can live in NYC for $17,000 a year easy, so I am semi hopeful.

My issue in bringing up NYC is not that CLS is also here, but that Fordham, Brooklyn, Cardozo, and CUNY are here too. Obviously NYU is better than all of these but I don't think its a compelling argument at all to say "I want to stay in New York so obviously NYU has to let me in."

Congrats on your research group! Living the dream!

Yeah, just in general I think NYC as part of a "Why NYU" sounds comparatively less thoughtful when considering that there are plenty of more specific reasons to favor NYU over other comparable options. A spin on the NYC theme might be NYU's access and strong alumni network in NYC if that's where you want to stay after graduation and especially if you're interested in PI. There's still the CLS issue (less so if you're referencing PI, because at a minimum NYU considers itself > CLS in that area, and there are some good reasons for thinking it actually is), but it's a slight nod to NYU's top placement in the area compared to other NYC schools and I think you'd get more cred for that response than something along the lines of wanting to go to school in the "thriving cultural and decision-making center that is NYC" (and any other variants of that).

If I were in your position, I would contact financial aid and talk to them about your situation before applying (if you're applying ED) or after getting in (if RD). They can't tell you the likelihood that you'll get aid, but you'll probably get a sense of how credible they consider your situation (they drop hints). That way, if for some reason you get in and don't get aid, as was my case, you'll have at least some sense of how likely your appeal would yield success.

Another note on appeals if you get in RD and don't get aid: I would be careful about diluting a need-based appeal with a merit-based one (i.e. bargaining aid packages). I might be misremembering (other TLSers who applied last cycle, feel free to jump in if this is way off), but NYU did not seem terribly eager to negotiate with awards from other schools, including the rest of CCN (no idea how any HYS cross-negotiations went). In my meeting with one of the counselors, it was mentioned that they would consider other awards (her example was if the award was from CLS lol) but even then, that hasn't seemed to have played out well in practice on the boards.

[francesfarmer]

You're making me really hopeful that I might get $ on appeal. I have strange financial circumstances (as in my only parent makes <$20k a year with no job or marketable skills but has $600k+ home equity) and all I want is to get out of school with less than $200k principal. I can live in NYC for $17,000 a year easy, so I am semi hopeful.

My issue in bringing up NYC is not that CLS is also here, but that Fordham, Brooklyn, Cardozo, and CUNY are here too. Obviously NYU is better than all of these but I don't think its a compelling argument at all to say "I want to stay in New York so obviously NYU has to let me in."

Congrats on your research group! Living the dream!

Yeah, just in general I think NYC as part of a "Why NYU" sounds comparatively less thoughtful when considering that there are plenty of more specific reasons to favor NYU over other comparable options. A spin on the NYC theme might be NYU's access and strong alumni network in NYC if that's where you want to stay after graduation and especially if you're interested in PI. There's still the CLS issue (less so if you're referencing PI, because at a minimum NYU considers itself > CLS in that area, and there are some good reasons for thinking it actually is), but it's a slight nod to NYU's top placement in the area compared to other NYC schools and I think you'd get more cred for that response than something along the lines of wanting to go to school in the "thriving cultural and decision-making center that is NYC" (and any other variants of that).

If I were in your position, I would contact financial aid and talk to them about your situation before applying (if you're applying ED) or after getting in (if RD). They can't tell you the likelihood that you'll get aid, but you'll probably get a sense of how credible they consider your situation (they drop hints). That way, if for some reason you get in and don't get aid, as was my case, you'll have at least some sense of how likely your appeal would yield success.

Another note on appeals if you get in RD and don't get aid: I would be careful about diluting a need-based appeal with a merit-based one (i.e. bargaining aid packages). I might be misremembering (other TLSers who applied last cycle, feel free to jump in if this is way off), but NYU did not seem terribly eager to negotiate with awards from other schools, including the rest of CCN (no idea how any HYS cross-negotiations went). In my meeting with one of the counselors, it was mentioned that they would consider other awards (her example was if the award was from CLS lol) but even then, that hasn't seemed to have played out well in practice on the boards.

I definitely appreciate the financial aid advice, though I think contacting them beforehand would do nothing but freak me out and make me feel super uneasy about applying ED. Unless they told me that I will absolutely NOT get any need based financial aid in my circumstances (which they won't), I'll still apply ED. I'm going there for sticker if need be.

Thanks for the heads up on the merit-based appeal. People do that all the time!

[indigomachine]

GL with your app. Feel free to PM with any other questions; I'll help if I can!

(FWIW: I was willing to pay sticker when I applied. I'm just glad it worked out such that I didn't end up having to).

[iMisto]

I'd take NYU at sticker. .. but I doubt you'll have to. Yes, your GPA is a bit low, but that puuurty LSAT is gonna be hard for them to turn down.

[francesfarmer]

I'd take NYU at sticker. .. but I doubt you'll have to. Yes, your GPA is a bit low, but that puuurty LSAT is gonna be hard for them to turn down.

Thanks. Its so pretty, right? Like, I stare at it like a super expensive piece of jewelry I busted my ass to save up to buy. /narcissism

[indigomachine]

I'd take NYU at sticker. .. but I doubt you'll have to. Yes, your GPA is a bit low, but that puuurty LSAT is gonna be hard for them to turn down.

Be careful, with all this non-HYS sticker talk, we're practically summoning Mr. Wayne.

[francesfarmer]

I'd take NYU at sticker. .. but I doubt you'll have to. Yes, your GPA is a bit low, but that puuurty LSAT is gonna be hard for them to turn down.

Be careful, with all this non-HYS sticker talk, we're practically summoning Mr. Wayne.

Are you making a batman reference? I'm so confused.