Located in the bustling heart of lower Manhattan, the New York University (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine is known for its strengths in patient care, medical education, and scientific research. The program is consistently ranked highly by physicians and researchers. In the 2023-2024 U.S. News & World Report ranking, it tied at #10 for research and #67 for primary care. The program focuses on developing physicians who are innovative and prepared to be leaders for the next generation of healthcare providers. To support its mission, since 2018, NYU Grossman has offered full-tuition scholarships to all matriculating med students. This makes it one of the most competitive programs around.
Ready to get to work on your NYU Grossman secondary essays? Read on.
If applicable, please comment on significant fluctuations in your academic record which are not explained elsewhere on your application. (no limit)
Respond to this essay question only if you have discrepancies in your grades that you can explain in a short essay and that are not addressed elsewhere in your application. When presenting this kind of information, avoid blaming others, and always try to show how you have rectified the situation and/or grown from the experience. For instance, if your grades suffered when you were juggling multiple jobs and coursework, focus on how the experience taught you to be more efficient, rather than complaining that your professor unjustly penalized a late paper.
Although there’s no character length for this essay, you should keep your submission short and straightforward. Be as specific as possible, and always be honest.
If you have taken any time off from your studies, either during or after college, please describe what you have done during this time and your reasons for doing so. (no limit)
Similarly, if you have any breaks in your educational history, present your explanation of these gaps succinctly, honestly, and with as much emphasis on the positive as possible. I suggest that you limit this essay to a paragraph for shorter breaks that occurred when you were in college, while explaining your activities as a nontraditional applicant. For instance, if you worked in another career for a while, that might justify a longer essay. If you have graduated from college, provide a short summary of what you have been doing since, focusing especially on full-time work and volunteer activities. Keep things positive; highlight your personal and professional growth, the impact you have had on others, and how you have learned from these beneficial or educational experiences.
The Admissions Committee holistically evaluates a range of student qualities and life experiences that complement demonstrated academic excellence. What unique qualities do you possess that make you uniquely suited to become a physician or physician-scientist? How have your individual lived experiences shaped your core values and desire to be a future leader in our profession? (2500 characters)
This question reflects NYU Grossman’s desire to admit students from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. The admissions committee will use this essay to understand your personality and to see how well you can express yourself maturely, conveying your leadership potential without directly proclaiming it.
To tackle this question, first ask yourself what qualities or values you think make a good physician or physician-scientist. You might want to think about inspiring people you have seen or worked with. Which of these qualities or values are the strongest in you? And where did they come from? Your family? Your identity or background? Understanding the qualities and values that make you you will help you pinpoint how you can contribute to medicine.
Do not use this essay to repeat what you said in your personal statement or rehash your work experiences. This essay should not be a list of achievements or vague traits like “leadership.” And don’t get hung up on the word “unique.” Even if an experience isn’t unique in itself, the way that each person perceives and reacts to it is. These are the details that will help you impress the admissions committee.
Please answer only one of the following three questions. (2500 characters)
The first issue you need to address here is which option to choose. I recommend that you select the one that you can answer most easily and whose subject matter will best complement the other information in your primary application and the rest of NYU Grossman’s secondary application.
Option 1. The most meaningful achievements are often non-academic in nature. Describe the personal accomplishment that makes you most proud. Why is this important to you?
This essay prompt asks you to think about achievements broadly and include experiences that might not otherwise be covered in a traditional application. Your achievement could be in the arts, sports, community service, or possibly even personal arena. The focus should be on why this nonacademic achievement was important to you. Do not write about academic awards or your grades/MCAT scores. I also don’t recommend that you write about getting into med school or another academic-type program.
Option 2. Conflicts arise daily from differences in perspectives, priorities, worldviews and traditions. How do you define respect? Describe a situation in which you found it challenging to remain respectful while facing differences.
In this essay, it’s important to focus on a specific situation and be honest about your role. There should be a genuine conflict that you sought to resolve, rather than circumstances in which you were a relatively passive observer. A strong essay here will show that you have grown and matured as a result of the conflict. Try to write this essay for someone who doesn’t know you well, which will require you to provide detail. The situation can come from your academic, professional, or personal life. And don’t forget to define “respect.”
Option 3. Describe a situation in which working with a colleague, family member or friend has been challenging. How did you resolve, if at all, the situation as a team and what did you gain from the experience that will benefit you as a future health care provider?
Similar to Option 2, this essay question asks you to reflect on how you grew as a person from a difficult situation and learned to relate to others. However, in this case, the other party in the challenging situation is someone you are close with, someone who is supposed to be a member of one of your “groups,” such as your family, team, coworkers, or social circle.
Again, it’s important here to write about a specific situation and show how you resolved it – or tried to resolve it – even if the other party remained oppositional. It can be an experience from any aspect of your life, so don’t limit yourself to academic or professional situations (though those can also lead to fruitful essays). The most important character in the essay is you, so show how you grew as a result of the experience. The point here is not about being right; it is about sustaining relationships while accepting differences.
Since 2001, Cydney Foote has advised hundreds of successful applicants for medical and dental education, residency and fellowship training, and other health-related degrees. Admissions consulting combines her many years of creating marketing content with five years on fellowship and research selection committees at the University of Washington School of Medicine. She’s also shared her strategy for impressing interviewers in a popular webinar and written three books and numerous articles on the admissions process. Want Cydney to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!
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