International College Counselors

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Our Team
    • Brochure
    • Scholarship Essay Contest
    • Why ICC?
  • Services
    • College Counseling
    • Graduate School
    • International Students
    • Transfer Students
    • Learning Differences
    • K-12 Placement Services
    • SSAT Flex Testing
    • A La Carte Services
    • Corporate Benefits
    • Giving Back
  • Contact Us
  • Results
  • News & Events
    • In The News
    • Press Releases
    • Awards & Recognitions
    • Upcoming Free Webinars and Seminars
  • Essays
  • Blog
  • Testimonials
  • Locations
    • Florida Locations
    • Connecticut Location
    • New York City Locations
    • North Carolina Location
  • Resources
    • New Book: To University and Beyond
    • Overall Admission Rates

Writing the “Why This College” Supplemental Essay

June 22, 2022 by Cheree Liebowitz

In addition to the main Common Application essay, many colleges will ask students to answer one or more school-specific questions referred to as supplements. One of the most common supplemental essay prompts is usually along the lines of “Why do you want to attend this college?”

This essay is designed to gauge several things: first, your interest in the school; second, how the curriculum and course offerings match what you are looking for academically; and third, how you will fit into the school community—meaning, “How will you positively contribute to campus beyond the classroom?” To be more specific, the question is asking you to show you are a great fit for the school.

To get started, follow these helpful “Do’s and Don’ts” from the advisors at International College Counselors:

DO: Gather your research.
Your essay should mention the specific majors, minors, and/or concentrations that you are interested in pursuing and that are offered by the school. Use the course catalog or general bulletin, usually found on the school’s website, to explore classes, programs, and specific opportunities that may be of interest to you. Furthermore, colleges want to see your enthusiasm for learning outside the classroom, so be sure to include extracurricular programs, activities, and organizations that appeal to you.

DON’T: Be general.
Rather than mentioning the school’s “beautiful campus” or the “amazing study abroad programs,” be specific. Include the most meaningful, concrete reasons that a school piques your interest and why.

DO: Make it personal.
Connect your reasons for applying to your background, experiences, and goals. Doing so will demonstrate in a more concrete way how and why you should become a part of the school community. You can discuss an experience related to what you plan to study; for example, if you plan to major in business, start by describing a work experience or a leadership role you had in this area. Remember to share what your experience taught you about yourself and how it has influenced your undergraduate and career goals.

DON’T: Pepper your essay with statistics and rankings from the website.
The school already knows it offers “50 majors and 35 minors,” and that they are “ranked #4 in undergraduate kinesiology programs.” Focus instead on the specific aspects of the school that make it the right fit for you and why.

DO: Name-drop when appropriate.
When done tastefully and not boastfully, mentioning the name of an admissions representative who visited your school, your campus tour guide, the professor you took a summer class with, or the interviewer you spoke with, can add a layer of credibility to your essay. Be sure to include how that interaction impacted your views and feelings about the school.

DO: Connect to the school’s values or mission.
Read the college’s mission statement as part of your research. Syracuse students are encouraged to take part in global study opportunities and interdisciplinary scholarship, while the students at the University of Virginia are bound by honor, integrity, trust, and respect. If the school’s mission statement or values tie into your academic or extracurricular interests, be sure to draw a connection to you as an applicant, further demonstrating what a good match you are for their school.

DON’T: Mention another school.
This one may sounds obvious, but you would be surprised how many students mention the wrong school in their essay! Ideally your essay should make the school feel like it’s “the only one.”

DO: Proofread.
Mistakes like mentioning the wrong school or misspelling words are more likely to slip by if you do not take time to proofread. Always double-check your writing with a trusted adult or peer, especially if you are writing several of these essays. And always do a print preview of your application before pressing submit.

Keep in mind that this essay is an opportunity to demonstrate that you’ve done your research, that you know what the school has to offer, and that you can offer something in return. Remember, this is your chance to reveal why you’re a great match for the school.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: College Essays, International College Counselors blog Tagged With: college advisor, college application, college coach, college counselor, college essays, college supplemental essay, college writing prompt, supplemental essay, Why our college essay, Why this college essay, writing college essays, writing supplemental

Sign up for free college admissions advice!

Subscribe

Recent Acceptances

M.I.T.
Yale University
Stanford University
Brown University
Caltech
Harvard College
Princeton University
Harvard Business School
University of Pennsylvania
The Wharton School
Washington University St. Louis
Cornell University
Columbia University
Dartmouth College
Northwestern University
The Cooper Union
Johns Hopkins University
University of Florida
New York University
University of Michigan
University of Chicago
Brandeis University
University of Texas @ Austin
NYU Dental School
USC Dental School
Duke University
University of Virginia
Barnard College
Amherst College
UNC Chapel Hill
Wesleyan University
Rice University
McGill University
Olin College of Engineering
Tufts University
Emory University
Carnegie Mellon University
George Washington University
University of Notre Dame
Georgia Institute of Technology
Boston University
USC
U.C.L.A.
Vanderbilt University
Syracuse University
UC Berkeley
Rensselaer Polytechnic
University of Maryland
New College of Florida
Loyola Marymount University
American University
Harvey Mudd College
Middlebury College
Boston College
Babson University
Georgetown University
Colgate University
Bard College
Ohio State University
Indiana University
Stevens Institute of Technology
Virginia Polytechnic Institute
Tulane University
University of Miami
Purdue University
Oxford College @ Emory
Wisconsin @ Madison
Northeastern University
Lehigh University
Goucher College
Pennslyvania State University
Muhlenberg College
University of Connecticut
Loyola University Chicago
University of Colorado Boulder
Colorado State University
University of Alabama
Louisiana State University
Drexel University
Embry-Riddle University
University of Arizona
Florida State University
University of Central Florida
S.U.N.Y @ Binghamton
S.U.N.Y @ Stony Brook
S.U.N.Y @ Albany
S.U.N.Y @ Geneseo
S.U.N.Y. @ Oneonta
S.U.N.Y. @ Oswego
S.U.N.Y @ Purchase
Art Institute of Chicago
University of Illinois
Pratt Institute
Ringling College Art & Design
George Mason University
University of Vermont
DigiPen Institute of Technology
Parsons New School of Design
Emerson College
Auburn University
Michigan State University
UC Santa Cruz
UC San Diego
UC Santa Barbara
Elon University
St. John's University
UMass Amherst
UMass Dartmouth
UMass Lowell
UMass Boston
Suffolk University
Bentley University
Lynn University
Arizona State University
University of North Florida
Florida Atlantic University
Florida International University
Florida Gulf Coast University
University of South Florida
Nova Southeastern University
University of Tampa
Hofstra University
Pace University
University of New England
Western New England College
Bowling Green State University
Rollins College
Eugene Lang College
Baruch College
Hunter College
Santa Fe College
Fordham University
UNC Greensboro
University of Hartford
Lasell College
Shimer College
Hillsdale College
College of Charleston
Bryant University
Clark University
James Madison University
Curry College
Southern Methodist University
Florida Institute of Technology
LIM College
University of British Columbia
College of the Holy Cross
University of Pittsburgh
Purchase College
University of Minnesota
Virginia Commonwealth University
Columbia College
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
St. Leo University
Stetson University
Canisius College
LIM College
Case Western Reserve
San Diego State University
Marymount Manhattan College

Blog Categories

  • College Admissions
  • College Applications
  • College Essays
  • College Planning
  • College Visits and Information Sessions
  • Extracurricular & Summer Activities
  • FAQ
  • Financial Aid & Scholarships
  • Giving Back
  • Graduate School
  • In the News
  • International College Counselors blog
  • International Students
  • Other
  • Special Students – Athletes, LD, Art Majors
  • Standardized Tests – SAT/ACT/AP Courses/PSAT
  • Summer Opportunities
  • Tips for High School Freshman and Sophomores
  • Tips for High School Juniors
  • Tips for High School Seniors
  • Transfer Students
  • Uncategorized

Blog Archives

Connect with Us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

International College Counselors

3107 Stirling Road, Suite 208
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312 USA
(954) 414-9986
(800) 452-9090

Connect with Us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Books By Our Staff:

To University and Beyond: Launch Your Career in High Gear by Mandee Heller Adler and David Teten. From Public School To The Ivy League by Mandee Heller Adler International Admissions by Mandee Heller Adler and Aimee Heller

Navigation

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Services
  • Contact Us
  • Results
  • News & Events
  • Blog
  • Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

  • The Grandparent Waiver in Florida: Everything You Need to Know
  • Writing the “Why This College” Supplemental Essay
  • Top College Essay Topics to Avoid and Why
  • 9 Tips for Completing the Common Application
  • Top 7 College Admission Trends of 2021-2022

Copyright © 2022 · Enterprise Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

en English
en Englishes Spanishzh-CN Chinese (Simplified)nl Dutchfr Frenchit Italiande Germanpt Portugueseru Russianar Arabic