The not so typical "Why Essay"

Transfer Students
1

<p>I am not the typical transfer applicant, but I have a special scenario. Well right now I'm in cornell eng, and I live in nyc. Things are going badly back at home with my dad, he recently had a stroke and has been in the hospital. I think I might have to end up transferring to a school near nyc and columbia is perfect for it. </p>

<p>So my why essay has nothing to do with the extra privileges or better facilities because Cornell is a world renown institute. Instead i'm going to write about the troubles at home and the problems my dad is facing and how I can help; do you think I would be allowed to write a why essay like this ?(since there is not going to be much research involved (even though many threads say that the why essay should contain specific info about the school), and my reason for transferring is more of a convenient and family reason</p>

2

<p>i think you can but someone who might have better, more academic reasons would probably get picked over you. you do have (presumably) strong HS grades and hopefully that’ll be the case here this semester, too, so that might give you a boost. i would write about your family but also show that the school is a good fit for you as well and it’s not just picking based on convenience. sorry about your dad</p>

3

<p>Thanks for your response. I think I can emphasized the location, but in term of academics the schools are almost identical in what they offer.</p>