By Nora Lessersohn, A.M.
“It was a ____(adjective)____ and stormy night, and I was ____(adjective)____. My ____(noun)____ asked me if I wanted some ____(noun)____.”
Remember MadLibs? The game where you fill in the blanks with adjectives, nouns, and verbs to make a funny story? Well, believe it or not, you can look to this childhood game for some wisdom on how to write the most common college application essay: the “Why This School” essay. The “Why This School” essay basically asks “How and why is this school a good fit for you?”
You will start every “Why This School” essay using an anecdote from your experiences, one that demonstrates, in some way, why you have selected your intended major. This part can stay exactly the same for most schools that ask this question. For example, if you want to major in Business, you may begin with a story about a time you solved a challenging issue during your summer marketing internship. Here, I’m going to talk about what will change for each school: you can think of this part as the blanks in a MadLib.
Below is a simplified version of your “Why This School” essay, the part that comes after your story. I’ve written it in MadLib form so you can use it as a guide to help you find the kind of information you need to complete your essay.
“[SCHOOL NAME] is the perfect place for me to study [INTENDED MAJOR] and gain the knowledge and skills I need to become [PROFESSION/JOB]. I can’t wait to take [CLASS NAME] with [PROFESSOR NAME] to learn more about [TOPIC]. Building on my experience [EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTION], I also hope to conduct research/write a thesis with [PROFESSOR NAME] on [TOPIC]. Outside of the classroom, I hope to further develop the leadership skills/communication skills/analytical skills I honed as [ROLE] for [ACTIVITY], and serve on/work with the [COLLEGE EXTRACURRICULAR OPPORTUNITY]. A longtime volunteer/competitive eater/entrepreneur at [ORGANIZATION], I’ve known [SCHOOL NAME] was the best fit for me ever since I spoke with [ADMISSIONS REP NAME] who emphasized [SCHOOL NAME]’s commitment to public service/competitive eating/business. I can’t wait to spend the next 4 years as a [SCHOOL TEAM NAME]!
For each school, the only way to fill in the blanks is through RESEARCH. This means visiting campus (even virtually!), attending (virtual) information sessions, and speaking to admissions reps via phone, email, or Zoom. But it also means poring over the school’s website and any information available via CollegePlannerPro (like their Fiske Guide entry).
So, what are you researching to fill in your blanks? Here’s a checklist.
Your Major (and Minor).
You need to figure out what your intended major will be. This is more important than you may think, as it helps you create an argument for your application; it helps you tell schools what kind of student you will be on campus. To do this, you’ll need to find the list of available majors and minors on each school’s website. To learn more about the majors that sound most appealing to you, just click through the links to the program pages! In your notes, make sure to write down the school’s actual major name (for example, some schools use “Government” instead of “Political Science.”)
Your Academic Life.
Once you’ve decided what your intended major is, you need to imagine yourself as an actual student in that major (and minor, if applicable): What classes will you take? What professors do you want to work with? Are there research opportunities you can take advantage of? Will you write a senior thesis? Join a freshman seminar? You can learn about all of these opportunities on any school’s website, so click through and explore until you have answers to all of these questions. Keep a list so you can transport the information into your MadLib — I mean… essay.
Your Extracurricular Life.
As you well know, however, a student does not exist only in the classroom. How will you use your time outside of class? Will you join a club or interest group? Pursue an internship? Volunteer in the nearby city? Will you play intramural sports, or try out dance classes? Keep researching to find activities that build on your existing talents and strengths, and will show colleges how you will contribute to their campus. Will you build on your work with your high school paper to lead the college newspaper? Will you use your skills as a tour guide to give tours of your new school? Whatever you find, add the details to your notes so you can plug them into your essay.
Your Fit.
Last but not least, schools are looking for “fit.” What makes you feel you are a good fit for this school? Did you chat with a current student for hours about your shared love of biology? Did you appreciate the school’s emphasis on public service and volunteering at their information session? Or, as your high school’s mascot, do you love how prominently school spirit is featured across their website? Whatever it is, take notes, review the mission statement, and be ready to add this important info to your essay.
Now, with your research notes in one tab, and your MadLib template in another, you’re ready to fill in the blanks and make it all work together. Just be thoughtful and remember: the MadLib is a guide to help you keep track of the type of information you need to include. You will have to change around some sentences, and add others. But as long as you do your research, you will definitely write a ____(adjective)____ essay!
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