VSSIA COHORT 2022-2023

Why us?
Presented by
Valentina, Ruxi, Ana, Cristiana
AGENDA
1. What is a Why essay?
2. How to write it
3. WHY YOU exercise
4. Tips and Tricks
5. Team activity
6. Q&A with the team
 THE WHY ESSAY
What is it?
- A supplementary essay that explains why you
think you're a great match for a particular school

- A relevant way for you to prove interest in a Example :

particular college
In no more than 250 words, please tell us why
BU is a good fit for you and what specifically
has led you to apply for admission.
FORMAT
DO
give personal reasons
research it well DON'T
give concrete examples:
size, location, reputation,
courses, professors, etc
weather, ranking, athletics, well-
talk to alumnis
known traditions
add your personal touch
overly emotional, cliche, sob
sell yourself
stories
confusing between two different
schools
brochure/website language
not selling yourself
 HOW TO WRITE IT
1, Research it well 2. Things to look for
- find your information on places - Majors and minors
such as:
Google, - Niche classes related to your interest
college website,
info sessions, - Professors and their research
admission reps,
current students interviews, - Extracurricular opportunities
alumni,
researchgate - Societies, unique opportunities related to that school
in particular (eg. Dartmouth- the place where AI was
first conceptualized)
 3. Think outside of the box

Youtube channels

Reddit,Tiktok, Instagram,
Twitter

Friends of friends (VSSIA!!!)

Events

Syllabus
 STRUCTURE
EXAMPLE
- Intro/Thesis: what you want to study and why
- One specific academic given at this school that works
well with your area of interest
- Another specific academic offered there that supports
your claim of what you want to study
- An academic offering that is unrelated to what you want
to major in to show diversity
- A relevant extracurricular that draws you there
- Any other extracurriculars/perks at this college
- Circulate it back to you and how you will benefit the
organization while taking the most out of these perks that
they offer -> WHY THEM and WHY YOU
 WHY YOU
Your main areas of Your niche in these areas Research it
interest
- Dive deeper in your - Find some specific
- What majors do you interests examples using the tools
find the most appealing
mentioned: major, minor,
for yourself? - Out of those areas, extracurriculars,

what are some courses, professors
- What do you wanna particular topics that

explore in college? attract you? - Find reasons why you

will be a benefit to the
college(s)

 TIPS AND TRICKS

1.Make sure your essay is not too generic
- if you can use another university's name in your
essay and it would still make sense that means it is
not specific enough
2. Don't use information you can easily find on
the first page of the university's website

3. Remember that your essay has to match with your story

and make sense in the context of your whole application

4.Don't just focus on one aspect of the school-Try to write about

both non-academic and academic elements
TEAM ACTIVITY
BREAKOUT ROOM TIME
Join your group
Correct/comment on the assigned
section based on what you learned
today
Come back in 15 minutes and show
your work
Decide on one person from each team
to present the changes made
GOOD LUCK!!!
 Thank you!
Do you have any questions for us before we go?