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I'm wrapping up an application to a school that requires a "Why School X" essay. I am applying to 15 different schools, and this school is probably my #2 choice, although my short-list consists of 3 schools, any one of which I can see myself happily attending.

Do I need to kiss ass and make them think they're my first choice, or can I let them know they've made the short list to put on the heat come scholarship time? I will have a top quartile LSAT score at this school.

The essay would be along the lines of:

"I'm applying to a crap-ton of schools, and you're in my top three choices because you're awesome for x,y,z reasons. I really hope it makes financial sense for me to me to attend your school *wink wink*, because you're so awesome."

PhilippeStandingOnIt wrote:"I'm applying to a crap-ton of schools, and you're in my top three choices because you're awesome for x,y,z reasons. I really hope it makes financial sense for me to me to attend your school *wink wink*, because you're so awesome."

Yeah, uh, I wouldn't do that. Unless you want to run the risk of offending them and getting YPed.

Mention some peer schools that you're applying to and explain why they're your top choice. That way they'll admit you and you'll have some leverage with competing offers come time to negotiate an aid package.

Hard to offer advice without knowing the school.

I have never seen a successful Why X that brought up peer schools for whatever reason. Which schools are you applying to? I would not coyly ask for financial aid in a Why X nor would I indicate in any way, shape or form that the school had competition. They already know that. Moreover, saying that school X is your top choice is not very useful. They will either assume that you said that to all of the other schools or you will have sufficiently demonstrated it in your Why X making the overt statement redundant.

Is this school in T-14? Are there any schools outside fo the T14 that play the YP game?

Seoulless wrote:I have never seen a successful Why X that brought up peer schools for whatever reason. Which schools are you applying to? I would not coyly ask for financial aid in a Why X nor would I indicate in any way, shape or form that the school had competition. They already know that. Moreover, saying that school X is your top choice is not very useful. They will either assume that you said that to all of the other schools or you will have sufficiently demonstrated it in your Why X making the overt statement redundant.

Is this school in T-14? Are there any schools outside fo the T14 that play the YP game?

How do you know what a successful Why X statement looks like?

Mullens wrote:

Seoulless wrote:I have never seen a successful Why X that brought up peer schools for whatever reason. Which schools are you applying to? I would not coyly ask for financial aid in a Why X nor would I indicate in any way, shape or form that the school had competition. They already know that. Moreover, saying that school X is your top choice is not very useful. They will either assume that you said that to all of the other schools or you will have sufficiently demonstrated it in your Why X making the overt statement redundant.

Is this school in T-14? Are there any schools outside fo the T14 that play the YP game?

How do you know what a successful Why X statement looks like?

Because I have been in this game a while. I've probably seen 100+ Why X's and know who got in and who got YPed.

Beyond that though, there is an element of common sense to the matter. You don't tell Jessica "I'm also fucking Wendy and suzzie, but if you really make it worth my while I will stick around."

Seoulless wrote: Beyond that though, there is an element of common sense to the matter. You don't tell Jessica "I'm also fucking Wendy and suzzie, but if you really make it worth my while I will stick around."

+1.

In all seriousness I would write why you want to go there and leave negotiations for after you get accepted. A Why X essay is not a binding ED.

Looking for help on this myself... Do I just have to basically list things that attracted me to the school? Or do I have to sell it to them that I would be a good fit, linking to my personal statement?

The downside of writing a compelling why x to a trap school is you get phone calls from past students who hung a shingle, and are part of the pyramid scheme. Some are very good cunning so you need to be careful.

rutten wrote:Looking for help on this myself... Do I just have to basically list things that attracted me to the school? Or do I have to sell it to them that I would be a good fit, linking to my personal statement?

A good why x accomplishes both.

Aside from schools being able to gage whether they are just another click on LSAC, I dont know what Why ____? essays really achieve. Unless someone has a family and owns a house next to the school I dont know how convincing you can really be.

According to this thread, I guess I fucked up, but I basically said "financial aid is the biggest influecne, but at equal cost I take ___ over any of its peers because..."

I guess I took a double loss mentioning peers and money, I felt like that was the most genuine thing I couldve said

canadianbrother wrote:Aside from schools being able to gage whether they are just another click on LSAC, I dont know what Why ____? essays really achieve. Unless someone has a family and owns a house next to the school I dont know how convincing you can really be.

According to this thread, I guess I fucked up, but I basically said "financial aid is the biggest influecne, but at equal cost I take ___ over any of its peers because..."

I guess I took a double loss mentioning peers and money, I felt like that was the most genuine thing I couldve said

For which schools did you say this? Stats?

...

Was i better off not to say anything? I had a good reason for M since theyre are the closest t14 to me and only a 4hr drive away

AReasonableMan wrote:The downside of writing a compelling why x to a trap school is you get phone calls from past students who hung a shingle, and are part of the pyramid scheme. Some are very good cunning so you need to be careful.

You actually get calls from previous students? I'm looking to apply to schools that are ranked between 20-60 on USNWR - do they do this? If it gets me in, I'd take a call from the mayor.

rutten wrote:

AReasonableMan wrote:The downside of writing a compelling why x to a trap school is you get phone calls from past students who hung a shingle, and are part of the pyramid scheme. Some are very good cunning so you need to be careful.

You actually get calls from previous students? I'm looking to apply to schools that are ranked between 20-60 on USNWR - do they do this? If it gets me in, I'd take a call from the mayor.

Only one school had a prior student try to pitch me shortly after an LOCI after being waitlisted. Most were current. My Why X mentioned the school mascot, so maybe it was an instance where a Why X is so poorly written that you seem stupid enough to attend. If you have a high LSAT and are from no where near the location of a respected regional, they know you're not going to attend. Without a Why X, it pays to reject you. None of this affects calls. I don't know if the schools still do this. I can't envision anyone enrolling because of it.