Tips on How to Create a Good “Why This Major?” Essay
Your application paper is almost ready and you could have signed with relief if not the realization that the majority of the chosen educational establishments demand one more piece of writing, i.e. the “Why this major?” essay. Asking applicants to explain why they want to study a specific academic discipline is a common practice among educational institutions. Let us agree that the question is expected, and the best way of covering it is writing an essay.
The major goal of such a paper is to let the admission officers understand that you are the applicant they have been seeking. Such a piece of writing is quite popular among colleges throughout the United States.
How to Create a Powerful Essay
Thus, how is it possible to make your paper solid? Here are several effective tips that will help you produce an essay outshining those submitted by other applicants:
- Explain how you got interested in the chosen discipline
It is worth admitting that anecdotes play a crucial role in constructing a solid application paper. They help catch readers’ attention and, therefore, let them learn more about an applicant. Additionally, they make writing more engaging and colorful. When talking about the “Why this major?” essay, anecdotes can help you create your own story. By implementing those in your piece of writing, you will be able to compose an engaging narration explaining to readers what made you interested in a particular matter and how you arrived at a decision to choose it as your major.
For instance, if you are keen on IT technologies and desire to get a degree in computer science, you may tell readers about your first time using a PC and describe the feelings you experienced.
- Describe how you developed your interest in the subject
Show the connection between the stories about your interest in the subject and your decision to study it at college. In other words, you need to describe in detail how your engagement in IT technologies, for example, has grown into the desire to study computer science. Tell readers when that key moment of realization came. It does mean that you are supposed to illustrate a single instant when you felt you wanted to work in a specific field of study. You may describe different situations or cases that helped you discover your talent for programming, coding, etc. For instance, you may connect your first experience of using a computer with the chosen academic course and, as a result, the decision to develop a research project in the area.
- State how the chosen college can help you broaden your knowledge and reach your goal
The last step is to explain how the selected college can help you develop your talent and become an expert in the chosen field of study. Remember that admission officers want to find those who believe that the educational establishment they are applying to is the only place where they can sharpen their skills and acquire the knowledge needed to launch their plans. For example, you may outline the unique features of the program you would like to enroll in, talk about the achievements of a professor under the guidance of whom you would like to study, etc.
Things to Avoid in Your Essay
- Do not mention unavailable academic disciplines
If the chosen college does not offer a course in computer science, for example, you should not write that you crave to take it. However, you may state that some of their related programs can help you form a solid basis for your future studies.
- Do not repeat your resume
What you should do is explain how the activities closely connected to your major helped you master your skills and bring you to the point which you are at now.
- Do not use commonly accepted expressions
You should not say that you want to become a software developer because it is a well-paid job. Go beyond generally provided explanations.
“Why This Major?” Essay Sample
To help you understand how such a paper has to be created, we offer you to have a look at the provided example.
I have been always obsessed by the field of economics, as this science charmed me by the fascinating world of numbers, formulas, and calculations. It always seemed to be a field, which assisted to achieve some certainty in a modern turbulent world. The possibility to foresee the outcome of a business organization, understand whether the proposed changes will be efficient, and predict the revenue, intrigued me from the early childhood. I was always interested in the statistics and analysis, as these issues allowed me to predict the future. I felt myself an individual, who possesses the significant knowledge. In the course of time, I understood that penetration into the field of economics brings me real satisfaction and chose it as my major in the Shanghai Ocean University.
In order to develop my skills, I started reading a lot about international economy, statistics, and trading. It assisted me to obtain useful theoretical background. I knew that theory is necessary, but practice is crucial for the future economist. For that reason, I decided to start working at the Fresenius Shanghai Pharmaceutical R and D Center. I occupied the position of the HR intern. This job is distinctive from the economic sphere, but it allowed me to understand the behavior of the individuals. It assisted me to realize them from the consumer angle. I grasped what strategies work for people’s persuasion and applied the statistical method to predict the outcome of the proposed HR changes. In order to further develop my skills and expertise, I continued my practice in the Shanghai Xuhui business department. There I got to know the nuances of the business world and seriously expanded my understanding of the field of economics. The internship turned to be a useful experience, as it assisted me to get improve my understanding of the economic field.
I chose the USC because this institution could help me to enrich the already acquired expertise in the field of economics and achieve true proficiency. It could also give me the possibility to improve my English. I am confident that the USC will make me a real professional in the economic field.
