NYU Tisch Dramatic Writing 2024 - Who's applying?

Chris W

The night was sultry...
Staff member
Who's applying to NYU Dramatic Writing this year?

Deadline is December 1st!​

Our guide to applying to NYU is here:

NYU Tisch: How to Apply for 2025, Acceptance Rate, and What To Expect as an NYU Film Student

NYU Tisch: How to Apply for 2025, Acceptance Rate, and What To Expect as an NYU Film Student

New York University Tisch School of the Arts offers a dynamic learning experience in one of the world's most vibrant cities for filmmakers. Award-winning faculty, from Spike Lee (Director, "Do the Right Thing," "Malcom X," "BlacKkKlansman") to Mary Lambert (Director, "Pet Semetary"), teach...

How to apply


1. NYU Tisch Graduate Application: Submit these required materials by the deadline:
  • Two Letters of Recommendation:
  • Resume/CV
  • Personal Statement — Explain in 750 words or fewer why you want to attend the Dramatic Writing Department, your academic/professional goals, and your interests as a writer
2. Transcripts: Upload a copy of your unofficial transcripts from any applicable undergraduate and graduate schools to SlideRoom.

3. Creative Portfolio: Identify the medium of your portfolio (not equated to your concentration). Next, provide a single, complete work that reflects your best dramatic writing and tells a complete story. You must also be the sole creator. If your sample falls outside of the following major categories, address how it relates to dramatic writing in a short addendum:
  • 1. Full-length screenplay (up to 120 pages)
  • 2. Screenplay (90-120 pages)
  • 3. Original episodic pilot (25-60 pages

Full instructions here:


Read up on how last year's applicants did by reading last year's application thread:


Also, our application database has over 129 applications to the program. Remember to log your application once you apply so that we can improve all our statistics to the program such as notification dates and accepted GPAs.





Click the above link for even more admission stats to the program.


Good luck!
 
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Hey I am a current student in the program. I know the application deadline has already passed...but feel feel free to ask me any questions or dm me if you feel more comfortable. To get to the first question I'll inevitably get asked...How do you get in? I don't have a good answer. My three pieces of advice are make sure your writing sample is strong and has an original voice. Secondly make sure your story is structured well. Thirdly emphasize during the interview that you are interested in or at least open to the possibility of doing screenwriting, playwriting, and tv writing. Honestly, the fact that you do all three makes you a better writer and is what makes it in my opinion the best screenwriting school in the country. I'm sure USC MFA students would disagree, but this is my personal experience.
 
Hey I am a current student in the program. I know the application deadline has already passed...but feel feel free to ask me any questions or dm me if you feel more comfortable. To get to the first question I'll inevitably get asked...How do you get in? I don't have a good answer. My three pieces of advice are make sure your writing sample is strong and has an original voice. Secondly make sure your story is structured well. Thirdly emphasize during the interview that you are interested in or at least open to the possibility of doing screenwriting, playwriting, and tv writing. Honestly, the fact that you do all three makes you a better writer and is what makes it in my opinion the best screenwriting school in the country. I'm sure USC MFA students would disagree, but this is my personal experience.
Hi! Thank you for being willing to answer questions! I do have a question: I just found a formatting issue with my sample: There is a period missing after each page number. I proofread my pilot many times and am very panicked about this. This is my first screenplay, and I just learned formatting through writing it. Will the program care about an issue like this? Will they expect applicants to be "professional" screenwriters? Is there anything else I can do? (I doubt there is.)

I know it's kinda stupid to look back at my sample once submitted. But I'm very nervous because the program is highly competitive.
 
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Hi! Thank you for being willing to answer questions! I do have a question: I just found a formatting issue with my sample: I missed a dot after each page number. I proofread my pilot many times and am very panicked about this. This is my first screenplay, and I just learned formatting through writing it. Will the program care about an issue like this? Will they expect applicants to be "professional" screenwriters? Is there anything else I can do? (I doubt there is.)

I know it's kinda stupid to look back at my sample once submitted. But I'm very nervous because the program is highly competitive.
I know you aren't asking me, but I can't imagine a few missing periods in your formatting being more important than your story and potential as a writer. NYU is competitive, absolutely. Unless we have a secret admissions officer/current student in our midst, all jfjburns95 would be able to tell us is if they got in with any errors in their sample. I'm sure you're fine! Let's distract ourselves with some other fun scripts, shall we? Rooting for you! Write on! 💪
 
but I can't imagine a few missing periods in your formatting being more important than your story and potential as a writer.
Yes, while typos aren't ideal, I would agree that good story telling instincts are much more important than typos.
 
Hi! Thank you for being willing to answer questions! I do have a question: I just found a formatting issue with my sample: There is a period missing after each page number. I proofread my pilot many times and am very panicked about this. This is my first screenplay, and I just learned formatting through writing it. Will the program care about an issue like this? Will they expect applicants to be "professional" screenwriters? Is there anything else I can do? (I doubt there is.)

I know it's kinda stupid to look back at my sample once submitted. But I'm very nervous because the program is highly competitive.
Sorry for the late response. I think it’s much more about your voice and creativity than formatting things in your script. That being said if your script is riddled with errors that kind of sends the message that you don’t care. And the expectation when you submit a professional script to agencies or production companies is that the grammar/spelling/formatting is flawless. If you’re really concerned about it I would email nyu and ask if you can replace the creative sample, but if it’s just a few typos and formatting issues I wouldn’t worry about it.
 
I merged all of the NYU review pages into one single page:

NYU Tisch Kanbar Institute of Film & Television

NYU Tisch Kanbar Institute of Film & Television

As one of the best film schools on the East coast, the Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film & Television at New York University Tisch School of the Arts gives film students the chance to turn iconic landscapes into low-budget film shoots and connect with world-renowned industry players. In 2022...

All NYU admissions stats have been combined into one page as well:



But you can still filter by specific program:









 
I think they begin sending requests out closer to the end of February - last year's first interview request was on the 22nd.

It's the 23rd based on the database but 17th for all of NYU. See here for past data:




You can filter data by admission year and program using the pulldowns to see how the stats are different each year.
 
Hi all! Has anyone heard anything yet? I haven't and I'm all nerves right now. It's my first time applying. I sent in a full length play. Of course I'm second guessing myself now and thinking maybe I should've sent in a screenplay. Good luck everyone!!
 
Hi all! Has anyone heard anything yet? I haven't and I'm all nerves right now. It's my first time applying. I sent in a full length play. Of course I'm second guessing myself now and thinking maybe I should've sent in a screenplay. Good luck everyone!!
I wouldn't start worrying until the 23rd or so. Chris said that's when they began sending out interviews last year.
 
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