How to Write the Why Major Essay
If you’ve stared at the “Why do you want to study this major?” prompt and thought, “Uhhh… because I like it?” You’re not alone.
Schools ask this question because they are looking to see that you have established depth in your intended field of study. Why? Because digging deeply into a topic reflects curiosity. Even though they realize many students are likely to change their major, evidence that you have explored a subject deeply and outside the classroom demonstrates curiosity. It reveals that you are unlikely to be a passive student and that you will explore topics beyond the classroom actively.
Prompts at a Glance
Here are some example prompts to show you what this question usually looks like:
Yale: Tell us about a topic or idea that excites you and is related to one or more academic areas you selected above. Why are you drawn to it? (200 Words)
Rice: Please explain why you wish to study in the academic areas you selected. (150 Words)
Carnegie Mellon University: Most students choose their intended major or area of study based on a passion or inspiration that’s developed over time – what passion or inspiration led you to choose this area of study? (300 Words)
Columbia: What attracts you to your preferred areas of study at Columbia College or Columbia Engineering? (150 Words)
Notice how Yale’s prompt is left a bit more vague? Many schools approach the prompt in this way because what they are really trying to assess is passion and effervescence. They don’t want to hear why you like the field of, say, Computer Science as a whole. They want to hear about a topic within the field that is especially exciting to you—and the more niche you can be, the better.
Just as with the personal statement, the supplemental essays should always do the following:
Include vivid details about your life
Show the school how you think
Show unique parts of your personality
Contribute to your narrative
Essay Examples
It’s easier to understand how to write these kinds of essays when you have seen multiple examples from different students, so let’s look at some examples from past students that worked.
Essay Example #1
Prompt (Yale): Tell us about a topic or idea that excites you and is related to one or more academic areas you selected above. Why are you drawn to it? (200 Words)
In my high school DNA Science class, we analyzed different plant gene functions by comparing mutant and wildtype Arabidopsis thaliana grown in a low voltage setup vs. a control setup. Amid the pandemic’s supply chain issues, we hoped to discover methods to obtain a larger plant with a bigger yield in order to combat worldwide food insecurity. Prior research suggested that “electro-cultures” would stimulate growth—but in our experiment, some plants were completely fried while others in the same pot thrived. Limited by resources and time, we were left without conclusive answers by the year’s end—and many dead plants.
Although we didn’t solve the food crisis in our course, my interest was piqued and I’m undeterred. Despite my initial frustrations, I’ve realized that the magic of unpredictability (and occasional triumph and failure) thrills me. What would happen if we fiddled with the voltage levels, or studied different gene mutations? How about starting on a smaller scale—zapping cells to see how growth is affected? I’m excited to expand these ideas to make agriculture more efficient and simultaneously explore the ever-growing field of genetics. At Yale, I want to integrate nature with technology to sow the seeds for a more sustainable future. (199)
Why it worked: The student first starts with a moment, and they give us an example of their exploration into the field that demonstrates its importance: addressing food insecurity. We have a part of them in the essay. We know they care about this because they believe it could help people. We end the first paragraph with failure, though—and that’s pretty interesting. This student did not get the results they wanted and still wants to study the field and keep trying. We learn that they are not afraid of the unpredictability that comes with experimentation—that’s pretty important since being in the lab often means trying things that might not work out. More importantly, the thing they want to study is specific—the intersection of agriculture, genetics, and technology. This is someone who does not state outright what career they want—they just want to explore with a very specific purpose.
Essay Example #2
Prompt (Cornell): Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected and specifically, why do you want to pursue this major at Cornell CALS? You should share how your current interests, related experiences, and/or goals influenced your choice. (500 words)
I was ten years old when I first visited my mom’s old home in Laiyang, a small town in the Shandong province in China. Farms filled with manure, livestock, and crops stretched as far as I could see—and not a skyscraper in sight. In Laiyang, homes were made from compressed dirt. I can still remember breathing in the smell of manure, compost, fermented bean paste—though my sister and cousins were constantly complaining about the lack of outlets and internet, I felt at home.
Seeing how my mom grew up—and how painstaking food production was in rural areas—was the fuse that lit my love for agriculture. After my trip, I began scouring the internet and library to satisfy this deep desire to learn more about our relationship with the food we eat. While other kids were watching Disney shows and reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid, I was picking up The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan, fascinated by his argument against factory farming and corporate influence, and watching Alvin Leung on MasterChef Canada, who first showed me that cooking is an art. When we moved away from China, first to Montreal and then to McLean, Virginia, I started my first garden in an 8x12 plot of land in the corner of our backyard. Before I knew it, grape vines shrouded the back view of my house and my garden plot nearly doubled in area, filled with squash, tomatoes, even a single, unexpected watermelon. At school, I spent free periods in the garden, making sure to trim overgrown leaves above the “true” leaf—cutting below it would kill the plant entirely. As I became more and more invested in agriculture, I found myself growing more and more curious about food security: how can we sustainably and healthily feed our planet?
At Cornell CALS, I plan to major in food science to explore this question. I’m especially interested in fermented foods; I still remember the variety of fermented duck eggs, bean paste, and suan cai (pickled cabbage) that I found in my parents’ villages and how important these foods were for people living in rural areas. At Cornell, I’m invested in learning more about how fermentation may hold the key to creating safe, healthy, and wholesome foods that can sustainably feed our populations. Courses like “Fermentation of Food” would offer an overview of the history, applications, and even flavor profiles of a wide range of fermented foods, while “Science and Technology of Foods” will allow me to better understand how engineering and biotechnology impact nutritional value and overall food safety.
I’m also drawn to CALS for its emphasis on real-world research. Last summer, through George Mason’s ASSIP program, I investigated the prevalence of Bacillus coagulans, a natural byproduct of fermentation, across various crops grown in aeroponics, hydroponics, and aeroponic systems. B. coagulans is known to create lactic acid, which can not only help consumers with digestive issues but also has underutilized applications for conditions ranging from canker sores, acne, and even wrinkles. Through my work, I was also introduced to B. subtilis, which has even more remarkable properties—not only is it anti-microbial and fungi-resistant, making it effective for wastewater treatment, it can also curb side effects related to diabetes and even eat plastic in the ocean. At CALS, I’d like to continue exploring how we can utilize probiotics to improve health outcomes—one lab that stood out to me in particular was Professor Alcaine’s research group, which focuses on improving the sustainability and safety of dairy products through novel fermentations.
Most of all, I’m drawn to CALS for its emphasis on reimagining our agri-food systems. As we navigate climate change and growing populations, the challenge of feeding our planet is more dire than ever. I’d like to be part of the solution—as Professor Reed explains in a CALS video, “if we want to focus on sustainable practices, we have to start now.”
Why it worked: The opening paragraph isn’t just a generic “I’ve always liked science” statement. It takes us right into a sensory, specific moment—a visit to the author’s mother’s hometown in rural China. We get visuals (compressed dirt homes), smells (manure, fermented bean paste), and emotion (feeling at home). That level of detail instantly makes the reader care. It also connects the student’s identity to their academic interest by showing how their background informs what they care about academically. This adds depth and uniqueness.
Essay Example #3
Prompt (Stanford): The Stanford community is deeply curious and driven to learn in and out of the classroom. Reflect on an idea or experience that makes you genuinely excited about learning.
When my world history teacher nonchalantly rattled off a list of mass killings against ethnic/religious groups in the 20th century, I couldn’t help but notice that the Bengali genocide of 1971—the genocide my grandmother narrowly escaped—was left out. Frustrated, it felt like my country was forgotten, its past left unacknowledged.
During my next visit to Bangladesh, I delved into my country’s history at Chittagong’s oldest library. I sifted through newspaper clippings and stories of lives threatened by Pakistani occupation. This research exposed me to how Bangladesh’s fierce independence movement was fraught with endangerment.
Invigorated, I explored the role of reporters during the Bangladesh Liberation War and learned that the Bangladesh genocide’s atrocities would’ve never been recorded if not for investigative journalists.
Reading and conducting interviews became my method of learning about forgotten history. When writing for The Fairfax County Times, I had a conversation with a survivor of China’s Cultural Revolution that translated into a written portrayal of her lived experiences. I’ve realized that first-person retellings create a meaningful connection that a textbook or Wikipedia page cannot emulate.
Absorbing history from direct sources can contextualize current issues that span across borders. Understanding how lines on a map determine the world's past, present, and future is fundamental to ensuring that everyone recognizes the individual impacts of global conflicts. Everyone has a story, and finding them opens a window to witness world events on a personal level. I hope to continue learning from primary sources while reporting internationally.
Why it worked: This essay focuses more on the curiosity behind the field of journalism. The student makes connections between history, politics, journalism, and storytelling. It also shows us what she wants to learn.
It’s common for students to talk more about how their degrees will lead to future careers that they aspire to, but that can often come across as a student believing that they already know everything they need to know to start their career. Colleges want to see students who are hungry for knowledge—you want to explain what you know, but you also want to show what you’re itching to find out.
Brainstorming
There’s no set requirement for the Why Major essay other than explaining your interest in the field and why you chose it. The one thing you don’t want to do is say that you chose the field because you want to make money. Colleges don’t like to see this response because making money is a long-term reward—long-term rewards don’t get you through nights of studying, they don’t encourage you to keep pushing until you find the answer, and they don’t foster unique innovative ideas that are often born out of passion.
When Major?
Start by writing about the moment you decided what you wanted to study. Describe it in detail. We want to be dropped into a scene, and we want to understand it from your point of view.
Next, recount other moments in your life before this moment that acted as foreshadowing to this being the perfect path for you. If you’ve always wanted to study this field, write down every moment spent exploring the field that you can remember. These can be tangentially related.
Now, pivot to high school: describe moments since 9th grade where you explored this curiosity. Why did you stick with it? Why is this field so fascinating to you? Why do you feel it is important? What is its potential impact?
What About Major?
Get down to the nitty-gritty details. What is it about the major you chose that excites you? Why is it interesting to you? Schools are looking to see how you have pursued this major up until this point, so you want to show them how your exploration into the field further excited you. The more niche in the field you can get, the more you will prove to the school that you have some depth in the field and understand its interdisciplinary applications.
Structuring Your Essay
A great “Why Major” essay isn’t a list—it’s a story. Here’s a solid structure to follow:
Start in a Scene: Open with that moment your interest was born, or at least noticed. Alternatively, start with a recent moment where you explored the field, one that made you think, “I love this; this is what I’m meant for.” Make it vivid and personal.
Show How You Built on It: Walk us through how you explored that interest. Get specific!
Connect to the College: If the prompt asks you why you want to study this major at their specific institution, explain why this college is the perfect place to go deeper. Mention professors, classes, research centers, or clubs—but don’t just name-drop. Show how they match your vibe and goals.
End with where this could lead. Don’t panic—you don’t need a full life plan. Just share what excites you about the future of this field and your contributions to it.
Final Tips
Be real. You don’t need to sound like a robot who has known their major since birth. Curiosity and growth are impressive.
Don’t be broad. You don’t have to list everything you’ve done. Pick 2–3 meaningful examples and go deep.
Keep it focused. If you're undecided, pick one area you're leaning toward and explore it authentically.
Avoid cliches. “Ever since I was little” is tired. Try: “It all started with a Snapple fact and a weird obsession with parasites.”
You don’t need to use this essay to prove you’ve had your life figured out since kindergarten. Your goal is to show the admissions officer reading your application that you care—and that you’ve got the curiosity, drive, and passion to take it to the next level.
