What Not To Put In A Why Us Essay? – Why This College Essay
What Not To Put In A Why Us Essay? The most common mistake students make is listing generic characteristics that could apply to any school. This negatively impacts your application, since it sends the message that you didn’t do your research, and aren’t truly interested in the school.
The main mistakes to avoid on Why Us Essays are:
- Using empty emotional appeals.
- Citing generic aspects of the school (location, weather, size, and ranking).
- Not describing your goals and interests.
What Not To Put In A Why Us College Essay
Mistakes When Writing the “Why This College?” Essay are as follows:
1. Describing traditions the school is well-known for.
In fact, find out the school’s common traditions and then don’t write about those things. Why? Everyone and their brother already has. How do you learn these? Google the name of the school and the word “traditions.”
2. Dont’t simply use emotional language to make your case.
“I really really want to go to Northwestern because I just have this feeling that it’s the place for me” does not a good case make. It doesn’t clearly show how you are a.) qualified or b.) a good match for the school. And, for that matter, neither does the statement, “I can see myself rooting for the Wildcats” at MetLife Stadium on Sundays.
3. Writing about the school’s size, location, reputation, weather, or ranking.
Why shouldn’t you do this? Because that’s what many other students are writing about and you don’t want to blend in. Take a hint from Georgia Tech, whose “Why us?” prompt used to read:
Why Us Essay example prompt from Georgia Tech
Beyond rankings, location, and athletics, why are you interested in attending Georgia Tech?
Why Us Essay example prompt from Emory University
Many students decide to apply to Emory University based on our size, location, reputation, and yes, the weather. Besides these valid reasons as a possible college choice, why is Emory University a particularly good match for you?
4. Parroting the brochures or website language.
It could be that the person reading your essay and evaluating your application actually wrote the words you’re copying and pasting.
5. Thinking of this as only a “Why them” essay.
The school knows it’s awesome. For example you probably don’t need to tell us about the beautiful Nott Memorial of Union College. Instead, think of this as a “Why we are perfect for each other” essay.
6. Failing to address the question’s topic in your introduction
The test of a good introduction is whether someone can guess what the essay question is just from reading it. If not, the introduction has failed. Therefore, a good introduction briefly sets out what the topic is and what your position is regarding the question. Be specific about your topic, but don’t go into too much detail—no examples or definitions are needed in an introduction.
7. Use informal language, colloquialisms, or overuse rhetorical questions
An essay uses a different style of language from that of a casual conversation. For an essay, you are being tested on your use of formal communication. There are certain things that are common in speech that should be avoided in an essay.
8. Inserting quotes without introducing them or relating them back to the topic
Try to use quotations from secondary sources sparingly, if at all. And only include them if they say something of vital importance that you could not have worded better yourself. If you quote someone who says something that anyone could have said because it isn’t specific, or does not regard a contentious issue, you are only distracting your marker with unnecessary waffle.
If you wish to refute what a source has said, it is a courtesy to quote it so that the reader can see you are not misrepresenting the source. But long quotes or lots of little ones will only hide your own voice—and it is you, not your sources, that is getting the marks for the essay. And don’t use a quote that repeats what you just said. That is tedious. If you do use a quote, you must introduce it correctly so that the reader understands why it is there and who said it. Don’t just shove it in and hope the reader knows why you have included it.
9. Screwing up the mascot, stadium, team colors or names of any important people or places on campus
Why avoid this? It’s the quickest way to show you’re a sloppy researcher. In the example above, the Wildcats play neither at MetLife Stadium nor on Sundays. Also, the “I can see myself in [insert school colors here]” is a cliché of the “Why this College” essay. Avoid it too.
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