The “why us” or “why school” prompt is one of the most popular supplemental essay questions asked on college applications. Here are just a few examples of how this prompt has showed up on applications in the past:
Please describe why you are interested in attending Tulane University. (50-800 words)
Please share with us why you consider Duke a good match for you. Is there something in particular about Duke’s academic or other offerings that attract you? (200 words)
Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you? (150 words)
Tell us why you decided to apply to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition, please include why you are interested in studying the major(s) you have selected. If you selected undecided, please describe your areas of possible academic interest. (650 words)
Which aspects of Tufts’ curriculum or undergraduate experience prompt your application? In short: “Why Tufts?” (200 words)
The “why us” essay is your opportunity to demonstrate that you are a great fit for a particular school, and the best “why us” essays are bolstered by specific school research! Here are some basic “dos” and “don’ts” to guide you as you embark on crafting your “why us” essays.
DON’T:
- Write about basic facts that you can find on the school’s landing page or brochure, like their student-teacher ratio or student body size. Because these facts are so widely available, they are bound to show up on thousands of other applications, which makes it more likely that your essay will fade into the background. Also, hinging your “why school” essay on something as obvious as student-teacher ratio may make it seem like you haven’t actually done that much thoughtful research on the school in question!
- Focus on “prestige” factors like reputation or ranking. Every year, admissions officers are flooded with applicants who seem to just be chasing admission to a prestigious university – any prestigious university. That kind of applicant is not nearly as impressive as an applicant who can demonstrate, through detailed research, why they are a good match for that school’s particular programs.
- Get caught up in vague or tangential details. Telling an admissions officer about the weather on the day of your visit or gushing that a college “just feels right” doesn’t make for a very convincing essay!
DO
- Conduct detailed research – beyond the school’s landing page. This is your moment to live out your private investigator dreams! Spend serious time on the school’s online course catalog, looking for specific programs, activities, and opportunities that set this school apart. Do boots-on-the-ground research by taking a real or virtual tour, or even visit a class if you can swing it. And if you know a current student, get in touch with them to ask them about their experience!
- Write about your intellectual interests. It’s important to articulate who you are as a student and what your intellectual and academic goals are. You don’t have to know your future career, or even sometimes your major, but they’ll be looking for intellectual curiosity and vitality. Admissions officers have to know what makes you tick in order to understand why you’re a good fit!
- Demonstrate how a school’s values align with your own. Sometimes you’ll find a school’s values explicitly stated in documents like Northwestern WILL, which lays out Northwestern’s goals and vision moving forward. Other times, you can deduce a school’s values by following them on social media, reading class syllabi, or tooling around on their website.
- Read the prompt and follow it closely. While lots of essays fall under the “why school” bucket, they all have their particularities. For example, some universities ask you to address the specific “college” that interests you (like the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts at Michigan), while others may ask you to consider a specific aspect of their curriculum. Make sure you’re responding precisely to the prompt that’s given!
Need more help navigating your supplemental essays, your personal statement, or the college application process in general? Our admissions team is here to help.
