NYU: Sample Essay Analysis

Why NYU? Supplemental Essay Prompt

Your interest in NYU would be of interest to us. Why did you decide to apply to NYU? Why did you apply to or show interest in the campus, school, college, program, or field of study that you did? Please explain why you are interested in these additional campuses or fields of study if you have applied to more than one. We’re curious as to why NYU. (400 words)

The “Why this College?” additional essay prompt is modeled around this example. This essay attempts to determine your level of interest in the institution and how well you could fit in with the student body. You must thoroughly investigate the options offered by NYU and demonstrate how they support your objectives and passions.

Citing generic aspects of the college that apply to many other institutions is a mistake that many students make. NYC may be the reason you want to attend NYU, but why do you want to be there? Is it because of the opportunities in the fashion industry? Is there a unique internship program at NYU with Manhattan-based businesses?

You should try to be specific and cite just NYU-specific sources. This demonstrates that you’ve given the community at NYU some thought and are confident that it’s the right place for you to further your studies.

Why NYU? a model essay

Here is an example of a powerful response to this prompt:

“The cultural diversity of the United States can be compared to a “tossed salad,” with New York City serving as the focus of culinary innovation. I would have the chance to collaborate with a worldwide community to examine various experiences and viewpoints in the pursuit of creating a sustainable food source that can accommodate population increase if I were to major in food studies at New York University. Particularly at the Steinhardt School, the emphasis on social change that is being placed on growth will inspire me to explore novel concepts both within and outside of the classroom.

Entering college will allow me to take the next step toward my future while continuing to develop my unique identity on the academically varied campus of NYU. With access to the kitchen, I would be able to continue my love of baking and cooking while having the chance to share my creations with peers. Through the NYU food lab, I would be able to explore contemporary nutrition and sustainability issues using a hands-on approach in a professional context. With courses like Essentials of Cuisine: International and Food Production Management, I won’t just quench my need for knowledge about our food systems; I’ll also get the opportunity to take part in lively conversations that will test my knowledge of it.

The educational opportunities at NYU are virtually limitless, from sampling smoked salmon in Makola Market to holding cooking demonstrations with Club EAT. I am able to gain firsthand knowledge of different food systems through study abroad opportunities that last anything from a few weeks to a semester. By using the entire world as my classroom, there is no end to the amount of knowledge I can learn. I would take part in the variety of extracurricular activities that NYU has to offer while I’m not in Washington, D.C. researching America’s organic agricultural policies. I am sure that I will succeed in any path I choose to choose, from the Baedeker blog and Peer Health Exchange to the NYU Art Diversity Festival—all appealing to my adventurous and artistic personality.

As a student at NYU, I would be proud to further the university’s social objective of fostering innovation through culture since I can’t think of another school that would support my growth as a student and a person more. I enjoy entering the Urban Farm Lab in Greenwich Village because it makes me feel at home as a budding foodie.”

Analyzing This NYU Essay Sample

Let’s start by taking a look at the beginning to this essay:

“The cultural diversity of the United States can be compared to a “tossed salad,” with New York City serving as the focus of culinary innovation. I would have the chance to collaborate with a worldwide community to examine various experiences and viewpoints in the pursuit of creating a sustainable food source that can accommodate population increase if I were to major in food studies at New York University. Particularly at the Steinhardt School, the emphasis on social change that is being placed on growth will inspire me to explore novel concepts both within and outside of the classroom.”

This article begins with a creative metaphor that compares the prospective student’s major in food studies to the “tossed salad” of the United States. The author makes it obvious what their overall educational objective is at NYU as well as their long-term professional objective, which is to adapt to population expansion. This shows their enthusiasm for applying their education on a worldwide scale. They combine this with a distinct Steinhardt School objective that supports their own aspiration for social change. It is a good idea to use the names of the specific programs and schools to become familiar with NYU’s offers. The student continues by listing a “tossed salad” of possible extracurricular activities at the university that would complement their ambition to major in food studies.

“Entering college will allow me to take the next step toward my future while continuing to develop my unique identity on the academically varied campus of NYU. With access to the kitchen, I would be able to continue my love of baking and cooking while having the chance to share my creations with peers. Through the NYU food lab, I would be able to explore contemporary nutrition and sustainability issues using a hands-on approach in a professional context. With courses like Essentials of Cuisine: International and Food Production Management, I won’t just quench my need for knowledge about our food systems; I’ll also get the opportunity to take part in lively conversations that will test my knowledge of it.”

The student makes a good case for certain academic prospects since they bring up the food lab and a particular subject. They could discuss their own experiences cooking and consuming other types of cuisine to further develop their personal connection to international and food production management. Specific food references could go a long way toward giving their writing credibility and proving their up-to-date understanding of the issue.

By providing a personal link or philosophical justification for their attention on sustainability, this candidate could additionally strengthen the veracity of their assertions. Did they, for instance, start composting at home? Do they just buy local farmers’ organic produce? These intimate details can aid in giving their goals at NYU a credible foundation.

The student then transitions from more academic to extracurricular possibilities they can participate in:

“The educational opportunities at NYU are virtually limitless, from sampling smoked salmon in Makola Market to holding cooking demonstrations with Club EAT. I am able to gain firsthand knowledge of different food systems through study abroad opportunities that last anything from a few weeks to a semester. By using the entire world as my classroom, there is no end to the amount of knowledge I can learn. I would take part in the variety of extracurricular activities that NYU has to offer while I’m not in Washington, D.C. researching America’s organic agricultural policies. I am sure that I will succeed in any path I choose to choose, from the Baedeker blog and Peer Health Exchange to the NYU Art Diversity Festival—all appealing to my adventurous and artistic personality.”

The extracurricular activities present a strong picture of the student’s aspirations for integrating into the NYU community. The Makola Market and the Baedeker blog offer specific illustrations of the student’s desire to continue their passion for culinary studies outside of the classroom. With the world as my school, there is no limit to the knowledge that I can gain, the student might cut down or omit sentences like these to strengthen this section even more because they take up space that could be used to further describe how they intend to do that.

Additionally, the student could research specific programs, indicate a specific region they’d like to visit, and offer hypotheticals that relate to their previously identified interests rather than referencing study-abroad programs in a general way. The applicant might mention eating crepes in the Latin Quarter while attending NYU Paris or enjoying a variety of empanada tastes while attending NYU Buenos Aires, for instance. By including this degree of information, you may set your application apart from that of other candidates who might be interested in the same possibilities since it shows that you did your homework and considered how you might fit in at NYU.

The author’s voice, which maintains an intellectual and professional tone without being excessively somber, is another important component of this essay to take note of. In order to balance out more sophisticated vocabulary, they use more everyday terms like “foodie,” creating a distinctive voice that is neither overtly official nor informal. To achieve this balance, it’s crucial to pay attention to the words you choose when writing your essay. Don’t worry if this isn’t clear in your initial draft; it could take a few read-throughs specifically focused on terminology and sentence structure to get this nuance.

The objective of a “Why This College” essay is to demonstrate your interest in a college rather than simply state it to admissions authorities. Overall, this writer creates a descriptive, if somewhat haphazard, narrative that successfully demonstrates to the NYU admissions committee why they would be an excellent fit for the school.