How to write the “Why

this College” essays

‘Why This College’ Essays
‘Why This College’ Essays
Is this essay about me or about the school?
The short answer is both. The ultimate goal is to demonstrate that you and the school are a good match.
Think of this essay as an opportunity to show the admissions committee that you’ve done your research
about the school and can genuinely see yourself there. Many colleges consider your interest as part of the
admissions process, so it’s important to make your enthusiasm clear.
However, that doesn’t mean you should just list the obvious qualities of the college; you’ll be able to find
that information in a brochure. Instead, you need to dig deeper.
Your essay should be personal to you as an applicant. For instance, you might describe how your
personal and academic journey led you to this school, how the college will help you succeed in your future
career, or something else to your unique situation. Whatever you choose to say, it should be about both
you and the school and why your characteristics are aligned.
As always, the writing counts, too. Make your essay interesting, personal, and unique — avoid clichés and
obvious answers. Remember: The goal of every aspect of your application is to stand out.
Types of “Why College” Prompts.
- What factors influenced your decision to apply to Barnard College and why do you think the College
would be a good match for you?
- What do you hope to experience at Brown through the Open Curriculum, and what do you hope to
contribute to our community? (250 word limit)
- Why do you wish to attend Colorado College and how would you contribute to the community? (no
more than 250 words)
- Please tell us what you value most about [our college] and why. (300 words or less)
- How will you explore your intellectual and academic interests at University of Pennsylvania? Please
answer this question given the specific undergraduate school to which you are applying. (400-650
words)
- What is it about Yale that has led you to apply? (125 words or fewer)
- Other parts of your application give us a sense for how you might contribute to Northwestern
University. But we also want to consider how Northwestern will contribute to your interests and
goals. In 300 words or less, help us understand what aspects of Northwestern appeal most to you,
and how you'll make use of specific resources and opportunities here. (300 words)
Dos of the why college
essay

- Reference specific programs

- Talk about what you want to accomplish
- Reference classes and professors by
name
- Talk about what makes the college
special TO YOU
What makes every university special
Each American university has unique programs, courses, and
organizations that differentiate it from all of the others. These can
range from on campus writing centers that help students improve
their writing ability, make connections in literary organizations, and
eventually get published; to business and engineering competitions
that offer cash prizes and university support for innovative plans
and inventions. It is incredibly important to reference these factors
that make the university special while you are talking about your
interest in their campus community.
Examples
Engineering
- Makerlabs/hackerspaces
- 3D printers
- Innovation prizes
- Arduino Lab
Business
- Consulting organizations
- Venture Capital Club
International relations
- Study abroad program
resources
- UN-partnered programs /
volunteering with refugees
- Institute for African
Development
Biology
- Specialized labs
- State of the art equipment
Volunteering & social work
- Girls-only STEM development
- Art Beyond Cornell (doing art
projects with youth in juvenile
detention centers)
How to research for the “why college” supplement

- Look on the college website

- Watch YouTube videos from students at the college
- Read forums like college confidential and reddit.com/r/applyingtocollege

Think about what you are actually interested in studying, let’s take biology for
example. Type into google biology with the name of your college and see what
comes up. Look for teachers, clubs, research opportunities, really anything that
interests you.
How to research specific classes
As you begin to research each university that you are interested in, you will see
that each academic department releases the name and a short description of the
courses that they offer. Referencing the specific courses that you are interested in
can be a very compelling reason to attend the university. If you want to go the
extra mile, you can talk about the professors who are experts in your desired
course of study and talk about why you can find them only at the university that
you are applying to.

- Look at specific majors that the university offers

- Beyond just “Economics” or “Business,” you should really focus on finding the SPECIFIC
major that really interests you.
- Look at the specific class titles read syllabi
- Look into the professors and their research/published materials
Don’ts of the “why college” supplement
Don’t

- Reference generic aspects of the college

- Tell the admissions office what they already know
- Get facts wrong
- Sound too materialistic
- Rush your essay
- Compliment the college too much
Specific vs. Generic extracurriculars
Don’t just write about the broad programs that every college offers like Model
United Nations, Debate, or Mock Trial. Try to look deeply into the things that are
unique to the college.
How to write the “activities” supplement essay
Many colleges will ask you to write a short (150 to 250 word)
supplemental essay that elaborates on your experience in an
extracurricular activity. You should use this as an opportunity to tell a story
about something meaningful that you have done outside of school that
demonstrates your deep level of engagement.

This doesn’t have to be an essay about the most impressive thing that you
have ever done or the moment that you realized you were interested in
your course of study, instead you should focus on conveying your deep
passion for the activity and talking about the lessons that you have
learned from your time participating in the activity.
Example of an effective activity supplement
I took my first ballet class when I was three years old, and ever since then I have known that I want
to be a ballerina. During the school year, I would take ballet classes six days a week, and beginning
in middle school I spent summers at intensive ballet camps. When I was 14, I was accepted into the
Joffrey Ballet’s pre-professional program, one of the most competitive youth ballet troupes in the
country. I have now spent three years in the pre-professional program, which involves practicing and
performing roughly 30 hours a week. I have also auditioned and been selected for roles in 8
company productions that are seen by hundreds of audience members each night. I have loved
ballet nearly my entire life, and I plan to continue working as a ballerina and mentoring children and
teenagers who are interested in ballet.
Second Example of Effective Activity Supplement
When I started high school I thought it would be a good idea to join a sports team since my family had
just moved to the area. One of my classmates suggested I try out for the soccer team. I made the junior
varsity team and stayed on it for two years until I joined the varsity team as a junior. I love playing
soccer and the feeling I get knowing I’m a member of a team. Being part of the soccer team helped me
make friends and feel like I was part of the school’s community. Because my soccer team helped me so
much, as a junior I proposed a mentoring program where experienced team members helped freshman
players adjust to high school. The mentors would make sure the freshman weren’t feeling
overwhelmed, had people to talk to, and found activities and classes they liked. The program was a
great success, with many members commenting on how much they enjoyed it. This year, I helped three
other sports teams implement the program. Doing this has helped me become more confident and
better at public speaking. My high school dean has also asked that I speak to other teams in the hopes
that, eventually, each of my school’s sports teams will have a similar mentoring program.