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How to Write the NYU Essays 2024-2025

NYU has one supplemental prompt for all applicants this year, and an additional prompt which is required for Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholars Program applicants. 

Although the prompt for all applicants is technically optional, NYU’s prime location in the heart of downtown New York City, campuses all across the globe, and affiliation with excellent graduate schools in a range of subjects make it highly competitive to gain admission. So, we strongly encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to share something new about yourself with admissions officers.

Read these examples of past NYU essays about diversity and “Why NYU?” written by real students to inspire your writing!

NYU Supplemental Essay Prompts

All applicants, optional.

Prompt: In a world where disconnection seems to often prevail, we are looking for students who embody the qualities of bridge builders—students who can connect people, groups, and ideas to span divides, foster understanding, and promote collaboration within a dynamic, interconnected, and vibrant global academic community. We are eager to understand how your experiences have prepared you to build the bridges of the future. Please consider one or more of the following questions in your essay:

• What personal experiences or challenges have shaped you as a bridge builder?
• How have you been a bridge builder in your school, community, or personal life?
• What specific actions have you taken to build bridges between diverse groups, ideas, or cultures?

How do you envision being a bridge builder during your time at our university and beyond? (250 words)

Mlk scholars applicants, required.

Prompt: In under 250 words, please share how you have demonstrated your commitment to the legacy of Dr. King’s ideals of “Beloved Community” as evidenced through academic achievement, research or service. (250 words)

In a world where disconnection seems to often prevail, we are looking for students who embody the qualities of bridge builders—students who can connect people, groups, and ideas to span divides, foster understanding, and promote collaboration within a dynamic, interconnected, and vibrant global academic community. We are eager to understand how your experiences have prepared you to build the bridges of the future. Please consider one or more of the following questions in your essay:

Since NYU has a reputation for being highly competitive, especially in recent years, we strongly recommend that you respond to this optional prompt. You only get so many chances to share yourself with the admissions committee, so any time you’re given an extra one, you should seize it! Especially when the margins between applicants are so thin, you never know what could be the difference-maker.

Understanding the Prompt

This prompt seeks to understand how your experiences have shaped you as a connector and collaborator, and how you will use these experiences and the skills you learned from them to continue working with others in the future. NYU even provides some more specific questions that should help you brainstorm your narrative:

• How do you envision being a bridge builder during your time at our university and beyond?

Brainstorming

To start generating answers to these questions, consider the following ideas:

• Personal Experiences: What experiences have exposed you to different cultures, perspectives, or groups? Have you ever felt like an outsider and had to connect with others who were different from you? What did you take away from those experiences?
• Challenges: Have you faced any personal challenges that required you to bring people together? What obstacles did you overcome in these situations? How did you change as a result?
• School and Community Involvement: Have you ever organized events or led initiatives that brought different groups together? Did you start or participate in clubs that fostered understanding among diverse students? What was your motivation for doing so, and were you successful?
• Future Plans: How do you see yourself continuing to build bridges in college? Are there specific clubs, organizations, or initiatives at NYU where you plan to make an impact?

Thinking of robust anecdotes, that are both engaging and reflect your values, before you start writing will streamline things significantly. Note, however, that you have a limit of 250 words. While this should be ample space to express your ideas, you likely won’t be able to cover more than one experience in detail, or two shorter ones that are directly linked.

As you brainstorm, though, don’t worry about filtering your ideas just yet. On the contrary, having a longer list is better, as you can then evaluate a wider range of possibilities and determine which one is just right for the point you’re trying to make.

What Makes a Good Response

A strong essay will include:

• Personal Narrative: Begin with a specific story or example that highlights your role as a bridge builder. This could be an instance where you connected different groups at school, or a moment when you mediated a conflict, among other options.
• Clear Examples: Provide concrete examples of your actions. Instead of saying, “I brought people together,” describe exactly what you did—whether it was organizing a multicultural event, leading a discussion group, or facilitating a project that involved different perspectives. This is one of the most important rules for writing vivid narrative essays: “Show, don’t tell.”
• Impact: Reflect on the impact of your actions. How did your efforts change the situation? What did you learn from the experience?
• Future Vision: Conclude by connecting your past experiences to your future plans at NYU. Mention specific programs, clubs, or opportunities where you hope to continue your bridge-building efforts. Don’t just say “I’d love to do something similar at NYU”–instead, tell NYU admissions officers exactly where and how you’ll do so, as that in turn will help them envision you as a member of their community.

Hypothetical Student Examples

To give you some ideas of what a bridge builder could look like, here are some hypothetical examples:

• Ravi , a student with a background in both Indian and American cultures, grew up balancing two very different worlds. In high school, he noticed that students from different cultural backgrounds rarely interacted. To address this, Ravi organized an annual cultural showcase that brought together diverse groups to share their traditions, foods, and music. His essay could focus on how this experience taught him the power and importance of cultural exchange, and on how he plans to continue fostering cross-cultural understanding by taking advantage of opportunities at NYU’s satellite campuses around the world.
• Elena , who was the only female member of her school’s robotics team, noticed that girls in her community were underrepresented in STEM fields. She founded a mentorship program that connected female high school students with women working in tech. Her essay could discuss the challenges of starting the program and how she plans to continue her efforts through WinS, a mentorship program at NYU that pairs students with girls at NYC public high schools who are interested in STEM.
• Marcus grew up in a neighborhood with significant racial tension. In high school, he initiated a dialogue series where students from different racial and socioeconomic backgrounds could share their stories and experiences. His essay might explore how this project not only reduced misunderstandings but also created a more inclusive school environment. He could then connect this experience to his interest in social justice and the law, and how BIPOC Legal Society at NYU would give him a strong network as he pursues his goals.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Vagueness: Avoid general statements about being a bridge builder. Also don’t rely on generic definitions of what makes someone a bridge builder. Instead, provide specific stories and examples that show your actions and their impact, and clearly demonstrate what being a bridge-builder means to you personally.
• Clichés: Don’t rely on Hallmark card-y sentiments like “At the end of the day, we’re all human.” Instead, connect your points to your real experiences, to make your story personal, tangible, and easy to understand.
• Overemphasis on Future Goals: While you do want to discuss your future plans, make sure the majority of your essay focuses on past experiences. The admissions committee wants to see evidence that you’ve already acted as a bridge builder, and talking too much about the future without connections to the past may make you sound naive.

Good and Bad Examples

Good Example:

“The first time I hosted a cultural dinner at my high school, I had no idea what to expect. My parents, who immigrated from Mexico, brought homemade tamales, while my friend Jin’s parents contributed Korean bulgogi. As we set up the buffet, I noticed that students who usually kept to their own groups were mingling, curious about each other’s food and traditions. Conversations quickly blossomed, with students exchanging stories about their families, holiday traditions, and the meanings behind the dishes they brought. For the first time, I saw walls come down as we bonded over shared meals and experiences.

Inspired by this success, I expanded the event into a quarterly gathering, incorporating cultural performances, storytelling sessions, and even cooking demonstrations. Over time, these dinners became a cornerstone of our school’s efforts to promote inclusivity and understanding, bridging divides that had previously seemed insurmountable. Witnessing the friendships that formed and the stereotypes that were dismantled, I realized the profound impact that simple acts of connection can have.

At NYU, I’m excited to join the International Student Council and to continue building bridges through shared experiences. I hope to start a monthly “Cultural Connections” dinner, where students can explore each other’s backgrounds over a meal. I also plan to collaborate with the Office of Global Inclusion, Diversity, and Strategic Innovation to organize events that celebrate the rich tapestry of cultures on campus, ensuring that everyone feels seen, heard, and valued in our community.”

Why this is a good example: This response provides a specific, vivid story that illustrates the student’s role as a bridge builder. There’s clear personal growth, and a plan to continue this work in college. In particular, the idea of the cultural dinner shows that the student doesn’t want to just pitch into existing projects at NYU–they want to start their own, to make the school even more inclusive.

Bad Example:

“I’ve always believed in the importance of bringing people together, especially in environments where differences can lead to misunderstandings. In my sophomore year, I noticed that students from different backgrounds often stuck to their own groups during lunch. I decided to encourage more interaction by starting a lunchtime club where anyone could join and talk about various topics, from hobbies to current events. Although the turnout was lower than I had hoped, I felt proud of my efforts to create a space where people could connect.

At NYU, I plan to join clubs that promote diversity and inclusion, and I hope to contribute to a more connected campus. I am eager to participate in activities that bring students from different backgrounds together, whether through cultural events, discussion groups, or volunteer work. I believe that by fostering understanding and collaboration, we can build a more unified community that appreciates the unique perspectives everyone brings.”

Why this is a bad example: This response falls short in a few key areas. The student provides a general description of their efforts to build bridges, but lacks concrete details that demonstrate impact or personal growth. In short, the essay tells rather than shows, which makes it less impactful than the first example. 

The essay also misses an opportunity to reflect on lessons learned or how these experiences will influence the student’s future actions. A partial attempt is made, but the language is vague, as phrases like “promote diversity and inclusion” and “foster understanding and collaboration” could apply to any school, and thus do not showcase a deep connection to NYU, the way references to school-specific opportunities would, or the student’s unique role as a bridge builder. 

By selecting an anecdote that is personal and detailed, and that directly connects to the future you’re imagining for yourself at NYU, you’ll be well on your way to crafting a compelling essay that shows NYU how you’ve been a bridge builder in your own life, as well as how the university’s resources align perfectly with your plans to continue building bridges during your time in college.

In under 250 words, please share how you have demonstrated your commitment to the legacy of Dr. King’s ideals of “Beloved Community” as evidenced through academic achievement, research or service. (250 words)

Do your research.

Before you even start thinking about a response to this prompt, you should research Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., his work, and his message, and the notion of the “Beloved Community.” Because this program is known to be selective, you’ll want to show the admissions officers that you truly understand the program’s mission and spirit.

The primary goal of the program is: 

“to develop scholars who strive to realize Dr. King’s ‘Beloved Community’ and who embody ‘a love-centered way of thinking, speaking, acting, and engaging that leads to personal, cultural and societal transformation’ (The King Center). ” 

By doing your research first, you can strategically choose experiences that show that you’re the kind of student who will take full advantage of this program, rather than accidentally selecting anecdotes which may be strong on their own, but don’t reflect the program’s values.

While you should definitely do your own research on this topic, for a rough overview the “Beloved Community” is a society based on justice, equal opportunity, and love for all, free from poverty, hunger, and hate. You’ll need to provide specific examples of how you’ve embodied these ideals in your academic life, research, or service efforts.

Brainstorming Questions

The prompt provides three domains in which you may have demonstrated your commitment to the ideas of the “Beloved Community.” Let’s take a look at each one, and think about some things you may have done in each:

• Academic Achievement: Have you taken courses or completed projects that address social justice, equality, or community building? Did you participate in discussions, presentations, or papers that promoted these ideals?
• Research: Have you conducted research on issues like racial equality, social justice, or community service? How did your findings contribute to promoting Dr. King’s vision?
• Service: What volunteer work or community service have you done that aligns with the ideals of the “Beloved Community”? How did your actions directly contribute to fostering a more just and loving society?

There are a few things you should include in your response to make it strong.

• Specific Examples: Use concrete examples to demonstrate your commitment. Rather than just saying “I’ve done research on social justice,” explain what the project was and why you chose to get involved.
• Connection to Dr. King’s Ideals: Clearly link your actions to Dr. King’s vision of the “Beloved Community.” Explain clearly how your work promotes justice, equality, and love–don’t leave anything up to inference.
• Impact: Highlight the impact of your work. How did your actions contribute to a positive change in your community or field of study?

Notice that each point can seamlessly lead into the next to establish a good narrative flow. Begin with anecdotes, examples, and details about the experiences you’ve had. After describing these experiences, connect them to the ideals of Dr. King’s “Beloved Community.” Finally, highlight how your personal impact within the broader experience demonstrates your own commitment to these ideals.

• Student A: A student who took an advanced sociology course and chose to focus his capstone project on the effects of systemic racism in education. He analyzed how inequities in school funding perpetuate the achievement gap, and ended up presenting his results to a local school board while advocating for reforms that align with Dr. King’s ideals of equal opportunity.
• Student B: A student passionate about biology who joined a community health initiative in her neighborhood which provides free health screenings and education about preventive care. She can explain how this work helped address healthcare disparities by directly supporting the health and well-being of underserved populations, in line with Dr. King’s vision for a more equitable society.
• Student C: A student who organized a series of community dialogues between local police officers and students after tensions arose in their town. They could discuss how these conversations aimed to foster mutual understanding and reduce conflict, and thus embodied Dr. King’s principles of nonviolence, reconciliation, and community building.
• Vague Responses: Don’t just say that you care about social justice. Instead, provide detailed examples that concretely illustrate your values.
• Generalizing: Avoid broad statements about equality or justice. Your focus should be on how you’ve personally contributed to these causes.
• Ignoring the Prompt: This prompt isn’t just about social justice in general, so make sure you have a clear, direct connection to Dr. King’s vision of the “Beloved Community.”

“For a final history paper in high school, I explored the legacy of redlining in urban communities. My research revealed how discriminatory housing practices have perpetuated economic inequality, limiting opportunities for minority communities.

Inspired by Dr. King’s vision of a “Beloved Community,” I turned my studying into action by volunteering with a nonprofit that assists first-time homebuyers in historically marginalized neighborhoods. My role involved guiding families through the complexities of securing a mortgage, understanding property taxes, and maintaining financial stability. I also collaborated with the organization to develop workshops that educate prospective homeowners about their rights and resources, empowering them to overcome systemic barriers.

By helping these families achieve homeownership, I aimed to break the cycle of poverty that redlining had enforced for generations. One particularly meaningful experience was seeing a single mother of two receive the keys to her first home, as I knew that this would create a more stable and hopeful future for her children. This work deepened my understanding of economic injustice and reinforced my commitment to fostering a society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. I believe that by empowering individuals with the tools they need to succeed, I am contributing to the realization of Dr. King’s dream of a just and equitable community.”

Why this is a good example: This response has a specific, detailed description of how the student’s academic work ties into their service efforts. It clearly connects to Dr. King’s ideals of addressing economic injustice and promoting equality, and show that the student made a tangible impact on their community. There is also emotional depth, which makes the response even more compelling.

“I’ve always believed in the importance of equality and treating others with respect, which is why Dr. King’s ideals resonate with me. Throughout high school, I took my studies seriously because I know education is a powerful tool for change. I’ve also volunteered occasionally, helping out at food banks and participating in community clean-ups. I think it’s important to be a good person and do what you can to help others, whether it’s through academics or service. In the future, I hope to continue Dr. King’s legacy by being kind, respectful, and supportive of those around me, doing my part to make the world a better place.”

Why this is a bad example: This response is vague, without any specific examples of how the student has actively worked to advance Dr. King’s vision. It mentions general values like kindness and respect, but does not demonstrate a clear connection to the ideals of the “Beloved Community” in particular, or describe how the student made their community a more equitable place. 

If you identify vivid examples that demonstrate your commitment to Dr. King’s ideals and legacy, and how you’ve already started to make an impact, you’ll be well on your way to showing NYU why you’d be a great fit for this remarkable program.

Where to Get Your NYU Essay Edited For Free 

Do you want feedback on your NYU essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

Need feedback faster? Get a  free, nearly-instantaneous essay review  from Sage, our AI tutor and advisor. Sage will rate your essay, give you suggestions for improvement, and summarize what admissions officers would take away from your writing. Use these tools to improve your chances of acceptance to your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

New York University (NYU) 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 5

You Have: 

New York University (NYU) 2024-25 Application Essay Explanations

The Requirements: 1 essay of 250 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s) : Community , Diversity

How to Write a Compelling NYU Supplemental Essay

NYU’s supplement only asks for one (1) essay, but they give you four (4) options, all focused on building bridges. Since you can speak about as many of these prompts as you want in your response, spend some time freewriting and see what you come up with. NYU Admissions instructs: “There are no formulas to making admissions decisions; NYU seeks a mix of students who have a variety of interests, talents, and goals.” So don’t be afraid to dive into whatever strikes. Read on for more detailed advice for writing your NYU supplemental essay!

NYU Essay Prompt Breakdown

In a world where disconnection seems to often prevail, we are looking for students who embody the qualities of bridge builders—students who can connect people, groups, and ideas to span divides, foster understanding, and promote collaboration within a dynamic, interconnected, and vibrant global academic community. we are eager to understand how your experiences have prepared you to build the bridges of the future. please consider one or more of the following questions in your essay: , what personal experiences or challenges have shaped you as a bridge builder , how have you been a bridge builder in your school, community, or personal life , what specific actions have you taken to build bridges between diverse groups, ideas, or cultures , how do you envision being a bridge builder during your time at our university and beyond.

NYU aims to admit students who will be active participants in and contributors to a dynamic and inclusive campus culture, so all of these prompts focus on the idea of community in a different way. The first one asks you to describe your background and what has made you into a person who can bring others together. The second asks you to describe concrete ways you have built bridges in your life so far. The third asks you to describe actions you’ve taken in a more expansive way; rather than in your personal life, focus on broader cultural or ideological bridges. The last prompt asks you to think about how you will foster collaboration once you’re admitted to NYU. Note that you can talk about any number of these questions in your final essay. Maybe you’ve volunteered at your church’s food pantry every other weekend since you were in middle school or canvassed for political candidates that you believe will generate positive change for generations to come. Whatever your example(s) may be, don’t be afraid to touch on what those experiences meant to you as well as the work you hope to do in the future (hopefully around NYU’s campus!).

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Ace Your NYU Supplemental Essay: Expert Advice From a Former Admissions Officer

NYU Essay Questions

Why To Submit the Optional NYU Essay

Understanding College Essay Formats

Expert Advice for NYU Essays

How To Answer the 24/25 NYU Supplemental

Submitting Your NYU Essay

Students who apply to NYU must submit a required essay based on a Common App essay prompt. They may also submit an optional NYU-specific supplemental essay. This blog post explains why these admissions essays are so important for your NYU application. You’ll also obtain insightful tips and suggestions from a former NYU admissions officer, Joe Picini, making this your chance to get an inside scoop on how to approach the process, what to emphasize in your essays, and common mistakes and missteps to avoid.

With an acceptance rate of 8%, it’s no secret NYU is hard to get into .

NYU is also renowned for its international campuses and its unique and coveted schools and degree programs, such as the Tisch School of the Arts and the Stern School of Business.

Finally, NYU has a bold and well established reputation for catering to diverse students with global interests who are exceptionally outgoing, creative, and innovative.

All of this means your application really needs to hit the mark — highlighting your fit for the NYU community and helping you stand out.

In this process, your college essays are crucial. Admissions officers want to know how you're going to navigate and contribute positively to a diverse academic community.

In this post you’ll learn:

• What essays you need to write for NYU
• Whether you should write and submit the optional essay
• How to make sure your NYU essay stands out, with advice from a former NYU admissions officer
• Tips for decoding and brainstorming the NYU Supplemental Essay prompt

NYU Essay Questions for 2024/25

Students aiming to get into NYU need to consider two admissions essay tasks, one required and one optional:

• The Common App Essay (required)
• The NYU Supplemental Essay (optional)

1. The Common App Essay

NYU uses the Common Application . For the essay component, the Common App offers seven essay prompts for first-year applicants, but applicants are only required to respond to ONE of the seven prompts , writing an essay of 300 words or fewer.

While the many prompts to choose from give you freedom to pick the one best tailored to what you want to write about, it can be hard to decide which one to choose and how to approach it.

For tips, ideas, and inspiration on how to navigate the Common App essay and individual prompts, check out this free Crimson resource:

How To Answer The 2024-25 Common App Essay Prompts

2. NYU's Supplemental Essay Question

The 2024–2025 New York University (NYU) supplemental essay needs to be 250 words or fewer and respond to the following prompt:

In a world where disconnection seems to often prevail, we are looking for students who embody the qualities of bridge builders—students who can connect people, groups, and ideas to span divides, foster understanding, and promote collaboration within a dynamic, interconnected, and vibrant global academic community. We are eager to understand how your experiences have prepared you to build the bridges of the future. Please consider one or more of the following questions in your essay: What personal experiences or challenges have shaped you as a bridge builder? How have you been a bridge builder in your school, community, or personal life? What specific actions have you taken to build bridges between diverse groups, ideas, or cultures? How do you envision being a bridge builder during at our university and beyond?

This year, NYU's Supplemental Essay pivots away from the "why NYU" essay theme common in years past, offering students a more ample opportunity to introduce themselves (instead of talking about NYU), but also focuses on a theme crucial to campus life during an era of division and polarization in society, politics, and world affairs.

Why You Should Submit the Optional Supplemental Essay

Although NYU officials insist the NYU Supplemental essay “really is optional,” this year’s prompt aligns with the school’s emphasis on diversity and innovation:

"This prompt offers students a valuable opportunity to make a memorable impression by writing a strong essay about their ability to 'connect people, groups, and ideas…' within a diverse academic community," says Crimson Advisor and former NYU Admissions Officer Joe Picini.

Not only does the prompt encourage applicants to write about their own experiences and values, it makes clear that NYU’s leaders want to attract students who embrace global citizenship and can reflect constructively and honestly on the challenges of bridging cultural diversity and diverse worldviews .

As you begin essay brainstorming, planning, and reflection, it’s important to understand the unique features of the college essay format , features essential for all college essays, not just for NYU — especially because effective college essays are typically not like academic essays . Instead, they're more like reflective essays or personal narratives , writing formats often less familiar to high school students.

To make your essay memorable you'll typically recount personal experiences, anecdotes, and reflections using an authentic personal voice and perspective.

• Be authentic and genuine : Even if you decide to get creative in terms of format and expression, you’ll want to write in a personal voice and be sure your essay content is anchored in honest, sincere, and genuine introspection, exploring who you are and your deeper values, goals, and aspirations.
• Connect experiences with reflection: Your college essay will reveal more about you and be more memorable when you convey how your experiences shape your thoughts and worldview, and vice-versa.
• Capacity for growth and transformation : High school and college are not only formative years academically but also socially and personally. Admissions officers are looking for windows into your present maturity but also how you use introspection to turn your own unique lived experiences and life influences into catalysts for authentic reflection and personal growth or transformation.

For a comprehensive overview of the distinct features you can use to make your essay more powerful, check out this free Crimson resource:

How To Format & Structure Your College Application Essay

A Word on Navigating the Common App Essay Prompts When Applying to NYU

The Common App essay offers applicants lots of prompts to choose from, giving you freedom to pick one that makes it easier to share something compelling about your life story and personal values and aspirations.

For tips, ideas, and inspiration on how to navigate the Common App essay task, you can check out this resource:

How To Answer the 2024-25 Common App Essay Prompts

Making Your NYU Essays Stand Out: Advice From Former NYU Admissions Officer Joe Picini

“we’re looking to learn about what you care about, what has shaped your worldview to this point in your life, what your values are. at the end of the day we’re looking to see what kind of community member you’re going to be on our campus.”.

Are you ready to go beyond the basics and uncover insights you can use to connect your essay with NYU’s educational ethos and the school’s unique admissions landscape…?

We sat down with Crimson Advisor and former NYU Admissions Officer Joe Picini to get his take on what students need to consider when writing essays that will really help them get into NYU .

What do admission officers at NYU look for in essays?

The admissions officers at NYU really want to learn about you. By that, I mean they want insights into your point of view on life, learning, and community . Even more, they’re going to be excited to get insights into your larger worldview, how it shapes you, and how you’ll contribute to a vibrant and diverse academic community.

That said, you don't have to connect your worldview or values perfectly with the ethos of the school and program you're applying to, because I’ve also seen students get into NYU who wrote essays that weren't directly connected to their chosen school or major, so that’s okay too.

Another thing I've observed as an Advisor at Crimson is that students often have a lot anxiety from thinking their essay needs to reveal something really insightful or really unusual and never seen before, and that’s just not the case. At NYU we just want to know what matters to students — how they view the world around them and what’s shaping their core values.

Typically, the NYU admissions officers will first read your essay in the context of your local circumstances — the state and region you live in — and then through the lens of the school and major you’re applying for . Then they'll be looking to connect the dots around how these factors will play out for you as a member of the campus community .

For NYU, many applicants are applying to both a specific school and specific major each with their own particular ethos . So if you're on of those applicants, be sure to consider that fact as you write about connections between your own values and aspirations and how they connect with NYU.

“Nine times out of ten, an NYU applicant is not just applying to NYU, but to a specific school and specific major within NYU.”

Here’s a three-step process for getting started that aligns well with writing a strong NYU essay:

• Think about what makes your values and worldview meaningful in your local context — two students may have a similar worldview, but depending on their local context — where they live in the US (or abroad) — that worldview may be more common or it may reflect something more unique about an individual's background or values.
• Consider your essay focus in the context of NYU and the specific NYU school and program you’re applying too . You may want to write about risk-taking, or creativity, or about how you navigate intellectual dilemmas. These are all great college essay themes and all important to your personal growth, but one of these may be more relevant or compelling depending on the school and major you're applying to .
• How might your values and aspirations look at the level of campus community? You can explore this topic in the context of day-to-day dorm interactions, or in a larger context of campus live, or in terms of cultural diversity as it might impact study groups, classroom discussions, first-amendment conflicts, or navigating leadership roles on campus committees or initiatives.

How would you brainstorm NYU’s essay prompt?

The common app essay.

I recommend students do some initial brainstorming and then decide which Common App essay prompt to choose, picking one that will help showcase their voice and allow them to demonstrate an important transformation, whether it’s emotional or spiritual... or whatever it is that matters to them.

The admissions officers want to see what it is you’ve learned from the experiences, people, or influences you’re writing about.

There are lots of different Common App prompts to choose from, so I tell students to pick the one that will most help them accomplish this.

“As you look at the different prompts, and especially if you’re choosing one of the more open-ended prompts, I would tell a student this, start with what you know and start with what you care about — that could be anything. It could be painting, exercise, a funny memory or anecdote with a sibling…”

If you’re trying to figure out how to approach one of the more open-ended Common App essay prompts, start with what you know and care about . You can even anchor the essay around a memory or experience that stands out for you, just be sure it's genuine and connects with a compelling aspect of personal growth.

The NYU Supplemental Essay Prompt

Remember that the NYU supplemental essay prompt has often changed from one year to the next, so always check for the most recent prompt .

For 24-25, the key theme is navigating diversity and group differences in constructive ways.

Reading this year's prompt carefully is important.

You’ll see it restricts you to a specific theme but also offers you lots of latitude for how you approach it and personalize your response.

I would tell students not to worry if you don’t have an established track record of “connecting people, groups, and ideas, and spanning divides..." etc.

Remember, this isn't a resume you're writing. It's your deeper viewpoints on life, your guiding values, and your reflective processes that need to shine through.

What are some tips to stand out when writing essays for NYU?

“here’s one of my overarching tips for writing college essays that stand out: as you develop your essay, ask yourself: am i making it easier or harder for admissions officers to know what i want them to know for example, you don’t want to make admissions officers read all the way to the bottom just to figure out what the essay is about.”.

Remembering that admissions officers will have a big stack of essays on their desk, I tell students it’s important your essay's core idea is not only about you, but clear and well defined at the start of the essay.

Get off to a strong start: Avoid a formal introduction or anything that's overly general in nature. While this might be suitable for an academic essay, you want to be sure your college essay makes a strong impression, with a really clear core idea and a strong launch!

Core ideas should be easy to track: With each paragraph, make sure your reader can scan you essay quickly if they need to and capture the main ideas. Here are some tips to help:

• Use a conversational voice, with simple words.
• Make the first sentence of each paragraph do the work of conveying the core idea for the paragraph.
• Make sure the admissions officer will know what you want them to know as soon as they’ve finished reading your essay one time.

“For me it’s okay to break the 5-paragraph essay structure… I know in high school kids kind of learn to have an opening paragraph, conclusion paragraph and three big supporting paragraphs, but for the college essay, shorter paragraphs, mixing dialogue and reflections, a personal voice, a format that’s easy to scan… these will make it easier for admissions offices to digest what you want them to know.”

What are some common mistakes to avoid when writing the essays for this university.

According to Joe Picini, there are some definite pitfalls to avoid — mistakes he sees often that can really sink your essay (and your application).

Here are four missteps Joe Picini warns students to avoid when writing their NYU essays:

Misstep 1: Burying the lead

While a personal essay format can allow for lots of creativity, don’t put off getting to the point. Whatever you want them to know about you should jump off the page from the start of your essay.

Misstep 2: Showcasing academic prowess

When students hear the word “essay” — as in college essay — it often conjures up a formal, academic writing style. It’s crucial to remember that a college essay is not an academic essay , not an expository essay, not a five-paragraph essay or a show-off-my-vocabulary essay!

Of course you do want a strong writing sample, so be sure to revise and polish your essay to show you can shape your writing to make your ideas stand out and that you understand nuances of word choice and grammar. That said, an admissions essay will typically use an authentic personal voice and often it's fitting to write as if you're speaking directly to the reader.

“In some cases, a student may feel they need to or are supposed to impress the reader with their academic writing or academic knowledge, but that’s not the point of this kind of essay.”

Misstep 3: putting the spotlight on someone (or something) else.

Remember, you’re the one we admissions officers are looking to admit to NYU, so when writing about an important person, event, or influence in your life, don't go off track. While it’s important to give a revealing glimpse of the person or event that influenced you, it’s crucial to stay focused on introducing yourself and on what the specific person or influence meant to you — to your values, worldview, or story of personal growth.

Misstep 4: Writing about New York

It’s true New York is an amazing city. But you can go to any number of schools there, so is it relevant to talk about New York?

Rather than talking about how good a fit you are with New York City, zero in on your own interests and aspirations and how they influenced your decision to make the NYU campus (NY, Abu Dhabi, or Shanghai) and school/major you're applying to a top choice for your college journey.

“By talking about what you value and what you care about it helps us make sure that we feel it’s a two-way fit. We want to admit students that will be happy and thrive at NYU, we don’t want to admit students who we feel for one reason or another won’t have a good experience here and may want to leave. By speaking about your values and what’s true for you, it’s a way for the applicant and the school to really look to see if it’s a good fit.”

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A Closer Look: How To Answer the 24/25 NYU Supplemental Essay

The 2024–2025 New York University (NYU) supplemental essay asks you to write a concise essay (250 words or fewer) about your ability to “connect people, groups, and ideas…” within a diverse academic community.

Decoding the Prompt

The NYU admissions office says it designed the prompt with the goal of providing applicants a greater opportunity to share about themselves:

Earlier versions of the NYU supplemental essay prompts were essentially “Why NYU” questions. Now, NYU admissions officers emphasize that they want the supplemental essay to help students share important information about their personal values and experiences.

“What we heard from our applicants was that people really wanted to tell us more!…We already know why NYU is a great place to spend your 4 years, so we thought: if you want to tell us more about your passion for NYU, let’s make the question about you.”

- billy sichel, assistant vice president of undergraduate admissions, nyu.

NYU is also telling applicants to talk about themselves in the context of specific challenges of living together in a diverse academic community, putting a spotlight on how you are equipped to build community in the midst of lots of diversity.

“In a world where disconnection seems to often prevail, we are looking for students who embody the qualities of bridge builders—students who can connect people, groups, and ideas to span divides, foster understanding, and promote collaboration within a dynamic, interconnected, and vibrant global academic community. We are eager to understand how your experiences have prepared you to build the bridges of the future.”

The 2023-24 academic year was marked by political polarization and protest encampments, fueled by domestic politics and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. These dynamic and divisive forces colored students’ experiences on many campuses.

It’s no wonder admissions officers are looking for students who will be ready to reflect on and engage with principles and perspectives related to bridging and healing divisions amid diversity.

Keeping these real-life challenges in mind can help you introspect more deeply and genuinely . What values, perspectives, understandings, experiences, or aptitudes truly reflect who you are and will help you make positive contributions to community building amid differences and diversity?

Selecting the Best Guiding Question(s) for Your Essay

Tackling such an open-ended question on a complex theme, is no small task. Fortunately, NYU decided to add guiding questions that you can use to narrow the scope of your essay, encouraging applicants to respond to one or more of the following:

• What personal experiences or challenges have shaped you as a bridge builder?
• How have you been a bridge builder in your school, community, or personal life?
• What specific actions have you taken to build bridges between diverse groups, ideas, or cultures?
• How do you envision being a bridge builder during your time at our university and beyond?

1. What personal experiences or challenges have shaped you as a bridge builder?

This question is a great opportunity to do what NYU FAO Joe Picini suggested: tell how your life experiences shaped who you are, your worldview, and aspirations.

You may want to use a personal narrative format to describe with vivid action and dialogue (or inner dialogue) a formative experience, event, or challenge.

• What was the setting or context?
• What was the experience or challenge and what kind of division needed to be bridged?
• How did you respond?
• What did you learn from the experience? What values or commitments did the experience or challenge instill in you, related to helping overcome differences and build unity and community?
• Is there any connection between your academic aspirations and your commitment to building community or resolving conflict?

2. How have you been a bridge builder in your school, community, or personal life?

This guiding question is an opportunity to demonstrate a skill or aptitude you’ve already developed, or to spotlight some genuine and practical accomplishments as a bridge builder. Some noteworthy accomplishments can provide a strong anchor for navigating the NYU supplemental essay . 

• Is there a club activity or research project you engaged in that relates to building community or promoting diversity, inclusion, and cooperation?
• Is there a leadership role you played that involved improving group collaboration or helping team members get along better?

As an alternative to talking about relevant extracurricular achievements, you could instead spotlight some small ways you build bridges in different social or family contexts .

• How did these small wins over time reveal traits or aptitudes preparing you to bridge differences when you get into college?
• How you might apply what you’ve learned about yourself on a bigger stage in the future?

3. What specific actions have you taken to build bridges between diverse groups, ideas, or cultures?

This question is similar to the previous one. But the prior question focuses on experiences drawn from a fairly close circle of personal interactions (school, community, personal life). While quite open-ended, this question points to a larger stage: diverse groups, ideas, or cultures .

For applicants with relevant experiences or the right resume, so to speak, this is an opportunity to showcase substantive achievements in a larger social context.

Types of experiences or extracurricular activities that might align with this question include:

• Leading or participating in a school-sanctioned and school-wide climate and culture initiative or committee
• Participating in a Model UN program
• Volunteering or interning in a relevant international affairs initiative or NGO program, or in nonprofit organizations in the field of conflict resolution or policy development
• Experiences involving social research in topics such as peace education, conflict resolution, immigration policy or advocacy

While experiences in one or more of these kinds of activities, or similar ones, should align well with NYU’s 24/25 supplemental essay themes, you’ll still need to be strategic in how you construct your response.

• Detail the specific actions : Start by describing a particular situation where there was a need to bridge differences. What was the issue or division? Who were the groups, ideas, or cultures involved? Explain the steps you took to address these challenges and why you chose that approach.
• Highlight the outcome : Reflect on the results of your actions. Did you help create a more inclusive environment? Were you able to bring people together in a meaningful way? Sharing the tangible outcomes of your efforts can demonstrate your effectiveness as a bridge builder.
• Show personal growth : Discuss what these actions taught you about yourself and others. How did these experiences influence your understanding of diversity and community? Did they inspire you to take further action or shape your goals for the future?
• Connect to your future at NYU : Consider how the skills and insights you gained from these experiences will contribute to your role as a bridge builder at NYU. How will you continue to foster connections between diverse groups on campus?

4. How do you envision being a bridge builder during your time at our university and beyond?

This question invites you to project your aspirations into your time at NYU and your future career or community involvement. It's an opportunity to align your goals with NYU’s values and demonstrate your forward-thinking approach.

• Set the stage with your vision : Begin by describing how you see yourself contributing to the NYU community as a bridge builder. What unique perspectives, skills, or experiences will you bring to the table? How do you plan to engage with the university's diverse student body, faculty, and initiatives?
• Link to specific opportunities at NYU : Research NYU’s programs, clubs, or initiatives that align with your interests in diversity and community building. Mention how you plan to get involved in these opportunities and what you hope to achieve through them. This shows that you’ve thought deeply about how you can make a meaningful impact at NYU.
• Think beyond college : Consider how your experiences at NYU will prepare you to continue building bridges after graduation. What long-term goals do you have in mind? Whether it’s through career aspirations, community service, or global engagement, demonstrate your commitment to building bridges to understanding and cooperation in the broader world.

While you could build your entire  essay around this one question, you might also respond to it as an extension of one of the three previous questions , if indeed you have the kind of vocational and aspirational interests that connect to these themes, but it’s not something you have to do in your essay.

Be Authentic

Don’t let the thematic focus on bridge building deceive you. While it's important to be guided by the prompt, you want to approach it in a way that ensures you’re exploring facets of your identity and aspirations that are more deeply meaningful to you, that are authentic, rather than thinking you have to billboard some kind of elevated bridge-building credentials!

Speak Into the Challenges of Diversity

NYU's prompt certainly doesn't mean the school's leaders are trying to recruit only one stamp of student. However, admissions officers probably are keen to gain insights into how today's young scholars understand and navigate fundamental differences in culture and worldview .

This collective reflection process may help NYU leaders build a campus community that is more socially resilient and adaptive. In addition, students’ own introspection on these themes may mean they'll come to NYU more open to navigating group conflicts, cultural diversity, and competing worldviews.

On one level at least, your NYU supplemental essay is an exciting invitation from school leaders for you to speak into these big questions in a way that's unique to your experiences and values.

Making Sure Your Essay Is Ready for Submission

By taking time to read and apply the insights from former NYU Admissions Officer Joe Picini, you’re setting yourself up to write the kind of essay that top applicants will submit.

To make the most of this opportunity, lets quickly review the final steps in the essay writing process — remembering that good writing won’t happen in a rush, and grows out of several stages of revision, rewording, and proofreading.

Check for Depth & Relevance

• Depth means delving into your experiences, thoughts, and emotions, while relevance ensures every part of your essay ties back to your main theme and demonstrates why you’re a great fit for NYU.
• Ask yourself if your essay provides meaningful insights into who you are. Are you sharing specific anecdotes that reveal your character, values, and aspirations?
• Avoid generic statements and clichés; focus on unique experiences that illustrate your growth and potential.
• Ensure each paragraph contributes to your overall narrative and aligns with NYU’s values. Highlight how your experiences and goals connect with NYU’s mission, programs, and community.

Seek Feedback

Before finalizing your essay, seek feedback from trusted teachers, mentors, or peers. They can offer valuable perspectives, identify areas needing clarity, suggest improvements, and catch errors you might have missed.

Incorporating feedback effectively, if it's relevant, while balancing external input with your own vision is key to creating a compelling essay.

Polish & Proofread Your Writing

Once you’re satisfied with the substance of your essay, shift your attention to refining the structure, flow, and clarity.

• Is your essay well-organized?
• Does it have a clear beginning, middle, and end?
• Are your ideas presented logically and cohesively?
• Have you and an outside pair of eyes looked it over carefully, to correct any errors in spelling, mechanics, and punctuation?

Final Thoughts

Crafting a standout admissions essay for NYU is no small feat, but it’s an opportunity to showcase your unique voice, experiences, and aspirations.

Remember, your essay is not intended to be academic or be a “writing sample.” It should honestly and vividly present important insights into selective and important aspects of your personality and identity, revealing important values, viewpoints, formative experiences, or aspirations.

It connects these aspects of who you are with how you’ll contribute to the vibrant, diverse, and innovative community at NYU.

For those seeking additional guidance, Crimson Education offers a holistic, personalized, and proven approach, with expert essay reviewing and mentoring services .

Students taking advantage of our tailored strategies will discover a comprehensive approach to the college essay process that can get them results far beyond their initial expectations. Schedule a free feedback session today and let's discuss your individual goals and next steps!

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About the Contributor

Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at NYU

Joe Picini is a former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at New York University with over a decade of experience. At NYU, he specialized in first-year and transfer admissions, managing enrollment for programs like Rory Meyers College of Nursing and overseeing the transfer process for NYU Steinhardt. Joe also led enrollment marketing efforts at Pratt Institute, using his strategic approach to help students effectively communicate their unique stories in their applications.

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NYU Supplemental Essays 2023-24

Nyu supplemental essays.

New York University, also known as NYU , is in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan. NYU is not only one of the best universities in New York but one of the world’s most elite schools. With the NYU acceptance rate at 13%, NYU is highly competitive , meaning you need a stellar NYU essay when applying. Finely crafted NYU supplemental essays will almost certainly make or break your admissions hopes for NYU.

Are you wondering how to get into NYU? NYU considers various components of your college application; you should understand how these requirements are evaluated. Most students know about high school transcripts and letters of recommendation, but have you thought about the NYU supplemental essays? NYU supplemental essays are designed to gather additional information that the admissions committee is most interested in. In this guide, we will cover NYU supplemental essays, NYU essay prompts, and NYU admission requirements.

New York University Essay: Quick Facts

Nyu essay: quick facts.

• NYU Acceptance Rate: 13%
• Early Decision I: November 1
• Early Decision II: January 1
• Regular Decision: January 5
• The New York University application is hosted exclusively on the Common App.
• The Common App allows students to submit supporting documents on the Common App. Review a list of supporting documents here .
• You can also submit your documents directly to the NYU admissions office. 
• After you submit your application on the Common App, you can check the status of your application on the NYU Admissions website . 
• 1 required Common App personal essay. 
• 1 optional NYU supplemental essay. 
• New York University Essay Tip: In addition to the Common App personal essay, NYU has one optional NYU essay. While this essay is optional, this is your chance to give the admissions committee more evidence of your writing skills and who you are.

Please note that essay requirements are subject to change each admissions cycle, and portions of this article may have been written before the final publication of the most recent guidelines. For the most up-to-date information on essay requirements, check the university’s admissions website. 

Does NYU have supplemental essays?

The NYU admission requirements include one optional supplemental NYU essay. But don’t be fooled by the “optional” label. Even though this NYU essay is not required, completing the optional NYU essay can be beneficial to your holistic application review. Essayless applications aren’t penalized, but you are missing out on a valuable opportunity to add additional context to your application. NYU supplemental essays are highly recommended for any student serious about getting into NYU.

To understand how the admissions committee reviews optional NYU supplemental essays, it is important to understand holistic application reviews . A holistic application review considers the metrics, attributes, and experiences of applicants in its admissions decisions. Holistic review does not assign numeric weights to your transcript, essay, or letters of recommendation. Instead, this approach looks at the collective story between all your application materials.

Holistic reviews understand that you’re much more than your GPA and your SAT scores. Admissions committees are interested in what makes you unique. One of the best platforms to showcase your unique experiences and point of view is your NYU supplemental essays. You can tell the admissions committee who you are and what you value in your own words.

What happened to the Why NYU essay?

Essay guides from years past go in-depth about the “why NYU” essay, but not this year. In fact, changes to the NYU essay prompts are common, as with many universities. Each year, admissions offices make updates to their admissions applications based on their goals. For instance, NYU—like many other schools—continues to be test-optional this year, so don’t fret if you don’t have standardized test scores .

This year the “why NYU” essay was removed, and another NYU essay was added. The essays for each application cycle are announced on August 1 st . This gives you plenty of time to read through the NYU essay prompts and prepare your NYU essay. Preparation and research are essential! Having a solid understanding of why you are interested in a college allows you to prepare a more intentional application.

Even though the “why NYU” essay is no longer one of the required NYU supplemental essays, don’t discount it. There are still some important takeaways from the “why NYU” essay that you can apply to other NYU supplemental essays. Writing a strong “why school” essay requires you to do your research and explore exactly why you would be a good fit for that institution.

Being able to articulate why you are a good fit in your NYU supplemental essays is critical. To set yourself up for success, make sure you thoroughly research NYU and why you want to attend. Later, we will discuss how to incorporate the same approach used in the “why NYU” essay into your other NYU supplemental essays. 

NYU Common App Essay

The Common Application is one of the largest college application platforms. There are thousands of colleges that use the Common App, including New York University. The Common App allows students to apply for multiple institutions using the same platform. The New York University essay portion is separate and discussed further down.

One of the application components that is common to all colleges on the platform is the Common App personal essay .  Also called the personal statement, this essay will go to NYU and any other colleges on your Common App portal. The Common App personal essay must be a minimum of 250 words and a maximum of 650 words. All applicants using the Common App write according to the same requirements. 

The Common App instructs students to choose one of the personal essay prompts below. These prompts allow you to write about yourself, your personality, and your values through thought-provoking topics. The prompts usually change slightly year-to-year, but the intention behind them is the same.

The personal essay prompts are very broad which gives applicants the opportunity to discuss anything they are interested in. There is no “best” prompt to choose. You should choose the prompt that most resonates with you and shows off your writing skills. There is even an option to submit an original piece of writing on any topic you choose. However, while the prompts ask about experiences or topics, you should ultimately reveal something of yourself in your essay.

2023-2024 Common App Personal Essay Prompts

Here are the Common App prompts for this application cycle:

Common App Essay Prompts

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. if this sounds like you, then please share your story., the lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. how did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience, reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. what prompted your thinking what was the outcome, reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. how has this gratitude affected or motivated you, discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others., describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. why does it captivate you what or who do you turn to when you want to learn more, share an essay on any topic of your choice. it can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design..

After choosing a Common App prompt, you should carve out several weeks to review and revise your essay. Since this is the only required essay,  you should view it as a critical piece of your college application. After all, New York University and all of the other colleges you apply to will be reading your personal essay.

Many students spend all their energy on trying to come up with a unique topic . Remember that what’s most important is not what you say but how you say it and what you reveal about yourself. What makes your essay unique is your unique point of view. You should channel the words, details, and stories that feel most authentic to you. This is how you stand out . 

Other articles cover this year’s Common App essay in more depth—our main focus is the NYU essay. Keep reading to learn more about the NYU supplemental essays. 

NYU Supplemental Essay

Although there is no longer a “why NYU” Essay, students may answer another supplemental New York University essay. While this New York University essay is optional, answering it can show your interest in NYU and bolster your application.

Considering the 13% NYU acceptance rate, a successful NYU supplemental essay may decide if you get into NYU . Supplemental essay prompts are designed for the admissions committee to learn additional details about the applicant. Choosing to answer an optional essay is just another opportunity to put your best self forward for the committee.

Check out the optional NYU essay prompts below. Then, we’ll discuss how to go about choosing the best NYU essay prompt for you.

NYU Essay Prompt for 2023–2024

We are looking for peacemakers, changemakers, global citizens, boundary breakers, creatives, and innovators – choose one quote from the following and let us know why it inspires you, or share a short quote and person not on our list who inspires you, and include why., 1. “we’re used to people telling us there are no solutions, and then creating our own. so we did what we do best. we reached out to each other, and to our allies, and we mobilized across communities to make change, to benefit and include everyone in society.” judith heuman, 2022 nyu commencement address, 2. “i encourage your discomfort, that you must contribute, that you must make your voice heard. that is the essence of good citizenship.” sherilynn ifill, 2015 nyu commencement address, 3. “if you know how to fly but you never knew how to walk, wouldn’t that be sad” lang lang, 2015 nyu honorary degree recipient, 4. “you have the right to want things and to want things to change.” sanna marin, former prime minister of finland, 2023 nyu commencement address, 5. “it’s hard to fight when the fight ain’t fair.” taylor swift, change, released 2008, 2022 nyu commencement speaker, applicants may also share a short quote and person not on this list, and why the quote inspires them. of course, they may also choose not to answer the question at all., choosing a quote for your nyu supplemental essay.

The optional NYU essay gives students several quotes to choose from. With so many options, you are probably wondering what quote you should choose. Let’s think about how to approach this prompt and the quotes it gives you.

First, identify the quotes that most resonate with you—choosing several is fine. You can consider how each quote relates to your background and life experiences. You may even find some commonalities between you and the person quoted. No matter what draws you to a specific quote, it is critical that you find a quote that best suits you. While no quote is bad, there are undoubtedly some quotes that will feel more relatable to you than others. 

As an exercise, you can choose your top two quotes and brainstorm NYU supplemental essays about them. This includes making an outline, adding details you’d like to incorporate, and deciding on the structure of your NYU essay. Don’t forget about incorporating why you would be a good fit for NYU. This can be done explicitly or subtly by drawing parallels between your personal values and the institution’s values. 

Like the Common App personal essay, if you don’t love any of the quotes, you can always choose your own. If you go this route, consider the quotes provided as inspiration. Each of these quotes encourages you to think critically and explore your thoughts and beliefs beyond the surface. The NYU admissions team chose these quotes for a reason. They can be great clues to the type of information that NYU is hoping to gather through the NYU supplemental essays. 

How long should the NYU supplemental essays be?

The NYU supplemental essays have a maximum word count of 250 words. Typically, that results in two to three paragraphs. There is no minimum word count for the NYU supplemental essays. Students should focus on addressing the prompt in its entirety instead of focusing solely on how long the essay should be. If you’ve said everything you wanted to and haven’t hit the word limit, don’t sweat it. There are great 100-word NYU supplemental essays and other NYU supplemental essays that use the entire word limit. No matter how long your NYU supplemental essays are, you should feel confident that you addressed the prompt fully.

What does NYU admissions look for in essays?

Are you wondering how to get into NYU with a strong essay? NYU supplemental essays continue to be an important part of your admissions application. A strong NYU essay allows the admissions committee to envision you on the campus of NYU. To best answer your NYU essay prompts, applicants should have a strong understanding of NYU’s mission and values.

NYU’s history is steeped in innovation and trailblazing. NYU alumni are often change agents and pacesetters in their respective fields. NYU also values global education—many NYU alumni go on to contribute to the global community in their discipline. If you read through past and present NYU essay prompts, you will see evidence of these values.

#1: Can you contribute to NYU?

The first thing NYU is looking for is you! The admissions committee uses the Common App essay and NYU supplemental essays to get to know you as a person. They are interested in your interests, motivations, experiences, and unique point of view. Your NYU supplemental essays are your chance to be your most authentic self.

Even though this prompt is not a “why school” essay, you should be finding parallels between NYU’s and your own personal values. Writing about your passions and motivations should answer the question “Why NYU?” for the admissions committee. Ultimately this allows them to see you on their campus making contributions in the classroom and beyond. 

#2: Did you answer the prompt?

Second, you should always be sure that you are answering the NYU essay prompts in their entirety. The reader should walk away feeling as though you fully understood the NYU essay prompts and presented an organized and structured response. Thorough planning, drafting, and revising can make sure your essays are logically sound and comprehensible.

Don’t discount style in conveying your answer to the prompt. One of the best ways to get your message across is by adding in detailed descriptions and anecdotes. Your essay should feel inviting and authentic. Sometimes describing the sound, smell, and feel of a moment can help invite the reader into your world. 

#3: Does your NYU essay highlight you ?

Finally, your NYU essay is less about testing your spelling and grammar and more about producing a compelling narrative. Many high school students are overly concerned with impressing the admissions committee with large words and complicated concepts. While the quality of your writing, grammar, and spelling are important, these elements are seen as a baseline.

Certainly, the admissions committee is looking for writing that is at the college level. But more than that, your perspective, tone, and language should be authentically yours. You should focus on communicating your unique viewpoint and values by answering this prompt. This is what will truly set you apart.

What is the application deadline for NYU?

NYU has three deadlines to choose from: Early Decision I, Early Decision II, and Regular Decision. The NYU application deadline for Early Decision I is November 1 st and the NYU application deadline for Early Decision II is January 1 st . The final NYU application deadline, Regular Decision,  is January 5 th . There are pros and cons to each NYU application deadline, so it is important to find out which NYU deadline is best for you.

Regular Decision

First of all, Regular Decision is the typical deadline for college applications. Most students apply through Regular Decision, meaning more time to prepare but a much larger applicant pool. 

Obviously, having more time can be a great asset if you need to work on your essays more. Furthermore, some applicants may benefit from their first-semester senior grades being available at the time of their application review. These students may also have additional time to retake standardized tests.

On the other hand, the larger applicant pool in Regular Decision means a lower chance of admittance. Another downside of applying for Regular Decision is you won’t receive your admissions decision until April 1 st . This leaves students with limited time to decide where they will enroll in the fall. 

Early Decision at NYU

The Early Decision I and Early Decision II plans are binding admissions offers. Should a student be admitted during either Early Decision round, they are expected to enroll at NYU. The ED I deadline is very early in the senior year. However, these students benefit by finding out their admissions decision on December 15 th .

Students aiming for ED I should be prepared to begin working on their application and NYU supplemental essays on August 1 st . ED I applicants should also note that the committee will only see what senior year courses they are registered for and not their final grades. If your grades weren’t great through junior year, ED I may not be for you.

The Early Decision II application deadline is later than Early Decision I. Many ED II applicants applied to other selective schools early but were not admitted. Like Regular Decision, ED II’s later deadline gives applicants more time to revise NYU supplemental essays or take tests. ED II applicants are notified of their admissions decision on February 15 th .

How to choose your application strategy

Both early rounds have smaller applicant pools than Regular Decision, which may be a plus. At the same time, early applicants typically have very strong NYU supplemental essays, so it’s a more competitive environment. Nevertheless, early admission rounds often have higher acceptance rates than Regular Decision. Furthermore, there is the fact that these are binding—you must be certain you want to attend NYU. If a binding application is not the right plan for you, you can of course apply Regular Decision.

No matter what application plan you choose, the importance of your NYU supplemental essays remains the same. Starting your NYU essay early is critical to having enough time to properly review and revise your work. You should also work in enough time to let a trusted teacher or college advisor review your essay and share feedback. 

For more insight into what NYU is looking for in its students, check out this video below from NYU Admissions:

More NYU Essay Resources from CollegeAdvisor

CollegeAdvisor is here to help you learn more about NYU admission requirements and how to get into NYU.  As you are preparing to write your NYU supplemental essays, review this guide of example NYU supplemental essays and why they worked. While these essays answer old NYU essay prompts, they may provide inspiration for other college essays.

NYU supplemental essays are just one component of your New York University application. In addition to guides about how to get into NYU, CollegeAdvisor also hosts weekly webinars like this NYU panel webinar . We also have a wealth of Common App resources, covering everything from extracurriculars to recommendation letters .

NYU Supplemental Essays – Takeaways

Are you still wondering how to get into NYU?

Here are some NYU essay takeaways to help you write strong NYU supplemental essays. 

• NYU requires the Common App essay and has one optional supplemental essay. Serious applicants should complete the optional NYU essay.
• Even though the “why NYU” essay is no longer on the application, strategies for approaching that essay still apply. You should always incorporate why you are interested in the school in your NYU supplemental essays.
• The Common App personal essay is just as important as your NYU supplemental essay, especially because it goes to every school on your final college list ! 
• Both the Common App personal essay and the optional NYU supplemental essay have a maximum word count. You don’t have to reach that maximum word count, but you must answer the prompt in a thorough and structured way. 
• There are no bad quotes to choose for your NYU supplemental essay, but some may better fit you than others. 
• If the Common App essay prompts or NYU supplemental essay quotes don’t appeal to you, come up with your own. Just make sure you are sharing the same type of insight that the given prompts are requesting. 
• Pay close attention to the application deadlines to make sure you have ample time to write your NYU supplemental essays.
• Focus less on trying to impress the admissions committee and more on being your authentic self in your essay. 

We know that the low NYU acceptance rate can be intimidating—highly selective schools are daunting in the college application process. But we’re here to help, with articles and webinars and even one-on-one advising. Take advantage of all the resources on CollegeAdvisor.com to help you put your best foot forward.

This essay guide was written by Chelsea Holley. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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Published October 03, 2023

3 Tips to Choose the Right Common App Essay Prompt

Lisa Mortini

Senior Assistant Director, NYU Abu Dhabi Admissions

It’s time to start preparing your application to NYU. If you’re wondering how to choose the right prompt amongst the seven offered by the Common Application, then keep reading.

TIP 1 – Which YOU are you presenting to NYU?

Don’t just jump on the first prompt you read and start writing. Before you choose a prompt, you may want to ask yourself: are you excited to talk to us about a specific achievement? Do you want to give us insight into a hardship you faced and conquered? Are you keen to tell us about how you challenged the world around you? Are you so passionate about something that it’s all you can talk about these days?

Each of the seven essay questions in the Common Application will highlight and reveal a different facet of your personality. Do your research on NYU to truly understand why we are the school for you. Use your findings to decide which of your own qualities, skills, and character traits show that you are a good match for NYU. Then choose the prompt that will help us best understand that you are indeed the right fit for the school.

TIP 2 – Are you sure you’ve read this right?

While the seven prompts from the Common Application seem straightforward, are you sure you’ve really understood what they are asking?

Do read each question—and especially the one you will choose to answer—very carefully. These prompts are not as simple as they appear. Many of them have layers and sub-questions. Do not latch only on one key word and run away with it! You want to make sure you are actually understanding the question before you answer it fully.

I heard this tip from a colleague once and it never left me. To make sure you’ve actually answered the question, ask someone you trust to read your essay draft but remove the question first. Ask them afterwards what they think the questions was. If they get it, bingo! You’ve answered the question. If they are off-base, then you may want to rework your answer to make sure it covers what is actually being asked.

TIP 3 – Trust your instinct

Many of you will already have, in the back of your mind, an interesting story about your life that you’d like to share with NYU. It’s an interesting anecdote that would accentuate your fit within our student community. But then, you hesitate. You’re unsure if you should choose this story or another one. Or another one. Maybe this other one would do?

Bottom line is trust that you know yourself.  If you feel a specific story would represent your personality well and convey your fit to NYU better than another, then choose that one. Don’t debate forever. No time to waste!

Be careful if choosing prompt 7: “ Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design. ”

While great personal statements can come from this prompt, my application reviewer experience tells me it’s not always the savviest choice. As this question is very open, you may be tempted to use an essay that you’ve already written for a completely different reason. These essays tend to be more impersonal. They often focus on a school subject, a project or activity you were a part of. They don’t really tell us about YOU. What makes you interesting, unique, and a good fit for NYU. My recommendation would be to write your application essay for this purpose specifically and choosing one of the six other prompts will ensure that you do just that.

EXTRA BONUS TIP

As we are still navigating uncertain times, you may be tempted to use prompt 7, the open essay, to write about recent events and how they have most certainly affected your life. “How the COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted Me” might well be on its way to become a recurring essay topic.

Before you chose this particular subject for your main essay, do ask yourself: What have I lived through that thousands (if not millions) of other high school students around the world have not also gone through? What is my angle on this? How would choosing this subject help me differentiate myself from others and help reveal my true personality? If you are struggling to find satisfying answers to these questions, another topic may be more appropriate.

Additionally, don’t forget that the Common Application has given you a dedicated space in the ‘Additional Information’ section to talk about your experience with COVID-19 or another recent natural disaster that may have impacted your academic career. This should give you ample space to share with us any Covid-19 details that you deem relevant.

Finally....

If you are still unsure what to do with your essay, let me refer you to my earlier post about writing a great application essay . While written with international candidates in mind, it should prove useful to all who apply to NYU. Another great article about strengthening your writing is my colleague David’s post about how to proofread your college essay .

Happy writing! We really look forward to reading your application very soon.

Lisa is a Senior Assistant Director of Admissions for NYU Abu Dhabi and the Global Admissions Team, based in the London office. Born and raised in France, Lisa also lived in Denmark and spent a couple of years in leafy upstate New York.  She is a dedicated gardener, a keen traveler to India and Japan, and loves watching the tennis at Wimbledon. She now spends her free time playing with her little rescue terrier dog, Cooper.

More from Lisa:

6 Proofreading Habits for Your College Essay and Beyond

Finished your first draft of your college essay? Here’s the next part—proofreading and editing. These tips will guide you through the treacherous proofreading process to make your writing as sharp as possible.

Tips for International Candidates Writing the Common App Essay

If you’re an international candidate who keeps staring in wonder at the Common App essay with no clue where to start, this article is for you!

How to Approach the Common Application

There’s no wrong way to approach the Common Application, but here’s two different strategies you might want to choose from when you apply to NYU.

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NYU Supplemental Essays 2024-25 — Prompt and Advice

August 23, 2024

In the 2023-24 admissions cycle, NYU received nearly 120,000 applications. That was a record-breaking figure for the university, as was the all-time low acceptance rate of 8%. To put these numbers in proper context, consider for a moment that in 1991, NYU had an acceptance rate of 65%. At the start of the Obama presidency, NYU still only received 37,000 total applications. These numbers lead us to the topic of this blog, the NYU supplemental essay.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into NYU? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into NYU  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

Clearly, standing out as an applicant to NYU was a heck of a lot easier a generation or even a mere decade ago. For the Class of 2027, the median SAT score for an admitted applicant was 1540, meaning that even a standardized test score in the 99th percentile won’t do much to separate you from the hordes of equally credentialed applicants.

Although it only has one prompt, NYU’s essay still affords applicants an opportunity to illustrate what makes them uniquely qualified for admission. Below is NYU’s supplemental essay for the 2024-25 admissions cycle. We then follow with College Transitions’ advice on how to craft a winning composition.

2024-2025 NYU Supplemental Essay

This is a new prompt for the 2024-25 admissions cycle. It’s optional, but we highly encourage anyone who would like to be a serious contender (which, if you’re taking the time to apply, hopefully you are) to answer it.

In a world where disconnection seems to often prevail, we are looking for students who embody the qualities of bridge builders—students who can connect people, groups, and ideas to span divides, foster understanding, and promote collaboration within a dynamic, interconnected, and vibrant global academic community. We are eager to understand how your experiences have prepared you to build the bridges of the future. Please consider one or more of the following questions in your essay (250 words):

·   What personal experiences or challenges have shaped you as a bridge builder?

·   How have you been a bridge builder in your school, community, or personal life?

·   What specific actions have you taken to build bridges between diverse groups, ideas, or cultures?

·   How do you envision being a bridge builder during your time at our university and beyond?

NYU Supplemental Essay (Continued)

This prompt—and its questions—are focused yet open-ended, offering you the power to decide what aspect of being a bridge builder—past, present, and/or future—you would like to address. As such, take a look at the guiding questions and note which ones resonate with you. Does the term “bridge builder” remind you of an experience you’ve had, a challenge you’ve overcome, or a belief you hold? Perhaps it calls to mind an aspect of your background or perspective. Or, it could speak to a particular social or political cause that you’ve advocated for, a group discussion you’ve contributed to, or a club you founded. Alternatively, in college, what do you want to do ? What type of change do you want to affect? How so?

The strongest responses will look to the future while also incorporating past personal experiences or influences. For example, perhaps, earlier this year, you went out of your comfort zone to speak up at a school board meeting about your school district’s book ban policy, ultimately meeting & agreeing to continue working with a group of fellow students who also opposed the policy. Finally, you can then incorporate how you plan to seek out specific related experiences or resources at NYU.

How important is the NYU supplemental essay?

NYU deems four elements as “very important” in evaluating a candidate. These are: the rigor of your secondary school record, class rank, GPA, standardized test scores, and talent/ability. The NYU supplemental essay is considered to be “important” alongside letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, and character/personal qualities.

Want personalized assistance?

In conclusion, if you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your NYU essay, we encourage you to  get a quote  today.

Looking for more writing resources? Consider checking out the following:

• Common App Essay Prompts
• 10 Instructive Common App Essay Examples
• College Application Essay Topics to Avoid
• How to Quickly Format Your Common App Essay
• Should I Complete Optional College Essays?
• How to Brainstorm a College Essay
• 25 Inspiring College Essay Topics
• “Why This College?” Essay Examples
• How to Write the Community Essay
• College Essay

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).

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