Time for a Change? Internal Transferring at NYU

I started my first year at NYU as part of the Tisch School of the Arts’ New Studio on Broadway. It’s the resident musical theatre studio in our drama department. I loved the training, the people, and the teachers, but I felt like something was missing. Perhaps I’m rare in that I adore writing essays, reading papers, and engaging in conversation with fellow classmates.

Don’t get me wrong—Tisch provided these opportunities but more closely mirrored a conservatory-style training. I felt that I had fewer opportunities to take the more traditional academic courses that I craved. I want to emphasize that this decision was personal and had nothing to do with the amazing opportunities Tisch offers. My Tisch friends understood my decision, and I remain close with several of them today. I knew that I would miss the theatrical part of my life but I also knew that this was the right choice.

The internal transfer process at NYU depends on each individual undergraduate school. Before I get too far, I want to stress again that an internal transfer is not guaranteed. NYU reviews each request on a case-by-case basis. Stern School of Business and Tisch traditionally make transferring more difficult due to their extra requirements. You can learn more about each undergraduate school’s internal transfer process here.

My transfer to the College of Arts and Science (CAS) was relatively simple. I spoke with advisers in both Tisch and CAS to be sure that I could still graduate on time. Once I felt confident in my decision, I filled out the internal transfer application. The application had questions about my GPA, coursework, and why I wanted to transfer. The decision could take up to a few months, so imagine my surprise when only two weeks later, I heard that my application was accepted! I could finally relax and finish out my incredible last semester at Tisch.

I began at CAS in the fall of my sophomore year, and I’ll be honest…it was a difficult transition. At Tisch, I had been in classes three days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., often with some evening activities as well. At CAS, I had a lot more free time, which caused me to feel a bit lost. It took me a few weeks, but I eventually allowed myself to lean into the extra time by exploring internships and job opportunities.

Being in CAS also meant that I did not see the same small cohort of people that I did almost daily in Tisch. This made it a bit difficult to find community, but I made an effort to join more clubs on campus and reach out to people in my classes. While the transition was hard and a little stressful, I felt much happier majoring in History and even picked up some new minors in Politics and Public Policy! As my third year draws to a close, I have made so many new friends, leaned into academics, and explored exciting career opportunities.