My Journey and Why I Chose New York University (NYU)

My name is Richard, a South Korean who studied in Malaysia and is now living the dream while attending NYU. My goal was always to study in the United States, as I was most exposed to that curriculum while in Malaysia, where I attended an international school. I also really wanted to immerse myself in the culture of the US and discover what it is truly about.

I applied to around 30 universities worldwide, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Amsterdam, Toronto, and the US. I received many acceptances, but in the end, I thought that NYU would be the best for me because New York was the type of city I wanted to explore. Compared to the other locations, I found New York to be the best for me in terms of providing me with unimaginable opportunities and overall accessibility to so many different things.

Extracurriculars

US colleges are the type of universities that don’t only look at your grades. Instead, they want to see how well-rounded you are as a student and the effort and drive you have toward something. So, I feel like the essay you need to write and the extracurriculars you are involved in are the most important.

As a student who really focused on extracurriculars, I did an internship with environmental NGOs (Non-governmental organizations) in Malaysia. I made sure to do the part of that that I was truly interested in, so I handled the marketing and business aspects of it. I helped develop new tours focusing on environmental tourism, along with organizing brochures and other materials related to that field.

I was also president of a few clubs such as the student council, yearbook, and charity club which I feel showed my leadership skills and what I am capable of doing. Most colleges want to see you take action and see how you could positively impact your community, they want game changers like students which I tried to show through all these various activities.

My Application Process

I applied through the Common app platform, within which you need to write a 650-word essay, and for NYU specifically there was an option of two supplemental essays which I did complete as it gives you a higher chance of getting in. You also need to submit your education history such as your GPA, SAT, or ACT scores - for reference, for my SATs I got a 1510, and I took 10 AP classes where I was able to get seven 5s and three 4s with a 4.0 GPA. You also need to include the extracurriculars I mentioned which do include any part-time jobs you may have had, letters of recommendation are also required - I was able to get a peer recommendation from an NYU student which I’m not sure if it had anything to do with my acceptance, but it is something that I was able to get and include.

Financials & Scholarships

The cost of the course I am doing right now per year is $97,000, including meal plans and accommodation, and you then have your additional personal costs as well. Honestly, New York definitely is not the cheapest place; everything is pretty expensive. To live comfortably, I would say it does depend on how you budget and save where you can, and if you do, I think living on around $500 per month is possible. However, I have seen students using up to around $1,000-$3,000, so it really depends on how money-conscious you are.

Most universities in the US do offer financial aid. I think that it is like the usual scholarship application where you submit all your financial information, and sometimes there is a short essay you need to write as well. I am aware that there are many types of scholarships with different eligibility requirements, which I think are worth checking out.

My Experience So Far

I am currently majoring in Media, Culture, and Communications, which is really about marketing and is the third most popular major within NYU. If you are the type who is interested in marketing and media, this course would be great for you. I am certainly enjoying learning about not only the history of it but also what is to come in the future.

I have been loving living in New York, it has given me so many experiences I have always wanted. I love music and film, and this city always has things going on especially related to the entertainment industry which I really thrive with. Not only that but, NYU is honestly everywhere, and so it is very close to everything giving us the ability to take 20-30 minute walks to some of the biggest tourist attractions like the Empire State Building.

With that, it can be difficult to have those amazing experiences while making sure I am scoring well in the course itself. I am a Google Calendar type of person, and so I think being organized is the key for me. I try not to go out unnecessarily and try not to waste time on little things unless they were planned, which really makes it easier to balance social and academic life, allowing me to enjoy my time here more without constant stress.

The Uniqueness of NYU

One of the things that I realized about NYU is that it has a very large undergraduate population compared to other prestigious Ivy League schools, and with so many more students, the school really does offer a lot. There are always programs within dorms that allow you to explore more and meet other students, and there are also so many clubs you could join that are packed with people, really allowing you to socialize and truly become part of that community.

With this, NYU has a very strong alumni network as well, and so there are centers here where they help you with whatever questions you may have. You also get an academic advisor assigned to you who knows your background and what you would want to do in the future regarding your major. They also provide employability assistance, specifically in assisting us to get employed within the US, as it is more difficult as an international student, which I feel is going to come in handy once I reach that point in my life.