Some colleges have the “typical” supplement essay topic such as “Why (insert college name here)?”. Then, there are the other topics.
For questions like “Describe an intellectual experience” or “Talk about the origin of your name,” do you have to mention anything about the college that you are applying to? Should you just answer the question and no more or tie in something about the college? I’m not sure how to go about this.
Also, does anyone have any tips on making the “Why” essay stand out? It seems that they all tend to be about the same.
Just answer the question; the point of the essay is to write about yourself, not the college. Besides, what are you going to tell admissions officers about the college that they don’t already know?
For the “Why” essay, again, you’re writing about your academic interests, extracurricular interests, career goals, and what you’re looking for in a school. Then you write how that school will support you in these areas; you want them to see the kind of person you are and say, “Oh, he / she sounds like he’d / she’d fit in well at this school.”
So the “Why” essay is still pretty much cookie-cutter…I’ll probably just play around with the format then.
Thanks a bunch!
Actually, the “Why” essay is not cookie cutter (assuming you’re applying to schools inside the US News top 50, or competitive specialty programs). You need to discuss specific offerings the school has that would further your goals/interests (a unique minor, a professor’s seminar on some abstruse topic that caught your attention, a service organization not found at other schools, etc.).
Tread carefully - you need to show sincerity!
On the other hand, the Common App essay is all about you. The “you” that will be apparent in the “why” essay is the credible experience you have that relates to how the school can further your existing interests.
Oh, I didn’t mean it in that way! I was just referring to the template:
Or am I getting this wrong?