Help Vivian Attend NYU Tisch for Acting

My name is Vivian, and I am incredibly honoured to have been accepted to NYU Tisch School of the Arts for Acting for Fall 2024.

About Me

I grew up watching my parents trying to pursue their art in a foreign country. They told me, “If you aren’t the best, don’t do it.” I tried different art forms before abandoning it and choose to go for a stable career path. I followed the immigrant career trifecta of lawyer-doctor-engineer, enrolling at McGill for political science as a pathway to law school. It seemed like a great idea, until I got my first job at a law firm. I was no longer playing a character from Suits at mock court, and I quickly realized there was no way I’d be able to have a fulfilling life in this career. I tried changing majors, over and over, searching for something different. The more I tried the emptier and more dissatisfied I felt. Then, things took an ugly turn. I became depressed, kept getting sick, my best friend committed suicide, and the pandemic shut down the world. Despite everything, I maintained a 3.75 CGPA.

I left home to travel, hoping I would find myself along the way. When I came home, I still hadn’t figured it out. I was so depressed; I didn’t see a reason to keep going. I gave myself a parting gift, decided to try something that gave me a little bit of joy. I audited an acting class. To my surprise, I discovered a place where emotions—the very things that I’d gotten in trouble for my whole life—were not only accepted but celebrated and needed in a career. Learning how to act was suddenly not just a small source of joy, because I loved film, but a new lifeline. It quickly became a medium for me to heal and turn my life around. It restored my faith in my future, helped me get sober, and recover from the devastating loss of my best friend. It was the first time I discovered a space where I could be who I am and there was an industry for people like me. Not only that, but it was a way to reconnect, something that we had all lost during the pandemic. Acting is a medium where we can tell the stories of what it means to be human and explore the very relationships between people that we have all somehow lost the ability to make. Embodying those character for me and living out their stories, helped me remember the beauty of life, and remember why I want to be alive. Acting isn’t so much a career choice for me, as it is a matter of life and death. Not to be too dramatic…

When I received my admission letter to NYU Tisch for drama, it felt like somehow, finally, the universe had rearranged itself to make a path for me. I could finally finish my degree doing what I love. However, a technicality in my application status now prevents me from following my dreams.

This is the monologue from my audition:

Financial Hardship

I applied as a ‘first-year student’ to NYU. I had previously been in university at McGill for a different degree, which I did not complete. I have been out of school for over 4 years and do not intend on transferring credits. My plan was to start from scratch. Unfortunately, NYU reclassified me as a ‘transfer student’ during my application. Transfer students at NYU are ineligible for financial aid, including scholarships, grants, and loans. I have created a petition to NYU Admissions to change my application status from ‘transfer student’ to ‘first-year student’ and/or to change the policies regarding eligibility for financial aid for all transfer students. I made a petition to NYU to change this decision, you can support my petition here.

I demonstrably meet the need-based criteria for NYU Promise, a full scholarship provided by NYU, but due to my status as a ‘transfer student,’ I cannot apply. I have contacted NYU financial aid was informed that if my application was changed to ‘first-year student,’ I may apply to NYU Promise under special consideration, as funding for NYU Promise has already been released since February. I did not receive my acceptance until May 13, 2024. I was advised that though I may qualify based on financial need, the chances of me receiving aid would be truly exceptional.

As an international Canadian student, I do not qualify for FAFSA, MPower, and similar loan options in the US as I do not have a US sponsor. I do not qualify for TAP as I am not a NY resident. I cannot qualify for any institutional aid as I am transferring from an international university and not in a medical or STEM field.

While Canada offers OSAP (government aid), the maximum allowance per year is approximately $5,926 USD, which does not cover even a semester at NYU.

I applied for a student loan with Bank of Montreal and provided financial documents for myself, my single mother, and our small business. Our application was rejected as we did not meet the financial criteria. I do not have another sponsor that could help me co-sign for the loan.

Cost Breakdown

Tuition : $68,978 USD

Books & Supplies : $1,442 USD

Medical Insurance : $4,832 USD

SEVIS Fee : $350 USD

Total Per Year: Approximately $75,602 USD

4 Year Degree Total: $302,408 USD (approx. $413,000 CAD)

The above totals do not include housing or living expenses, which are estimated at $144,000 USD over 4 years *

Urgency

For me to apply for my I-20 visa document, I must provide proof of funds to cover at least one year of tuition. It is strongly recommended to have this submitted on June 1st as there may be delays, or approximately 3-4 months before the start of classes.

If I cannot secure funds, the deadline to defer my enrolment is July 1st.

Update: I submitted a formal petition to NYU Admissions to change my student status which was denied. I then requested to defer my enrolment, which was also denied on the grounds that I am 'transfer' student. I will continue raising funds until I have enough to go to NYU!

Where does your donation go?

Your donation goes to a Canadian Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) account with me as the sole beneficiary.

Backup Plan

In the event that not enough funds are raised and we do not reach at least 2,000 signatures on my petition on Change.org, I would defer my enrolment until January 1st 2025 to continue the fundraiser and petition campaigns. If we are still unable to raise enough funds by January 1st, I would reapply to the school and continue to raise funds. In the meantime, I would be attending the 2-year full-time training program at the William Esper Studio in New York.

By donating to my fundraiser or supporting my petition to NYU to change my application status, you are advocating for my opportunity to pursue my artistic dreams.

Thank you for your support!