REALLY struggling with the 'Why Northwestern' essay...

Colleges and Universities A-Z Northwestern University
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<p>This is the last supplement I have to complete, and I'm having a really, really tough time of figuring it out. I've heard admissions puts a lot of weight in viewing this, and for some reason or another, I can't seem to get it right. I've written bits and pieces of it, haven't really finished any of the paragraphs or proofread it or anything at all. I just don't feel like I'm on the right track at all ... does anyone mind taking a look at it, maybe give me some hints?</p>

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<p>Throughout my education, I am proud to say that I’ve put in the effort and work to have a successful academic career. I’ve taken the AP classes; I’ve studied for hours on end to pull out an ‘A’ in a class that I seemed destined for a ‘B’; I’ve met with teachers and gone in for extra help – and in the end, I’ve gotten as much out of it as I had to put in. </p>

<p>That being said, I’m not looking for a walk in the park after high school. At Northwestern, a university with thousands of courses, and hundreds of students who have achieved similar success in high school as me, I expect much the same challenge. </p>

<p>Yet, the truth is, there are numerous schools throughout the country which have programs similar to that of Northwestern. In today’s world, the desire for knowledge is abundant and the number of professors ready and willing to share it is even greater; college is no longer the black and white hierarchy that it used to be. Whichever school a student chooses, it is sure to have a challenging curriculum for all students. So why, I find myself often asked, are you applying to this school, rather than this one? If they’re all challenging academically, what makes this one stand out? And to be quite honest, this question isn’t always the easiest one to answer – sometimes, your decision might be based solely on what someone else has told you, or something you’ve read online, and personally, the choice might mean no more than the name. </p>

<p>But in the case of Northwestern, the answer to such questions comes to me as easy as any. Beyond the education and beyond the rigor of the program, no school offers the atmosphere and experience that this university does. </p>

<p>“The Rock,” the primal growl before finals and at athletic events, </p>

<p>Just miles from the city of Chicago, students are just minutes from an array of endless opportunities. The prospect of internships and employment at large corporations and businesses is right around the corner. As a student interested in both business and economics, Chicago’s designation as a world financial center and a large business district says to me that if you are interested in such a career, this city is the place to be. And if I had the ability to gain the necessary knowledge at the university, and then translate it into real-world experience, I would be well on my way to achieving not only a successful education, but whole experience as well.</p>

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<p>I mean, I quoted Hannah Montana in my essay.</p>

<p>I **** you not my friends.</p>

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<p>Cjct-I see that you are a new poster and may not be aware of this, but you should NEVER post your essay for all to see. Anyone could steal any part of it. I suggest you ask the moderators to remove your post and then change your thread to just ask for help privately. If anyone volunteered to help, you could then send your essay directly to that person in the form of a private message (PM).</p>

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<p>IMO, in a “why College X” essay, you never want to tell them what they already know about themselves. Colleges KNOW that they are located in the bustling metropolis / in leafy suburbs / in the bucolic countryside. Colleges KNOW that they are located in / near a big city and that those cities offer many opportunities. Don’t rehash what they know.</p>

<p>I would personally either focus on very specific things about the university that only that university offers (a particular club, organization, program, etc. that you wish to join or participate in) or I would approach it from “what I can do for Northwestern.” Your essay right now is all about “what Northwestern can do for me.” It feels very generic - you discovered that NU is near a big city and that big city offers opportunities. There’s sort of a “well, duh” about that IMO. What are you saying about NU that couldn’t equally be said about any top college located in or near a major city? </p>

<p>As for things like the Rock (disclaimer - my S mentioned the Rock in his essay, but he had a unique twist on it), you need to not just cite that these things exist (every NU adcom knows what the Rock is, etc.) but why those things appeal to you uniquely.</p>

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<p>Pizzagirl’s post is one of the best I have ever seen on CC. I have nothing to add beyond telling everyone to take it seriously.</p>

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<p>I second Pizzagirl’s comments. My S, who is a freshman at NU, spent time in his “Why NU?” essay discussing at length the interdsiciplinary programs that are, IMO, a special feature of NU. He focused on a particular one (Integrated Science Program, which he’s enrolled in), how an ISP approach leads to cutting edge research and what he’d be bringing to the table.</p>

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<p>For reference, I talked about my Chicago roots and NU’s improv scene. I would also have talked about residential colleges had I known they existed. I think I spent about 20 minutes on all my NU supplements. They probably turned out better than all my other essays.</p>

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<p>Because my S had spent significant time on the campus in summer programs and as an alumni kid, he was able to reference specific activities / parts of the campus in a way that really “placed” him there in the reader’s eye. But he had to link “why I like it here” to “who I am as a person and what I can do to enhance the university community” (whether that is in academics or extracurriculars). </p>

<p>If I may give the OP some specific feedback:</p>

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<p>You and 20,000 other applicants to Northwestern (or any selective school). You have not told us why NU; you’ve given platitudes about working hard. None of this distinguishes you from any other candidate.</p>

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<p>Is it really any different from 20 years ago? What, there was no desire for knowledge back then? What does “black and white hierarchy” mean? This isn’t saying anything.</p>

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<p>They don’t want to hear about how you’re struggling to answer the question. They want to hear the answer. </p>

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<p>This is where you need SPECIFICS. Descriptive, descriptive, descriptive. Show me, don’t tell me. </p>

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<p>This is all about “you’re next to Chicago,” which I assure you every adcom member is fully aware of. You could say the same thing about DePaul, or Lake Forest, or Loyola, or U Chicago. What is specific to Northwestern here?</p>

<p>And this is all about what Northwestern can do for me. It’s very take-take-take. I want to go to NU because then <em>I</em> can go do x, y and z. You need to convey that you are going to bring something to the NU community, not just squeeze it dry for your own goals.</p>

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<p>I agree… Its soo good up until the last two paragraphs.</p>

<p>But DON’T worry! This is already better than mine…
I wrote mine the night it was due… Talk about procrastination! I didn’t even have anyone look over it. But I still got in. So, don’t you worry!</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>“Beyond the education and beyond the rigor of the program, no school offers the atmosphere and experience that this university does.”</p>

<p>Which is what? WHAT is the atmosphere? WHAT is the experience? What about those things could only be said about NU and could not be said about another selective school? What makes you think the atmosphere and experience at NU is appreciably different from fill-in-the-blank similarly situated school? What in their materials, website, approach, interviews, alumni meetings, etc. gives you that impression? </p>

<p>For each of the 18 or so schools we visited, I kept a mental note on what I perceived as the values of that school - whether it was global community, social justice, preparing tomorrow’s leaders, being inclusive, celebrating the joy of life, being easy-going, being intense, environmental consciousness, encouraging creativity, whatever. This is rhetorical for your use only, but what values do you think NU has, and what gives you that impression? That can be a starting point.</p>

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<p>I suggest visiting the campus if you haven’t already. It really inspired me when I wrote mine. I went for the Northwestern Vs. Michigan State football game and on the way home, my essay practically typed itself. The campus has such a great feel :)</p>

<p>I also suggest, although it might be a little late in the year for it, going to the info session if a rep goes to your school, it will give you a lot to write about!</p>

<p>Best of luck!</p>

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<p>What has been helping me when writing my “Why this school” essays is to pretend I am talking to an admissions officer. If you got to meet with the board of admissions for 2 minutes, you would get to the point. They would want to hear why their school is valuable to you. Show you have taken the time to learn about the school and why you want it. Be specific. Generally I would advise against talking about the city. They want you to want to go to Northwestern even if it was in the desert. </p>

<p>You have the common app essay to wax poetic. This essay should be content oriented. It should be well-written, but you get what I mean.</p>

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<p>And it is!</p>

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<p>I second pretty much everything Pizzagirl said. I would add that you take too long to get to your point, and the first paragraph seems like bragging. Imo, by talking about how the question is difficult to answer, you also seem defensive of your answer - kind of like, “I know my answer is weak, but it’s not my fault, it’s a really hard question!” Maybe no one else thinks this, but that’s kind of the impression I got. You sound like you’re waffling.</p>

<p>As others have said, BE SPECIFIC. Talk about specific classes, professors, clubs, team, residential colleges, etc.</p>

<p>Also, it’s called the primal SCREAM. We don’t growl, lol.</p>

<p>I also second truzzi. If someone copies and pastes your essay and an adcom notices that two people have the same essay, chances are that they won’t investigate which was the original and BOTH apps will be tossed out. If you have to ask for advice over the Internet, ask people willing to help to PM you, and even then, it’s unwise to send your essay to people who are/could be fellow applicants.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>