​“Why this school?” “Why this major?”

My students dread writing the “Why” essays, and I loathe reading them. Why? Because they seem to have no creativity, especially when the word count is often limited to 100 or 250 words. The “Why” essays may seem pointless, but I believe admissions uses these essays to separate the wheat from the chaff. Each school you apply to is well aware that you are applying to at least ten other colleges, and with a quick glance at the “Why” essay, they can determine which applicants have taken a serious look at their school—and which have not.

Another upside to writing "Why" essays is that the prompts force you to take a deep dive into your major, department and college to determine if it is the best fit for you. I've seen students change their minds about their dream school after researching "Why" essays because programs at another school seemed more appealing and inline with their goals. 

​Understand the Prompt

As with “personal insight” essays, your successful application begins with understanding and breaking down the prompt. Be clear about what the prompt is asking. A great way to do this is to highlight the key points. If the prompt has more than one point, type them in a list.
 
Below are actual “Why” prompts, but I have removed the school names so you can easily see how these four prompts differ:​

• Why State University?
• Why are you drawn to the area(s) of study indicated in your application?
• Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate college or school to which you are applying at State University.
• How does State University, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to State University.  

The first school’s prompt is wide open. Not only should you discuss academic opportunities available, but you can also include campus clubs and events, school traditions, and the institution’s surrounding community or city. Don’t randomly throw things into your essay or it will be clear you merely lifted information from the school’s website. Anything included must have context and be relevant to you. Be genuine.
 
The second and third prompts, though similar, are slightly different. The second one’s focus is “area(s) of study” while the third’s is a “specific undergraduate college or school.” The latter is slightly broader. “Why are you drawn to” and “describe the unique qualities that attract you” are also similar but responses about you need tweaking to satisfy the specific prompt.
 
The fourth prompt is similar to the first but goes into more detail explaining the prompt and asks you to specifically address three things: learning, community, and future.

​Do Your Research
 
With any “Why” prompt, do your homework about the specific school. Have you visited or will you visit the school? When you do, take a guided tour, talk with students, try to meet with professors and students in your major, and take notes! If you can’t visit the school, investigate the school’s website to take their virtual tours, talk to any friends or acquaintances who go there, or contact alumni in your area. Get school-specific information as it relates to you and the prompt. In your essays, when appropriate, mention a faculty member you’d like to study or work with—and give an explanation. If applicable, mention specific research conducted at the school and any internship or program opportunities that interest you, and reasons for their appeal.
 
Even for a short "Why" essay, you must do a tremendous amount of research about the school in order to find those two to three things to mention in your essay. To convince the school that you are a serious contender, click through every relevant page on the school’s website to find what you need. Typical pages you might investigate are:

• Academics
• Department
• Major, Minor, Double-Majors, Interdisciplinary Majors
• Specific Programs or Tracks within a Major*
• Faculty
• Research
• Centers and Institutes on campus
• Internships
• Campus Life
• Student Activities (clubs and organizations)
• Study Abroad Opportunities

 
*Avoid mentioning specific classes unless they are truly unique. The exception is if you are discussing interdisciplinary studies and point out specific courses relevant to you in another department/major and why.  Same goes for your minor: it's okay to mention two to three electives in the minor to show how you will apply that minor to your major and overall goals.    
 
Be Specific

Chapman University does a great job of explaining what to do—and not to do—in a “Why” essay. Here’s their prompt:
 
                                                      There are thousands of universities and colleges.
                                                      Why are you interested in attending Chapman?

And here are the instructions on the website:

• We're looking for specifics! What separates Chapman from the other institutions you're considering?
  What special programs, activities and aspects of campus are most attractive and compelling to you?

• We're well aware that our campus is in a fantastic location and is aesthetically pleasing
  (we hear about Disneyland and how beautiful our campus is frequently).
  Dig a little deeper to show us you know why Chapman could be a great fit for you!

“Specifics” is the key word. Chapman comes right out and tells you not to bother brown-nosing and to spare them the fluff. Additional generic comments to avoid include “great weather,” “top-ranked program,” “low student-to-faculty ratio,” “world-renowned professors,” and “great alumni network.” Avoid comments you could make about any school. If you bring up studying abroad, internships, research opportunities, or interdisciplinary studies, be sure to go beyond the mention and include substantive content relevant to the school and to you.
 
Some Final Pointers

If you are an incoming freshman who hasn’t decided on a major or career yet, don’t fret.  What is important is that you can express one or two areas of interest to show admissions you have some direction. That said, don’t apply to a tech school if you don’t have any interest in the sciences, and don’t apply to an agricultural school if you think you want to work in psychology or marketing. A school’s “Why” prompt is a good guide to determine if you can submit a solid application or not. If not, opt for liberal arts colleges or universities that don’t have an academic “Why” essay (the University of California is a good example) or don't require you to have specific goals as an incoming freshman--and the resume to back it up.
 
Keep your focus on each school as you craft your essays. If you refer to a particular place on campus or the school’s colors, be sure you’ve got such details right! I know one student who got rejected because he emailed admissions about a swim team the school didn’t have.
 
If your “Why” essay reads like a brochure about the college, you haven’t done a thorough job and it will be obvious you lifted or paraphrased copy from the school’s website.  By talking about how the things you choose to discuss in your essay relate to you and your future, you can move away from the generic statements that any applicant could say.
 
Similarly, be careful of your essay sounding like a list. If you merely mention certain professors, research being done at the university or a speaker’s program, it’s just a list. You must give specific details about these people, things and activities, and express why you have brought them up.

Don't try to jam too much into your essay. Let your word count guide you. If it's 250 words, then select two to three items to focus on. This will give you room to discuss your reasons why you are mentioning the things you are and lets admissions know what you want to do in life and what you intend to take advantage of at their school to start your journey.

Remember, tens of thousands of students are applying to each school. Show admissions you know the school and yourself. Make impressions, not statements.
​
 
                                   For examples of effective “Why” essays, see my book, The Write Way into College. 

​Has one of your prospective colleges invited you to interview with an alum? If so, don’t just show up, prepare! Get ready for your meeting as if you were writing a “why” essay for your application. If you’ve already written one, review it.
 
Know the answers to these questions:​

Why this university? 
What has drawn you to this university?
What do you want to study? 
What do you want to do with your life?
 
Other things you should be prepared to talk about: 

• Your major(s) and minor at the school.
• Any specific academic programs or tracks you are interested in, if applicable.
• The names of one or two professors in your department(s) whose work and/or research is of interest you (and why this work/research is relevant to you).
• A group, organization or club (or two) on campus that you’d like to get involved in (and why).

 
Practice interviewing with your parents or friends. Record your conversation and review the video for cues on how to improve your posture, eye contact, and use of your hands.

On the Day of the Interview

If you're the nervous type, exercise or walk before your interview. Dress appropriately, even if your meeting takes place over the Internet. If wearing a suit is your thing, go ahead, but “nice casual” is fine.

Arrive with a few questions of your own, whether they are about your planned course of study at the university or student life. Bring a pad of paper and pen. Have your list of questions with you, and don't hesitate to write down something the interviewer says that you want to follow up on or a question that comes up during your conversation.
 
If you need an icebreaker, ask the alum why s/he chose the school and what his/her favorite memories are. 
 
If the chair you are sitting in is deep, sit on the edge of it so you can sit up. If the chair swivels, ground your feet so you don't swivel. 
 
Overall, don't be a "bad date." Have something to say, but also listen. Respond to the conversation as it goes. Breathe, maintain eye contact (but don't stare!), smile (naturally, of course). Be genuine; be yourself. Like dating, if it's meant to be, it will be.