As more students are going through the college process, they are also beginning to narrow down their options of a school they want to attend. A very well-known school that attracts a lot of student interest is not so far from here. New York University (NYU) is a popular yet competitive school in Greenwich Village, NYC, with a lot of features that may appeal to students. 

NYU offers a variety of majors, yet they are most known for their prestigious Arts school, Tisch School of Arts. About 15% of students who attend NYU choose the major of Visual and Performing Arts. While Visual and Performing Arts may be the most popular major, NYU also has other popular majors that are highly ranked. For example, NYU’s business program is ranked #5 by the U.S. News & World Report. 

When it comes to housing, many schools tend to make freshmen stay in on-campus housing. However, NYU does not require this, which gives students more choices. NYU allows students to live off campus all 4 years they attend this school, but they do not have to: NYU has 23 residence halls, most of which are found in Greenwich village, others are found in the community of Brooklyn Heights. In data collected from fall of 2025, NYU observed that about 85 percent of students opted to live on campus their first year, while 15 percent of students opted to live off campus. 

No matter whether students live on or off campus, they can still be involved in campus life. Each year at NYU there are 300 active student clubs on campus open to all students. So that students can find the right club for them, NYU holds a club fest at the beginning of every fall and spring semester. This allows students to explore new clubs across the University and become involved.

Although athletics are not one of the most prominent extracurricular aspects of NYU, this university provides numerous opportunities for athletes. For example, NYU offers 24 club sports ranging from Volleyball to Ballroom Dance. While some are primarily instructional, others give students the opportunity to participate in serious league competition.

 If a student finds that campus life is starting to get boring, NYU offers students to study abroad, ranging from places like Prague to Florence. The most frequent question students may ask is, when can I study abroad?

As of now, a small group of freshmen are picked to bring their majors outside the United States, while other students are eligible to study abroad once they have reached their sophomore year, through to their last semester as a senior at NYU. 

While paying for college can seem daunting, NYU has opportunities for scholarship and financial aid. One type of aid NYU offers is scholarships, which do not have to be paid back to the school. This helps students receive this advanced education without lingering debt or financial stress.

NYU also offers to help students to apply for federal loans. NYU works with the U.S. Department of Education to provide federal loans, which assist students/families with contributions to the cost of their students’ attendance. Unlike scholarships and grants, federal loans require students to pay back whatever they borrowed, along with interest. But don’t worry—the interest rates are generally lower than what private loan providers offer. 

Not only do extracurricular activities make a major impact on a student’s application, grades and standardized test scores do too. As of now, the average SAT score a student should aim for when applying to NYU ranges from a 1480-1560. Other students choose to take the ACT, and the score those students should aim for ranges from a 34-35. In addition, students need to have a strong GPA in high school. The average GPA students should aim for is a 3.8 or higher. (according to U.S. News & World Report) 

Students who are accepted to NYU will be joining some famous alumni. These include Oscar winners like Martin Scorsese, Whoopi Goldberg, and Mahershala Ali; actors like Donald Glover, Alec Baldwin, Adam Sandler, and Lady Gaga; and lastly, influential leaders like Spike Lee and Jared Kushner.

One of our own committed to NYU last year: Ben Bauta, who is majoring in Politics (via @phhscommitted25 on Instagram). If any other students at Hills want to join Ben, NYU has a lot to offer. Although the application process may be difficult, it will all be worth it in the end. Good luck, seniors!