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February 23, 2026
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Most private colleges have included a “Why Us” and “Why this college” essay to see if you would be a great fit for the university. The essay length to these prompts generally ranges from 100 words to 400 words long so it’s imperative to use the word count wisely. In this article we will be discussing how to write the best response to these prompts.
Prompts
Top schools like Cornell, Duke, NYU and several others require a “Why Us” essay. Below is a sample prompt:
Northwestern: Other parts of your application give us a sense for how you might contribute to Northwestern. But we also want to consider how Northwestern will contribute to your interests and goals. Help us understand what aspects of Northwestern appeal most to you, and how you’ll make use of specific resources and opportunities here. (300 words)
Here is a list of a few schools that have (or recently required) this essay):
- Brown University
- Columbia University
- Cornell University
- Duke University
- New York University
- Northwestern University
- Tufts University
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Southern California
There are many more colleges and universities not listed that ask some sort of variation of this question so it is important to know what colleges are looking for.
Things to Include
- Genuine Interest: Instead of focusing on the class size, campus, and location, find programs, resources, and courses that you are genuinely interested in and link them to your goals in and post college. Envision your experience as a student there. What would that look like?
- Personal Goals: Think about why you are selecting this school and how you can actualize your goals using the university’s resources. In the long run, how is attending this school going to help you in your future endeavors? How will you grow as an intellectual and individual. Research specific college programs and resources and link them to your own personal goals. We encourage you to be as specific as you can and select one or two goals that you will accomplish or work towards accomplishing in your time there.
- Extracurriculars: Outside of academics how do you intend to use your time? What better way to confirm your interests than in joining clubs and organizations that align with your goals and interests. In general we want to focus around 70% of the essay on academics and the remaining 30% on extracurricular to solidify your interests and relate your Common App activities to the intended college.
- Specific Information: Aside from talking to current students, the best way to find out about specific topics within your intended major is by looking through course syllabi. Reading them will help you discern what in particular you are interested in exploring. Oftentimes upper division courses are more specific to your specific track and interests so definitely check those out!
Things to Avoid
- Generalization: Please try to avoid talking about impersonal things that the school offers like location, reputation, class size, etc. We want to personalize this essay for the specific college and not repeat what you have written for all other private universities you are interested in attending.
- Simply Stating Resources: Try to relate the programs, labs, and resources you research into your essay and your goals. Always link back to your goals to create a cohesive reason for what you want to accomplish. Instead of naming a professor and how you want to work under them, it’s better to think of the specific opportunities you will have to further your interests—extensions of your current endeavors. Also, try to avoid mentioning traditions that the school is known to participate in because many other applicants are naming the same thing.
- Simply Restating Brochures and Websites: Oftentimes people will use the same phrases they see on the college mission statement or major objective. Rather than listing the same jargon, admissions officers want to hear how the school resonates with you. Maybe you share the same values and you can show that through an anecdote or the courses or organizations you are interested in at the college.
*Basically, try to avoid mentioning things that can be found through a simple Google search when you type the name of the college.
Additional Tips
- Contact Admissions: If you can, try to contact the admissions office or your local representative early. Come prepared with specific questions you have about the college and its programs beyond what can be found through a simple web search. If you hear something meaningful, you can include it in your essay. Don’t be afraid to engage in a typical conversation with them. They are human too and are sometimes either current students or the essay reader!
- Contact Current Students: The best way to find out about a specific college is often through the lens of a current student. Instead of asking what the college is like, try asking them more open-ended questions like what they were surprised about or the campuses’ best kept secret. Asking a wide range of questions will generate more interesting answers and may even amplify your excitement and quality of essay writing.
Drafting Your “Why us?” Essay
- Introduction: Introduce your goal and explain why. We recommend you start with an anecdote.
- Body: Explain your goal and how you will accomplish/take the steps to accomplish them at the college
- Conclusion: Reaffirm how the college can propel you forward. Extend your goal to the future.
We understand that this can be especially difficult to do if you are undeclared, given that most high school seniors are still trying to figure out who they are at the tender age of 17 and 18. We also understand that you may have a lot of interests or are still trying to find your passion and we are here to help. Please contact us at SK Education for everything from college guidance to passion searching. We are here to help.