The Why Penn “Why this College” Essay Example
1. Scan your essay for capital letters. Why? Because, chances are, capital letters means you’ve included something specific that the school offers. In fact...
3. Make sure that each time you mention something about the school you connect it back to yourself. How do you know? Simply check each mention of the school and see if you’ve explained why this is important—not just in general, but to you.
For "Why Us" essays, it's critical that you imagine how you'll be involved on campus. One strategy is to research specific initiatives, events, or programs already taking place. The more unique these are to the school, the better. Then, talk about how your personal interests would make you a perfect fit for participating in these opportunities. Don't reference too many (over 5 is pushing it) in a committal way (i.e. saying "I will do XYZ") because it can seem unrealistic. Instead, focus on a handful that you're most interested in, and then you can reference others as "possible" ways you'd get involved.
Top 3 "Why This School?" Essay Tips
Applying to college is a significant milestone that involves numerous components—from standardized tests and transcripts to letters of recommendation and personal essays. Among these, one essay stands out for its potential to showcase your genuine interest in a particular institution: the Why School Essay. This essay is more than just a formality; it's your opportunity to demonstrate to admissions committees that you're not only a good fit for their university but also genuinely excited about what they have to offer.
An answer that demonstrates that you have spent a significant amount of time seriously considering how your interests match the offerings of the school, and why you are a uniquely great fit for the school given the contributions that you will make to campus life.
By structuring your essay to include these four topics and doing the requisite background research for each point, you should now be ready to produce a compelling, well-rounded answer to the question "Why do you want to attend our school?"
In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into what the Why School Essay entails, explore examples from different universities, and provide five detailed tips—complete with examples—to help you craft a compelling and personalized response.
The Why Cornell “Why this College” Essay Example
The obvious challenge of this essay is that maybe you don’t really want to go to this college, or, also likely, you don’t really know much about it. How do you write a convincing, compelling essay with little evidence and maybe a lack of sincere feelings? The answer: it’s difficult. But, really, all schools are great, challenging institutions and you don’t know where you’ll end up, so why not give it your best shot?
The Why Bowdoin “Why this College” Essay Example
The Common App has taken a huge amount of work off of your shoulders. Gone are the days of separate, specific essay questions and endlessly different applications. But, that also means that any opportunity to get more in-depth, specialized knowledge about your interests is going to be very valuable for admissions teams. It makes the “Why Do You Want To Apply To This College” essay very important.
"Why do you want to attend our school?"
The Why School Essay is a prompt that asks you to articulate your reasons for wanting to attend a specific college or university. Admissions officers use this essay to assess your interest level, understanding of the institution, and how you might contribute to the campus community. It's a critical piece of your application that can set you apart from other candidates with similar academic credentials.
The Why Swarthmore “Why this College Essay Example
Schools Want to Know
1. That you “get them.” This means that you understand what makes them different from other schools. Take into consideration academic philosophy, traditions, student life, etc.
2. Why you're a good match for them. How will you fit in? How will you contribute? How will you take advantage of what they have to offer? Tell them why their school matters to you.
The Why Johns Hopkins “Why this College” Essay Example
To write a compelling Why School Essay, you need to have a deep understanding of the institution. This means going beyond the first page of the school's website.