When responding to the “Why this college?” question, it is important to convey that you are not just applying for the sake of applying – they want students that want them.

Colleges care about “yield,” which is the percentage of students that actually choose to attend the college, out of the total number who are offered admission. Yields vary greatly between colleges. So, when admission officers are evaluating your application, they look for signs of interest. They want an indication that you will accept the offer if you get admitted.

• Explain why the college is a good fit for you; primarily regarding their academic offerings and secondarily about the campus culture, clubs and opportunities
• Be specific. Show your knowledge of the college. Talk about quirky college rituals and traditions, name college courses and professors. Show them you’ve done your homework and know a lot about the college; courses, activities, study abroad, majors, internships, etc.
• Reference your campus visit if you’ve made one. Describe how you felt, who you met and what you learned, again, specifically about what you learned that helped you determine that this school is a good fit for you and your interests.
• Show how you can contribute to the college campus and the student body. So instead of saying, “I want to join X club,” write, “I hope to contribute my experience on the debate team to X club.”
• Focus on why the college stands out to you and how you can stand out in their college community.
• After identifying courses that pique your interest, jot down some words as to why you would be excited to take them. Find out the names of the professors and see if they’ve written any books or articles of interest. I suggest that my students research the faculty in the major of interest and then go to the LinkedIn profiles of a few professors to find out about their backgrounds, books and articles written.
• Write a little about what you do in your spare time; i.e., what clubs and organizations would you plan to join. How are these clubs related to what you did in high school?
• Talk about your involvement in community service. Research service opportunities at the college and discuss what you’d like to continue doing or get involved in.
• Incorporate the “Why Me?” into your essay: what will you bring to their college campus? How will you enrich the college community?
• Focus on what experiences, interests, talents, skills and enthusiasm you bring with you.
• In essence, explain why selecting YOU will help them.

“Why this college?” Worksheet

Name of college:

Academic Fit

What subjects are you interested in? Why?

Identify two majors/minors and an upper-level course in each major. Write why you are interested in taking these courses. Do a little digging on the professor to see if he/she has written any interesting articles, spoken at any conferences, etc.

Identify one minor and an upper-level course. Write why you are interested in taking this course.

Check and see if the college has any certificate programs, Centers, or interdisciplinary programs that are appealing to you.

Research the study abroad options that interest you and write where you’d like to go and why?

Social Fit

What will you do with your free time?

Check out the list of Student Activities/Clubs/Organizations – pick two or three that interest you, why?

Do you plan on continuing any of the activities you’ve done in high school in college? If so, which ones and why?

Research the community service opportunities. What activities would you do? Why?

How will you enrich the college community? What will you contribute?

What excites you the most about attending this college?

Bierer is an independent college adviser based in Charlotte. Send questions to: lee@bierercollegeconsulting.com; www.bierercollegeconsulting.com