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How to Answer the Why Major Essay: Tips for Success

There are certain common patterns in supplemental essay questions that you might recognize across different colleges. One of these is the why major essay. Colleges want to know why you’re passionate about the specific field you have indicated in wanting to study. To help guide you through the different types of the why major essay colleges ask, I’ve outlined some example prompts, tips for answering them, and included a couple of sample essays that can help you get the hang of this prompt.

Examples of the Why Major Essay

For prompts such as these, you must prioritize clarity and precision when explaining your interest and background that make you a strong candidate for your intended major, as well as detailed knowledge of the school and its programs. Some example why major essay questions are:

University of Illinois: Please provide an essay that explains why you chose your intended program of study. What interests you the most about this major? Please be specific - those evaluating these essays are highly interested in your response. If Undecided, what areas of study do you look forward to studying in college? [50-500 words] 

Bucknell University: Please explain your interest in your first-choice major/undecided status and your second-choice major, should you opt to list one [Max. 250 words]

How to Answer the Why Major Essay

Start with an idea or a problem that you find most compelling within your intended field to show your unique approach to the discipline. Use your response to explain your academic interest—not your major. Your major should be determined by your interest, instead of your interest by your major. Connect your past experiences and academic activities to your interest. How did your intellectual curiosity develop out of your activities? Identify which major or program would best help you explore your interest before sitting down to write the essay and then explain why.

The Why School + Why Major

Sometimes, supplemental essay prompts may combine the “why school” and “why major” essay questions. An example of this is:

University of Michigan: Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate College or School (including preferred admission and dual degree programs) to which you are applying at the University of Michigan. How would that curriculum support your interests? [Required for all applicants; 550 word limit]

For prompts such as these, you must divide your essay into two parts. Admissions officers don’t just want to know why you’re applying to the university generally; they expect you to go into greater detail about the campus(es), school, and major you’ve picked. Think about what makes you excited to attend college on the campus you’re applying to. But, don’t just fixate on the location, because your main focus should be explaining why the particular university is the best institution to pursue your interests and goals, rather than the campus setting. Then dive into the major. Think about specific resources that are available within your chosen department that you can’t find elsewhere.

Notice that this type of essay should mainly cover academics. A university’s clubs and student organizations may make it an alluring place for you, but the question explicitly asks about your choice of study. Look through the website and think about what you can write that won’t be common in other students’ essays. Is there a professor whose research resonates with you? Would a particular psychology or sociology class perfectly fit in with your 10-year plan? Remember that admissions officers are trying to figure out why you’d make the most of your experience on campus. So, talk elaborately about how you would take advantage of the facilities and give them a sense of the ways in which you’d make a valuable addition to the classroom.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Answering the Why Major Essay

• What’s your main academic area of interest?
• Why does this matter to you?
• When did this interest first start to matter to you? Was there a specific event that sparked your interest?
• How did your interest evolve over time?
• Did you ever face a really big challenge in continuing to learn about or study this topic?
• Was this challenge the result of your gender, race, or religion?
• Was this challenge the result of your family’s socio-economic background or the result of the culture of the place you lived?
• Would you still pursue this academic interest if you earned a very small income with your future job in this area?

A Sample Why Major Essay

How you want to explore your academic interest at USC

To explore questions of how predominantly male-programmed technology may perpetuate the gap in professional fields for women and minorities, I am eager to research under the Center for Artificial Intelligence in Society and work on innovations that bridge together the gap in professional worlds. Finding support in the WiSE program, I look forward to bonding with women peers and mentors in STEM fields that have the same goal of increasing access in general.

I am further intrigued by the implications of cultural institutions of gender on the global language of business, drawing from my enlightening internship in China where I found myself subconsciously acting more demurely to fit in with the rooted Confucian society. Taking courses such as Women and Gender in China: Past and Present (EALC 375), I discover the automatic connotations and consequences being a woman has in different societies, knowledge I will keep closely as I pursue the Global Leadership Program in hopes of revisiting my reflections from my internship and building off of them.

From my experiences creating service programs in FBLA, I anticipate exploring social entrepreneurship under The Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab to tackle my concerns of access for women and minorities. From my experience tutoring low-income children on school subjects, I know that even the smallest impact makes a difference, and I am eager to tutor promising children in the TRIO Upward Bound Math-Science programs. To sum, from my experience at USC, I know how to translate classroom education into community and global engagement.

Hopefully, you’ve gained an insight into how to succeed with the why major essay! Make sure you not only talk about what interests you about the subject because sometimes prompts might ask you why you might want to study the subject at their school specifically. Don’t rush either. Leave plenty of time for editing and, hopefully, you’ll write a captivating response. Good luck!