Why are "why essays" so popular among colleges?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Northwestern University
1

<p>Why are "why essays" so popular among colleges?
Hi everyone, this question has bothered me for long.</p>

<p>I mean," why "essays are mostly the same for each candidate(people are telling the adcoms about how good the schools is, how many nobel laureates there are etc.)aren't they.</p>

<p>How can they serve to distinguish applicants since all the application process is about seeking the unique.?
How can we make "why" essays be special?
Why are they so welcomed by schools?
What exactly are the adcoms expecting of the why essays?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance:)</p>

2

<p>If you just pump out a generic one, it doesn’t hurt or help you. </p>

<p>However, if you’re like me and didn’t really care, and just pumped it out at the last possible minute without strangling it, you may produce something that 1) Actually shows your personality, by reflecting what you value and 2) Shows a true interest in the school.</p>

<p>For instance, for me I cited that half my extended family lives in Chicago, that NU has the best Improv scene of any college in the country, and that it has a gorgeous collegiate-style campus with one of a kind location and access to Chicago. I made only passing reference to the fact the school is amazing- they dont care that you think its a great academic institution- if you didn’t why would you be applying?</p>

<p>If you can’t produce a more specific reason you love the school, or have a reason you want to attend, or show a passion for the school (which I couldn’t really at the time), then they learn something about you. If you can’t show you have any personality through what you value, they learn something about you.</p>

<p>It makes me really sad NU eliminated the two short answer questions, because I’m fairly convinced they were my best college essays, and if not why I got into NU, certainly why I got in to the Kaplan Scholars Program.</p>

3

<p>arbiter, what were the two short answer questions in the past?</p>

4

<ol>
<li><p>If you were to have a fictional character as your roommate, who would it be and why?</p></li>
<li><p>If you were to pose for a portrait in the style of Hans Holbiens’ “The Ambassadors”, what objects would you have with you and why?</p></li>
</ol>

5

<p>those would be really fun…they should have additional essays along with the why nu essay to really give applicants a chance to be creative…</p>