Editing UVA app Forum

[nicolelaw123]

I applied to UVA last week, but forgot to write a "Why UVA" essay. I wrote to the school and they can add it to my file.

1. Any advice for "why UVA" essays?
2. Will my app be sent to the bottom of the pile if I add something to the file?


Thank you.

[Rigo]

2. Will my app be sent to the bottom of the pile if I add something to the file?

No. And UVA appreciates "Why UVA" essays since they YP. Just be genuine. If you have compelling personal reasons for wanting UVA, write about those. If not, then poke around their website and find some clinics or specialties that line up with your interests.

[bretby]

2. Will my app be sent to the bottom of the pile if I add something to the file?

No. And UVA appreciates "Why UVA" essays since they YP. Just be genuine. If you have compelling personal reasons for wanting UVA, write about those. If not, then poke around their website and find some clinics or specialties that line up with your interests.

"Why" essays that simply involve poking around a website and writing about some program or other, it seems to me, will almost always sound disingenuous and have little to no positive impact. Just a thought.

[Rigo]

2. Will my app be sent to the bottom of the pile if I add something to the file?

No. And UVA appreciates "Why UVA" essays since they YP. Just be genuine. If you have compelling personal reasons for wanting UVA, write about those. If not, then poke around their website and find some clinics or specialties that line up with your interests.

"Why" essays that simply involve poking around a website and writing about some program or other, it seems to me, will almost always sound disingenuous and have little to no positive impact. Just a thought.

"Always" is a strong word.
It's better than writing none at all. And unless you're a Virginia resident and can say you want to be close to family or something, most people have reasons gathered from poking around the website, I expect.

[monsterman]

2. Will my app be sent to the bottom of the pile if I add something to the file?

No. And UVA appreciates "Why UVA" essays since they YP. Just be genuine. If you have compelling personal reasons for wanting UVA, write about those. If not, then poke around their website and find some clinics or specialties that line up with your interests.

"Why" essays that simply involve poking around a website and writing about some program or other, it seems to me, will almost always sound disingenuous and have little to no positive impact. Just a thought.

Eh it all depends on how you phrase it. OP, I edited my UVA app to include a why UVA and I was accepted two days later w/o an interview. I didn't have an extremely compelling reason, though I tried to connect my work experience and my goals with what UVA offers. I definitely think it can come across as disingenuous if you just list off some programs you are interested in--you have to give a reason why you are interested, and if possible try and connect those reasons to something you can point to in your application.

[leslieknope]

2. Will my app be sent to the bottom of the pile if I add something to the file?

No. And UVA appreciates "Why UVA" essays since they YP. Just be genuine. If you have compelling personal reasons for wanting UVA, write about those. If not, then poke around their website and find some clinics or specialties that line up with your interests.

"Why" essays that simply involve poking around a website and writing about some program or other, it seems to me, will almost always sound disingenuous and have little to no positive impact. Just a thought.

Duke isn't UVA, obvs, but my Why Duke essay was sourced entirely from the website and some of the things I talked about there ended up being mentioned in my acceptance letter. IMO the best approach to a Why X essay when you haven't visited is to come up with clear and concrete career goals for yourself that make sense in line with your resume, research the school, and explain exactly how the clinics/prof/journals/whatever will help you achieve those goals/how you and your interests will contribute to the kind of atmosphere the school tries to foster.

[pamphleteer]

Duke isn't UVA, obvs, but my Why Duke essay was sourced entirely from the website and some of the things I talked about there ended up being mentioned in my acceptance letter. IMO the best approach to a Why X essay when you haven't visited is to come up with clear and concrete career goals for yourself that make sense in line with your resume, research the school, and explain exactly how the clinics/prof/journals/whatever will help you achieve those goals/how you and your interests will contribute to the kind of atmosphere the school tries to foster.

TITCR. Word-for-word what I did on my Why X essays, which I'm fairly certain played a significant role in some of my acceptances this cycle.