As your college dreams start coming into clearer focus, you’ll probably start hearing the dreaded question: “So what are you going to study in college?” (It’s like, can you ask me about something less stressful, please?! Like my rare Tamagotchi collection?!) Though we’re not exactly thrilled about the trend of teenagers being asked to specialize earlier and earlier in their academic careers, it IS important that you have some idea of what your intellectual passions are when you start your senior year — because colleges will ask about them on the almighty “why major” essay.
The “why major” supplemental essay prompt
The “why major” essay has long been a mainstay of college supplements; many, many colleges include some version of this prompt each year. Here are just a few examples of “why major” prompts that have cropped up in the past:
UT Austin: Why are you interested in the major you indicated as your first-choice major? (250-300 words)
Emory University: What academic areas are you interested in exploring in college? (200 words)
Carnegie Mellon: Most students choose their intended major or area of study based on a passion or inspiration that’s developed over time – what passion or inspiration led you to choose this area of study? (300 words)
Howard University: Presume there was only one spot left in your first choice major program. Given you have thoroughly researched said program, why should we offer the spot to you over another student? Please feel free to discuss your reasons for pursuing your first choice major, your unique talents & skills, and/or how said program aligns with your long-term goals. (250 words)
MIT: Tell us more about why this field of study at MIT appeals to you. (100 words
Columbia University: Please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the areas of study that you noted in the application. (200 words)
The role of a “why major” essay
Colleges include “why major” essays in their supplements for three primary reasons.
- They want to get a sense of your intellectual passions. After all, college is—first and foremost—school! In order for a college to make an informed decision about whether you’re a great fit for their academic environment, they need to understand your primary academic interests.
- They want to get an idea of what your possible major might be. Colleges generally won’t hold you to the major you list on your application, but by giving them a general understanding of the major you’re considering now, you’re helping them assemble an incoming class that consists of a diverse array of majors. Nobody wants a class of 100% poli-sci stans.
- In some cases, the “why major” essay gives colleges a sense of whether you’re realistically prepared for the work associated with a given major. An underdeveloped, shallow, or unconvincing “why major” essay might make you seem like a flight risk—they might worry that you’ll be taken aback by the rigor of the major and drop out.
Ingredients of a successful “why major” essay
What are your academic interests, and why?
Simple enough! Clearly state the area—or intersection—that constitutes the focus of your primary academic interest: ex., applied math, Latin-American literature, mechanical engineering, gender & sexuality studies + public health.
What’s your academic origin story?
Think about all of the moments in your life that have culminated in this one — the one in which you are preparing to apply for this particular major. Maybe your passion for Chinese poetry was kindled when you were 4 years old, and your Chinese grandmother read to you in Mandarin each night. Or maybe your interest in business and reproductive health was piqued just six months ago, when your aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer. Or maybe you got curious about psychology in 9th grade, when you saw a community theater production of Next to Normal.
How have you developed and explored those academic interests?
Detail the ways in which you pursued your primary academic interest after it was originally sparked. How have you sought to deepen your engagement with your academic passions? Did you attend summer programs that helped you clarify your interests? Did you start an initiative through a student club that allowed you to explore the topic in a practical way? Did you check out books from the library that drew you further down the academic rabbit hole? Did you get an after-school job that exposed you to your interest’s application in the professional world? The key here is to demonstrate an authentic, sustained engagement to your stated academic interest!
BONUS: How will you continue developing your interest at this particular school?
Some schools roll their “why major” and “why us” essays into one—like the example from Howard above, as well as the examples below:
Please explain your interest in your first-choice major/undecided status and your second-choice major (should you opt to list one) and why you would choose Bucknell University to pursue your interest(s). (250 words)
Why do you want to study your chosen major specifically at Georgia Tech? (300 words)
Notice how these essays don’t simply ask about how you’ve engaged with your interests in the past—they also ask about your specific plans to develop that interest in the future, on their specific campus! For these essays, you’ll need to execute an additional step—after you’ve laid out how your academic interests have taken shape up to this point, you’ll need to make a case as to why this particular college is the perfect place to support you as you continue pursuing those interests. Sure, you love the classics, but why apply to this specific classics department? (Hint: “Because Northwestern is a great school” won’t cut it. You gotta do your research so you can talk about specific resources, opportunities, and/or programs on campus that will facilitate you achieving your specific academic goals.)
Writing the “why major” essay when you’re applying undecided
Even if you’re applying to college undecided, you might still have to write a “why major” essay! And your writing process won’t be all that different from those applying with a stated major. Though you might not be able to confidently state your single area of interest, you can certainly write about the few areas of academic study that you’re considering—even better if you can gather those areas under a single thematic umbrella. For example, if you’re applying “undecided” because you’re struggling to pick between English and Machine Learning, you might write your “why major” essay about how you’re interested in both the history and the future of storytelling
Check out our full College Essay Hub for tons of resources and guidance on writing your college essays. Need more personalized guidance on brainstorming or crafting your supplemental essays? Contact our college admissions team.
