How to Nail the “Why Us” & Other Supplemental Essays

Your personal statement tells colleges who you are. Your supplements show them why you belong at their school. At selective colleges, the “Why Us” essay is one of your biggest opportunities to stand out—and one of the easiest places to blend in. Too many students write a generic essay: great academics, great location, great community, felt like home. That essay could have been written for any school. I’m a Stanford- and Columbia-educated writing coach, and in this livestream I’ll show you what a strong “Why Us” essay is actually asking you to do, the mistakes that can undermine an otherwise strong application, and how to write supplements that are so specific and personal that no other applicant could have written them. We’ll also tackle other supplemental prompts you’re likely to encounter, including community, identity, and extracurricular essays. Bring your college list—you’ll leave with a clear strategy for researching each school and turning what you discover into compelling, highly specific essays.