Why Isn’t My Checklist Updating?

This year (for the Class of 2028) standardized testing is welcome, but not required. If you choose to submit standardized test scores, here is some helpful information about our processing times:

Unofficial test scores: 

If you choose to submit standardized testing, NYU will accept unofficial test scores for the purposes of our application review process. You can send unofficial test scores by email to [email protected] or upload them through your applicant portal, which you will gain access to after submitting the Common App. Submitting unofficial scores is the fastest way to have your checklist updated.

If you are self-reporting standardized testing (via email or your applicant portal), your checklist will update within 10 business days at our busiest time of year (January-February) or within five business days when our office is less busy.

Official test scores: 

If you are sending us official standardized test scores, the testing agency should send test scores directly to NYU. Typically, if they are not expedited, results will arrive in a month.

Your school counselor should submit predicted test scores for the IB and national exams. When you indicate on the application that youʼll send us IB or national exam results, we will email your counselor a form for this.

Artistic applicants who must complete an audition or portfolio do not need to submit test scores. (And again, students applying to any school or college at NYU this cycle are not required to submit testing. Learn more about what “test optional” means here.) You can indicate this right on the Common Application for first years and transfers. First-year students will see a separate question related to this on the application. Transfers will see an artistic program option in the regular standardized testing drop-down menu.

If you must send English Language testing to demonstrate proficiency, you’ll see a separate checklist item. On the application, you will choose which exam you took to fulfill this requirement. The exam board should send scores directly to NYU.

If you don’t need to send this type of testing, leave this section blank.

First year and transfer applicants are required to submit the SRAR, where you will share important information about your courses and grades. For more information about SRAR requirements, see these links below before getting started:

SRAR for first-year applicants

SRAR for transfer applicants

You can access SRAR from your applicant portal. To complete the SRAR, have a copy of your transcript readily available, as the information you provide must match your transcript exactly. It should take about one hour to complete the SRAR.

When should I reach out? If it’s over three weeks since you uploaded transcripts to your applicant portal, emailed transcripts, or mailed in your documents and your checklist hasn’t updated, email [email protected] with the name of the schools you sent transcripts for,  your name as it is listed exactly on the transcripts, and your CAD and/or your N number.

Typically, we process transcripts within 10 business days (two weeks) of receipt at our busiest time of year (January–February). When our office is less busy, the processing time can decrease to five business days or one week. Applicants from international schools may experience longer processing times since their transcripts require the review of staff who specialize in international credentials. 

When should I reach out? “If it’s over three weeks since you uploaded transcripts to your applicant portal, emailed transcripts, or mailed in your documents and your checklist hasn’t updated, email [email protected] with the name of the schools you sent transcripts for, your name as it is listed exactly on the transcripts, and your CAID and/or your N number.

Each department manages its own artistic review process. Some departments will have you submit your portfolio or schedule your audition on your applicant portal. For these programs, click the Artistic Review Portal button (located on the right side on a desktop or below the checklists on a mobile device). Some use other resources for auditions and portfolios like SlideRoom and Acceptd.

While checklists are updated at least once a week, departments manage their checklists in different ways. Some departments mark the item as complete based on receipt of a portfolio or the scheduling of an audition. Other departments wait until the portfolio is reviewed or the audition is complete. Don’t worry if this isn’t checked off as long as you have played your part.

Learn more about the application process for artistic applicants in this article.

Reach out directly to the department you are auditioning with or submitting a portfolio to when you need an update on your artistic review.

For transfer applicants to the Stern School of Business and second-degree nursing applicants, we require certain prerequisite courses. You can complete this requirement right on your applicant portal. Click the Update Prerequisite Courses button (located on the right side on a desktop or below the checklists on a mobile device). Once you click this button, a page loads where you can add and update your prerequisite courses. Your checklist updates a few hours after you certify all required prerequisite courses are entered.

We try not to clutter your checklist too much, so only select other supporting materials are a part of your checklist. Recommendations and school reports will appear on your checklist once they are submitted. Other supporting documents, like résumés or unofficial transcripts, don’t appear on your checklist.

Not all ways of submitting materials will update your checklist with the same speed.

Common Application sends supporting documents for submitted applications daily to NYU (the day after they are submitted). We upload these to our system and automatically match them to your application. Your transcript checklist item will complete within a few hours of receipt of your transcript. Another bonus: all the schools you are applying to receive your documents without you sending them multiple times.

Documents emailed to us should come from a school official (counselor, principal, etc.) using an official email address (not a public domain). Give your school official your CAID and/or your N number to include in the subject line and body of the message. That way, we can link the attachments to your file quickly. We typically process emails within one business day. During our busiest time of year, updating your checklist takes longer.

We also accept transcripts via secure electronic delivery services like Parchment or eSCRIP if your school uses those.

Follow the hyperlinks in your application checklist to complete your SRAR or self-report standardized testing. You can use the “Upload Materials” tool to submit your unofficial transcripts, midterm grades, standardized testing exemption request form, or your resume.

Documents mailed to us take time to process. Your checklist updates may be delayed.

If you need to mail transcripts and you’re a transfer applicant, please use the Common Application Transfer Processing Center option and do not mail directly to NYU for a significantly faster processing time.

Additionally, if you do have to mail us materials, please upload unofficial copies of transcripts and test scores on your applicant portal.