How to Write What & Why Supplements
There are two kinds of supplements. The first type: the what and the why are variations on the same question. “Why our school?” or “What will you contribute to our community?” Or, the what and the why: “What do you want to study, and why is our school the place to do it?” This type of supplement requires you to identify something unique and specific about the school. Admissions officers want to know that you understand their particular institution. Comb the school’s website to identify a particular major, club, or program that is of interest to you. This is not a one-size-fits-all answer, either. For example, if you are interested in going to law school (where, by the way, ANY major is appropriate), some schools may actually have pre-law tracks, while other schools may have majors that are not specifically related to law school, like Philosophy, Politics and Law. Make sure you are using a major that exists at the school! Take it directly from their website. Websites often list courses for particular majors, and that is an additional item to include. Review the course schedule. What classes genuinely excite you? Identify a class that excites you, include it in the supplement, and say why. Try to relate it to your current experience. For instance, perhaps you could say, “The class on __________ is particularly interesting to me, because I wrote a paper on __________ in my world history class which sparked my interest in the topic.”
Academics are not the only way to show you understand the school is a good fit. One student I work with recently referred to his campus tour to show he understood how much the school valued close student-professor relationships. This was on his “must have” list, and he showed he listened during the tour and understood the college's core values. Last but certainly not least, comb through the website for student life and identify an extracurricular activity you might want to join. While it is fine to mention you play your high school sport on the club or intramural level, look for something that will either complement an academic interest, like an investment club if you plan on being a finance major, or an activity that will build upon a passion or an activity you were involved with in high school. Did you tutor elementary school students in high school? What opportunities does the college have to continue that work? Did you have a position in Young Democrats? Look for clubs at the schools that will allow you to continue.
In short, your mission is to show the admissions officers that you have done your homework and understand that their institution has much to offer you, and that you’re a good match for their school! In that sense, this isn't a supplement you can recycle for all your applications. Each college and University is a unique place, and they want to feel that you get them! Stay tuned for my next post, which will teach you how to approach the more creative questions.
