What Exactly is the General Studies Program @ NYU and...

...is it worth going for?

I was getting the mail today and saw a pretty thick envelope from NYU, and I immediately began freaking out. I opened the letter and read this:

We have just completed our review of your application and I must inform you that we are unable to offer you admission to the College of Arts and Sciences. However, I am delighted to tell you that your application has been selected for the General Studies Program (GSP). I congratulate you for your selection!

Then the letter goes on telling a little bit about GSP, and says that I have to reply within two weeks whether or not I want the official offer. I read the booklet about the GSP that came along with my "kind of" acceptance letter and it seems that one of the only cons is that you are not guaranteed admission to the college of your choice (in my case, the CLAS) unless you have a 3.0 GPA by junior year. I know there are a lot of NYU experts on here, so I'm wondering if anyone has any feedback on the GSP program, and is it worth going ahead? I understand you would complete a general core curriculum...how does this curriculum differ from NYU students who are not in GPS program? I was reading about some of the requirements during your first two years. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated. I was actually quite pleased and thought I would be completely rejected.

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Updated On: 2/19/05 at 05:30 PM

It was for regular Fall 2005, and I applied to the College of Arts and Sciences.

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Ive never known anyone to take the GSP program but I looked it over on the website and I could tell you what I notice as differences in the program... but I wouldnt have much more to say than what youve probably already figured out.

Youre guaranteed an associates degree, upon keeping 3.0 your first two years, you can then go on to continue your studies at the program you applied to.

The classes are named differently but evolve around the same concepts, in CAS theyre simply called Writing the Essay, Conversations of the West, World Cultures and Societies and Social Sciences. I didnt notice a Math or Foreign Language requirement which IS required for graduation from CAS, youd likely have to fill these in your third year if you dont fill them at GSP.

Other than this, it seems the teachers who teach your classes will all be professors where at CAS, its often the case that a grad student teaches Writing the Essay. And the biggest difference would be that the classes are going to be limited to 15-25 people where at CAS, classes can often be in an auditorium with 200 kids.

It would seem to me that this is a good program for those who want/need extra personal attention from their teachers.

People say all sorts of things about the different programs at NYU. When I applied, a teacher at my high school thought the School of Ed was beneath me, but thought I had no chance of getting in CAS. It was basically bull because you have to satisfy their minimum academic requirements to get in at all- even to their Arts program where I was applying, which require ALSO getting in based on your skills.

If you dont end up getting a 3.0 at the end of the two years, youll have an associates from NYU, thats still pretty good.

They had this policy in place when I applied years ago. My advice to you would be not to go. An associates in General Studies really won't get you far in life -- especially since it's not your "area" of interest (you applied for something more specific) -- and NYU will charge you an arm and a leg just to get that "degree." Hopefully you'll have the opportunity to go somewhere that lets you study what you want to study. Otherwise, it might be best to just apply again.

Pursuing an associates degree in response to a rejection from a BA program just isn't a good idea. Most jobs for people with college education will list a bachelors among the qualifications; a general education associates degree is - to many people - not much different than just having a high school diploma. I say that if millie's intent was to get a BA, then she should start pursuing that rather than go for an associates and then try for a BA.

Updated On: 2/20/05 at 07:27 AM

I don't know much about GSP, but all of my friends who are in it really like it...
And I have one friend who applied to transfer to Steinhardt after just a semester and got in...
I'd suggest calling and asking to talk to a student representative or something.

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"I don't want to be in a place where ppl think of me as some1 to dumb..."

With that spelling....yeah.

Seriously though, after you get your AA, wouldn't you proceed to get a BA? Is the price the same whether you go through the GSP or directly into the BA program?

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tiff's just a b*tch

and yes, provided you get at least a 3.0, you would be admitted to the CAS and would work towards your BA or BS, depending upon your department.

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you are too good tiff!

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You get a BA or BS depending on your major.

An AA is always given after 2 years, regardless of major.

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