So, you're thinking about transferring to NYU? It's a big step, and honestly, a pretty exciting one. Whether you're coming from a community college, another four-year institution, or even another school within NYU, the university welcomes students who have already earned some college credits. The good news? You don't need any specific prerequisites to apply as a transfer student, and NYU is generally open to granting credit for courses you've already successfully completed.
Now, let's talk about the nitty-gritty, especially if you're eyeing the Mathematics Department. While NYU might look at your previous coursework and say, 'Yep, that looks equivalent,' the real magic happens with your home school's transfer credit policy. It's a bit like a two-way street; even if NYU approves a course, your current school's rules might prevent it from counting. So, the absolute first thing you should do is chat with your home school's advising team before you even think about enrolling in a course outside of NYU. Seriously, this is crucial.
For those diving into math, especially calculus, NYU has a helpful system. If you're new to the subject or unsure where to start, there's a dedicated Calculus Information page. It's designed to guide you to the right starting point, and if needed, you can even take a Calculus Placement Exam. If you've already earned transfer credit for calculus, you're in luck! You can often jump right into the next course in the sequence. For instance, credit for Calculus I usually means you can register for Calculus II, and credit for both I and II opens the door to Calculus III.
Once you've officially matriculated at NYU, you'll get a Transfer Credit Report through NYU Albert, the university's electronic student system. This report will initially list all your transfer credits as tentative, pending the arrival of your final high school and college transcripts. Initially, math courses will likely be categorized as either CORE-UA credit or Elective Credit. To get specific MATH-UA course credit, the Mathematics Department needs to formally evaluate your previous coursework.
How does that evaluation work? You'll want to connect with the advisement team. If your last name starts with A through M, Adam Staszczuk (adamstas@cims.nyu.edu) is your go-to. For last names N through Z, Jackie Tucciarone (jt4787@nyu.edu) is the person to reach out to. Bring your unofficial transcript(s) with all your math course grades. They'll first check if they've already reviewed similar courses. If not, you'll likely need to submit your course syllabus, making sure it includes the textbooks used and a week-by-week breakdown of topics. Math faculty will then review these syllabi to determine equivalency and advise on the specific MATH-UA course credit you'll receive. Just a heads-up: courses taught online due to COVID-19 might not be transferable if the majority of the assessment was distance-based.
It's important to remember that the Math Department can only evaluate math courses. For any other subjects, you'll need to contact the respective departments. And when it comes to fulfilling major requirements, there's a cap. Generally, no more than half of your major can be completed with transfer credits; the rest must be taken at NYU. For example, in the Math Major, which requires 13 courses, you can typically use transfer credits for up to 6 of those. Even if you have more transfer credits than can count towards your major, they can still be valuable for placement, prerequisites, and your overall graduation credit count.
