Guide to Why Major College Admissions Essays By Sarah O’Neill Coatesville, Chester County, PA, Supreme Editing

 

Guide to “Why Major” Essays

Why do you want to study this specific subject? Similar to the “Why School” and Intellectual Engagement essays, these prompts ask you why you’re interested in pursuing a specific major.

Example Prompts

Please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the areas of study that you noted in the application. — Columbia University

Pick what field of study at MIT appeals to you the most right now, and tell us more about why this field of study appeals to you. — MIT

At Cambridge, all admissions decisions are based solely on academic criteria (ability and potential). Therefore, in your personal statement, we’d like you to:
- explain your reasons for wanting to study the subject at university
- demonstrate enthusiasm for and commitment to your chosen course
- express any particular interests within the field
- outline how you’ve pursued your subject interest in your own time
— University of Cambridge

What They’re Actually Asking

● Why do you want to study this subject? What motivates you?
● Why do you want to study this subject at our school (as opposed to other
schools?) What makes us the best option for you?
● What experience do you already have in this subject (classes, extracurriculars,
work experience, independent study)?

Example Essay

From Newton’s calculus to Cayley’s matrix, interactions between symbols and numbers have revealed the most fundamental principles of how the universe functions. At Cambridge, it would be my honor to follow in those great scientists’ footsteps as a mathematical physicist who will revolutionize the way people see the universe. Originally, I learned about quantum physics by reading books like The Brief History of Time and Quantum Universe. However, I completely changed my approach
after a meeting I had with Professor Sun Hao, the chair of the physics department at the Dalian University of Technology. Professor Sun told me that the only way to really understand physics was to learn about the mathematics behind it. After that, I stopped reading popular science books and instead seriously committed to the journey of combining math and physics. I started by entering math summer camps and buying
university textbooks, especially to learn abstract and linear algebra. I contacted professors from local universities to learn number theory and probability theory. Calculus and physics knowledge was covered in school, and I developed the habit of learning at least one thing independently each day, from books, forums, or arXiv. Mathematics offered physics its strength, and physics made math real. In the four years since that meeting, I’ve written several papers and used some of them to participate in science fairs.

Being interested in spider webs, I used an electric field to adjust polar molecules to create materials which were spider-silk-like. The paper
was later published in the Journal of High School Science, titled Electrospun poly(styrene-b-isoprene-b-styrene)/C5 pressure-sensitive adhesives owning cross-linked structures (v1). Last year, my project on identifying exoplanets by direct observation won first place and a gold medal at the New Hampshire Science and Engineering Expo’s Earth and Space Science division, earning a NASA Earth System Science Project Award at the same time. An improved version of the paper was accepted by the 2nd International Conference on Applied Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering and the 3rd International Conference on Optoelectronic Science and Materials, and published by the International Society for Optical Engineering. In the project, I analyzed NASA’s Blue Marble: Next Generation photo sets taken in 2004, and used mathematics to establish
models of the Earth’s light curve graphs and albedo maps of twelve months of the surface of the target planet, proving the feasibility of direct observation along with related theoretical demonstration.

Later on, I published another paper about auroras in The Young Science Journal, in which I used mathematics to simulate a model of the velocity of electrons accelerated by Alfvén waves. Through a process similar to surfing, the electrons hit the nitrogen and oxygen atoms in the atmosphere, with the excited atoms emitting photons and generating aurora. For my hard work and achievements in my high school career, I won the Mathematical Communication Award and Scientific Achievement Award at my school. Curious about how my knowledge had changed, I picked up the materials I abandoned years ago. I was pleased and satisfied to see that what was once impossible for me to understand was now understandable.

Symbols now had meanings, illustrating patterns and algorithms I recognized. From dV/dt to the Eigenvalue, gravity, relativity, quantum mechanics and string theory slowly unfold in front of me. Some are fairly easy, others remain mysterious. But I’m confident that one day I’ll understand all of them, if only so can I contribute to the search for the theory of everything, the one for all and all for one. At Cambridge, the
birthplace of modern science, I look forward to challenging myself, contributing to a diverse academic community, and learning everything that will help me in the pursuit of truth.

What Should I Write About?

Do your research!
If the prompt references your school’s specific program (“Why do you want to study x subject at our university?”) you should start out by doing research on that school’s major program. (See the “Guide to Why Essays” for advice on how to research. For the Why Major essay, it’s good to look at classes, professors, and the major program as a whole). Keep an eye out for things that make that school’s specific program especially unique or
well-suited to your interests. Research on a school’s program is what separates an OK “Why Major” essay from a truly great one.

Experience can take many forms
It may be intimidating to write a “why major” essay for a major you might not have a lot of formal experience with, but after some brainstorming, you may find that you have more experience with your chosen subject than you think.

Some experiences you might talk about…

- Reading books or articles, watching documentaries, listening to podcasts
- Getting involved in related clubs, communities or volunteer groups
- Conducting, or participating in, research
- Being an active participant in relevant class discussions
- Taking electives or additional classes
- Working on independent projects
- Related hobbies or interests
- Entering competitions
- Teaching others

A note
“Why Major” prompts often have a lot of overlap with “intellectual engagement” prompts, and you may be able to adapt essays from one prompt to the other. The Intellectual Engagement essay guide and its examples may also be useful to you as you write essays for “Why Major” prompts.

Brainstorming

1. Which subject or subjects would you like to study in college? If you’re not
sure about which major you want to pursue, now is the time to think of at least 2 specialties that you might want to learn about, even if you’re not 100% decided on them.

- major: visual art (painting)
- possible minors: art history, Russian literature

2. When did you first develop an interest in this subject? List a few early
experiences that sparked your interest.

- making collages with my babysitter at age 10
- teaching art for the first time as a camp counselor
- my first art class at school

3. What have you done in order to learn more about this subject?

- president of my school’s art club
- takes classes outside of school at local atelier 2x/week
- goes plein air painting in my free time with local groups
- always carries a sketchbook with me
- taking AP Art History as an elective

4. What future goals do you have regarding this subject? Do you plan to pursue a job in this field or a related field? How will you use your college education in the future?

In the future, I want to be a successful gallery artist and arts professor. After college, I have plans to pursue an MFA in painting.

5. How will an education at this specific college help you achieve these goals?

Brown has an excellent arts program with a specific focus on producing gallery artists and teaching analytical and conceptual thinking. Alumni of their undergraduate program are highly represented among Whitney Biennial exhibitors, and the Visual Art program’s small graduating classes and intensive honors program allows for tight-knit connections between professors and students. Brown’s partnership with RISD will also give me access to further artistic courses, professors and resources.

Example Outline

Part 1: Name the major or subject you’re interested in, and tell us why you’re interested in it. Due to my lifelong passion for technology and community building, I am drawn to Georgia Tech’s computer science major and the university’s motto of Progress and Service.

Part 2: Tell us about how you’ve studied, researched, or demonstrated interest in this topic over the course of your life. If you have the word count (and especially if the prompt asks for it) this is a great place to share the experience that initially sparked your interest in the subject. My childhood interest in programming, beginning with my first TI-84 calculator,
and my high school coursework has forged this path. During the summer of my sophomore year, I studied big data and R. Using these skills, I modeled and analyzed the widespread social infrastructure challenge of bike-sharing in China, and published my article in The European Journal of Economics and Management Sciences. Through this project, I truly realized the powerful applications of computer science at our fingertips, to influence and improve society.

Part 3: Talk about why this specific school or program is the ideal place for you to learn more about your chosen subject. This is where you bring in your research!

Please note: if the prompt has a super-short word count (100–150 words) AND doesn’t specifically ask about your interest in the school’s program, OR if the school has a “Why School” essay prompt and you already covered this information in that essay, you don’t need to include this section.

Georgia Tech is the ideal place for me to prepare for a career in computer
science with its emphasis on putting theories into practice to develop students’ operational skills. Through Georgia Tech’s unique Threads computer science curriculum, I will be able to create my own specialized computing degree, focusing on the People Thread that prioritizes humanity as the central component. The interdisciplinary curriculum, offering classes in the social sciences and free electives, shapes students into well-rounded people who have knowledge outside of their field of study. This is especially important for people majoring in the sciences as social skills and communication are what separates humans from machines.

Furthermore, with the array of undergraduate internship opportunities, Georgia Tech students gain a competitive edge as they enter the professional workforce. As an avid athlete, event organizer, and participant in school activities, I can’t wait to be a part of the university’s campus life. Beyond my undergraduate coursework, I look forward to pursuing graduate studies in one of Georgia Tech’s nine computer science master’s degree programs to build a career centered in technology and community service.

THANK YOU FOR READING!

Need mentoring or editing? Email Saraoneil3232@yahoo.com

Sarah O’Neill Chester County Teacher Editor Supreme Editing Coatesville