Northwestern Supplement - Future Bio Major

I have been struggling with this essay for so long now. This is my rough draft so far. it's not quite finished, but I'm already over my word limit, so is there any suggestions as to how I can tweak this to make it shorter and how to improve it in general? Thank you so much in advance!

Biology is the key to unravelling life's complexities and deepening our understanding of the natural world. Its applications are endless and have contributed immensely to many other fields like agriculture and medicine. The culmination of these factors is what has made biology the most fascinating and rewarding subject of study for me throughout my high school career. Now, as high school comes to a close, I realize the next step for me is to bridge the gap between my classroom experiences and real-world science. And I believe that Northwestern University will provide me with the tools I need to achieve this goal.

The biological studies program at Northwestern is one of the top-ranked in the country. Its strength is undeniable, and I do not doubt that a Northwestern education will be both rigorous and satisfying for me. However, the most alluring aspect of Northwestern's biology major would have to be the research opportunities available to students. The idea that someday I might be the one to discover something previously unknown to man that helps advance the field of biology enthralls me. There is so much potential for biology to have a real impact in the lives of everyday people, and I desire to harvest that potential and apply it to real-world questions and issues.

Northwestern also boasts an unbelievable number of internship opportunities available through the Chicago Field Studies program. CFS perfectly merges academic study and career exploration by combining weekly seminars with an internship experience. I can't imagine a more fun and constructive way to gain workplace experience than with this combo. The internship itself will allow me to explore the different career paths available to me in the future, while the seminars serve to reinforce what I've learned and allow me to receive valuable insight from others enrolled in the program.

Northwestern as a whole...

Chidera, I would love to know what the essay prompt that was provided to you was so that I can better help you with the revision process of your essay. It would really help not just me, but the other forum members as well, with the review process of your essay. We also need to know what your word limit is so that we can help you work within the word count parameters. Since we do not know that information yet, I will give you an overview of what I think your essay is like at the moment. These are the comments that I am sure will change once you present your prompt and word count limit to us :-)

Your statement is quite shallow in the sense that you merely provide the information about the university that the admissions officer already knows about. It would really work in your favor if you do not rehash well known information about the university in relation to your chosen major. In fact, your essay would do better if you could discuss certain factors regarding your choice of Biology as your major. What those topics may be will be dependent upon the requirements of the essay prompt. Don't worry, we will help you with that aspect of developing your essay. We are all here to help :-)

So get the prompt to us, plus the word count, as soon as possible so we can get started with helping you whip this essay into shape :-)

Northwestern Statement: 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? (300 word maximum)

-Chidera, don't waste time with fillers. You don't need to over explain things. Just answer what the prompt is asking for directly and you should find yourself in a position to better answer the essay. Delete the paragraph above because it does not help advance the information in your essay about why you chose Northwestern. Imagine that by taking down that paragraph, your word count went down to 201, allowing 99 more words to help explain your choice of university.

You need to get specific in your essay. Mention the exact programs and classes that drew you to choose Northwestern and why. If there are mentors / professors you look forward to working with, explain why their influence upon you is important. You mentioned research projects and other activities in the school related to your major, explain how you feel that will help you achieve your main goal. What you have to do is explain how important you consider a Northwestern education and why it will set you apart from the graduates of the same major from other schools in the future.