No matter how many timeline graphics and FAQs a college site has, the admission process for first-time undergraduates is still… well, a tangled mess. This becomes even more complicated when factors like financial aid add to the confusion. Certifications and other required paperwork pile on top of the exam worries, and everything has to be completed on time. Different colleges have different essay formats and lengths. How do you keep track of it all? What do you even put in a “Why Us?” essay?! Deep breaths. We will figure it out together.
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Things To Know Before You Learn How To Write The Why Us Essay
Why do colleges need your admission essays?
Let’s better understand why the admission essays exist so you know what colleges need from you. When you are applying to universities at the cusp of your high school graduation, your grades do, of course, matter. But many colleges have low admission rates due to the influx of applicants. Even a high academic bar cannot cut enough candidates. So, the applicants have to provide further context about themselves. What do their backgrounds look like? What are their extracurricular accomplishments, if any? What are their motivations for joining the school and future ambitions? In other words, colleges want to know who you are. It’s not that they think you are a bad human if you didn’t get in — it’s just that the committee decided you’re not the best fit for each other.
In a previous blog post, we looked at myths students believe about college life from the professors’ POV. One professor said:
“At the start of each term, I tell students that they have just bought an extremely expensive intellectual gym membership. It gives them access to a huge range of classes, instructors, good facilities (library, etc), dedicated performance support staff (learning advisors, counselors, etc). But they’ve still got to turn up and do the work if they want to see their fitness improve, let alone achieve any gains.”
Why is that relevant? Basically, every athlete has their own goals that require specific equipment. If you’re a heavy lifter, you need a gym with barbells, not a ballet studio. Schools have expensive resources to offer their students; the admission committee has to make sure they select candidates who will benefit the most. And bring glory to the dojo, so to speak. So, if you fit all academic requirements but still didn’t get in, chances are the committee decided you cannot make the best of their resources and, vice versa, their resources cannot cover your needs. But how do they make such a decision? College admission essays help the committee hear your authentic voice and make sure you understand what you’re getting into. The essays also show if you know what you want and how well you researched the school.
How are US college essays different?
Of course, essay requirements vary across countries depending on the education system. UK applications are called “personal statements” and focus more on the courses students choose and their connection to the subject than the school itself. That’s what Oxford says on the matter:
“Tutors at Oxford are only interested in your academic ability and potential. They want to see that you are truly committed to the subject or subjects you want to study at university but it’s not enough just to say that you have a passion for something. You need to show tutors how you have engaged with your subject, above and beyond whatever you have studied at school or college. This can include any relevant extra-curricular activities. […] We typically suggest that you focus around 80% of your personal statement on your academic interests, abilities and achievements. This can include discussion of any relevant extra-curricular activities. The remaining 20% can then cover any unrelated extra-curricular activities. There’s a myth that Oxford is looking for the most well-rounded applicants, and that you will only be offered a place if you have a long list of varied extra-curricular activities. In fact, extra-curricular activities are only helpful in so far as they demonstrate the selection criteria for your course.”
In contrast, American schools want to know about the student and why they are interested in their college of choice. There is often a required prompt and a couple of optional questions the universities provide.
Duke asks: 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)
Cornell asks: Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected and specifically, why do you want to pursue this major at Cornell CALS? You should share how your current interests, related experiences, and/or goals influenced your choice. (500 word limit)
And here are the examples of optional questions:
“We believe a wide range of viewpoints, beliefs, and lived experiences are essential to maintaining Duke as a vibrant and meaningful living and learning community. Feel free to share with us anything in this context that might help us better understand you and what you might bring to our community.”
“At Cornell CALS, we aim to leave the world better than we found it, so we seek out those who are passionate about serving the public good. Please elaborate on an experience where you were able to have a meaningful impact on people, a community, and/or an environment of importance to you.”
As you can see, there is a stark difference.
So what is a “Why Us?” essay?
A “Why Us?” essay asks why you’re interested in a specific school and what makes it a good fit for your academic and personal goals. The purpose is to show the admissions team that you’ve done your research and genuinely care about what they offer. “Why do you like us, and how will you fit in?” This essay is your chance to explain why you’re a perfect candidate to attend that particular school and why it’s a great match for you.
The required questions in the examples we included are essentially “Why Us?” essay prompts. Many top schools like Columbia University, Brown, Oberlin, and the University of Michigan require this type of essay. Even if your dream school doesn’t ask for it outright, it’s still worth researching the examples to be prepared. Unlike personal statements that focus on you, a “Why Us?” essay is more about the college. You must show what excites you about the university and how you’ll make the most of its resources. Think of it as a two-way street: you’re not just explaining what you bring to the table but also why you like the college and what it can give you. The “us” in “Why Us?” is plural: “Why our university and you, together?”
NYU’s independent student newspaper, Washington Square News, explained it best. In 2022, NYU replaced its 400-word “Why NYU?” essay prompt with a shorter, optional equity-focused one. Editor Naisha Roy explained her opposition to the decision in an opinion piece.
“Demographics, the required personal essay and extracurricular activities are all places that admissions officers can look to find the ways in which a student brings diversity. There is no other space on the application, however, where students can explain why they are interested in a particular program at NYU, or why it is their dream school. The “why this college” essay is the only place where students can demonstrate how a college might serve them, instead of merely marketing themselves to the institution. The prompt also requires students to actually research the college they’re applying to instead of getting swept away by the university’s perceived prestige. This is especially important for a college like NYU, which has a very unique campus, and programs that can be obscured by a starry-eyed dream of what life is like in the heart of New York City.”
How To Write A Why Us College Essay
Always keep in mind you’re not struggling alone. One Reddit user expressed their frustration:
“Colleges don’t want to hear the same generic things over and over again. They don’t want to hear about their location, size, or the majors they offer. They want you to come up with special things about their school. BUT GET THIS! If you ask any student or teacher at that school, “What’s unique about your school?” or, “Why did you choose (insert school name)?” THEY WILL START LISTING LOCATION, SIZE, literally all the things people say not to talk about!!! I’m sorry, but if your own teachers and students can’t come up with unique things about your school, you shouldn’t be allowed to have a “Why Us?” essay! Don’t be asking us this question when you can’t even answer it yourself!”
Clearly, there’s a lot of confusion going around. It will be helpful to start with the common mistakes candidates make when writing a “Why Us?” essay.
Common Mistakes Students Make
- Being generic. As that Reddit user correctly said, saying you like the school because of “the great campus” or “the amazing professors” is not the best idea. You want to avoid vague answers and sweeping, emotional statements many others give. Look at the comments from the same Reddit discussion. What do you notice?
“Columbia offers something very unique. IT’S IN NEW YORK. That’s a big reason why there are so many opportunities. I mean c’mon… think about the internships! So, I find it difficult not talking about the location when it makes Columbia what it is.”
“If someone tells you not to mention NYC in your Why Columbia, they’re wrong. You definitely should. However, there’s a difference between saying you love Columbia because of NYC and telling the Adcom specifically what opportunities NYC, and by extension Columbia, affords you.”
There’s a good point here. Mentioning locations and campus buildings is not necessarily bad; it’s how you do it. Be specific. Tying the location to internships in your chosen field or campus facilities like labs to research you want to conduct is not the same as raving about a city you’ve never been to, like a tourist rather than a student.
- Copy-pasting. Including the hackneyed facts about the campus life, you’ve seen on Gilmore Girls. Reusing the info from the college brochure or website. Recycling the same “Why Us?” essay for multiple schools. Admissions teams can tell when you’re being lazy and haven’t researched what the school is as an establishment. Each essay should be tailored to the unique qualities of the school you’re applying to, down to the varsity mascot.
- Focusing too much on rankings. Sure, prestige is nice, but your essay should be about what excites you beyond rankings. Talk about programs and opportunities that resonate with you tangibly. Don’t just list your accomplishments, either. The admissions committee will see your laurels elsewhere on the application.
Research the crispy biscuits out of your dream school online and IRL
Dig into the specifics — what exactly makes the campus or professors so special to you? To answer that you have to research the school. Start online with the school’s website. Check out their programs, student life, and academic offerings. Explore their mission statement, what makes their program unique, and what facilities are available. You can also explore social media pages or even take a virtual campus tour if the college offers one.
If you can, tour the campus physically. Attend info sessions and sit in on a class. Pay attention to what the student culture feels like — are people friendly? Do you feel comfortable? Also, chat with current students and professors to get firsthand perspectives. Many schools offer supplemental events like open houses or preview days, which can give you a taste of campus life.
Find reviews from other students and academic professionals. Reviews from students can offer the most honest insight. Look at platforms like Niche, Unigo, and College Confidential, where real students post their experiences. Be cautious — while reviews are helpful, remember that not every experience will match your own. Try to get a mix of opinions and focus on the aspects most important to you. LinkedIn and academic journals are great places to find perspectives from educational professionals. Some college program reviews might be published in industry-specific magazines or online forums. These reviews tend to focus on academic rigor and career outcomes, so they’re worth looking into if you’re aiming for a specific career path.
Check out the college’s academic department website for details about specific courses and their syllabi. Some schools offer downloadable syllabi for students to review before choosing classes. You can also reach out directly to the department or professors to ask for more information. Online course review platforms like RateMyProfessors sometimes include insights into the workload and structure of particular courses.
Get to writing, finally
Your research is done. You pinpointed which of the school’s offerings will be helpful to you, and you can explain why. It’s time to decide on an approach and get it all written down. Depending on the word limit, focusing on 1-2 things might be necessary, but it’s better to give a list of 3-5 reasons, or even more if the format allows.
In both cases, open with a clear thesis: who are you? What do you want to study at the school? Why?
Give examples of the school’s resources (programs, facilities, professors) and link them back to your choice, explaining how you’d utilize the former to help you with the latter. Name names and add details to demonstrate your research and understanding of the school and what you want. You should aim to list exclusive opportunities only that one college can offer you. Obviously, that’s not always a realistic criterion; in such cases, just be specific. Construct the text consecutively: one example-one explanation, repeat.
Concentrate the attention on your academic path of choice. But, if the longer word limit allows, you can branch out into extracurricular activities the campus offers, like social events, sports, and charities. Give one strong example. Remember to avoid empty emotional responses, but ground your interest within your personality, background, or system of values. Here, feel free to mention an academic opportunity outside your chosen course that still genuinely calls to you. Doesn’t matter if it is complimentary to your potential major or entirely out of the left field — it’s here to add some facets to your portrait. Maybe it’s a subject you’d consider for a minor degree, or something you always wanted to try your hand at but never had the chance.
You can put any small details you’d like to include — like additional extracurriculars, campus details that excite you, family anecdotes — in one paragraph towards the end, if the format allows. Make your selections in a way that will demonstrate your social potential in the community. Provide a brief overview of what you can offer the school if there are some additional points your main examples didn’t fully explore.
For the essay conclusion, don’t blabber. Give one-two sentences that highlight the main points where you and the school align.
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