<p>I'm frustrated with writing such essays. The information on the web is available to everyone so everyone is going to write the same things. How can my essay stand out? Please give me help and tips....</p>
<p>You don't need to "stand out" -- you just need to be sincere. Believe it or not, sincerity "stands out" compared to the overblown stuff that people feel compelled to write to APPEAR a certain way to the readers.</p>
<p>The consistent advice I've seen given is write "in your own voice".</p>
<p>Sit back and reflect on the type of person you wish to be once your BA/BS is conferred (scholarship, world view, experiences, new areas of passion, etc.). Then see how that college can be a vehicle for that. Just as importantly, understand what the college's mission is (scholarship, community, service, etc.) and consider what YOU'LL be able to contribute (cuz it's not all about "take-take")</p>
<p>These types of essays can be very frustrating, I agree! What I've found works best is to take a few hours and peruse the college's viewbook and website, while taking notes on what appeals to you, and why. Then sit down at the computer and write, and jsut keep writing everything you can think of. You're applying to the place, so obviously there are reasons you like it. All you've got to do is figure out exactly what it is you like, beyond just the feeling of "this is IT!", and then, as T26E4 says, write that down sincerely.</p>
<p>read the viewbook and get a general feel of the college's character.... read the mission statements etc, sometimes wikipedia can be helpful.............</p>
<p>sound excited and sincere. you should have no problem writing for a dream college.</p>
<p>list down what unique characteristics you know about the school and what really attracted you in the first place.</p>
<p>From a blog that begins with Admissions posted by Carolyn Z. Lawrence</p>
<p>Tackling "Why This College?" Essay Prompts </p>
<p>One of the most perplexing essays for many students is the one that asks the most important question of all: Why do you want to attend this college? Here are some tips for handling this essay.</p>
<p>First, let’s talk a bit about why colleges ask this question in the first place. These days most colleges, especially highly selective ones, get many more applications than they have places for in their freshman class.</p>
<p>use wikipedia to research :) much easier than navigating their website, and better info too. good startign place anyway</p>
<p>wikipedia is definetly great for a start
then college viewbook
finally CC lol great place</p>
<p>[AdmissionsAdvice.com:</a> Tackling “Why This College?” Essay Prompts](<a href=“http://collegehunt.blogspot.com/2007/10/tackling-why-this-college-essay-prompts.html]AdmissionsAdvice.com:”>http://collegehunt.blogspot.com/2007/10/tackling-why-this-college-essay-prompts.html)</p>
<p>^ great advice</p>
<p>These prompts remind me of the opening scene of King Lear. I just hope the admissions offices know how to tell the Cordelias from the Regans and Gonerils.</p>
<p>I was just honest. I talked about the financial aid and the infrastructure for low-income students, and what that means for me in terms of opening doors. Sure, I had plenty of specifics, but the writing wasn’t flowery and it honestly wasn’t showy. It was just the truth: going to Stanford doesn’t mean anything different than going to my second or third choice schools (which were, admittedly, probably on the same level as Stanford), but it does mean that a number of doors - and by that I mean doors for which the keyhole was thousands of dollars - would be opened to me. On the other hand, I was a QB applicant - so, you know.</p>
<p>For a number of schools, I told a little narrative about how I became interested in the school, or how I overcame an initial disinterest.</p>
<p>I think the “Why this school” is a little easier than the “What or how will you contribute” - my daughter is having a hard time with that prompt.</p>
<p>Why this school
Ask yourself - does it have a certian major, or researcher, internships, study abroad, sports, alumni… - opportunity to pursue your goals, did you read something in a publication or website that made you interested?</p>
<p>Whenever possible, I encourage applicants to write about some positive interaction they had with a current student (or students) at this college. (“When I visited X University last August, I met a junior physics major named Alice Wilson, and I was able to grill her about what it’s like to be a female in the sciences in general and in the physics department in particuar. I was especially impressed when she told me. ________ .”). Recounting interactions with faculty and staff members will, of course, work, too. (But it’s best to provide more substance than “Everyone I met was really nice.”)</p>
<p>If you can’t get to campus (or didn’t engage with anyone memorable way when you were there), it may not be too late to try to connect with a current undergrad by e-mail. (And if it IS too late, is there anyone from your home town who is enrolled at this school and who is now home for the holidays and willing to chat with you briefly?)</p>
<p>For current high school juniors: It won’t be long before you, too, will be writing these heinous essays. So when you visit campuses over the months ahead, it’s wise to interact with students and faculty while you’re there. Not only will such interactions help you make the best possible assessment of whether this school is right for you, but also–if you make brief notes on your conversations–you’ll have essay fodder for next fall.</p>
<p>I’m wondering if it’s okay to exaggerate things that have happened to you in your life? Like if you were in a debate can you make it seem dramatic in your essay? </p>
<p>thanks.</p>
<p>
Our son did this with the Goucher prompt–he said in the first sentence that he came to the visit not expecting much. I cringed a little when I read that, but on second thought I decided that this honesty might help him. (I mean, the adcoms there know perfectly well the school does not have huge name recognition or an elite reputation.) He then went on to say with pretty obvious sincerity how he fell in love with the place, with lots of good details sprinkled in.</p>
<p>I think it should be RELATIVELY easy to answer “why” this school…if you’ve created a good list of schools. If not, that’s harder. My own D applied to one school because of their amazing a capella ensemble. I think that’s a perfectly wonderful answer. One school probably ended up high on her list because of the awesome kid who conducted the tour…he was passionate, and just great! It doesn’t HAVE to be a lofty answer. Anyone can say “because the school has a top ranked…fill in the blank…department”. For those schools where you don’t have a personal tidbit…really…WHY? The location? Change of seasons or lovely year round warm weather? The film they showed you during the presentation, the rep that came to your school, the proximity to your home is OK. My daughter fell in LOVE with NYU at first sight…but it’s still fun that they had THE cutest T-shirt! It fits her so well, looks “girly”, has the printing in the perfect spot. No, that’s not a real REASON, but it’s a fun read and you can then throw out the REAL reason too.</p>
<p>Actually, the problem S2 had with these questions were the character limits on some supplements. This required some really brutal editing, and I hope that his enthusiasm did not get “watered down” as a result.</p>
<p>This is a very legitimate question. Have you done your homework? Do you really want to go there, if so why?<br>
Remember, they are looking for the fit of the student to the college. What are your interests? How will they connect with the college? I am afraid that you are missing the point when you say that all students can look at the website. While that is true, all students will have a different perspective because of “their” differences. A cello player and a research lab wiz will no doubt be looking for different things. But its what is important to you that counts. How does your past experiences play into the schools offerings. One student was very much involved in Special Olympics. The college she was interested in had one of the largest Special Olympics programs! Guess what one of the things she wrote about was? Think about it from that angle and I am sure you will write a terrific essay! Good Luck!!!</p>
<p>I remember being frustrated to no end by this last year. </p>
<p>I began writing a response, but it got too long. Instead i submitted it to the ■■■■■■■■■■ blog here: [How to Convince a College that Youre Interested.](<a href=“http://blog.■■■■■■■■■■/?p=24”>http://blog.■■■■■■■■■■/?p=24</a>)</p>
<p>This post is in a way the logical extention of everything that I thought about last year as I wrote the essays, and I hope that it helps you in writing these essays.</p>
<p>My S had a twist that made this essay a little more problematic. I’m sure other students have run into similar problems. He’s applying to Northwestern. However, what really attracted him to NU is the Integrated Science Program (ISP), which has a separate application/admissions process. So he was struggling with how to address the “Why NU” essay in such a way that they would not be leery to admit him to NU, thinking that he’d only come if he gets in ISP, which may or may not be the case, depending on what other schools admit him.</p>