Gallatin Lobby
GUIDE: Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the Gallatin Undergraduate Initiative for Discovery in Education (GUIDE) Program?
A: GUIDE is a mentorship, transition, and scholarship program that prepares high-achieving students at BMCC to succeed in rigorous BA-degree liberal arts programs at NYU Gallatin and elsewhere. The program is tailored to students interested in studying social justice.
Q: Who is eligible to apply to the GUIDE Program
A: The GUIDE program is an invite-only program. BMCC will identify a cohort of eligible students who will be invited to attend an information session and submit an application.
Q: What is Gallatin? How is it related to the rest of NYU?
A: NYU is a large institution made up of numerous schools, colleges, institutes and programs. Gallatin is one of NYU’s schools. It offers the degrees of BA and MA in Individualized Study. Each Gallatin student works closely with academic advisers to create her or his own unique academic concentration. Most courses at Gallatin are small interdisciplinary seminars, and most assignments take the form of written essays. Gallatin students take courses at Gallatin itself and from other schools and colleges of NYU.
Q: How does the GUIDE program work?
A: At the beginning of their sophomore year, up to eight BMCC students enter the GUIDE program as GUIDE Finalists. At the end of their sophomore year, up to five of these students are admitted to NYU Gallatin as GUIDE Scholars.
The GUIDE Finalists enroll in one Gallatin course each in the fall semester of their sophomore year. Gallatin will cover the tuition and registration fees for this course, whose credits BMCC has agreed to apply to the AA degree.
After being admitted to NYU as junior transfer students, the GUIDE Scholars receive full scholarships to NYU. Gallatin will cover all unmet need for tuition and fees for the next four semesters, provided the student remains in academic good standing.
Q: How competitive is the GUIDE program?
A: Admission into GUIDE is highly competitive. Applicants should have at least a 3.5 GPA at BMCC, have completed or be enrolled in one writing-intensive course, and be able to explain succinctly and concretely their interest in social justice. In-person interviews are required for semifinalists in the Summer between the first and sophomore years at BMCC.
Q: How can I increase my chances of being selected into the GUIDE Program?
A: You can increase your chances by maintaining excellent grades at BMCC, by working on your writing and by thinking seriously and deeply about what social justice means to you and how you might study it in an academic way.
Q: Does being admitted into the GUIDE program as a sophomore guarantee I will later be admitted into NYU?
A: At the end of the sophomore year, GUIDE Finalists who want to continue on at NYU as GUIDE Scholars must complete NYU’s transfer student application and earn admission. To be competitive as transfer applicants, GUIDE Finalists should maintain excellent grades at BMCC, excel in their one Gallatin course, and participate actively in both the BMCC and NYU Gallatin communities. Admission into NYU is not guaranteed; nor do we guarantee that all GUIDE Finalists who are admitted to NYU will be funded as GUIDE Scholars.
Q: What happens once I submit my application to the GUIDE program?
A: For more information, check out the GUIDE Program Timeline
