Please critic my dream school's essay!
What are the unique qualities of Northwestern - and of the specific undergraduate school to which you are applying - that make you want to attend the University? In what ways do you hope to take advantage of the qualities you have identified?
Northwestern University. My economics teacher raved about the exceptional economics programs there. My cello teacher mentioned the excellent music programs there. My sister told me about the premier journalism school there. My dad's friend, a Northwestern alumnus, sang carols about his memories there. And of course, the Windy City has its allure. But while Northwestern University's well rounded academics, top ranked quality of life, and convenient geographical location all appealed to me, the two biggest aspects that drove me to apply to Northwestern were the small classes with the reputation of dedicated professors and its rich campus atmosphere.
Around the time I began thinking about colleges, I was talking to my neighbor, whose son goes to Northwestern. She told me she got a text from her son after his first day of classes. He was in a social science class, at the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, taught by a professor who wrote a couple of award winning books and contributes to numerous national economic journals. She told him to sit up front and make sure this teacher knows his name. He texted back, saying [private text stuff, but saying how the classes are really small. :)]
After a bit of research, I found that Northwestern boasts a faculty to student ratio of 7 to 1. That particularly grasped my attention because it would allow me build a personal relationship with the people around me, to provide me the support to venture into my academic interests. Instead of mass classes of hundreds of students, I could be in classes where the professor could remember my name beyond the first day of class.
That conversation left a footprint in my memory, and I made sure to find an opportunity to visit Northwestern whenever I could. That opportunity came during my dad's family visit to Chicago in the summer of 2008, and I convinced him to let me tag along - and take a campus visit to Northwestern while there. On a bright and rather muggy morning, my father and I set off on our adventure with a train ride to Evanston. Jack, my dad's close friend and an alumnus, tagged along.
While it was an unofficial tour of Northwestern, I learned many of the campus' quirks and customs. I couldn't help but smile when I learned about the Rock and its history, and the variegated splatters of paint I saw on it. Dillo Day, something Jack recalled with a grin on his face, was something I definitely wanted to experience for myself. Other activities such as the Primal Scream held every quarter - something I wish my high school had - appealed to me as well. These heartwarming traditions convinced me that I would be able to fit in here. While the tour was shorter than I would have liked, I managed to see most of the campus. I loved walking aimlessly around, enjoying the beautiful wood and stone architecture, the clean and gorgeous lakes, and the greenery everywhere that makes the landscape perfect to live, learn, and relax in.
Hearing what current and past students have to say about classes and campus life, and seeing Northwestern with my own eyes, I have confirmed my belief that it is the place for me. I know I will flourish immensely from what this school has to offer, and I believe that Northwestern University will be the ideal place for me in the next four years of my life.
Perhaps I did not write enough about how I would take advantage of the qualities, or the specific undergraduate school? What do you think?
I think that, overall, it's pretty good. I'm doing this essay as well and I thought that we had to elaborate more on the college's majors and programs. You seem to focus on the learning environment and social life much more. Not that it's wrong, but you may want to put in something in terms of an area of interest or a specific program offered by Weinberg that you particularly like.
And the part about the texting... ?
lol I guess it's not that private.
It basically said that there were only ~15 students in the class and the professor knows his name.
I focused on the social life because it asked unique qualities appealed to me, right? I'm not too sure, this is a pretty rough rough draft.
Thanks for the reply!
i think you should write less about what the northwestern university is like because i can see northwestern anywhere from your essay
do more relation between yourself and the college
how does yourself relate to the university, how can you fit in, how can this institution be so unique and fit for you, think about this, i think you can ace on your essays~~~
the two biggest aspects that drove me to apply to Northwestern were the small classes with the reputation of dedicated professors and its rich campus atmosphere.
Because you end the first paragraph with this statement, it makes it seem like you are about to write an essay about the class size and reputations of professors.
Oh! And I see that these are indeed the subjects of the essay. Very cool. This is solid composition.
Still, it is important to go deeper into this. Imagine you are an experienced professional in your chosen field... a professional with 30 years of experience, and going to college again. What would be the things you look for in an institution? You would look for specific approaches to the field you have learned so much about, because you already have well-developed ideas about the field.
So I think you should show that you have well-developed ideas about this field you are entering, and choose this school based on the way it's program is aligned with your particular philosophy about this field.
