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The famous Why Essay is one of the most common supplemental essay types, and it’s not difficult to ascertain why that is.
When competitive colleges and universities are trying to carefully select applicants to admit to their institution, they want to find the ones who really want to be there.
The “Why This College” Essay allows applicants to make their case for why they are a perfect fit (and why, in turn, the school in question is a perfect fit for them) while enabling admissions officers to distinguish between applicants who give perfunctory responses and those who go the extra mile.
The Why Essay can make the difference between acceptance and rejection, so let’s explore what it takes to write a winning one.
This shape-shifting question can come in many forms as it attempts to solicit information like: What will you do when you get here? How will you take advantage of all the resources our school has to offer? How will the school support your academic or professional goals? And how do your past experiences or future goals support these claims?
It complements the personal statement, which serves to offer admissions insight into your background, character, strengths, etc.
It’s likely that many schools to which you apply will ask the “why” question in slightly different ways (and with a WIDE range of word limits).
Let’s take a look at some common examples of Why Essay prompts:
What is it about Yale that has led you to apply? (125 words or fewer)
What led to your interest in William & Mary? (300 words or fewer)
Brown’s Open Curriculum allows students to explore broadly while also diving deeply into their academic pursuits. Tell us about any academic interests that excite you, and how you might pursue them at Brown. (200-250 words)
Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate College or School (including preferred admission and dual degree programs) to which you are applying at the University of Michigan. How would that curriculum support your interests? (550 words or fewer)
Out of the thousands of universities and colleges, why are you interested in attending Chapman? (200 words or fewer)
How does the University of Chicago, 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 UChicago. (1-2 pages)
What is your sense of Duke as a university and a community, and why do you consider it a good match for you? If there’s something in particular about our offerings that attracts you, feel free to share that as well. (250 word limit)
All successful applicants accomplish these three things in their Why Essays:
Why Essays can be tricky because they can quickly veer into incredibly generic territory, so no matter what, there are two essential components to a successful Why Essay: in-depth knowledge of a school and a convincing demonstration of personal interest.
Both of these elements require that you actually know what any given institution has to offer. And you know what that means? Research.
In order to complete sufficient research to write a Why Essay that stands out, we recommend spending an hour or two immersed in the school’s website. Click around on all the tabs and read through their academic mission, cultural boasts, notable alumni, majors and classes, and unique community offerings.
Is there something specific in the curriculum that calls out to you? A professor’s name that you recognize? Are you excited that there is a super active volunteering community? Do you want to join the school’s nationally ranked a cappella group or equestrian club?
Once you have solid notes from your time spent researching, it’s time to turn the lens back on your experiences. It is one thing to say you want to join the elite marine biology program at your school of choice, but it’s much more convincing if you also mention that you spent a summer on Cape Cod studying the migration patterns of humpback whales or that you write a blog about your favorite deep sea “current” events (see what we did there?).
Don’t expect admissions to make the connection between your transcript, activity list, and interest in their school—build the bridge for them.
By connecting your past experiences to your dream school’s offerings, you will show admissions that this is a natural next step for you.
You aren’t just interested in declaring a certain major or joining a specific club; you already have evidence that you will enjoy and/or excel in that arena (not to mention contribute valuable life experience and passion to their community!).
This isn’t to say that you can’t mention interests that you have yet to explore—you’re still young, and admissions knows that you have many hats to try on still—but those interests should not be your main focus.
*Unless the prompt asks students to address academics only.
If you had the opportunity to visit campus, you should address it in your “Why This College” Essay. While on campus, ask the tour guide questions and take notes—not just on their responses, but on everything you’re thinking and feeling.
What does the campus look like, smell like? Which dining hall did you eat at? What did you have? Was there an exciting lab you discovered or a mock newsroom you would love to have access to? Did you see a game of pickup basketball that you would have totally joined had you been wearing the proper sneakers? Did you learn the school anthem at a football game?
Not everything you write down will make it into your final draft, but these kinds of details will pull admissions into your story and show you reader that you have put thought into what your life would be like as a student at their school.
It’s worth noting that, even if you’re not able to visit the school’s campus, you can still come up with a lot of material by putting time and effort into exploring all that you can find on the internet. It is the information age after all (do people still say that?).
The odds are that, if you have to write one “Why This College” Essay, you may very well need to write two (or three or four!).
We do not recommend creating a generic template for your school (e.g., “I want to go to ____ for the amazing campus and to study _____ with award-winning professors”) in which you plop in details, but rather to:
What do they have in common? Are they all vague (e.g., “Why do you want to go here?”) or are some more academics-focused while others are more community-focused?
Take time to reflect on why you’re applying to the schools on your list. You should know! Once you have an idea of your why, consider whether that why is similar for all the schools on your list (e.g., you’re applying to schools with the best business programs in the country) or different (e.g., you like a certain school because of the culture and community and its proximity to home, but you like another because of its interdisciplinary curriculum and study abroad opportunities).
If you’re applying to Michigan, which asks for an academics-focused Why Essay, and Duke, which asks for a community-focused Why Essay, and William & Mary, which asks for an open-ended Why Essay, you likely need to write two essays, one for Michigan, and one for Duke. Then you can create a “Frankenstein essay” for William & Mary that blends your interests while including W&M-specific details.
Always start with the longest essay and work your way down to the shortest. It is easier to cut content than to flesh it out.
Remember that your Why Essay should also tell a story, so think about how you’d like to frame your interest.
Admissions officers know what their institution has to offer; what they want to know is what calls to you, specifically, and how you would be a good fit for those offerings.
Everyone can tell when an applicant has put the bare minimum amount of effort into their Why Essay. These essays sound like almost any student could have written them, which completely defeats the purpose of the Why Essay, which is to better get to know you, the applicant, as well as your aspirations and ability to do research and summarize your interest. If anyone else can put their name on your essay, you’ve missed the mark.
This is why we always encourage applicants to proofread their essays and share them with a trusted friend, teacher, mentor, or College Essay Advisor. There is nothing worse than a fabulous Why Essay with one tiny mistake that leaves admissions with a scowl.
The Why Essay is your chance to show admissions officers that you’ve done your research and mapped out how your unique interests and experiences align with their mission, community, and offerings. It’s not just about why their school is a perfect fit for you—it’s about why you and their school are a perfect fit for each other.
We at College Essay Advisors have been guiding students one-on-one through the Why Essay writing process for school-specific supplements for over twenty years. We take a holistic approach to these essays, considering each student’s application package as a whole and helping them to concisely communicate their interest while framing their attendance as the natural next step in their academic career.
Our Advisors accommodate each student’s scheduling needs to virtually brainstorm, draft, and revise winning Why Essays. It’s incredibly important to us that each student’s voice is preserved, and we pride ourselves in helping students to write successful essays that differentiate them from similarly qualified applicants. For more information, submit a contact form and/or review our one-on-one advising services.
"I wanted to reach out and thank you for the phenomenal job you did with [my daughter] on the essays. It was a pleasure to read and to see the differences a few versions make. I have no doubt the essays helped [my daughter] secure her Yale acceptance. "
– CEA Parent, Yale University, Class of 2025
"Becca has been AMAZing!! She was really able to understand [my son], keep him on task and help him to organize his thoughts in a logical manner. His Duke essays cleaned up so nicely. And I think he learned so much in the process too!"
– CEA Parent, Duke, Class of 2027
Very specific! If you know what you’d like to major in, explore the course catalog and identify a few classes you’d like to take or professors you’d love to learn from or research with.
No, you can’t use the same exact essay for multiple schools; however, you can use some of the same framing devices and/or recycle some content, depending on how much prompt overlap there is. You should always replace school-specific details.
Take a virtual tour! Check out the school’s website, student blogs, and social media! Many applicants apply to schools they haven’t had the opportunity to visit in person. Do as much as you can to familiarize yourself with the school’s culture, community, and academic offerings so you can envision what you’d want your life to look like once on campus.
We typically advise applicants not to include information about the school’s rankings or reputation. Trust us—the admissions committee knows how their school ranks and they also know the prestige associated with those ranks. Instead, focus your essay on your own qualifications and skills that you will further develop over the course of the next four years with the aid of your dream school’s offerings.
