“Why Essay” for College Apps

Many Schools require a “Why Essay” which requires applicants to write about why they would like to go to that school specifically and what they hope to get out of their education at the school. These essays are usually not long, oftentimes having a maximum of 150 to 300 words.

Schools require these essays because they want to know that their prospective students value the school and what it has to offer. Schools want to know how a prospective student believes he or she will positively contribute to the student community and how being a part of the school will help him or her reach his or her goals.

Our Bumo College Application Coaching Program helps students with every detail off their application including their essays. Our expert coaches can give invaluable advice and guidance on how to write the best “Why Essay”

Writing a great “Why Essay” will require you to do some research on the school and its programs! Some topics you could write about for this essay include any experience you have had visiting the campus, how you discovered the school, and what specific professors programs, activities, or resources—such as internships or study abroad programs—at the school interest you.

As a final tip, colleges are more likely to accept students who appear more likely to attend their school if accepted. This is because colleges want to be able to gauge as closely as possible how big their first-year undergraduate class will be. 

To showcase what it can look like to tie some of these points together for a “Why Essay,” we asked to borrow a “Why Essay” from our long-time friend Darth Vader:

Slave, jedi, Dark Lord of the Sith, and soon, first-year undergraduate student. 

Looking back, my rise to power has only been made possible by all of the mentors and masters I have had along the way. Though each of these teachers are now one with the Force, the mark they have each made on my life is indelible. I would even go so far as to say that some of them were worth an arm and a leg—maybe even all my arms and legs.

It is the impact that great mentors and masters have had on me that today draws me to Northwestern University. Northwestern is one the largest investors in student-led research in the nation, and as such attracts some of the most gifted and prestigious educators in the world. Among these is the legendary Karen Chou, a recipient of the civil engineering of the year award and distinguished engineering teacher who champions structural safety and structural health monitoring.

Educators such as Karen Chou have inspired me to pursue my own education in civil engineering. While crushing the Rebellion ignites my lightsaber, civil engineering ignites my intellectual curiosity. I know that an education in civil engineering at Northwestern through the McCormick School of Engineering will empower me to greatly improve the Sith Empire, which, admittedly, has had troubles in the past with structural integrity.

Motivated to learn as much as possible for the sake of the Empire, I know that my curiosity, hard work, and mastery of the Force will make me a valued and effective collaborator with other students on cutting-edge research projects. My ambitions are large enough to be a small moon, but I know that the excellent faculty and passionate students at Northwestern will help me achieve success and bring order to the galaxy.

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