The Why Our School Essay
Common App Supplemental Essays
By Eric Tipler, July 1, 2024
Form: Argumentative essay; length varies from 100 to over 600 words
Audience: One specific school’s admissions committee
Topic: How a college’s offerings intersect with your interests
Purposes: (1) To make a compelling argument that this particular school is a good fit for you and that you are a good fit for the school; (2) to show the committee that you’ve done your research and understand their school
In the Why Our School essay, you’ll be making the case that a particular school is a good fit for you. Often the prompt will ask you to support that argument with specific details. For example:
University of Michigan
Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate College or School (including preferred admission and dual degree programs) to which you are applying at the University of Michigan. How would that curriculum support your interests? (Required for all applicants; minimum 100 words /maximum 550 words)
Although there are many paths to a good Why Our School essay, I recommend structuring it as an argumentative essay, i.e. the kind of essay you usually write in an English or history class.
Why Is This Essay There?
Several years ago, Northwestern University had a Why Our School prompt that got to the heart of what these essays are all about. Here it is:
Northwestern University
Do you plan to complete the “Why Northwestern” Statement? We strongly encourage a response, as your answer will help us connect the dots across your application to imagine what kind of college student you might become. (Emphasis mine; from NU’s 2021–2022 prompt)
Most admissions officers will never meet you in person, so this essay helps them consider how you, as an individual, might fit into their community. A great Why Our School essay allows the reader to actually imagine the writer on campus, getting involved both inside and outside of the classroom.
How do you help the admissions officer do this? By giving them concrete details about what you’d major in, what classes you’d take, how you’d get involved in student life, and more.
The Secret to a Great Why Our School Essay
Ten years ago, when I started coaching kids on college essays, I’d let them dive into essay drafts without first outlining. But it always turned out to be a massive waste of time because it never resulted in a compelling essay. Usually it led to a jumbled mess, which they then had to spend many hours revising and rewriting.
Over time, I learned the secret to writing a great Why Our School essay, which is: make an outline.
Since the best Why Our School essays are full of details, this is one of those cases where a little extra work now will save you hours of time, energy, and frustration later. Here are two of the same Google Docs templates I use with my students, one for a shorter essay (around 400 words or less) and one for a longer essay (more than 400 words):
Short Why Our School Essay Outline
Long Why Our School Essay Outline
To use the Google Docs, click to open the Doc in a new window, then make a copy from the File menu (File->Make a Copy) to create your own personal, editable version.
Tips for a Great Why Our School Essay
Start with research. If you want to write a great essay, you’ll need to spend some time on the school’s website. What are the majors, minors, classes, and academic programs that appeal to you? What clubs, activities, sports, and service opportunities does the school offer?
Use an outline. As you do your research, write down your specific in an outline (links to sample outlines are above). Then, writing the actual essay will be much easier!
Have a thesis, and don’t just list facts. Mediocre Why Our School essays read like a menu: a list of classes and programs. Great essays, on the other hand, have a thesis statement (“This school is a great fit for me because ________”) and then connect the dots by explaining what interests the writer about each academic or extracurricular opportunity. This makes it easy for the reader to actually imagine the essay’s author on campus!
For more on the Why Our School essay, including strategies for taking your essay from good to great, common mistakes and how to avoid them, and actual essays that helped students get admitted to top schools, read Chapter 5 of Write Yourself In (p. 121).
Why Our School Essay Example
Prompt
If you are applying to the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences as a first year applicant, please discuss why you consider Duke a good match for you. Is there something particular about Duke that attracts you? (150 words)
Essay
Duke’s strength in the sciences, incredible interdisciplinary opportunities, and groundbreaking AI research make it the ideal school for me. [Eric’s note: Did you see that? That first sentence was the thesis statement! Read it one more time, then go on.] I’m deeply fascinated by the ethical challenges raised by artificial intelligence technologies. By pursuing a BS in computer science with a minor in artificial intelligence, I could gain a strong foundation in data science while diving deep into algorithms and machine learning. I’d be thrilled to participate in the interdisciplinary research at Duke’s unique Moral AI Lab, perhaps by pursuing a C-SURF on racial and gender bias in large language models. In addition, courses like “Philosophy of Language” would give me tools to examine generative AI from a philosophical perspective.
Outside of the classroom, Duke’s emphasis on service and community is an enormous draw. I hope to continue playing cello in the Duke Symphony Orchestra while building on my volunteer experience with Education Through Music as a member of ArtsConnect.
For more help with the Why Our School essay and the rest of your college applications, get a copy of Write Yourself In from your favorite library or bookseller!
