<p>mmkay, thanks :)</p>
<p>Last time that i will bother y'all [yeah, i said y'all]</p>
<p>The most important thing about any university is the value of the education it offers. To me, Columbia offers the very best. Columbia has one of the strongest English departments on the East coast. I have one of the strongest creative writing interests on the East coast. There is nowhere that I would rather improve my writing skills than at Columbia, in one of Professor Violis Imaginative Writing courses. Right now, I am considering going into medicine, the Premedical program at Columbia is one of the best. Were I to take Columbias premedical pathway, I would not only learn a great deal of valuable information as an undergraduate but I would also improve my chances of going on to graduate school.</p>
<p>or I could just continue to talk about english and leave the premed bit out?</p>
<p>I think it sounds good!</p>
<p>YAAAAY!!!!</p>
<p>thanks goldshadow for following me through this painful process</p>
<p>Augh. These essays are so painful. I'm attempting to do the Northwestern one now; however, Northwestern is my safety school. I really just want to apply there a) for a backup school, b) because its a pretty good school - alot of decently good programs, although nothing fantastic, and c) because I'm a fan of Chicago. None of these things are good to say on a "Why____" essay. What to do.....</p>
<p>Haha. If only Northwestern was a safety for me! I generally don't mind the "Why _____" essays as long as I'm slightly interested in the school. I don't know why anyone would apply somewhere they're not interested so it shouldn't be an issue. The one that's driving me crazy is that ****ing Amherst essay. I loathe how none of the prompts are actually questions, just quotations. Does anyone else think that it's egotistical and slightly arrogant of Amherst to only quote Amherst professors and alums in their question?</p>
<p>It is a little pompous but hey, I suppose they're trying to show that diversity can be seen even in their successful alums and in their faculty. I don't mind. My problem with it is that I like some of those quotes for different reasons. So I'm not sure which one to pick. I imagine most people will be writing the "I'm not a machine" essay. I don't want to fall into a HUGE clich</p>
<p>I would e-mail them to the admin officers, especially if you think they really help bring out your personality better than you did on the apps. The worst they can do is not read it.</p>
<p>Thanks Capt., you've saved the day (and my world)....</p>
<p>I really think I'll do that. Besides, I'm a little too lazy/busy to go out and mail them via regular mail.</p>
<p>Any other suggestions?</p>
<p>being from li is college application suicide :(</p>
<p>well, according to my gc. [i live on li too]</p>
<p>my suggestion is to move someplace else like ohio, or indiana, or a desert island.</p>
<p>Haha.. my AP Lit teacher from last year suggested Wyoming... and a sex change (as morbid as that sounds)... lol being a guy from LI is college app. suicide apparently!</p>
<p>Any other advice about the additional essays?</p>
<p>No, but that is an interesting idea. If you got a sex change, would you put down female on an app? Would it give you an advantage?</p>
<p>I don't mean to imply that males are smarter than females, etc., but for alot of schools, especially engineering, the female acceptance rate is much higher than males, mostly cause of low numbers of female applicants.</p>
<p>Would you have to mention it on an app?</p>
<p>Haha... oh no!! What have I done??!! LOL, no one should heed the advice of my psycho but lovable English teacher!! I suppose there are some people (very few, but some indeed) that really are contemplating that issue and that it is a part of their lives), but nah I'm fine with being male. I'm willing to take a challenge.</p>
<p>So, should I send the additional essays through e-mail? Should I e-mail them first to ask, or just send them? Thanks... and don't get any ideas anyone ;)</p>
<p>Reviving an old thread!</p>
<p>This topic is somewhat hard to search for: "why us" or "why X college" isn't specific enough. Do anyone know of any site that has a few sample "why us" essays? Or another CC thread I haven't found?</p>
<p>We've got a few samples up on our website. </p>
<p>Samples</a> of Why Tufts</p>
<p>In some cases, what you see is the entire answer, and for others we've only put up a line or two. </p>
<p>I'm also going to chime in on what you can do to help yourself out with the "Why Whoever University" essays. BE EXCITED! This is different from just sounding excited; actually get excited about that particular school then tell us why. I know that sounds intuitive, but many students forget that. And getting excited shouldn't be that difficult. If you applying to schools where you 'fit,' then it should be possible to get excited about something at every school on your list. Tell the admissions reader what it is that excites you about that school.</p>
<p>Super old topic, new question: </p>
<p>How well do admissions officers know their school? One of the special programs I'm citing in my essay seems pretty obscure to me, but I feel weird adding that extra line or so explaining what it is, since they would probably know their school better than I am...or be able to look it up. Help?</p>
<p>Very well. Not all are grads. But, they tend to be able to know a bit more about it than most. And context probably will help.</p>
<p>My advice: Be creative and be DAMN enthusiastic! Make sure each prompt fits that college/university and it shows about you. And P.S. slightly crazy is much better than average. It shows how much you care about that school!</p>
<p>Few years ago, a Medill (Northwestern) applicant wrote a pretty creative essay. Let me see if I can find it.</p>
<p>I found it. The applicant, Mari Fagel, framed her response as a news story. She joined Medill Class of 2009. </p>
<p>
[quote]
Senior Exonerates Death Row Convict and Raises Money for the Environment</p>
<p>Northwestern senior Mari Fagel arrived in Joliet one wintry Friday morning to pick up Gerard Jones for a tour of Evanston. Jones had never seen Lake Michigan before. In fact, he hadn’t seen anything but the walls of his prison cell for the past 18 years.</p>
<p>Until recently Jones was wrongly convicted of murder. Working with her classmates in Professor David Protess’ course, Investigative Journalism, Fagel helped exonerate Jones. …</p>
<p>A broadcast journalism major, Fagel reported on the story for the Northwestern News Network; she also writes for the Daily Northwestern and the Northwestern Chronicle. …</p>
<p>To give back to Northwestern, Fagel has been an active member of her community. As president of Students for Ecological and Environmental Development, she raised $10,000 for the environment at the annual Dance Marathon. …</p>
<p>Fagel also participates in Students for Israel and campus Hillel. She represented Israel in last year’s Model UN competition and organized a Northwestern Quiz Bowl to benefit Jewish refugees.</p>
<p>With that, Fagel excused herself to get to work on plans for Dillo Day, one of her favorite Northwestern traditions.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Does it sound hokey if you make it seem like you are in love with the intellectual atmosphere and the friendliness, humbleness of the people? I mean, that the place inspires wonder. Like, do you HAVE to go into detail about the kind of academic programs offered, because like the department i'm interested in is not like super tippy-top at this school, so I didn't really describe the academic programs beyond like this one class i was impressed by. What really set this school apart was its atmosphere. Does it sound phony?</p>