<p>Hello. I have some confusions about one of Rice's questions on the common app.</p>
<p>"With the understanding that the choice of academic school you indicated is not binding, explain why you are applying to that particular school of study."</p>
<p>I am applying to Chemical Engineering - but is this question asking me why I'm applying to Chemical engineering in general, or why am I applying to Rice's George R. Brown School of Engineering? </p>
<p>The question is about your application to Rice. They want to know why you have elected to pursue engineering at Rice, instead of music, architecture, etc.</p>
<p>I thought the question asked more about the particular school you are applying to. Key words: PARTICULAR school of study</p>
<p>In the questions section of the application, you picked a specific school. I wrote mine about why I am applying to the School of Natural Sciences. </p>
<p>Thanks for clearing that up. Should I focus more on what I can bring to the school or what they can bring to me?</p>
<p>What the school of engineering can bring to you. </p>
<p>In the last essay, you end up writing about what you can bring to Rice university as a whole. </p>
<p>But doesn’t the university already know what they can bring to me? I feel like I should include something in there about what I can bring to the university, even if such info is included in the other essays as well.</p>
<p>Write about the awesome things that the school of engineering has to offer, then emphasize why that fits you in particular by describing yourself. Boom. Best of both worlds.</p>
<p>Do both, but probably place more emphasis on what YOU can bring to THEM. By admitting students, Rice is taking a chance on you as a potential return on investment, be it in the form of a distinguished scholar, wealthy donor-to-be…anything to help boost Rice’s reputation. Just articulate exactly how you’re planning on taking what Rice has to offer to its fullest potential and show them what you can bring to the table.</p>
<p>"But doesn’t the university already know what they can bring to me? "</p>
<p>Not really. The school knows what they can OFFER you, but not what you really take away. Focus on what makes you unique and how what Rice offers benefits you and how you will parlay what you learn into the future.</p>
<p>Wait, so the OP shouldn’t write about why s/he wants to study ChemE at rice? Only about the School of Engineering in general?</p>
<p>The OP can write about either. My point is that the OP should not write about the school of engineering/chemE but about themselves and why they want to study chemE/Engineering and how they will benefit/learn/grow by being at Rice (or something like this)</p>
<p>Hey guys. Been keeping up on this thread but I have written my Rice supplement to this question. </p>
<p>Would any of you be willing to read over it and see if its capturing what the question is asking?</p>
<p>I’d be willing to help if you still need it, @Ctesiphon </p>
<p>Maybe but from your post history it seems the only thing you do on these forums is ask people if they want help with their college essays.</p>
<p>I’ll let you stay occupied with their essays, but thanks for the offer.</p>
<p>I’m applying to the school of architecture, and one of the architecture supplementals is “What aspirations, experiences, or relationships have motivated you to pursue the study of architecture?” which is practically the same as why I’m applying to that school. How am I supposed to delineate between the two when the general gist of my essay will be why I am interested in architecture?</p>
<p>I think that architecture prompt is more asking of your specific interest in architecture and what personal experiences have motivated you to pursue that field.</p>
<p>The essay I asked about in the OP was asking more why Rice is a good fit and why I am applying to Rice’s engineering/science school in particular.</p>
<p>I think you can talk about the features of the particular school under under the question “How did you first learn about Rice University and what motivated you to apply?”. And there’s another question ( the one with the 500 word limit) where you can talk about what you can bring to Rice.</p>
<p>So I think you should talk about your interest in your major in this one. That’s what I plan on doing!</p>
I wrote about why I’m passionate about bio in that section. Like not exactly why their program appeals to me more than, say U Chicago’s, and not really about “I’ve done x, y, and z so you want me to be there” but about why I want to go into science and learn about science more so than history or english or any other subject. It seemed to work