How do you approach writing a strong 'Why College' essay?

Great questions—writing a compelling 'Why College' essay can definitely feel tricky because it’s easy to end up sounding generic, even when you’re genuinely excited about the school.

The key is to go beyond simply listing programs or clubs. Instead, draw clear and specific connections between your experiences, interests, goals, and what the college uniquely offers. Imagine you're having a conversation with a current student: you wouldn’t just say, 'I like your biology program.' You’d share what draws you in and how it meshes with who you are.

Start with something personal: is there a moment, class, or project that made you want to pursue a certain path? Maybe you led a community garden initiative in your neighborhood and now you’re excited about a school’s sustainable urban agriculture program. Instead of just mentioning the program, explain how you hope to expand your project by working with Professor X or joining the Urban Farm Club. Describe how these exact resources line up with your past and your future goals.

You don’t have to stick only to academics. It’s great to touch on social or extracurricular aspects, but make sure they’re relevant and meaningful for you. For example, if you’re passionate about debating and you know the college has a supportive speech and debate society, you could write about how you want to both compete and mentor high school students through their outreach programs.

One strategy that works well: pick two or three unique, school-specific opportunities (not just something any school could say they have) and, for each, connect it to a concrete part of your personality, experience, or dream. For instance:

xample]
"Attending the campus’s annual hackathon as a high schooler, I was captivated not only by the event’s energy, but by how seniors in the college’s BME Scholars Program welcomed me into their team and helped code our final project. Their mentorship sealed my interest in studying at [School]—and inspired me to want to become a mentor myself through your STEM Outreach Initiative."

Lastly, don’t worry if your interests span academics and social life—colleges want students who will engage with both. Just be sure each point you make is specific and personal to your journey, not just something anyone reading the website would know.

If you’re stuck, start with a memory or experience that made you curious about the school (a tour, a virtual workshop, reading a student’s blog post), then branch out into how you see yourself taking advantage of what’s there, in your own words.

The more vividly you can show—rather than tell—why you’d thrive on that campus, the more authentic and memorable your essay will be.