What Do You Want To Study In College

What Colleges Get Out Of Reading Your Why This College Essay

Colleges want to check three things when they read this essay.

First, they want to see that you have a sense of what makes this college different and special.

• Do you know something about the school’s mission, history, and/or values?
• Have you thought about the school’s specific approach to learning?
• Are you comfortable with the school’s traditions and the overall feel of student life here?

Second, they want proof that you will be a good fit for the school.

• Where do your interests lie? Do they correspond to this school’s strengths?
• Is there something about you that meshes well with some aspect of the school?
• How will you contribute to college life? How will you make your mark on campus?

And third, they want to see that this school will, in turn, be a good fit for you.

• What do you want to get out of college? Will this college be able to provide that? Will this school contribute to your future success?
• What will you take advantage of on campus ?
• Will you succeed academically? Is this school at the right rigor and pace for your ideal learning environment?

Example Of A Great Why This College Essay

At this point, it’ll be helpful to take a look at a “why us” essay that works and figure out what the author did to create a meaningful answer to this challenging question.

Here is a “Why Tufts” Essay from James Gregoire ’19 for Tufts University:

It was on my official visit with the cross country team that I realized Tufts was the perfect school for me. Our topics of conversation ranged from Asian geography to efficient movement patterns, and everyone spoke enthusiastically about what they were involved in on campus. I really related with the guys I met, and I think they represent the passion that Tufts’ students have. I can pursue my dream of being a successful entrepreneur by joining the Tufts Entrepreneurs Society, pursuing an Entrepreneurial Leadership minor, and taking part in an up-and-coming computer science program.

Here are some of the main reasons this essay is so effective:

• Interaction with current students. James writes about hanging out with the cross country team and sounds excited about meeting them.

• “I’m a great fit.” He uses the conversation with the cross country guys to talk about his own good fit here .

• Why the school is special. James also uses the conversation as a way to show that he enjoys the variety of opportunities Tufts offers .

• Awareness of what the school is up to. Finally, James shows that he’s aware of the latest Tufts developments when he mentions the new computer science program.

What Not To Say

There are some responses that could paint you in a poor light. Here’s what to avoid:

• Focusing on a lack of options. When asked about why you chose your college during an interview, you should never reply that it was because it was the only school that accepted you. Even if that was the case, you can frame your response in a much more positive way. After all, you chose to apply to the school that accepted you. So, think about what you hoped to gain from the school when you applied to it.
• Party school: You want to seem professional in your response, so call out aspects of your school that are respected by employers. You’ll appear unserious and like a poor candidate if you say you selected your school because it’s a well known party school.

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Why Study A Foreign Language

Over the past decades our world has become more interdependent and new technologies have allowed us to work in close contact with people all over the world. As relationships with countries grow, so does the need to speak a foreign language.

We have an enhanced need for an enlightened citizenship that is both culturally and linguistically prepared to function in today’s world.

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What Are Some Dangers Of Spring Break

Unfortunately, there are many dangerous aspects to spring break.

One of the most common things that occur during spring break is drinking and driving. Its essential to have a designated driver when going out in groups, especially if youre exploring different cities.

Another danger is getting scammed by Airborne hosts or being scared into renting overpriced rooms because its spring break.

Make sure you do your research before traveling to a new place during spring break!

Keep Your Ego In Check

Success at your high school is great, but your audience has most likely been packed with family and friends who love everything you do. Also, everyone else pursuing Theatre programs has probably had this same level of success. Worry about being the best you can be, not about beating out others. Youll see students waste their time just trying to devalue the competition, but theres a way to be considerate while being competitive. And dont guess what a program wants…call them up and discuss what theyre looking for in an applicant and what you might do to make yourself more appealing.

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Find The Gems In Your Research

You have on hand all kinds of information, from your own personal experiences on campus, to your conversations with people affiliated with your target school, to what you’ve learned from campus publications, to tidbits gleaned from the web.

Now, it’s time to sift through all of your notes to find the three to five things that really speak to you. Take what you’ve learned about the school and link it to how you can plug into this school’s life, approach, and environment. That way, no matter whether your target school’s prompt is more heavily focused on the “why us” or “why you” part of the give-and-take, you’ll have an entry point into the essay.

But what should these three to five things be? What should you keep in mind when you’re looking for the gem that will become your topic?

Here are some words of wisdom from Calvin Wise, Director of Recruitment and former Associate Director of Admissions at Johns Hopkins University :

“Focus on what makes us unique and why that interests you. Do your research, and articulate a multi-dimensional connection to the specific college or university. We do not want broad statements or a rehash of the information on our website . All institutions have similarities. We want you to talk about our differences.“

Time to find that diamond, amethyst, opal, tourmaline, or amber in the rough.

Tips For A Successful College Interview

When you prepare for your college interview, you can increase the chances your interview will be successful. The following tips may help you plan for your interview:

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Here’s How To Respond If You Are Sure About A Major

If you do have a strong sense of what you want to study, you’ll still want to make sure your answer creates a positive impression. Think about the following weak responses:

• I want to major in business because I want to make lots of money. You’re telling the interviewer that material gain is your top priority. Are you actually interested in business? Students who choose a major based on its earning potential are less likely to succeed in college than those who have an actual interest in the subject matter that they are studying. A lot of business majors and engineers either change majors or drop out of college because they were, in truth, not interested in business or engineering.
• My parents want me to become a doctor. Okay, but what do you want to do? Do you have thoughts of your own, or are you going to let your parents define your academic path?
• I want to major in political science because I want to go to law school. Do you have sincere interest in political science? And why do you want to go to law school? You’re going to spend four years of your life studying as an undergraduate, so you don’t want to breeze over your response with a comment about graduate school. The interviewer isn’t admitting you to graduate school. Also realize that any major can lead to law school.

Make sure you are ready to explain why you are interested in a particular field. What experiences or high school courses piqued your interest? A good response captures your excitement:

Capitalize On Your Strengths

As you can see, deciding on a degree to pursue is a process that takes timeso dont worry if you cant decide right away. Now that you have some tips and tricks to help you answer the question What should I study in college? youre well on your way to finding the degree program thats a great fit for your skills and passions.

If you could use a little more help determining which careers align with your skills, take our Career Aptitude Test to help you figure it out!

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How To Pick A Field Of Study

A field of study may be your major, or the department to which your major belongs. For instance, you may choose to major in post-war American Literature while studying English. The important thing to remember, is that your major should be something you are genuinely interested in, and for which you have a real talent. You must also consider your ultimate career goal. It is all very well to major in post-war American Literature, but to what end. Do you want to be a novelist, or are you planning on becoming a college professor? It may not be the most exciting aspect of your decision, but you need to know your ultimate career goals after graduation. How will your chosen major affect your professional life after you leave college?

Here are a couple of useful tips to help you decide on your college major.

From The Admissions Desk

“If a school asks this question, they are trying to be intentional about the community they are building and want to see that students will be active participants in the life of the university.”

Kerr RamsayVice President for Undergraduate Admissions, High Point University

When it comes to prestige and earning potential, the issue is a bit more fuzzy. After all, name recognition and your future salary are both important. The interviewer most likely is hoping that you find the college prestigious. That said, you don’t want to come across as someone who is more concerned with material gain and prestige than with pursuing your passions and getting a high-quality education.

Many students choose a college based on sports. If you love nothing more than playing soccer, you’re likely to look at colleges that have strong soccer teams. During the interview, however, keep in mind that students who are interested in nothing except sports often fail to graduate.

The best answers to this interview question provide a balance of academic and non-academic reasons for wanting to attend. Perhaps you’ve always dreamed of playing on the school’s soccer team and you really like the school’s hands-on approach to teaching engineering. Or maybe you like the opportunity to be an editor for the literary magazine, and you are eager to participate in the English department’s study abroad program.

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Applying To A Specific Undergraduate College

For many universities, you apply for undergraduate admission and that’s it. Even if the university is divided into several smaller colleges of study, you won’t have to choose a school until after you get to campus.

For example, at Stanford, I wasn’t required to apply to a major or specific undergraduate division. Once I got to campus, I could choose between the different undergraduate schools: Humanities and Sciences, Engineering, or Earth Sciences. Each school housed its own majors.

However, for some universities, you need to make the choice between undergraduate colleges when you are applying as a high school senior.

To take a few prominent examples, Northwestern, Cornell, and Boston College all require you to apply to a specific undergraduate college. This can all be daunting when you’re just 18 and don’t know what to do with your life yet!

The choices at those schools are as follows:

• School of Education and Human Development
• School of Nursing

Which school you apply to could also affect your application requirements. For example, in the past, the different colleges at Cornell have had different standardized test requirements.

So what do you do if you want to apply to a university like thisbut aren’t sure about your future area of study? The answer to this depends on whether the choice is binding or not.

Possible Why Us Topics

• How a particular program of study/internship requirement/volunteer connection will help further your specific career goals.

• The school’s interesting approach to your future major or a major that combines several disciplines that appeal to you and fit with your current academic work and interests.

• How the school handles financial aid and the infrastructure setup for low-income students, and what that means for you in terms of opening doors.

• A story about how you became interested in the school . Did it host a high school contest you took part in? Feature a visual or performing art that you enjoyed and that you also do?

• How you overcame an initial disinterest in the school . Did you do more research? Interact with someone on campus? Learn about the school’s commitment to the community? Learn about interesting research being done there?

• A positive interaction you had with current students, faculty, or staff, as long as this is more than just, “Everyone I met was really nice.”

• An experience you had while on a campus tour. Was there a super passionate tour guide? Any information that surprised you? Did something happen to transform your idea about the school or campus life ?

• Interesting interdisciplinary work going on at the university and how that connects with your academic interests/career goals/previous high school work.

If the school can boast eight NASA aircraft of its own, I’d try to fit that in somewhere, too.

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Final Tip: Apply To Non

As a final piece of advice, make sure at least a few of the colleges you apply to do not bind you to a major or undergraduate division before you get to campus. Your goal is to have as many options as possible once you get to April of your senior year.

One way to do this is to apply to liberal arts schools. If you really have no idea what you want to study, liberal arts colleges can be good choices, as they encourage students to take a wide variety of classes and don’t expect you to enter knowing exactly what you want to study.

Many universities also just accept general undergraduate applicants. Make sure as you compile your list of colleges that you do your research and see where they stand on binding versus non-binding school/major choices.

To sum up, apply to a wide range of colleges and universities so you’re not stuck choosing between being a chemistry major at one school and an art major at another come April your senior year!

How Do I Begin If I Want To Study In America

There are four basic steps you must complete in order to study at a university in the United States.

How do I begin the process of studying in the United States?

Answer: As a prospective international student, there are four basic steps you must complete in order to study at a U.S. university. The first step is to decide which universities to apply to. This is often a complicated task, because you need to know a lot of information to make a good choice. If you have no idea about how to do this, you may consider contacting the closest academic advising center sponsored by your government or by the United States government. Each of these offices can provide excellent advice about schools that you should consider. You should also look at the schools that have links to this site.

After you have decided which schools interest you, the next step is to contact the Office of Admissions at each school and request an admissions application for graduate study. This application will give you details about the process at each school. While you are waiting, it would be a good time to take the TOEFL and any other examinations that will be required by most schools.

The third step is to complete the applications you decide to pursue and to arrange to have all of your records of secondary and post-secondary study sent directly to the schools you have selected. Then send in the applications and the application fees according to the instructions in each application packet.

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