Writing "why X" essays at schools you haven't visited Forum

[westinghouse60]

Does anyone have any advice for doing this? I read the part in the TLS book on personal statements about why X essays, but the advice there is directed towards writing one for schools you've visited. Already wrote a "why UVA", which was easy because I had been there, but I'm writing one Michigan and Penn now, and its hard to write one that doesn't just seem like highlights from their websites. I'm writing about aspects of the school that I'm personally interested in, but overall it still seems like I'm just randomly picking stuff I could have read in a brochure.

Any one else having to do this? If anyone has any examples of good why X essays for schools they haven't visited, I'd love to see them.

[Jasper21]

I wrote mine on the same schools that you've mentioned. They had classes and clinics and centers that I was interested in. So you say that. The law atmosphere at Penn is one that I believe I will thrive in because it has the Qualities that I am looking for in a law school; highly intellectecual, job placement and whatever else. Above all, it's center on law and economics and it's employment law clinic give me great reason to make tho school my top choice blah blah.

Show a reason why you want to go their school. It can be a template

[westinghouse60]

I wrote mine on the same schools that you've mentioned. They had classes and clinics and centers that I was interested in. So you say that. The law atmosphere at Penn is one that I believe I will thrive in because it has the Qualities that I am looking for in a law school; highly intellectecual, job placement and whatever else. Above all, it's center on law and economics and it's employment law clinic give me great reason to make tho school my top choice blah blah.

Show a reason why you want to go their school. It can be a template

Yeah that's what mine look like as well, guess that's the best you can do with no visit.

Thanks

[kl10qm]

In my "Why X" essay, I did talk about what programs the school had that I was interested in, but I tried to focus on something more than that. I spoke specifically about what I could bring to the school and the region that the school was in. So in essence it wasn't just a "what can school X do for me through their clinical programs, courses, etc." but I showed that I actually wanted to be an active participant in the law school community and give something back.

For what it is worth, I had never visited the school either - us poor college students are on budgets after all - but I was accepted and that is where I will be going next year. If you want, PM me and I can let you look at my statement.