How to Write a “Why Us?” Admissions Essay
August is upon us! For many high school seniors, that means one thing – college application season. Like most things about senior year, the college application process challenges you to look forward and backward simultaneously.
You look backward over your last three years of high school, reconnecting with old teachers as you seek out potential recommenders and advice, and then back even further as you catalog the moments that have shaped you for your personal statement. Then, before you can catch your breath, you're imagining a seemingly far-off future: finalizing your college list, identifying potential majors… and responding to dozens of school-specific supplemental essay prompts.
What is the “Why Us?” Essay?
No essay challenges your future-imagining skills more than the “Why us?” prompt. These prompts come in all shapes and sizes, but the essential underlying questions are the same:
Have you done your research on our unique offerings?
If you’re admitted, would you actually come here?
And, most importantly, Why are we a good match for each other?
If you’ve already written your personal statement, you remember that the basics steps of the writing process apply here, too: brainstorm, freewrite, structure, revise, and polish. Unsurprisingly, these steps all apply to the “Why us?” essay as well, with minor tweaks. Let’s tailor these steps to the “Why us?” prompt.
Step One: Research & Reflect
Like all college essay prompts, think of this question as an invitation to personal reflection. If you are admitted, what would your day-to-day life look like at this school? What classes would you be taking? What extracurriculars would you be involved in? What would be the big-picture life questions motivating you, and what opportunities would there be for exploring those questions?
This essay is your chance to develop that picture for yourself and then communicate it in writing to an admissions officer. If you’ve written your personal statement or other supplemental essays, you’ve already begun to think about what you hope to get out of your college experience as a whole. Now’s the time to match those desires with what this particular school can offer.
How can you know that? Research, and lot’s of it.
When I’m coaching students through the research process, I encourage them approach the college website with the following list of questions in mind:
What are this college’s stated values? How do these align with my own? Start at the school’s “About Us” or “Our Mission” webpage. What values do they hope their students come away with? While you’ll have to sift through a lot of advertising speak, try to identify one or two values that actually resonate with you. Does the college highlight their faculty and student’s commitment to collaboration? Service? Research?
What majors do they offer within my field of interest? What classes required for that major are most exciting to me? You should be able to hunt down a full list of undergraduate majors. Check out the websites of the two to three that are most exciting to you. What classes are required? Pick the one that is most exciting to you and read through the course description. Are there any unique aspects of how the course is run (projects, etc.), who’s teaching it, or what texts you’ll read that stand out to you? Are there opportunities for further concentration within that major, beyond the required course list?
If you had the chance to conduct research with one professor, who would it be? Find the faculty list for your potential department and look through any highlighted research interests. Is there a particular research project that touches on questions that excite you?
What’s one non-academic extracurricular activity you imagine yourself participating in? Most schools will publish a list of student groups. Be patient as these lists often rely on current students to update their listings and may contain little or outdated information. Do your best to gather accurate information, and don’t be afraid to think outside the box!
If you toured this college, was there anything that stood out to you? Did your tour guide mention the name of a popular student hangout or student group that jumped out to you? Now’s your chance to follow those leads (and make sure you have an accurate memory of names and other details!).
Step Two: Sift & Outline
Now that you’ve completed your research, you’re ready to outline. Sift through the information you’ve gathered. Depending on that school’s word count, your goal is to identify three to five of your most compelling reasons for wanting to attend that particular school.
When I say “compelling” here I mean two things: 1) the aspects of the school you are genuinely most passionate about and 2) what parts of your research would allow you to make the most convincing case for your admission. Remember, while we call this a “Why us?” essay, it’s really a “Why are we (you and the school) a match?” essay. That means, like all of your supplemental essays, this essay should, ultimately, still focus on you.
Some questions you might consider in this sifting process are as follows:
Do any of these opportunities build on experiences I’ve had in high school?
Do any of these reasons speak to opportunities you didn’t have a chance to pursue in high school but that you can demonstrate you have a “thirst” for? (Consider these options: lab research opportunities, study abroad, niche extracurriculars, or more esoteric majors.)
After you have your list of compelling reasons in front of you, see if you notice any common threads. This might be a good opportunity to review your “What does this college value?” research. If you see alignment, this can be a helpful way to anchor the start and close of your essay.
Step Three: Write!
Now’s your chance to paint a clear picture of what your life would look like at this college for an admissions officer. As with all of your essays, try to strike a balance between description and analysis. If an image or scene stands out from your tour, now’s your chance to incorporate it. As you write, also keep in mind a few things to steer clear of:
Don’t waste words talking about how great the city is or how beautiful the campus is. You can certainly mention these things, but don’t belabor them.
Don’t suck up! The school already knows it has a prestigious reputation or rigorous academics. And everyone who’s applying knows–and will write about–that, too.
Don’t get the details wrong. Every school will have a slightly different name for their study abroad programs, environmental club, residential college or dorm system, and Gender Studies major. Triple check yourself as you incorporate these details.
Step Four: Proofread
Before you begin your final editing process, double check your word limit. The “Why us?” prompts at various schools can range from 150 to 650 words–and these are very different essays to write! You don’t want to waste your time polishing a 500 word essay you need to get down to 200. As you read, make sure that the essay isn’t so generic it could be submitted for another school – and that it is at least 25% about you.
Contact a North Avenue Writing Coach Today to Ensure You Stand Out
Whether you’re on your first supplemental essay or embarking on your tenth, you may find it useful to work with our expert tutors, who can help as you seek to craft an effective response to all the prompts you might encounter on your college applications. Reach out today to get started on your apps!
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