Application numbers to US institutions of higher education have never been higher, creating a very competitive applicant pool and admissions teams seeking new ways to differentiate among a plethora of outstanding candidates. One way they are doing this is through the “Why us?” question found within many supplemental writing components.
Here is an example from Northwestern University in Chicago:
While other parts of your application give us a sense of who you are, we are also excited to hear more about how you see yourself engaging with the larger Northwestern community.
In 300 words or less, help us understand how you might engage specific resources, opportunities, and/or communities here. We are curious about what these specifics are, as well as how they may enrich your time at Northwestern and beyond.
Since strong candidates also have more choices than ever, schools need to ensure they are able to fill their open seats for the incoming class and prefer to gamble on students who are engaged with their school and have taken the time to learn about their values and offerings. In short, from the school’s perspective, the more an applicant knows about them, the more serious a candidate they are, and the more likely they will be to accept an admissions offer.
This means it is more important than ever to really know things about your potential colleges and universities beyond what is posted on the main pages of their websites – let’s look at some ways you can differentiate yourself and really engage with your schools of interest.
Sign up for newsletters and webinars on school websites – and, open those newsletters and attend those webinars! It only takes a second to click on a link in a school website and share your email address with them, but they also want to know that you are reading their materials and attending their webinars. Schools collect data on who has opened and clicked on links in an email and who has attended webinars – so these small acts can win big points with a school. Reading newsletters and attending webinars can also provide you with lots of juicy information about a school that can be used when responding to their supplemental writing prompts asking you about why you want to attend their school.
For example, if your school of interest advertises a renowned talk by a scholar in a field you are interested in, you can refer back to that speaker and talk as a reason for attending, since you will be able to learn from world leaders in your chosen field. This will turn from a vague response into a specific one that names a scholar and shows the school you are already engaging with their programming and events.
Reach out to your regional admissions representative with questions. Many institutions share their admissions team’s info and email addresses along with the different regions of the country and world they specialize in. At some schools, an admissions officer whose region includes British Columbia will be a first reader on any application submitted from BC and be most familiar with the BC schools and education system. This is the person to email with questions that cannot be answered by a quick google search. Reach out with thoughtful questions, such as:
- What health and academic support services are available for students?
- What are some cool things graduates with English majors have done?
- How easy is it to double major or combine interests in X and Y?
- How do I know if your school is a good fit for me?
Asking these kinds of questions accomplishes a number of goals, including:
- Learning more about a school for your own interest
- Providing deeper information about a school to include in a “why us” question
- Revealing what the admissions counselor values when it comes to students who fit the school, helping you know what to highlight on your application
- Creating a vital link with this reader, so when they come across your application, your conversation and interest will pop up, leaving them with a stronger impression of you
These are two important ways to dive deeper into your schools of interest and help strengthen your knowledge, build relationships with schools, and have something “real” to say when explaining why USC is the only school for you. Of course, our consultants and writing coaches are also available to help you use that research to draft powerful and memorable essays.
