
Many schools require students to write the “Why Major” essay. In this essay, you will articulate your motivation for pursuing a specific course of study and leave the reader with an understanding of the ways you can contribute to the school’s program. Whether you’re a future English major or an aspiring engineer, you’ll need to convey your passion and drive.
Each one of these prompts invites you to reflect on your past experiences and look ahead to the future. So before you begin writing, it’s helpful to spend some time reflecting. What are your motivations and aspirations? Can you think of your “origin” story within your field of interest? Perhaps you developed a passion for engineering after competing in Pinewood Derby. Or maybe you became interested in performance studies after getting hooked on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Think about the moment that sparked your interest, a moment that is unique to you, and you’ll have the start of a compelling Why Major essay.
From there, you’ll want to show the reader how you fanned that first little spark into a flame. Keep in mind that most schools already require an activities list or résumé. You don’t need to summarize every relevant experience. Your essay will be much stronger if you focus on those that made a big impact on you. For example, if you are interested in majoring in journalism, you’ll be better off describing how writing a meaningful article for your school newspaper affected your goals than listing all the community events you’ve covered.
Lastly, you’ll want to explain how you hope to further your knowledge in college. What are you especially curious about? Are there any skills you’ll need to acquire in order to pursue the career you dream of? The more specific you can be to the specific school’s major program, the better!
While this article provides an overview of how to write a “Why Major” essay, you may find that the schools you’re applying to have stringent word limits. If you’re not able to hit on all these points, prioritize the experiences that best exhibit your passions and ambitions. If you’re applying as an undeclared student, you can focus on the experiences that have most excited your passion for learning. You will also want to discuss the majors you’re considering and demonstrate your intellectual curiosity.
If you want more help getting started, you can sign up to use Prompt’s “Why Major” content module. This module is available to everyone, regardless of whether you plan to use our editing services or not. There, you’ll have access to additional brainstorming questions to help you develop a personal and engaging essay. After brainstorming, you’ll be able to view the prompts for the schools on your list and outline each of your essays.
Many schools require students to write the “Why Major” essay. In this essay, you will articulate your motivation for pursuing a specific course of study and leave the reader with an understanding of the ways you can contribute to the school’s program. Whether you’re a future English major or an aspiring engineer, you’ll need to convey your passion and drive.
Each one of these prompts invites you to reflect on your past experiences and look ahead to the future. So before you begin writing, it’s helpful to spend some time reflecting. What are your motivations and aspirations? Can you think of your “origin” story within your field of interest? Perhaps you developed a passion for engineering after competing in Pinewood Derby. Or maybe you became interested in performance studies after getting hooked on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Think about the moment that sparked your interest, a moment that is unique to you, and you’ll have the start of a compelling Why Major essay.
From there, you’ll want to show the reader how you fanned that first little spark into a flame. Keep in mind that most schools already require an activities list or résumé. You don’t need to summarize every relevant experience. Your essay will be much stronger if you focus on those that made a big impact on you. For example, if you are interested in majoring in journalism, you’ll be better off describing how writing a meaningful article for your school newspaper affected your goals than listing all the community events you’ve covered.
Lastly, you’ll want to explain how you hope to further your knowledge in college. What are you especially curious about? Are there any skills you’ll need to acquire in order to pursue the career you dream of? The more specific you can be to the specific school’s major program, the better!
While this article provides an overview of how to write a “Why Major” essay, you may find that the schools you’re applying to have stringent word limits. If you’re not able to hit on all these points, prioritize the experiences that best exhibit your passions and ambitions. If you’re applying as an undeclared student, you can focus on the experiences that have most excited your passion for learning. You will also want to discuss the majors you’re considering and demonstrate your intellectual curiosity.
If you want more help getting started, you can sign up to use Prompt’s “Why Major” content module. This module is available to everyone, regardless of whether you plan to use our editing services or not. There, you’ll have access to additional brainstorming questions to help you develop a personal and engaging essay. After brainstorming, you’ll be able to view the prompts for the schools on your list and outline each of your essays.
Many schools require students to write the “Why Major” essay. In this essay, you will articulate your motivation for pursuing a specific course of study and leave the reader with an understanding of the ways you can contribute to the school’s program. Whether you’re a future English major or an aspiring engineer, you’ll need to convey your passion and drive.
Each one of these prompts invites you to reflect on your past experiences and look ahead to the future. So before you begin writing, it’s helpful to spend some time reflecting. What are your motivations and aspirations? Can you think of your “origin” story within your field of interest? Perhaps you developed a passion for engineering after competing in Pinewood Derby. Or maybe you became interested in performance studies after getting hooked on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Think about the moment that sparked your interest, a moment that is unique to you, and you’ll have the start of a compelling Why Major essay.
From there, you’ll want to show the reader how you fanned that first little spark into a flame. Keep in mind that most schools already require an activities list or résumé. You don’t need to summarize every relevant experience. Your essay will be much stronger if you focus on those that made a big impact on you. For example, if you are interested in majoring in journalism, you’ll be better off describing how writing a meaningful article for your school newspaper affected your goals than listing all the community events you’ve covered.
Lastly, you’ll want to explain how you hope to further your knowledge in college. What are you especially curious about? Are there any skills you’ll need to acquire in order to pursue the career you dream of? The more specific you can be to the specific school’s major program, the better!
While this article provides an overview of how to write a “Why Major” essay, you may find that the schools you’re applying to have stringent word limits. If you’re not able to hit on all these points, prioritize the experiences that best exhibit your passions and ambitions. If you’re applying as an undeclared student, you can focus on the experiences that have most excited your passion for learning. You will also want to discuss the majors you’re considering and demonstrate your intellectual curiosity.
If you want more help getting started, you can sign up to use Prompt’s “Why Major” content module. This module is available to everyone, regardless of whether you plan to use our editing services or not. There, you’ll have access to additional brainstorming questions to help you develop a personal and engaging essay. After brainstorming, you’ll be able to view the prompts for the schools on your list and outline each of your essays.