Approaching the ‘Why This College?’ Supplement
Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay
by Sarah M.
Supplemental essays are colleges’ chance to ask questions unique to them. These essays are usually short, but they can be a lot of work, because it’s so essential to make sure that your answers are tailored to each college (when that is what the prompt is asking for).
Several prompts come up again and again, from college to college. This post will focus on one of the most common: “Why do you want to go to this college?” or “Why are you a great fit for our campus?”
It can be hard to know exactly what to say. Long gone are the days when you could write, as JFK did in 1935, “I feel that Harvard can give me a better background and a better liberal education than any other university. I have always wanted to go there, as I have felt that it is not just another college, but is a university with something definite to offer.” (Yes, that is actually what he wrote. Yes, he got in.)
Today, your answer has to be a lot more personal, and a lot more unique.
Remember, thousands of applicants are answering this question, and saying many of the same things. How can you stand out? Here a few things to keep in mind:
- This is an essay that requires research. You need to show that you know a few specific things about the college. This could be a department or professor you’re particularly drawn to, a club or a sport you can’t wait to join, or something unique about the campus culture. Make sure you browse the school’s website, paying attention to things like the mission statement, the basics of the curriculum, and the community ethos that the college presents.
- Then, think about what actually is important to you about the colleges you have chosen. It can be hard to do this in the rush of application season, but pause for a moment here and consider: Are you excited about the idea of a small campus where you really get to know your professors? Or are you excited by a huge research university with infinite opportunities for new experiences? Are you interested in the core curriculum that will give you a well-rounded introduction to a little bit of everything? Or do you love that there are no requirements, and you have to blaze your own trail? These are all topics you could address, when explaining what draws you to a particular school.
- Finally, in this kind of essay, it’s important to talk about what a particular school has that you like—but it’s equally important to talk about how you yourself will contribute to that school. Do you aspire to do independent research? Or to do community outreach? Will you continue certain activities from your high school years? Or is there a particular opportunity you didn’t have then, that you would at this school?
As an Essay Narwhal, you have to give your readers an idea of how you plan to join and add to the college you’re applying to—again, with some specific references to how you will do that on this specific campus.