While filling in your college applications, you'll encounter the "Why Us" essay frequently. The purpose of these essays is to demonstrate – why you're an excellent match for a particular college or university. It is a critical essay to show your interest in a specific college or university.
Before you even begin to answer the question, let's know why universities ask this question in the first place.
Purpose of this Essay
In reading your response to this question, colleges are hoping to determine the following:
Whether you genuinely know and have an interest in their school
You might think your application should be enough to demonstrate an interest in a college; it's not. Many students apply to schools simply because they recognize the name, know the school has an excellent reputation, or are merely influenced by their families and friends. Since colleges have a limited number of seats available, they want to admit students who have a genuine interest and are committed to their school.
Whether you'll be a good fit for the school
While going through your essay, the college admissions officers try to picture you on their campus and the values you bring to college. Then, they try to assess whether you'll fit in and thrive in their college, what contributions you will make to their community and whether or not your personality is a good fit for the school's culture and values.
Whether the school is a good fit for you
When it comes to admissions, not only do you need to be a good fit for the school, but the school needs to be a good fit for you. Through the essay, they assess whether your academic goals align with the school's programs, whether or not you will be successful at school, is the learning approach a good fit for you, and what academic programs, extracurricular activities, research, and internship opportunities you can make the most of.
The "Why this college/university?" essay and variations around it are among the most popular supplemental essay questions on their college applications. Since it is a prevalent and popular question, brainstorming becomes even more complicated. Therefore, we've simplified the answer to this question and fit them into the 3 Ps – People, Place, and Program.
People
Universities are universities because of the people that run them – the students, faculties, deans, presidents, professors, etc. Values are imparted through people, and so is knowledge. The kind of people you are surrounded with also impacts the kind of experience you would have at a college or university. You might want to surround yourself with different people depending on your preferences.
While addressing the "Why Us" essay, you can talk about the community at the university at large and the people that make them up. Research what sets their community apart from others and if that piques your interest, talk about it! Appreciate the community of the university you'll be enrolling in because these people will have an impact on your experience.
You can talk about clubs at a specific university of particular interest to you. This demonstrates the interest and research work that you have put in. For example: University of Michigan - Ann Arbor has a unique club called "Ann Arbor Ninja Warrior" based on the hit tv show American Ninja Warrior. Students train together to improve the skills necessary to be successful on various obstacles and courses. If this is something of interest to you, feel free to mention it in your essay!
You can also address the culture as one factor that interests you about a particular place. It doesn't necessarily have to be about the university's culture; it can also be that of a school or city. For example, NYU Stern's culture could be vastly different from NYU CAS's. You can go into the details of all the cultural aspects you admire about the school or university you're applying to or a city's culture that intrigues you.
Another thing you can talk about while addressing the people is the mention of colors and mascots used by your university that you might resonate well with. These things often set the tone of what the university stands for or represents, which could be a good thing to discuss. For example: "Roar-ee the Lion" – the mascot of Columbia University was adopted as a reference to the institution's royal past. Therefore, if you resonate with what the mascot stands for or depicts, it could be a great thing to mention in your essay or draw inferences from it.
Different mottos of schools also represent different cultures because these mottos come from the people who have been a part of this institution for ages. This culture is usually passed down to the successors year by year. For example – Colby College's motto is "Lux Mentis Scientia," which means "knowledge is the light of the mind," whereas the motto for Brandeis College is "Truth even unto its innermost parts." These mottos stand for different causes, and if they speak volumes to you, they could be worth mentioning in the essay.
Apart from the mottos, many traditions might be specific to the school or university you're applying to. These traditions can be official and unofficial. For example, Dartmouth's Night and Homecoming tradition has been ongoing for years and is one of the official traditions administered by the university itself. In contrast, Indiana University has the unofficial tradition in the memory of Walt Blacconiere, a professor known for ending his classes with a round of applause – his way of expressing appreciation for the learning that had taken place that day and for the students' efforts to grow intellectually. After his death, students and faculty adopted the clapping tradition at the end of each class to remember Blacconiere and recognize the effort that both faculty and students put into teaching and learning.
If there are specific traditions about a university that make you more inclined or interested in them, this essay is a good place for you to talk about them.
Place
The world is your stage when considering enrolling in a university! However, before you shortlist universities, you shortlist countries and states. Your decision to choose a specific country or state can depend upon factors like – proximity to home, climate, permanent residence opportunities, the cultural history of a place, etc.
Feel free to mention what you like about the place, why you chose this specific location, and this specific university. Also, discuss all the variables you considered when you decided to send your application to the university.
Did the city's history intrigue you enough to be a part of this university? For example – Accusations of witchcraft were made in and around the town of Salem in Massachusetts from 1692 to 1693. This made the town a major attraction for tourists and students from nearby towns.
You could also be intrigued by the university's history. For example – Princeton University was originally founded as the College of New Jersey by New Light Presbyterians to train ministers. The university now retains several landmarks from its rich history, such as its oldest building Nassau Hall, which dates back to 1756. Nassau Hall was technically the temporary capital of the US for four months in 1783 when the Continental Congress met there.
Did you consider future prospects and career opportunities due to its proximity to lucrative markets? For example – was the proximity to Silicon Valley one of the factors of applying to the University of California for you?
Is the climate in that city really preferable for you? Do you want to be closer to the beaches or mountains? Do you want to avoid the busyness of city life and live on the city's outskirts? Talk about anything you feel was a crucial deciding factor for your college application.
Program
Beyond the cultural and location considerations, most students apply to universities for the courses and programs offered. Therefore, your academic goals need to align with what the school's academic programs offer because that ensures synergy between the goals and enriches the quality of your university experience.
Certain universities are known for their curriculums and programs.
Degree
A Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Bachelor of Science (BS) are undergraduate degrees you can earn at universities. Although programs vary depending on the school, BS degrees typically have more coursework in subjects such as science, math, and technology, while BA degrees tend to focus more heavily on the arts, humanities, and social sciences. However, a lot of US universities provide you with a more liberal choice.
For example - There are some instances where you may have a choice of degree, such as a BA or BS in Psychology. In that case, the focus of your program, and to some extent the coursework you take, will depend on the degree you choose to pursue. Psychology majors may choose to pursue a BA if they prefer social work or counseling, or a BS if they enjoy lab research.
Structure of Study
The structure of the study also significantly differs from university to university. You can talk about how a specific subject is taught at the university of your choice to highlight your interest and inclination towards it.
For example - Foundations of Management and Entrepreneurship (FME) is a yearlong course-required for all first-year students- to help them learn how to lead, work in a team, manage obstacles, take risks, navigate uncertainty, and see a plan through to completion.
“FME is one of the things that truly separates the Babson learning experience from the rest. Most schoolfors rely on textbooks and case studies, while the FME experience puts theory into practice, exposing you to many aspects of the business you can’t learn in a classroom such as team dynamics and real-time decision-making. When it comes to entrepreneurship, there is nothing more valuable than real-world experience, and FME delivers Babson students with exactly that.”
Dave Heath
Co-Founder and CEO, Bombas
Did you pick this specific university because it aligned perfectly with the course or program you wish to pursue? Are there any specific classes that you are looking forward to attending? Is there a unique way of class teaching that no other university offers?
Mention your academic motivations behind enrolling in this university because it demonstrates your interest and commitment to your major and academics. Write what you're passionate about, what you see in your future, and how this specific university helps you achieve those goals.
Once you brainstorm enough ideas about these 3 Ps, you should have enough things to talk about in your "Why Us?" university essay. Post that; it's about articulating ideas that make your essay stand out.
SOURCES
“Academics.” Academics | Undergraduate Admissions | The University of Texas at Austin, https://admissions.utexas.edu/explore/academics.
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