The Foreign Service Journal, June 2019

54 JUNE 2019 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT nificant, admissions officers will tell you that they mostly just want students who will flourish at their school. So, you need to show them why you and Wonderful College are a perfect match. How do you do that, exactly? First, let me reassure you about your writing demands here. Lest you despair because you are applying to 10 colleges, eight of which request the Why This College? essay, here’s good news: you can use the first part of the essay for all eight colleges, and tailor the second half to each col- lege. That will dramatically reduce your workload. But before starting your draft, you will need to ... Research, Research, Research You’d be surprised how many appli- cants think it’s enough to like the campus tour guide or know that the college has a prestigious name. But you need to dig a lot deeper to find the best college for you. So, do your homework. Peruse the college website, the academic majors, the actual classes. Read the school newspa- per, follow the sports teams, scan student blogs and view student art projects. Listen to the college radio station. Google the professors. Look for the college on YouTube and Facebook. Visit if you can. (And if you’re lucky enough to meet a college representa- tive visiting your school or at a college fair, engage in conversation and follow up with an appreciative email after- ward—another great way to demonstrate interest.) Once you have several pages of notes on each individual college, it’s time to write. But ... Don’t Rewrite the College Brochure Alas, many applicants knock off a quick, not-very-well-researched essay that says, “I really want to go to What- ever University because the campus is so beautiful and there are so many fun activities and I’m excited to take a lot of different classes and there’s diversity, too! Go Mascots!” Trust me, college admissions officers already know how great their college is. Their impression will be that the appli- cant hasn’t taken the trouble to get to know Wonderful College and, therefore, isn’t particularly interested. With a little effort, however, you can ace this supplement. After researching each college, you will write an essay that accomplishes two vital missions: illumi- nating who you are and demonstrating your interest—or enthusiasm. To do that effectively, the key is using highly specific language . Just as in letters of recommendation or cover letters for job applications, specific language is believable. Generalities are the opposite. Compare these two sentences: General : History is my life, and because Whatever College has not only a great history department but also a stel- lar reputation, I know I’ll be happy there on its beautiful campus. Specific : My independent research into the Revolutionary War led me to read Professor Gabe McCormick’s book, The Jockey Hollow Encampment , and I’m eager to register for his freshman semi- nar class, “Thomas Paine and Common Sense .” Now that you’re getting the idea, let’s move on to ... Colleges want students who want them.