How to Ace the “Why Us?” Essay

December 2023

Summary: The “Why Us?” essay might seem easy, but it’s not. Instead of raving about how great the school is, show how it’s such a great fit for your demonstrated strengths and goals.

The “Why Us?” Essay

You’re filling out your college applications and stumble upon a short supplemental essay prompt that asks: “Why Us?” Meaning: What is it about our college that’s particularly appealing to you? And you think to yourself, well that’s easy enough. I’ll just type something about how it’s a really good school, and they’ve got a great reputation, and the strong alumni network will help me land a good job someday, etc. Done. You click “send” and then you never hear from that school again. Application denied.

What went wrong?

The ever-popular “Why Us?” essay is a trap. It’s easy to think that all the college wants you to do is flatter them with praise. But that’s the opposite of what they want. They already know how popular they are; they don’t need to hear it from you. It’s like trying to win a date with a supermodel by gushing about how beautiful she is. You don’t think she knows that already? You don’t think she hears that everyday from every idiot who doesn’t know a single thing about her? Instead, you have to show that you know (and appreciate) the ins and outs of the university better than anyone else. And that given your past interests and accomplishments, you’re uniquely qualified to take full advantage of what they have to offer.

Bottom line: You’re not just interested in this university because it’s prestigious or popular or close to the city; you’re interested because it has the specific programs you need to accomplish your ambitious personal goals.

The right way to answer the essay…

The best way to answer the “Why Us?” essay is to do two things. First, demonstrate that you’ve done your research and you’re very knowledgeable about the university: how its curriculum works, campus culture, specific majors, professors and courses you like, clubs that you want to be a part of, and what makes it different from other institutions. This shows that you’re informed, mature, and someone to be taken seriously. Yes, this kind of extensive research takes time and effort. And yes, universities will absolutely appreciate this about you. (If you work with a good college consultant, they’ll streamline this process for you.)

If you only speak in broad, generic terms about the college, they’ll quickly surmise that you really don’t know anything about them, and that will promptly land you in the “Reject” pile. Same thing if you get things wrong about the school: If you say you’re excited to go to Brown because you love Philadelphia but the campus is actually in Providence, Rhode Island, then you’re probably not getting in. This is a high-stakes game and there’s no room for error.

The perfect fit

The other thing you want to do is demonstrate why you’re the perfect fit for that school. You want to draw a direct line between everything you’ve done in high school with everything you hope to do at that college. It should almost feel like going to that particular university is the natural, logical, almost inevitable next step in your academic career. If you’ve spent all your time in high school doing one thing, and then you suddenly try to convince the admissions board that you’re ready to spend the next four years in college doing something completely different, they won’t buy it. It will feel inauthentic, like you’re grasping at straws.

This is where your extensive research comes into play. To answer the “Why Us?” essay, you should talk about the most meaningful aspects of your high school career, including academics and extracurriculars, and then point out the specific courses, professors, clubs, and unique offerings at the college that will allow you to continue your pursuits at the collegiate level. This will make all the sense in the world to universities.

For example, they see that you were a debate champion in high school, and now you want to join the collegiate debate team which is ranked as one of the best in the nation. Add to that the fact that you’ve spoken with the college debate coach on a number of occasions, and she offered you some great advice that you incorporated into your last three tournaments, helping you place Top 3 in two of them. Clearly you’re a student who knows what he wants, has done his research, and will immediately add value to our campus. Application accepted.

Final thoughts

The “Why Us?” essay is extremely important for college admissions. Your answer immediately reveals 1) How much you actually know about the school, and 2) How you actually intend to add value to the campus. Don’t use this essay to gush about the school, or to speak in generalities. Use it instead to specifically link your demonstrated interests and credentials with the school’s unique offerings, so it feels like the only place you could possibly go.