I would say that you provide so much useful advice for students who are struggling with writing assignments for college applications! Your emphasis on answering the prompt is spot on.
While creativity is great, it should not come at the expense of addressing the key components of the prompt. The prompt highlighted in the message is an amazing example of how colleges want to see applicants engaging with important issues and discussing them with others. It’s important for students to remember that not everyone is an amazing writer, so following the prompt is generally a good strategy.
Overall, THX a lot for providing practical guidance for students who want to craft effective and thoughtful essays for their college applications!
I agree with @Lindagaf in large part, especially about not trying to be too “creative” or “unique” in answering the simple, direct question “Why us?”
However even with the essays I have reviewed here on CC with students via PM, I have grown tired of the endless citings of such and such a professor and such and such a class or such and such a club. It starts to feel contrived and really just reflects a quick look at websites.
I would emphasize actually visiting and letting them know a personal reaction to campus, academics and student life.
I read one essay that included so much info on some random professor that the student forgot to say they had visited three times!
By all means mention a particular major or curriculum factor in your choice. But don’t forget about location, size and especially “vibe.” Why is the school a good fit.
In other words, be natural. If a friend or relative sat down and asked why are you applying to that school, use that answer in your essay.
Trying to hard to prove you have researched can backfire. It can seem inauthentic and believe me, it is becoming generic.
Oh- and my best advice is to apply to only schools you really want (and can afford), keep the number of schools down as much as possible so essays are sincere, and try to visit!
Good points. Students shouldn’t just rehash stuff they found on the website. What separates the wheat from the chaff is using that information to show that the student offers what the college is looking for. That takes more than just using website info in a haphazard way.
I worked with a student who got in ED to the business school at a very selective college. Most of the student’s supplemental essays were repeating his message over and over, in some form or another. He tied his message, and how the college would help him achieve his goals, by referring to specific things that college offered. Specialized programs, organizations, and course sequences were referred to as they related to his goal.
I think, for this student, his consistency and driving home his message were key. You read his essays and were in no doubt about who he was and what he wanted to achieve. It’s hard to manufacture that. The student needs to believe it and make others believe it too. When they can do that, they have good supplemental essays.
I often find it hard to believe when a student says they really want to go to College X because they are excited to take x class with x professor. How many students actually choose a school that way? But if a school has a cool unusual major (I felt that way about Clark) that is a great reason to apply.
I think size can be important. Whether classes have sections with TA’s or professors teach everything, and also if the curriculum is free or there are a lot of gen eds, chance to do independent or interdisciplinary work. Location: urban, rural, suburban (hiking? skiing? city events? campus green or integrated in city?
And vibe: we visit dining hall, book store, library and sit outside to absorb the feel. An overnight visit or visit to classes can provide this kind of authentic “why us.” If you cannot afford a visit, then try to access current students.
Thanks for the tips. I will try to apply them. For me, writing an essay is always a very difficult task. I haven’t been able to develop my writing skills yet. And quite often, when I get a task to write an essay, I refer to the site where I can find research paper writing help to prepare my paper. Maybe someone knows this source? My mate recommended it to me. It really saves me. But I understand that I have to develop my writing skills myself.