Study Guides

How to Write a Perfect “Why This College” Essay

September 8, 2022

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Did you think you were all done pouring out your blood, sweat, and tears in written form for your personal statement, only to be faced with the “why this college” supplemental essay? This question might seem simple but is in fact a crucial and potentially tricky part of many college applications. What exactly is the “why us” essay trying to understand about you? And how do you answer this question without falling into its many pitfalls or making any rookie mistakes?

In this article, I’ll explain why colleges want you to be able to explain why you are applying. I’ll also discuss how to generate and brainstorm topics for this question and how to make yourself sound sincere and committed. Finally, we’ll go over some “why this school” essay do’s and don’ts.

This article is pretty detailed, so here’s a brief overview of what we’ll be covering:

Why Do Colleges Want You to Write a “Why Us” Essay?

College admissions officers have to read an incredible amount of student work to put together a winning class, so trust me when I say that everything they ask you to write is meaningful and important.

The purpose of the “why us” essay goes two ways. On the one hand, seeing how you answer this question gives admissions officers a sense of whether you know and value their school.

On the other hand, having to verbalize why you are applying gives you the chance to think about what you want to get out of your college experience, and whether your target schools fit your goals and aspirations.

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2 Types of “Why This College” Essay Prompts

The “why this college” essay is best thought of as a back and forth between you and the college. This means that your essay will really be answering two separate, albeit related, questions:

#1: “Why us?”—This is where you explain what makes the school special in your eyes, what attracted you to it, and what you think you’ll get out of your experience there.

#2: “Why you?”—This is the part where you talk about why you’ll fit in at the school, what qualities/skills/talents/abilities you’ll contribute to student life, and how your future will be impacted by the school and its opportunities.

Colleges usually use one of these approaches to frame this essay, meaning that your essay will lean heavier toward whichever question is favored in the prompt. For example, if the prompt is all about “why us?” you’ll want to put your main focus on praising the school. If the prompt instead is mostly configured as “why you?” you’ll want to dwell at length on your fit and potential.

It’s good to remember that these two prompts are simply two sides of the same coin. Your reasons for wanting to apply to a particular school can be made to fit either of these questions.

For instance, say you really want the chance to learn from the world-famous Professor X. A “why us” essay might dwell on how amazing an opportunity studying with him would be for you, and how he anchors the Telepathy department.

Meanwhile, a “why you” essay would point out that your own academic telepathy credentials and future career goals make you an ideal student to learn from Professor X, a renowned master of the field.

Next up, I’ll show you some real-life examples of what these two different approaches to the same prompt look like.

I hear the Rings of Power Department is really strong at that school, too. Check out the Gandalf seminar on repelling Balrogs—super easy A. (T-Jacques/Wikimedia)

“Why Us” Prompts

You can recognize this version of the prompt from phrases such as the following:

Why [this college]?
Why are you interested in [this college]?
Why is [this college] a good choice for you?
What do you like best about [this college]?
Why do you want to attend [this college]?

Below are some examples of actual “why us” college essay prompts:

Colorado College: “Why do you wish to attend Colorado College and how would the Block Plan serve your educational goals?”

New York University: “We would like to know more about your interest in NYU. What motivated you to apply to NYU? Why have you applied or expressed interest in a particular campus, school, college, program, and or area of study? If you have applied to more than one, please also tell us why you are interested in these additional areas of study or campuses. We want to understand—Why NYU?” (via the Common App)

Tufts University: “Which aspects of the Tufts undergraduate experience prompt your application? In short, ‘Why Tufts?'”

University of Michigan: “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?”

Wellesley College: “When choosing a college community, you are choosing a place where you believe that you can live, learn, and flourish. Generations of inspiring women have thrived in the Wellesley community, and we want to know what aspects of this community inspire you to consider Wellesley. We know that there are more than 100 reasons to choose Wellesley, but the ‘Wellesley 100’ is a good place to start. Visit The Wellesley 100 and let us know, in two well-developed paragraphs, which two items most attract, inspire, or energize you and why. (Not-so-secret tip: The ‘why’ matters to us.)”

Tell me all about … me.

“Why You?” Prompts

This type of prompt turns the tables slightly, asking something along the lines of the following:

Why are you a good match/fit for us?
What are you interests and how will you pursue them at [this college]?
What do you want to study and how will that correspond to our program?
What or how will you contribute?
Why you at [this college]?
Why are you applying to [this college]?

Here are some examples of the “why you” version of the college essay:

Babson College: “Your moment has arrived. Share with us the moments or experiences that have led you to apply to Babson College.”
Bowdoin College: “Generations of students have found connection and meaning in Bowdoin’s ‘The Offer of the College.’ … Which line from the Offer resonates most with you? Optional: The Offer represents Bowdoin’s values. Please reflect on the line you selected and how it has meaning to you.” (via the Common App)

Sure, Ultimate Frisbee is cool. But when I get to campus, I’m starting a quidditch league.

How to Write a Perfect “Why This College” Essay

No matter how the prompt is worded, this essay is a give-and-take of what you and the college have to offer each other. Your job is to quickly zoom in on your main points and use both precision and detail to sound sincere, excited, and authentic.

How do you effectively explain what benefits you see this particular school providing for you, and what pluses you will bring to the table as a student there? And how can you do this best using the small amount of space that you have (usually just one to two paragraphs)?

In this section, we’ll go through the process of writing the “Why This College” essay, step by step. First, I’ll talk about the prep work you’ll need to do. Next, we’ll go through how to brainstorm good topics (and touch on what topics to avoid). I’ll give you some tips on transforming your ideas and research into an actual essay. Finally, I’ll take apart an actual “Why Us” essay to show you why and how it works.

Step 1: Research the School

Before you can write about a school, you’ll need to know specific things that make it stand out and appeal to you and your interests. So where do you look for these? And how do you find the detail that will speak to you? Here are some ways you can learn more about a school.

In-Person Campus Visits

If you’re going on college tours, you’ve got the perfect opportunity to gather information about the school. Bring a notepad and write down the following:

Your tour guide’s name
One to two funny, surprising, or enthusiastic things your guide said about the school
Any unusual features of the campus, such as buildings, sculptures, layout, history, or traditions

Try to also connect with students or faculty while you’re there. If you visit a class, note which class it is and who teaches it. See whether you can briefly chat up a student (e.g., in the class you visit, around campus, in a dining area, etc.) and ask what he or she likes most about the school or what has been most surprising about being there.

Don’t forget to write down the answer! Trust me, you’ll forget it otherwise—especially if you do this on multiple college visits.

Virtual Campus Visits

If you can’t get to the campus of your target school in real life, the next best thing is an online tour, either from the school’s own website or from other websites, such as YOUniversityTV, CampusTours, or YouTube (search “[School Name] + tour”).

You can also connect with students without visiting the campus in person. Many admissions websites list contact information for currently enrolled students you can email to ask one or two questions about what their experience of the school has been like.

Or if you know what department, sport, or activity you’re interested in, you can ask the admissions office to put you in touch with a student who is involved with that particular interest.

Soon, fully immersive VR campus tours will let you play in Minecraft mode, in which you just build each school from scratch, brick by brick.

Alumni Interview

If you have an interview, ask your interviewer questions about his or her experience at the school and about what going to that school has done for him or her since graduation. As always, take notes!

College Fairs

If you have a chance to go to a college fair where your target college has representatives, don’t just come and pick up a brochure. Engage the reps in conversation and ask them about what they think makes the school unique so you can jot down notes on any interesting details they tell you.

The College’s Own Materials

Colleges publish lots and lots of different kinds of things—and all of these will be useful for your research. Here are some suggestions for what you can use. (You should be able to find all of the following resources online.)

Brochures and Course Catalogs

Read the mission statement of the school—does its educational philosophy align with yours? You should also read through its catalogs. Are there any programs, classes, departments, and/or activities that seem tailor-made for you in some way?

Pro Tip: These interesting features you find should be unusual in some way or different from what other schools offer. For example, being fascinated with the English department isn’t going to cut it unless you can discuss its unusual focus, its world-renowned professors, or the different way it structures the major that appeals to you specifically.

Alumni Magazine

Are any professors highlighted? Does their research speak to you or connect with a project you did in high school or for an extracurricular?

Sometimes alumni magazines will highlight a college’s new focus or new expansion. Does the construction of a new engineering school relate to your intended major? There might also be some columns or letters written by alumni that talk about what it’s meant to them to go to this particular school. What stands out about their experiences?

School/Campus Newspaper

Students write about the hot issues of the day, which means that the articles will be about the best and worst things on campus. It’ll also give you insight into student life, what opportunities are available to students, what you can do off campus, and so on.

The College’s Social Media

Your target school is most likely on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media. Follow the school to see what it’s posting about. Any exciting new campus developments? Professors in the news? Interesting events, clubs, or activities?

#Ireallyloveyourschool

Internet

Wikipedia is a great resource for learning basic details about a college’s history, traditions, and values. I also recommend looking for forums on College Confidential that specifically deal with the school you’re researching.

Another option is to search on Google for interesting phrases, such as “What students really think about [School Name]” or “[School Name] student forum.” This will help you get detailed points of view, comments about specific programs or courses, and insight into real student life.

Step 2: Brainstorm Potential Essay Topics

So what should you do now that you’ve completed a bunch of research? Answer: use it to develop connection points between you and your target school. These connections will be the skeleton of your “why this college” essay.

Find the Gems in Your Research

You have on hand all kinds of information, from your own personal experiences on campus, to your conversations with people affiliated with your target school, to what you’ve learned from campus publications, to tidbits gleaned from the web.

Now, it’s time to sift through all of your notes to find the three to five things that really speak to you. Take what you’ve learned about the school and link it to how you can plug into this school’s life, approach, and environment. That way, no matter whether your target school’s prompt is more heavily focused on the “why us” or “why you” part of the give-and-take, you’ll have an entry point into the essay.

But what should these three to five things be? What should you keep in mind when you’re looking for the gem that will become your topic?

Here are some words of wisdom from Calvin Wise, Director of Recruitment and former Associate Director of Admissions at Johns Hopkins University (bold emphasis mine):

“Focus on what makes us unique and why that interests you. Do your research, and articulate a multi-dimensional connection to the specific college or university. We do not want broad statements (the brick pathways and historic buildings are beautiful) or a rehash of the information on our website (College X offers a strong liberal arts curriculum). All institutions have similarities. We want you to talk about our differences.“

Time to find that diamond, amethyst, opal, tourmaline, or amber in the rough.

Check Your Gems for Color and Clarity

When I say “check your gems,” I mean make sure that each of the three to five things you’ve found is something your target school has that other schools don’t have.

This something should be seen from your own perspective. The point isn’t to generically praise the school but instead to go into detail about why it’s so great for you that they have this thing.

This something you find should be meaningful to the school and specific to you. For example, if you focus on academics (such as courses, instructors, opportunities, or educational philosophy), find a way to link them either to your previous work or to your future aspirations.

This something should not be shallow and non-specific. Want to live in a city? Every city has more than one college in it. Find a way to explain why this specific college in this specific city calls to you. Like pretty architecture? Many schools are beautiful, so dwell on why this particular place feels unlike any other. Like good weather, beach, skiing, or some other geographical attribute? There are many schools located near these places, and they know that people enjoy sunbathing. Either build a deeper connection or skip these as reasons.

Convert Your Gems Into Essay Topics

Every “why this college” essay is going to answer both the “why us” and the “why you” parts of the back-and-forth equation. But depending on which way your target school has worded its prompt, you’ll lean more heavily on that part. This is why I’m going to split this brainstorming into two parts—to go with the “why us” and “why you” types of questions.

Of course, since they are both sides of the same coin, you can always easily flip each of these ideas around in order to have it work well for the other type of prompt. For example, a “why us” essay might talk about how interesting the XYZ interdisciplinary project is and how it fits well with your senior project.

By contrast, a “why you” essay would take the same idea but flip it to say that you’ve learned through your senior project how you deeply value an interdisciplinary approach to academics, making you a great fit for this school and its commitment to such work, as evidenced by project XYZ.

Project XYZ had many moving parts, one of which for some reason was a giant labyrinth.

Possible “Why Us” Topics

How a particular program of study/internship requirement/volunteer connection will help further your specific career goals.

The school’s interesting approach to your future major (if you know what that will be) or a major that combines several disciplines that appeal to you and fit with your current academic work and interests.

How the school handles financial aid and the infrastructure setup for low-income students, and what that means for you in terms of opening doors.

A story about how you became interested in the school (if you learned about it in an interesting way). Did it host a high school contest you took part in? Feature a visual or performing art that you enjoyed and that you also do?

How you overcame an initial disinterest in the school (be sure to minimize this first negative impression). Did you do more research? Interact with someone on campus? Learn about the school’s commitment to the community? Learn about interesting research being done there?

A positive interaction you had with current students, faculty, or staff, as long as this is more than just, “Everyone I met was really nice.”

An experience you had while on a campus tour. Was there a super passionate tour guide? Any information that surprised you? Did something happen to transform your idea about the school or campus life (in a good way)?

Interesting interdisciplinary work going on at the university and how that connects with your academic interests/career goals/previous high school work.

The history of the school—but only if it’s meaningful to you in some way. Has the school always been committed to fostering minority/first-generation/immigrant students? Was it founded by someone you admire? Did it take an unpopular (but, to you, morally correct) stance at some crucial moment in history?

An amazing professor you can’t wait to learn from. Is there a chemistry professor whose current research meshes with a science fair project you did? A professor who’s a renowned scholar on your favorite author/genre? A professor whose book on economics finally made you understand the most recent financial crisis?

A class that sounds fascinating, especially if it’s in a field you want to major in. Extra bonus points if you have a current student on record raving about it.

A facility or piece of equipment you can’t wait to work in or with, and that doesn’t exist in many other places. Is there a specialty library with rare medieval manuscripts? Is there an observatory? A fleet of boats?

A required curriculum that appeals to you because it provides a solid grounding in the classics, shakes up the traditional canon, connects all the students on campus in one intellectual project, or is taught in a unique way.

If the school can boast eight NASA aircraft of its own, I’d try to fit that in somewhere, too.

Possible “Why You” Topics

Do you want to continue a project you worked on in high school? Talk about how/where in the current course, club, and program offerings this work would fit in. Why will you be a good addition to the team?

Have you always been involved in a community service project that’s already being done on campus? Write about integrating life on campus with events in the surrounding community.

Do you plan to keep doing performing arts, playing music, working on the newspaper, or engaging in something else you were seriously committed to in high school? Discuss how excited you are to join that existing organization.

Are you the perfect person to take advantage of an internship program (e.g., because you have already worked in this field, were exposed to it through your parents, have completed academic work that gives you some experience with it, etc.)?

Are you the ideal candidate for a study abroad opportunity (e.g., because you can speak the language of the country, it’s a place where you’ve worked or studied before, your career goals are international in some respect, etc.)?

Are you a stand-out match for an undergraduate research project (e.g., because you’ll major in this field, you’ve always wanted to work with this professor, you want to pursue research as a career option, etc.)?

Is there something you were deeply involved with that doesn’t currently exist on campus? Offer to start a club for it. And I mean a club (you aren’t going to magically create a new academic department or even a new academic course, so don’t try offering that!). If you do write about this, make double (and even triple) sure that the school doesn’t already have a club/course/program for this interest.

What are some of the programs and/or activities you plan to get involved with on campus and what unique qualities will you bring to them?

Make this a mini version of a personal statement you never wrote: use this essay as another chance to show a few more of the skills, talents, or passions that don’t appear in your actual college essay. What’s the runner-up interest that you didn’t write about? What opportunity, program, or offering at the school lines up with it?

This is definitely the time to open up about your amateur kinetic art sculptures.

Possible Topics for a College That’s Not Your First Choice

If you’re writing about a school you’re not completely psyched about, one way to sidestep the issue is to focus on what getting this degree will do for you in the future. How do you see yourself changing existing systems, helping others, or otherwise succeeding?

Alternatively, discuss what the school values academically, socially, environmentally, and/or philosophically, and how this connects with what you also care about. Does it have a vegan, organic, and cruelty-free cafeteria? A relationship with a local farm or garden? De-emphasized fraternity involvement? Strong commitment to environmental issues? Lots of opportunities to contribute to the community surrounding the school? Active tolerance and inclusion for various minority groups?

Try to find at least one or two features you’re excited about for each of the schools on your list. If you can’t think of a single reason why this would be a good place for you to go, maybe you shouldn’t be applying there!

Topics to Avoid in Your Essay

Don’t write about general characteristics, such as a school’s location (or the weather in that location), reputation, or student body size. For example, anyone applying to the Webb Institute, which has just about 100 students, should by all means talk about having a preference for tiny, close-knit communities. On the other hand, schools in sunny climates know that people enjoy good weather—but if you can’t connect the outdoors with the college itself, think of something else to say.

Don’t talk about your sports fandom. Saying “I can see myself in crimson and white/blue and orange/[some color] and [some other color]” is both overused and not a persuasive reason for wanting to go to a particular college. After all, you could cheer for a team without going to the school! Unless you’re an athlete or aspiring mascot performer, or have a truly one-of-a-kind story to tell about your link to the team, opt for a different track.

Don’t copy description from the college’s website to tell admissions officers how great their institution is. They don’t want to hear praise; they want to hear how you connect with their school. So if something on the college brochure speaks to you, explain why this specific detail matters to you and how your past experiences, academic work, extracurricular interests, and/or hobbies connect with it.

Don’t use college rankings as a reason for why you want to go to a school. Of course prestige matters, but schools that are ranked right next to each other on the list are at about the same level of prestige. What makes you choose one over the other?

If you decide to write about a future major, don’t just talk about what you want to study and why. Make sure that you also explain why you want to study this thing at this particular school. What do they do differently from other colleges?

Don’t wax poetic about the school’s pretty campus. “From the moment I stepped on your campus, I knew it was the place for me” is another cliché—and another way to say basically nothing about why you actually want to go to this particular school. Lots of schools are pretty, and many are pretty in the exact same way.

Pop quiz: this pretty Gothic building is on what college campus? Yup, that’s right—could be anywhere.

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Step 3: Nail the Execution

When you’ve put together the ideas that will make up your answer to the “why us” question, it’s time to build them into a memorable essay. Here are some tips for doing that successfully:

Jump right in. The essay is short, so there’s no need for an introduction or conclusion. Spend the first paragraph delving into your best one or two reasons for applying. Then, use the second paragraph to go into slightly less detail about reasons 2 (or 3) through 5.

To thine own self be true. Write in your own voice and be sincere about what you’re saying. Believe me—the reader can tell when you mean it and when you’re just blathering!

Details, details, details. Show the school that you’ve done your research. Are there any classes, professors, clubs, or activities you’re excited about at the school? Be specific (for example, “I’m fascinated by the work Dr. Jenny Johnson has done with interactive sound installations”).

If you plan on attending if admitted, say so. Colleges care about the numbers of acceptances deeply, so it might help to know you’re a sure thing. But don’t write this if you don’t mean it!

Don’t cut and paste the same essay for every school. At least once you’ll most likely forget to change the school name or some other telling detail. You also don’t want to have too much vague, cookie-cutter reasoning or else you’ll start to sound bland and forgettable.

For more tips, check out our step-by-step essay-writing advice.

Cookie cutters: great for dough, terrible for college applications.

Example of a Great “Why This College” Essay

At this point, it’ll be helpful to take a look at a “why us” essay that works and figure out what the author did to create a meaningful answer to this challenging question.

Here is a “Why Tufts” Essay from James Gregoire ’19 for Tufts University:

It was on my official visit with the cross country team that I realized Tufts was the perfect school for me. Our topics of conversation ranged from Asian geography to efficient movement patterns, and everyone spoke enthusiastically about what they were involved in on campus. I really related with the guys I met, and I think they represent the passion that Tufts’ students have. I can pursue my dream of being a successful entrepreneur by joining the Tufts Entrepreneurs Society, pursuing an Entrepreneurial Leadership minor, and taking part in an up-and-coming computer science program.

Here are some of the main reasons this essay is so effective:

Interaction with current students. James writes about hanging out with the cross country team and sounds excited about meeting them.

“I’m a great fit.” He uses the conversation with the cross country guys to talk about his own good fit here (“I really related with the guys I met”).

Why the school is special. James also uses the conversation as a way to show that he enjoys the variety of opportunities Tufts offers (their fun conversation covers Asian geography, movement patterns, and other things they “were involved with on campus”).

Taking advantage of this specialness. James doesn’t just list things Tufts offers but also explains which of them are of specific value to him. He’s interested in being an entrepreneur, so the Tufts Entrepreneurs Society and the Entrepreneurial Leadership courses appeal to him.

Awareness of what the school is up to. Finally, James shows that he’s aware of the latest Tufts developments when he mentions the new computer science program.

You can see more great “why this school” essays for Tufts by visiting the Tufts website.

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The Bottom Line: Writing a Great “Why This College” Essay

The “why this college” essay is essentially looking for three things:

Proof that you understand what makes this college different and special
Evidence that you’ll be a good fit at this school
Evidence that this college will, in turn, be a good fit for you

The prompt may be phrased in one of two ways: “Why us?” or “Why you?” But these are sides of the same coin and will be addressed in your essay regardless of the prompt style.

Writing the perfect “why this school” essay requires you to first research the specific qualities and characteristics of this school that appeal to you. You can find this information by doing any or all of the following:

Visiting campuses in person or virtually to interact with current students and faculty

Posing questions to your college interviewer or to reps at college fairs

Reading the college’s own materials, such as its brochures, official website, alumni magazine, campus newspaper, and/or social media

Looking at other websites that talk about the school

To find a topic to write about for your essay, find the three to five things that really speak to you about the school and then link each of them to yourself, your interests, your goals, and/or your strengths.

Avoid using clichés that could be true for any school, such as architecture, geography, weather, or sports fandom. Instead, focus on the details that differentiate your target school from all the others.

What’s Next?

Are you also working on your personal statement? If you’re using the Common App, check out our complete breakdown of the Common App prompts and learn how to pick the best prompt for you.

If you’re applying to a University of California school, we’ve got an in-depth article on how to write effective UC personal statements.

And if you’re submitting ApplyTexas applications, read our helpful guide on how to approach the many different ApplyTexas essay prompts.

Struggling with the college application process as a whole? Our expert guides teach you how to ask for recommendations, how to write about extracurriculars, and how to research colleges.

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We’ve written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: