Among the supplemental essays you’ll need to write for college applications, one of the most common questions colleges ask is: Why are you interested in your chosen major? This topic is an opportunity to showcase what you know about the specific major that you’d like to study in college and why it’s a match for you. While writing the Why Major essay may seem straightforward, many students miss the core of the question on their first attempt. In this blog post, we’ll explore the purpose of a Why Major essay, what makes a successful response, and common pitfalls to avoid.
What are Supplemental Essays?
Supplemental essays are additional writing assignments, separate from your Common App Essay, that help colleges ask targeted questions and get a more complete picture of who you are as an applicant. The format of each college’s supplemental essays will vary, so pay close attention to the requirements of each school.
For more information about supplemental essays, the role they play in your application, and how to tackle them, refer to our Ultimate Guide to Writing Supplemental Essays.
What is a Why Major Essay
One of the key aspects of the Why Major essay is that it asks you to reflect on a specific major at your chosen school. To begin, let’s clarify the difference between a “subject area” and a “major.”
A subject area is a general topic of study, such as psychology, business, or physics (note that subject areas are not capitalized). Majors are the names of specific programs in colleges: Psychology, Business and Management, Applied Physics and Mathematics (note that majors are capitalized).
The reason this detail is important is that many students assume majors will be generally the same across different colleges. But that’s often not the case. For example, if you want to study urban planning in college, you’ll apply to the Urban Studies and Planning major at USC but at the City Planning and Urban Affairs at Boston University. As you prepare to write your Why Major essays, take the time to do research about the specific program that you plan to enter. This will not only help you to write your applications but also equip you with knowledge about the programs of study that you are applying to.
It’s also important to note that not all Why Major essay prompts ask the same question. For example, Purdue University asks applicants to “discuss your reasons for pursuing the major you have selected,” while Georgia Tech asks, “Why do you want to study your chosen major, and why do you want to study that major at Georgia Tech?” Carefully read each prompt before you start writing your response.
How to Write a Why Major Essay: 5 Tips
The Why Major essay gives you the opportunity to showcase your academic interests and demonstrate how your chosen field of study aligns with your passions, experiences, and future goals.
1. Do your research
The biggest mistake that students make when writing the Why Major essay is that they skip the first and most important step: research!
If the prompt includes a “Why Us?” element, take the time to research the college’s offerings. Look into specific courses, professors, research opportunities, or clubs that align with your academic goals. Mentioning these details in your essay shows that you’ve done your homework and can articulate why this institution is the right fit for you.
Consider this essay your opportunity to get to know, in detail, the course of study you might undertake at a particular university. This is also your opportunity to understand the differences and similarities between multiple programs to which you are applying. Your research can include going to the Plan of Study or Course Catalogue for each major on the college’s website and checking out what value systems, classes, professors, areas of research and professional opportunities are available.
2. Don’t use too much real estate on passion
The second biggest mistake that students make when writing this kind of essay is misunderstanding it as an opportunity to talk about their interests in general. While it’s appropriate to mention reasons why you are passionate about this area of study, it won’t benefit your application to spend the entire essay on this topic.
Admissions committees want to see depth and specificity—they’re looking for insight into how your interests have shaped your academic and personal journey, as well as your vision for the future. To make your essay stand out, you’ll need to illustrate how your interest has manifested in meaningful ways, such as through coursework, extracurricular activities, independent projects, or real-world applications. This demonstrates not just your passion but also your initiative and commitment to pursuing this field at a deeper level. Remember, the key is to strike a balance between sharing your enthusiasm and showcasing how it has driven you to take action and grow.
3. Focus on anecdotes from high school
Although it makes sense to mention your life-long passion for animals or your time on the middle school robotics team, admissions officers are more interested in understanding how your high school experiences have shaped your academic interests and prepared you for college. Your essay should focus on specific experiences, such as classes, projects, extracurricular activities, or internships, that directly connect to the major you plan to pursue.
4. Reference specific information from your research
If the college asks you to discuss your specific interest in studying your major at their institution, focus on demonstrating that you’ve done your research by highlighting specific ways this major is a perfect fit for you. Emphasize the department’s value systems, unique classes, notable professors, research opportunities, and professional pathways that align with your goals and interests.
Is there a class that you have always wanted to take that the major offers? Are there professors whose areas of research are particularly interesting to you? Have alumni of this major gone on to do the kind of work you’d like to do in the future? Does the major offer any particular pre-professional opportunities that you wouldn’t be able to access elsewhere? Focusing on these specific elements in your Why Major essay will help you to stand out from the crowd as someone who really took the time to do in depth research.
5. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
It is completely appropriate and acceptable to reuse past versions of your Why Major essay, if you have written them for other colleges already, under one circumstance. If you reuse your essays, it is critical that you take the time to edit them so that they pertain to the specific college at hand. Given the amount of applications that the average student will work on during the season, it’s a smart strategy to reuse past work. However, we cannot stress enough the importance of taking the time to adapt and adjust the essays. Admissions officers would hate to receive a beautifully written essay with the wrong college’s name on it!
Conclusion
The Why Major essay is an opportunity to showcase your passion, preparation, and fit with a specific academic program. By focusing on your recent experiences, demonstrating thorough research, and connecting your goals and aspirations to what the program offers, you can craft a compelling response that stands out to admissions officers.
Writing the Why Major essay seems straightforward, it can take guidance from an expert to get the essay moving in the right direction. If you need support brainstorming or writing essays—or with any other parts of the application process—HelloCollege is here to help! Contact us for a free 45-minute consultation today.
