Social NYU site hacked, posted SAT acceptance scores by race

[Cajun]

I don't think these score requirements are real. I got into NYU with a lower SAT score.

Impressive

 

[Renard]

The data is fake, dumbass. LOL at the irony of you calling something else incredibly racist. Confirmation bias is a hell of a drug.

The data appears to be real. Students from the school are saying that they found all their personal information in there. Also notice that in the school's statement they didn't even mention the data breach. The hacker made other graphs using other test scores. Up until 2024-2025, students had to submit one standardized test of their choosing (ACT, SAT, GPA (for uni transfers)) and he plotted graphs for all of them. Some posters were saying that it couldn't be real because the school doesn't require SAT. Correct, it doesn't, but it did require one test (any of them) prior to this year. All the admissions data got breached: names, SSN, etc.

 

[joy2day]

The data appears to be real. Students from the school are saying that they found all their personal information in there. Also notice that in the school's statement they didn't even mention the data breach. The hacker made other graphs using other test scores. Up until 2024-2025, students had to submit one standardized test of their choosing (ACT, SAT, GPA (for uni transfers)) and he plotted graphs for all of them. Some posters were saying that it couldn't be real because the school doesn't require SAT. Correct, it doesn't, but it did require one test (any of them) prior to this year. All the admissions data got breached: names, SSN, etc.

The graph is misleading besides very possibly being fake; it was accompanied with a bunch of crazy racist crap.

There are a lot of other considerations.

Major-Specific Requirements​

Different academic programs within universities often have varying admissions standards. The leaked data reportedly did not account for students' chosen majors or programs, which could significantly impact the interpretation of test score disparities:

• If certain demographic groups apply in higher numbers to more competitive programs (such as engineering, computer science, or pre-med tracks), those programs may require higher test scores across all applicants
• Without controlling for program of study, raw test score data may present a misleading picture of admissions practices

Holistic Admissions Processes​

The leaked information focused exclusively on standardized test scores and GPAs, but modern college admissions processes consider numerous factors:

• Course rigor and academic achievement in context of opportunities available
• Extracurricular activities and leadership experiences
• Personal essays and demonstrated interest
• Letters of recommendation
• Socioeconomic background and first-generation status
• Geographic diversity

Without access to complete application files, it's impossible to determine whether admissions decisions were based on race or other legitimate factors that universities are still permitted to consider.

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding college admissions policies in the post-affirmative action era and raises important questions about data security, privacy, and the complex factors that influence higher education access.

 

[jrams]

I don't think these score requirements are real. I got into NYU with a lower SAT score.

They aren't requirements. It's just a bar graph of the average SAT score bucketed by race. The argument is that this is proof that the school uses racial quotas and is doing so illegally since affirmative action got overturned.

 

[Hog-train]

They aren't requirements. It's just a bar graph of the average SAT score bucketed by race. The argument is that this is proof that the school uses racial quotas and is doing so illegally since affirmative action got overturned.

Yea and I'm saying I don't believe it. The score averages are too high (for every group.)

NYU is not an Ivy League school. It's not on the same level.

Impressive

Not really. I didn't have a good average and just had a good SAT score.

 

[jrams]

Yea and I'm saying I don't believe it. The score averages are too high (for every group.)

NYU is not an Ivy League school. It's not on the same level.



Not really. I didn't have a good average and just had a good SAT score.

https://www.nyu.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/nyu-facts.html

Their own website says 1470-1570 average.

 

[Blayt7hh]

Isn't that the point though? Holistic admissions are bullshit. Everyone knows that. Although it's one thing to know it intellectually vs. see it displayed on a graph with plain numbers. Standardized tests have always been shown to be the best, least biased predictor of college grades and graduation rate. Poor Asian kids literally score better than black/Hispanic kids from the richest parental income bracket, but then they get labeled as having a "bad personality" or some other nonsense and rejected in favour of other applicants.

Uh no. Because doing things like playing a sport at a high level matters. Extra curricular mater. It’s not like they just started taking other things into account either. Bit was that way long before affirmative action.

 

[Madmick]

Yea and I'm saying I don't believe it. The score averages are too high (for every group.)

NYU is not an Ivy League school. It's not on the same level.

NYU has a sub-10% acceptance rate. The Princeton Review is an test prep & admissions-aid service that has been around forever, and that's what they're reporting:

New York University (NYU): Highly Ranked for Game Design, Theater, Location and more.

New York University (NYU) – Applying to NYU? Get up-to-date admissions statistics, ACT & SAT scores, student reviews, and more from the NYU profile found on The Princeton Review’s website.

www.princetonreview.com

I don't think these score requirements are real. I got into NYU with a lower SAT score.

I graduated from NYU, and was admitted with an SAT score well above the school average, but I was denied by a few lesser schools with much lower SAT averages. For example, I was denied admission to UC Santa Cruz, which was ironically one of my "gimme" schools, but that was probably because I filed my application through the UC pooled service to save money, which meant they could see I had applied to the more elite UCs, and calculated offering me acceptance was likely a wasted acceptance that had a near-zero chance of me taking it because I was a shoo-in for the better schools, so they reserved their acceptances for more likely prospects.

 

[kflo]

I don't think these score requirements are real. I got into NYU with a lower SAT score.

Scores have gone up a lot. Your score almost certainly wouldn’t get you in today.

 

[Renard]

The graph is misleading besides very possibly being fake; it was accompanied with a bunch of crazy racist crap.

There are a lot of other considerations.

Major-Specific Requirements​

Different academic programs within universities often have varying admissions standards. The leaked data reportedly did not account for students' chosen majors or programs, which could significantly impact the interpretation of test score disparities:

• If certain demographic groups apply in higher numbers to more competitive programs (such as engineering, computer science, or pre-med tracks), those programs may require higher test scores across all applicants
• Without controlling for program of study, raw test score data may present a misleading picture of admissions practices

Holistic Admissions Processes​

The leaked information focused exclusively on standardized test scores and GPAs, but modern college admissions processes consider numerous factors:

• Course rigor and academic achievement in context of opportunities available
• Extracurricular activities and leadership experiences
• Personal essays and demonstrated interest
• Letters of recommendation
• Socioeconomic background and first-generation status
• Geographic diversity

Without access to complete application files, it's impossible to determine whether admissions decisions were based on race or other legitimate factors that universities are still permitted to consider.

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding college admissions policies in the post-affirmative action era and raises important questions about data security, privacy, and the complex factors that influence higher education access.

Students were able to click on the "raw data" link and find all their personal information linked to their SAT, ACT, etc, scores, and all those of their friends. Doesn't sound fake to me.

We know the admissions are holistic. I've mentioned it like three times already, keep up. The point is that the students found out that if they were Asian (something they have no control over) they were effectively penalized compared to other applicants. You can control your test scores by working hard; you can't do anything about your demographics. There's obviously something to discuss there but your ilk prefers to not think about it.

 

[Mr Holmes]

I graduated from NYU

I got into NYU with a lower SAT score.

 

[joy2day]

Students were able to click on the "raw data" link and find all their personal information linked to their SAT, ACT, etc, scores, and all those of their friends. Doesn't sound fake to me.

We know the admissions are holistic. I've mentioned it like three times already, keep up. The point is that the students found out that if they were Asian (something they have no control over) they were effectively penalized compared to other applicants. You can control your test scores by working hard; you can't do anything about your demographics. There's obviously something to discuss there but your ilk prefers to not think about it.

The graph was generated by the hacker; it has yet to be confirmed.

It's not just holistic, it also depends on what you are applying for, and I'm sure the Asians were going for competitive fields (such as engineering, computer science, or pre-med tracks). You have to control for that in your numbers; raw data can be misleading because those applying for high-level programs tend to be smart.

I know they have gotten frustrated with Asians beating other minorities and discriminated against them in the past like at Harvard, but I'm not convinced that is what is going on here.

 

[Madmick]

 

[nhbbear]

The lower sat scores of the blacks doesn’t show their sport affiliation if this college even has sports. And it’s not like 1300 on sat sucks.

 

[Madmick]

The lower sat scores of the blacks doesn’t show their sport affiliation if this college even has sports. And it’s not like 1300 on sat sucks.

It's Division III, the sports in which the school is most competitive are white-dominated, and they aren't handing out heavy sports scholarships, or bending application standards for elite athletes. That would make up a tiny fraction of the student body, anyway. We're talking about the largest private university in the nation. There are over 57,000 students (nearly 30,000 undergrad).

 

[ColemanwastheGOAT]

They removed the requirement to submit a standardized test result for 2024-2025.

Admissions to schools like these is unpredictable. It helps if you're the right colour and you lay out your personal sob story in the best way possible, but a lot of it is whether they liked your essay, you're connected to the school in some way, you have eye-catching extracurriculars, you won fancy awards (or the person reading your application perceived they were fancy), you have an unusual life story or background (non-traditional learner), you're a scholar-athlete, etc. More and more the academic world is like the real world in that it's all about "I like the cut of their jib" on-the-fly decisions, less and less about competency or scores. Minorities are assumed to not be able to compete organically on those fronts so they do a "holistic" admission instead. On the positive side it means your kid has a shot of getting in even if they're a bad student, just gotta wow them with something.

Makes the rise in teenage activism seem even more cynical given a lot of them are probably doing it just for their college applications.

 

[ColemanwastheGOAT]

I was the Dean of Admissions at NYU at the time as well as a decorated war hero and I can confirm both of those dudes got in.

Also they based the movie Rounders on my life.

 

[Renard]

The graph was generated by the hacker; it has yet to be confirmed.

It's not just holistic, it also depends on what you are applying for, and I'm sure the Asians were going for competitive fields (such as engineering, computer science, or pre-med tracks). You have to control for that in your numbers; raw data can be misleading because those applying for high-level programs tend to be smart.

I know they have gotten frustrated with Asians beating other minorities and discriminated against them in the past like at Harvard, but I'm not convinced that is what is going on here.

Like I said, the hacker linked the raw data. Meaning you could download it all and make your own graphs and your own analysis as much as you wanted. You never had to rely on the hacker's words. For what you're saying to be plausible you'd basically need most of the minorities to only apply to weaker programs, sounds unlikely. Why wouldn't they be applying to stronger programs when the university goes out of their way to advertise a holistic application process.

It is holistic. They say so. It's a way for universities to cover their ass because they don't claim that their admissions are fair or merit-based in any way. They'd probably be in violation of NY discrimination laws otherwise. I'm pretty sure it is exactly a Harvard situation. They assume the Asian applicants have a boring personality and the black applicants must have amazing, bubbly personalities. It is racism making the final decision instead of an objective marker like test scores. Lefties should want test scores to matter, it's something agnostic that can't be faked and it's not up to the subjective whims of whoever is making the decision. It levels the playing field and you have control over it.

 

[Possum Jenkins]

Lefties should want test scores to matter, it's something agnostic that can't be faked and it's not up to the subjective whims of whoever is making the decision. It levels the playing field and you have control over it.

They do matter, that's why blacks and Latinos are about 100-200 points away and not 500 points away. Again, they're not picking average or even slightly above average students of color, they're picking very bright ones. If you're getting high 1200s-low 1300s on your SAT, you're a very good student and NYU is a very good school

Entrance scores for just about all schools, (elite, top public, average public, grad, medical etc.), all follow the same pattern: 1. Asians, 2. Whites, 3. Latinos, 4. Blacks. The reason for this is that this is the pattern for scores, period. And schools have been using things apart from test scores to determine entrance decades before "DeI mAdNeSs!"

 

[Madmick]

They do matter, that's why blacks and Latinos are about 100-200 points away and not 500 points away. Again, they're not picking average or even slightly above average students of color, they're picking very bright ones. If you're getting high 1200s-low 1300s on your SAT, you're a very good student and NYU is a very good school

Entrance scores for just about all schools, (elite, top public, average public, grad, medical etc.), all follow the same pattern: 1. Asians, 2. Whites, 3. Latinos, 4. Blacks. The reason for this is that this is the pattern for scores, period. And schools have been using things apart from test scores to determine entrance decades before "DeI mAdNeSs!"

Yet again I see you running apologism for this racist bullshit that is always either outright factually inaccurate or a laughable defense. We've seen differences at the Ivy leagues as great as ~400 exposed.

First, 1290 vs. a 1470-1570 average isn't "100" points. It's not even 200 points. It's closer to 250 points. When 310 points is the maximum difference that could separate it. In terms of the difference between populations along the curve, that's a grand canyon sized chasm. It's the difference between someone in the 87th percentile and someone in the 99th percentile.

The first student is excellent. The second is extraordinary.