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How to Write a Perfect "Why This College?" Essay

College Essays

Did you think you were all done pouring out your blood, sweat, and tears in written form for your personal statement , only to be faced with the "why this college?" supplemental essay? This question might seem simple but is in fact a crucial and potentially tricky part of many college applications. What exactly is the "why us?" essay trying to understand about you? And how do you answer this question without falling into its many pitfalls or making any rookie mistakes?

In this article, I'll explain why colleges want you to be able to explain why you are applying. I'll also discuss how to generate and brainstorm topics for this question and how to make yourself sound sincere and committed. Finally, we'll go over some "why this school?" essay do s and don't s.

This article is pretty detailed, so here's a brief overview of what we'll be covering:

Why Do Colleges Want You to Write a "Why Us?" Essay?

Two types of "why this college" essay prompts, step 1: research the school, step 2: brainstorm potential essay topics, step 3: nail the execution, example of a great "why this college" essay.

College admissions officers have to read an incredible amount of student work to put together a winning class, so trust me when I say that everything they ask you to write is meaningful and important .

The purpose of the "why us?" essay goes two ways. On one hand, seeing how you answer this question gives admissions officers a sense of whether you know and value their school .

On the other hand, having to verbalize why you are applying gives you the chance to think about what you want to get out of your college experience  and whether your target schools fit your goals and aspirations.

What Colleges Get Out Of Reading Your "Why This College?" Essay

Colleges want to check three things when they read this essay.

First, they want to see that you have a sense of what makes this college different and special.

• Do you know something about the school's mission, history, or values?
• Have you thought about the school's specific approach to learning?
• Are you comfortable with the school's traditions and the overall feel of student life here?

Second, they want proof that you will be a good fit for the school.

• Where do your interests lie? Do they correspond to this school's strengths?
• Is there something about you that meshes well with some aspect of the school?
• How will you contribute to college life? How will you make your mark on campus?

And third, they want to see that this school will, in turn, be a good fit for you.

• What do you want to get out of college? Will this college be able to provide that? Will this school contribute to your future success?
• What will you take advantage of on campus (e.g., academic programs, volunteer or travel opportunities, internships, or student organizations)?
• Will you succeed academically? Does this school provide the right rigor and pace for your ideal learning environment?

What You Get Out Of Writing Your "Why This College?" Essay

Throughout this process of articulating your answers to the questions above, you will also benefit in a couple of key ways:

It Lets You Build Excitement about the School

Finding specific programs and opportunities at schools you are already happy about will give you a grounded sense of direction for when you start school . At the same time, by describing what is great about schools that are low on your list, you'll likely boost your enthusiasm for these colleges and keep yourself from feeling that they're nothing more than lackluster fallbacks.

It Helps You Ensure That You're Making the Right Choice

Writing the "why us?" essay can act as a moment of clarity. It's possible that you won't be able to come up with any reasons for applying to a particular school. If further research fails to reveal any appealing characteristics that fit with your goals and interests, this school is likely not for you.

At the end of your four years, you want to feel like this, so take your "Why This College?" essay to heart.

The "why this college?" essay is best thought of as a back-and-forth between you and the college . This means that your essay will really be answering two separate, albeit related, questions:

• "Why us?": This is where you explain what makes the school special in your eyes, what attracted you to it, and what you think you'll get out of your experience there.
• "Why you?": This is the part where you talk about why you'll fit in at the school; what qualities, skills, talents, or abilities you'll contribute to student life; and how your future will be impacted by the school and its opportunities.

Colleges usually use one of these approaches to frame this essay , meaning that your essay will lean heavier toward whichever question is favored in the prompt. For example, if the prompt is all about "why us?" you'll want to put your main focus on praising the school. If the prompt instead is mostly configured as "why you?" you'll want to dwell at length on your fit and potential.

It's good to remember that these two prompts are simply two sides of the same coin. Your reasons for wanting to apply to a particular school can be made to fit either of these questions.

For instance, say you really want the chance to learn from the world-famous Professor X. A "why us?" essay might dwell on how amazing an opportunity studying with him would be for you, and how he anchors the Telepathy department.

Meanwhile, a "why you?" essay would point out that your own academic telepathy credentials and future career goals make you an ideal student to learn from Professor X, a renowned master of the field.

Next up, I'll show you some real-life examples of what these two different approaches to the same prompt look like.

Clarifying why you want to study with a particular professor in a specific department can demonstrate to college admissions staff that you've done your research on the school.

"Why Us?" Prompts

• Why [this college]?
• Why are you interested in [this college]?
• Why is [this college] a good choice for you?
• What do you like best about [this college]?
• Why do you want to attend [this college]?

Below are some examples of actual "why us?" college essay prompts:

• Colorado College : "Describe how your personal experiences with a particular community make you a student who would benefit from Colorado College’s Block Plan."
• Tufts University : " I am applying to Tufts because… "
• Tulane University : "Describe why you are interested in joining the Tulane community. Consider your experiences, talents, and values to illustrate what you would contribute to the Tulane community if admitted." (via the Common App )
• University of Michigan : "Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate College or School (including preferred admission and dual degree programs) to which you are applying at the University of Michigan. How would that curriculum support your interests?"
• Wellesley College : " When choosing a college, you are choosing an intellectual community and a place where you believe that you can live, learn, and flourish. We know that there are more than 100 reasons to choose Wellesley, but it's a good place to start. Visit the Wellesley 100 and select two items that attract, inspire, or celebrate what you would bring to our community. Have fun! Use this opportunity to reflect personally on what items appeal to you most and why. "

In a "why us?" essay, focus on the specific aspects of the school that appeal to you and how you will flourish because of those offerings.

"Why You?" Prompts

• Why are you a good match or fit for us?
• What are your interests, and how will you pursue them at [this college]?
• What do you want to study, and how will that correspond to our program?
• What or how will you contribute?
• Why you at [this college]?
• Why are you applying to [this college]?

Here are some examples of the "why you?" version of the college essay:

• Babson College : " A defining element of the Babson experience is learning and thriving in an equitable and inclusive community with a wide range of perspectives and interests. Please share something about your background, lived experiences, or viewpoint(s) that speaks to how you will contribute to and learn from Babson's collaborative community. "
• Bowdoin College : "Generations of students have found connection and meaning in Bowdoin's 'The Offer of the College.' ... Which line from the Offer resonates most with you? Optional: The Offer represents Bowdoin's values. Please reflect on the line you selected and how it has meaning to you." (via the Common App )

In a "why you?" essay, focus on how your values, interests, and motivations align with the school's offerings and how you'll contribute to campus life.

No matter how the prompt is worded, this essay is a give-and-take of what you and the college have to offer each other. Your job is to quickly zoom in on your main points and use both precision and detail to sound sincere, excited, and authentic.

How do you effectively explain the benefits you see this particular school providing for you and the contributions you will bring to the table as a student there? And how can you do this best using the small amount of space that you have (usually just one to two paragraphs)?

In this section, we'll go through the process of writing the "Why This College?" essay, step-by-step. First, I'll talk about the prep work you'll need to do. Next, we'll go through how to brainstorm good topics (and touch on what topics to avoid). I'll give you some tips on transforming your ideas and research into an actual essay. Finally, I'll take apart an actual "why us?" essay to show you why and how it works.

Before you can write about a school, you'll need to know specific things that make it stand out and appeal to you and your interests . So where do you look for these? And how do you find the details that will speak to you? Here are some ways you can learn more about a school.

In-Person Campus Visits

If you're going on college tours , you've got the perfect opportunity to gather information about the school. Bring a notepad and write down the following:

• Your tour guide's name
• One to two funny, surprising, or enthusiastic things your guide said about the school
• Any unusual features of the campus, such as buildings, sculptures, layout, history, or traditions

Try to also connect with students or faculty while you're there. If you visit a class, note which class it is and who teaches it. See whether you can briefly chat with a student (e.g., in the class you visit, around campus, or in a dining hall), and ask what they like most about the school or what has been most surprising about being there.

Don't forget to write down the answer! Trust me, you'll forget it otherwise—especially if you do this on multiple college visits.

Virtual Campus Visits

If you can't visit a campus in person, the next best thing is an online tour , either from the school's own website or from other websites, such as YOUniversityTV , CampusTours , or YouTube (search "[School Name] + tour").

You can also connect with students without visiting the campus in person . Some admissions websites list contact information for currently enrolled students you can email to ask one or two questions about what their experience of the school has been like.

Or if you know what department, sport, or activity you're interested in, you can ask the admissions office to put you in touch with a student who is involved with that particular interest.

If you can't visit a campus in person, request a video chat with admissions staff, a current student, or a faculty member to get a better sense of specific topics you might write about in your essay.

Alumni Interview

If you have an interview , ask your interviewer questions about their experience at the school and about what going to that school has done for them since graduation. As always, take notes!

College Fairs

If you have a chance to go to a college fair where your ideal college has representatives, don't just attend and pick up a brochure. Instead, e ngage the representatives in conversation, and ask them about what they think makes the school unique .  Jot down notes on any interesting details they tell you.

The College's Own Materials

Colleges publish lots and lots of different admissions materials—and all of these will be useful for your research. Here are some suggestions for what you can use. (You should be able to find all of the following resources online.)

Brochures and Course Catalogs

Read the mission statement of the school; does its educational philosophy align with yours? You should also read through its catalogs. Are there any programs, classes, departments, or activities that seem tailor-made for you in some way?

Pro Tip: These interesting features you find should be unusual in some way or different from what other schools offer. For example, being fascinated with the English department isn't going to cut it unless you can discuss its unusual focus, its world-renowned professors, or the different way it structures the major that appeals to you specifically.

Alumni Magazine

Are any professors highlighted? Does their research speak to you or connect with a project you did in high school or for an extracurricular?

Sometimes alumni magazines will highlight a college's new focus or new expansion. Does the construction of a new engineering school relate to your intended major? There might also be some columns or letters written by alumni who talk about what going to this particular school has meant to them. What stands out about their experiences?

School or Campus Newspaper

Students write about the hot issues of the day, which means that the articles will be about the best and worst things on campus . It'll also give you insight into student life, opportunities that are available to students, activities you can do off campus, and so on.

The College's Social Media

Your ideal school is most likely on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, and other social media. Follow the school to see what it's posting about.  Are there any exciting new campus developments? Professors in the news? Interesting events, clubs, or activities?

The Internet

Wikipedia is a great resource for learning basic details about a college's history, traditions, and values. I also recommend looking for forums on College Confidential that specifically deal with the school you're researching.

Another option is to search on Google for interesting phrases, such as "What students really think about [School Name]" or "[School Name] student forum." This will help you get detailed points of view, comments about specific programs or courses, and insight into real student life.

So what should you do now that you've completed a bunch of research? Answer: use it to develop connection points between you and your dream school. These connections will be the skeleton of your "why this college?" essay.

Find the Gems in Your Research

You have on hand all kinds of information, from your own personal experiences on campus and your conversations with people affiliated with your ideal school to what you've learned from campus publications and tidbits gleaned from the web.

Now, it's time to sift through all of your notes to find the three to five things that really speak to you. Link what you've learned about the school to how you can plug into this school's life, approach, and environment. That way, no matter whether your school's prompt is more heavily focused on the "why us?" or "why you?" part of the give-and-take, you'll have an entry point into the essay.

But what should these three to five things be? What should you keep in mind when you're looking for the gem that will become your topic?

Here are some words of wisdom from Calvin Wise , director of recruitment and former associate director of admissions at Johns Hopkins University (emphasis mine):

" Focus on what makes us unique and why that interests you. Do your research, and articulate a multidimensional connection to the specific college or university. We do not want broad statements (the brick pathways and historic buildings are beautiful) or a rehash of the information on our website (College X offers a strong liberal arts curriculum). All institutions have similarities. We want you to talk about our differences. "

Time to find that diamond, amethyst, opal, tourmaline, or amber in the rough.

Check Your Gems for Color and Clarity

When I say "check your gems," I mean make sure that each of the three to five things you've found is something your ideal school has that other schools don't have.

This something should be seen from your own perspective. The point isn't to generically praise the school but instead to go into detail about why it's so great for you that they have this thing.

This something you find should be meaningful to the school and specific to you. For example, if you focus on academics (e.g., courses, instructors, opportunities, or educational philosophy), find a way to link them either to your previous work or to your future aspirations.

This something should not be shallow and nonspecific. Want to live in a city? Every city has more than one college in it. Find a way to explain why this specific college in this specific city calls to you. Like pretty architecture? Many schools are beautiful, so dwell on why this particular place feels unlike any other. Like good weather, beach, skiing, or some other geographical attribute? There are many schools located near these places, and they know that people enjoy sunbathing. Either build a deeper connection or skip these as reasons.

Convert Your Gems into Essay Topics

Every "why this college?" essay is going to answer both the "why us?" and the "why you?" parts of the back-and-forth equation. But depending on which way your target school has worded its prompt, you'll lean more heavily on that part . This is why I'm going to split this brainstorming into two parts—to go with the "why us?" and "why you?" types of questions.

Of course, since they are both sides of the same coin, you can always easily flip each of these ideas around to have it work well for the other type of prompt . For example, a "why us?" essay might talk about how interesting the XYZ interdisciplinary project is and how it fits well with your senior project.

By contrast, a "why you?" essay would take the same idea but flip it to say that you've learned through your senior project how you deeply value an interdisciplinary approach to academics, making you a great fit for this school and its commitment to such work, as evidenced by project XYZ.

Describing how project XYZ demonstrates your investment in a particular course of study that then happens to align with a specific program at the university is an effective approach to the "why you?" essay.

Possible "Why Us?" Topics

• How a particular program of study, internship requirement, or volunteer connection will help further your specific career goals .
• The school's interesting approach to your future major (if you know what that will be) or a major that combines several disciplines that appeal to you and fit with your current academic work and interests.
• How the school handles financial aid and the infrastructure setup for low-income students and what that means for you in terms of opening doors.
• A story about how you became interested in the school (if you learned about it in an interesting way). For example, did the institution host a high school contest you took part in? Did you attend an art exhibit or stage performance there that you enjoyed and that your own artistic work aligns with?
• How you overcame an initial disinterest in the school (be sure to minimize this first negative impression). Did you do more research? Interact with someone on campus? Learn about the school's commitment to the community? Learn about interesting research being done there?
• A positive interaction you had with current students, faculty, or staff, as long as this is more than just, "Everyone I met was really nice."
• An experience you had while on a campus tour. Was there a super-passionate tour guide? Any information that surprised you? Did something happen to transform your idea about the school or campus life (in a good way)?
• Interesting interdisciplinary work going on at the university and how that connects with your academic interests, career goals, or previous high school work.
• The history of the school —but only if it's meaningful to you in some way. Has the school always been committed to fostering minority, first-generation, or immigrant students? Was it founded by someone you admire? Did it take an unpopular (but, to you, morally correct) stance at some crucial moment in history?
• An amazing professor you can't wait to learn from. Is there a chemistry professor whose current research meshes with a science fair project you did? A professor who's a renowned scholar on your favorite literary or artistic period or genre? A professor whose book on economics finally made you understand the most recent financial crisis?
• A class that sounds fascinating , especially if it's in a field you want to major in.
• A facility or piece of equipment you can't wait to work in or with  and that doesn't exist in many other places. Is there a specialty library with rare medieval manuscripts? Is there an observatory?
• A required curriculum that appeals to you because it provides a solid grounding in the classics, shakes up the traditional canon, connects all the students on campus in one intellectual project, or is taught in a unique way.

If the school can boast a cutting-edge laboratory where you dream of conducting research, that would be a strong focus for a "Why Us?" essay.

Possible "Why You?" Topics

• Do you want to continue a project you worked on in high school? Talk about how or where in the current course, club, and program offerings this work would fit in. Why will you be a good addition to the team?
• Have you always been involved in a community service project that's already being done on campus? Write about integrating life on campus with events in the surrounding community.
• Do you plan to keep performing in the arts, playing music, working on the newspaper, or engaging in something else you were seriously committed to in high school? Discuss how excited you are to join that existing organization.
• Are you the perfect person to take advantage of an internship program (e.g., because you have already worked in this field, were exposed to it through your parents, or have completed academic work that gives you some experience with it)?
• Are you the ideal candidate for a study abroad opportunity (e.g., because you can speak the language of the country, it's a place where you've worked or studied before, or your career goals are international in some respect)?
• Are you a stand-out match for an undergraduate research project (e.g., because you'll major in this field, you've always wanted to work with this professor, or you want to pursue research as a career option)?
• Is there something you were deeply involved with that doesn't currently exist on campus? Offer to start a club for it. And I mean a club; you aren't going to magically create a new academic department or even a new academic course, so don't try offering that. If you do write about this, make double (and even triple) sure that the school doesn't already have a club, course, or program for this interest.
• What are some of the programs or activities you plan to get involved with on campus , and what unique qualities will you bring to them?
• Make this a mini version of a personal statement you never wrote.  Use this essay as another chance to show a few more of the skills, talents, or passions that don't appear in your actual college essay. What's the runner-up interest that you didn't write about? What opportunity, program, or offering at the school lines up with it?

One way to impress admissions staff in a "Why You?" essay is to discuss your fascination with a particular topic in a specific discipline, such as kinetic sculpture, and how you want to pursue that passion (e.g., as a studio art major).

Possible Topics for a College That's Not Your First Choice

• If you're writing about a school you're not completely psyched about, one way to sidestep the issue is to focus on what getting this degree will do for you in the future . How do you see yourself changing existing systems, helping others, or otherwise succeeding?
• Alternatively, discuss what the school values academically, socially, environmentally, or philosophically and how this connects with what you also care about . Does it have a vegan, organic, and cruelty-free cafeteria? A relationship with a local farm or garden? De-emphasized fraternity involvement? Strong commitment to environmental issues? Lots of opportunities to contribute to the community surrounding the school? Active inclusion and a sense of belonging for various underrepresented groups?
• Try to find at least one or two features you're excited about for each of the schools on your list. If you can't think of a single reason why this would be a good place for you to go, maybe you shouldn't be applying there!

Topics to Avoid in Your Essay

• Don't write about general characteristics, such as a school's location (or the weather in that location), reputation, or student body size. For example, anyone applying to the Webb Institute , which has just about 100 students , should by all means talk about having a preference for tiny, close-knit communities. By contrast, schools in sunny climates know that people enjoy good weather, but if you can't connect the outdoors with the college itself, think of something else to say.
• Don't talk about your sports fandom. Saying, "I can see myself in crimson and white/blue and orange/[some color] and [some other color]" is both overused and not a persuasive reason for wanting to go to a particular college. After all, you could cheer for a team without going to the school! Unless you're an athlete, you're an aspiring mascot performer, or you have a truly one-of-a-kind story to tell about your link to the team, opt for a different track.
• Don't copy descriptions from the college's website to tell admissions officers how great their institution is. They don't want to hear praise; they want to hear how you connect with their school. So if something on the college brochure speaks to you, explain why this specific detail matters to you and how your past experiences, academic work, extracurricular interests, or hobbies relate to that detail.
• Don't use college rankings as a reason you want to go to a school. Of course prestige matters, but schools that are ranked right next to each other on the list are at about the same level of prestige. What makes you choose one over the other?
• If you decide to write about a future major, don't just talk about what you want to study and why . Make sure that you also explain why you want to study this thing at this particular school . What do they do differently from other colleges?
• Don't wax poetic about the school's pretty campus. "From the moment I stepped on your campus, I knew it was the place for me" is another cliché—and another way to say basically nothing about why you actually want to go to this particular school. Lots of schools are pretty, and many are pretty in the exact same way.

Pop quiz: This pretty gothic building is on what college campus? Yes, that's right—it could be anywhere.

When you've put together the ideas that will make up your answer to the "why us?" question, it's time to build them into a memorable essay. Here are some tips for doing that successfully:

• Jump right in. The essay is short, so there's no need for an introduction or conclusion. Spend the first paragraph delving into your best one or two reasons for applying. Then, use the second paragraph to go into slightly less detail about reasons 2 (or 3) through 5.
• To thine own self be true. Write in your own voice, and be sincere about what you're saying. Believe me—the reader can tell when you mean it and when you're just blathering!
• Details, details, details. Show the school that you've done your research. Are there any classes, professors, clubs, or activities you're excited about at the school? Be specific (e.g., "I'm fascinated by the work Dr. Jenny Johnson has done with interactive sound installations").
• If you plan on attending if admitted, say so. Colleges care about the numbers of acceptances deeply, so it might help to know you're a sure thing. But don't write this if you don't mean it!
• Don't cut and paste the same essay for every school. At least once, you'll most likely forget to change the school name or some other telling detail. You also don't want to have too much vague, cookie-cutter reasoning, or else you'll start to sound bland and forgettable.

For more tips, check out our step-by-step essay-writing advice .

Avoid cookie-cutter responses to "why this college?" essay prompts. Instead, provide an essay that's personalized to that particular institution.

At this point, it'll be helpful to take a look at a "why us?" essay that works and figure out what the author did to create a meaningful answer to this challenging question.

Here is a "Why Tufts?" essay from James Gregoire '19 for Tufts University :

It was on my official visit with the cross country team that I realized Tufts was the perfect school for me. Our topics of conversation ranged from Asian geography to efficient movement patterns, and everyone spoke enthusiastically about what they were involved in on campus. I really related with the guys I met, and I think they represent the passion that Tufts' students have. I can pursue my dream of being a successful entrepreneur by joining the Tufts Entrepreneurs Society, pursuing an Entrepreneurial Leadership minor, and taking part in an up-and-coming computer science program.

Here are some of the main reasons this essay is so effective:

• Interaction with current students. James writes about hanging out with the cross-country team and sounds excited about meeting them.
• "I'm a great fit." He uses the conversation with the cross-country team members to talk about his own good fit here ("I really related with the guys I met").
• Why the school is special. James also uses the conversation as a way to show that he enjoys the variety of opportunities Tufts offers (their fun conversation covers Asian geography, movement patterns, and other things they "were involved with on campus").
• Taking advantage of this specialness. James doesn't just list things Tufts offers but also explains which of them are of specific value to him. He's interested in being an entrepreneur, so the Tufts Entrepreneurs Society and the Entrepreneurial Leadership courses appeal to him.
• Awareness of what the school is up to. Finally, James shows that he's aware of the latest Tufts developments when he mentions the new computer science program.

The Bottom Line: Writing a Great "Why This College?" Essay

• Proof that you understand what makes this college different and special
• Evidence that you'll be a good fit at this school
• Evidence that this college will, in turn, be a good fit for you

The prompt may be phrased in one of two ways: "Why us?" or "Why you?" But these are sides of the same coin and will be addressed in your essay regardless of the prompt style.

Writing the perfect "why this school?" essay requires you to first research the specific qualities and characteristics of this school that appeal to you. You can find this information by doing any or all of the following:

• Visiting campuses in person or virtually to interact with current students and faculty
• Posing questions to your college interviewer or to representatives at college fairs
• Reading the college's own materials , such as its brochures, official website, alumni magazine, campus newspaper, and social media
• Looking at other websites that talk about the school

To find a topic to write about for your essay, find the three to five things that really speak to you about the school , and then link each of them to yourself, your interests, your goals, or your strengths.

Avoid using clichés that could be true for any school, such as architecture, geography, weather, or sports fandom. Instead, focus on the details that differentiate your intended school from all the others .

What's Next?

Are you also working on your personal statement? If you're using the Common App, check out our complete breakdown of the Common App prompts and learn how to pick the best prompt for you .

If you're applying to a University of California school, we've got an in-depth article on how to write effective UC personal statements .

And if you're submitting ApplyTexas applications, read our helpful guide on how to approach the many different ApplyTexas essay prompts .

Struggling with the college application process as a whole? Our expert guides teach you how to ask for recommendations , how to write about extracurriculars , and how to research colleges .

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Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in high school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.

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How to Write the “Why this Major” College Essay + Examples

What’s covered:.

• What is the “Why This Major” Essay?
• Examples of “Why This Major?” Essay Prompts
• Tips for Writing the “Why This Major?” Essay
• “Why This Major?” Essay Examples

What to Do If You’re Undecided

The “Why This Major?” essay is a common prompt that nearly every college applicant will have to answer at least once. In this post, we’ll go over the purpose of this essay, examples of real prompts, sample responses, and expert tips for writing your own essay. If one of the colleges on your list asks you to respond to this prompt, you’ll be well-prepared after reading this post. 

What is the “Why This Major” Essay? 

In the college admissions process, you’ll need to submit two main types of essays: the personal statement and supplemental essays. The personal statement is your main application essay that goes to every school you apply to. The goal of this essay is to share more about who you are and your development. 

On the other hand, supplemental essays only go to specific schools, and each school requests their own essays. The goal of these essays is to showcase your fit with the school. Common prompts include “ Why This College? ”, “ Describe an Extracurricular ,” and “Why This Major?” 

The “Why This Major?” prompt in particular asks you, unsurprisingly, to explain your interest in your intended major. Colleges want to understand where you’re coming from academically, what your intellectual passions are, and what you plan to do professionally (at least roughly). If you aren’t 100% sure about what you want to study, that’s totally fine, but you do want to show that you’re an overall curious, engaged student.

It’s also meant to gauge your academic fit with the college, so you should be sure to cover school-specific resources related to your intended major that will help you achieve your goals. In other words, this prompt should actually be considered “Why This Major at This School?” 

Examples of “Why This Major?” Essay Prompts 

Before we dive in, let’s first take a look at some real-life examples of these prompts. 

For example, Yale requests that students write a 200-word supplemental essay based on the following prompt: 

Similarly, Purdue asks applicants to write 250 words in response to the below statement:

Carnegie Mellon , another top college, requires students to discuss the evolution of their proposed field of study, in 300 words or less: 

Finally, the University of Michigan asks students to craft a slightly longer essay, up to 500 words, about the qualities that attracted them to the college or school they’re applying to and how the curriculum will support their interests.

Tips for Writing the “Why This Major?” Essay 

Answering the “Why This Major?” prompt may seem like a difficult task. However, there are tips to help simplify the process and ensure your response addresses the question fully and effectively. Here are three steps for writing a standout essay about your major of choice: 

1. Share how your academic interest developed.  

The first step in crafting an effective “Why This Major?” essay is explaining your emotional resonance with the subject, and your background in it. While you might be tempted to write about your passion for the subject in flowery language, it’s better to share specific experiences that show how your interest developed. You should cover both the coursework that you’ve done in the field and any relevant extracurricular experiences. If you have space, you can also add in the specific subtopics that interest you within the major (i.e. analyzing gender relations or racism within the broader topic of sociology). 

You might also consider sharing a short anecdote related to your interest in the major. This strategy is especially effective at the beginning of the essay, as telling a story will both draw in the reader and provide context for your academic interest. For example, if you’re interested in studying English at Yale, you could start your essay by describing a childhood ritual in which you and your dad went to the library every Saturday.  

However, while anecdotes are crucial components of a college essay, students should choose what details to include with care. The most impactful essays tell a story, so you should refrain from listing all of your extracurricular activities that relate to your chosen major. This is not a resume! Instead, find ways of connecting your initial anecdote with your desire to pursue your major. For example, perhaps your early experiences at the library led you to get a job at a local bookstore and organize author readings for the community.

2. Detail your reasoning and goals.  

It’s not enough to express your passion for a particular subject. You also want to describe your goals and explain how majoring in your chosen field will help you achieve them. Perhaps your early experiences with authors inspired you to start a novel. You can further explain how majoring in English will enable you to study the great works of literature, thereby providing you with the background and foundation needed to find success as a writer.  

3. Explain your school choice.  

Finally, a “Why This Major?” essay should reveal how the college in question will help you achieve your goals. Your reasons should extend beyond “the college is highly ranked for this major,” as no matter how excellent the school’s reputation is, there are assuredly other colleges out there that are also strong in this department. Instead, dive into the curriculum, teaching methodology, specific classes, professors who are doing work in your area of interest, or other resources that can be found only at that school. 

For example, if you’re passionate about becoming a writer one day, take time to explain how Yale’s English program will set you on the road to success. Perhaps you’re interested in studying British greats through the famed Yale in London study abroad program. Or, maybe you plan on pursuing the Creative Writing Concentration as a senior to further refine your abilities to craft engaging narratives with compelling characters. 

You could also mention a desire to take a particular course, study with a certain professor, or work on the school newspaper. Just be careful not to “name-drop” professors⁠—only mention a specific faculty member if their work is highly relevant to your interests. Otherwise, your interest will look disingenuous.

“Why This Major?” Essay Examples 

To give you a better idea of what these essays should look like, below are a few example responses to the “Why This Major?” prompt.

One Christmas morning, when I was nine, I opened a snap circuit set from my grandmother. Although I had always loved math and science, I didn’t realize my passion for engineering until I spent the rest of winter break creating different circuits to power various lights, alarms, and sensors. Even after I outgrew the toy, I kept the set in my bedroom at home and knew I wanted to study engineering. Later, in a high school biology class, I learned that engineering didn’t only apply to circuits, but also to medical devices that could improve people’s quality of life. Biomedical engineering allows me to pursue my academic passions and help people at the same time.

Just as biology and engineering interact in biomedical engineering, I am fascinated by interdisciplinary research in my chosen career path. Duke offers unmatched resources, such as DUhatch and The Foundry, that will enrich my engineering education and help me practice creative problem-solving skills. The emphasis on entrepreneurship within these resources will also help me to make a helpful product. Duke’s Bass Connections program also interests me; I firmly believe that the most creative and necessary problem-solving comes by bringing people together from different backgrounds. Through this program, I can use my engineering education to solve complicated societal problems such as creating sustainable surgical tools for low-income countries. Along the way, I can learn alongside experts in the field. Duke’s openness and collaborative culture span across its academic disciplines, making Duke the best place for me to grow both as an engineer and as a social advocate. 

This student does a great job of sharing how their interest in biomedical engineering developed. They begin the essay with an anecdote, which is more engaging and personal than simply stating “I want to study X major because…” and then smoothly take us into the present, and show how their understanding of the field has become more sophisticated over time. It’s also clear this student has done their research on how Duke specifically can help them achieve their goal of being an engineer and social advocate, as they’re able to name several relevant resources at Duke, such as DUhatch, The Foundry, and the Bass Connections program. 

I woke up. The curtains filtered the sun’s rays, hitting my face directly. I got up, looked from the bathroom to the kitchen, but my dad wasn’t there. I plopped on the couch, then the door opened. My dad walked in, clutching a brown paper bag with ninety-nine cent breakfast tacos. After eating, we drove to a customer’s house. He sat me in a chair, lifted the floorboard, and crawled under the house to fix the pipes. As he emerged, he talked, but my mind drifted to the weight of the eleven-millimeter hex wrench in my hand. My interest in mechanical engineering originates from my dad, who was a plumber. When I was fifteen, my dad passed away from cancer that constricted his throat. Holding his calloused hand on his deathbed, I wanted to prevent the suffering of others from cancer. Two years later, when I was given a topic of choice for my chemistry research paper, I stumbled upon an article about gold nanoparticles used for HIV treatment. I decided to steer the topic of gold nanoparticles used for cancer treatment instead, entering the field of nanotechnology. After reading numerous articles and watching college lectures on YouTube, I was utterly captivated by topics like using minuscule devices to induce hyperthermia as a safe method of cancer treatment. Nanotechnology is multi-disciplinary, reinforcing my interest in pursuing mechanical engineering as a gateway to participate in nanoscience and nanotechnology research at the University of Texas at Austin. I have learned that nanotechnology is not limited to stories like mine, but to other issues such as sustainable energy and water development that I hope to work towards. It is important for me to continue helping others without forfeiting my interest in nanotechnology, working in collaboration with both engineering and the medical field.

The narrative style of this essay engages readers and keeps us eager to know what’s going to happen next. In terms of content, the student does a great job of sharing personal and specific details about themselves, the roots of their academic interests, and their motivation to pursue them in college. While this essay is very strong overall, it is missing the “Why nanotechnology at UT Austin?” element of this kind of prompt, and would be even more successful if the student mentioned a particular professor at UT Austin doing research in their area of interest, or a lab dedicated to work in the field of nanotechnology.

I held my breath and hit RUN. Yes! A plump white cat jumped out and began to catch the falling pizzas. Although my Fat Cat project seems simple now, it was the beginning of an enthusiastic passion for computer science. Four years and thousands of hours of programming later, that passion has grown into an intense desire to explore how computer science can serve society. Every day, surrounded by technology that can recognize my face and recommend scarily-specific ads, I’m reminded of Uncle Ben’s advice to a young Spiderman: “With great power comes great responsibility”. Likewise, the need to ensure digital equality has skyrocketed with AI’s far-reaching presence in society; and I believe that digital fairness starts with equality in education. 

The unique use of threads at the College of Computing perfectly matches my interests in AI and its potential use in education; the path of combined threads on Intelligence and People gives me the rare opportunity to delve deep into both areas. I’m particularly intrigued by the rich sets of both knowledge-based and data-driven intelligence courses, as I believe AI should not only show correlation of events, but also provide insight into why they occur. 

In my four years as an enthusiastic online English tutor, I’ve worked hard to help students overcome both financial and technological obstacles in hopes of bringing quality education to people from diverse backgrounds. For this reason, I’m extremely excited by the many courses in the People thread that focus on education and human-centered technology. I’d love to explore how to integrate AI technology into the teaching process to make education more available, affordable, and effective for people everywhere. And with the innumerable opportunities that Georgia Tech has to offer, I know that I will be able to go further here than anywhere else.

This essay has a great hook—it captures the reader’s attention and draws them into the story right away. Through this anecdote, the student shows their personality and interests, and then deftly transitions into talking about why Georgia Tech’s computer science program is the right match for them. The student explains how the College of Computing at Georgia Tech fits into their future by referencing “threads,” which are unique to the College of Computing’s curriculum and allow students to apply their CS coursework to particular areas. 

Just because you haven’t decided on a concentration doesn’t mean you’re out of luck when it comes to writing the “Why This Major?” essay. Ultimately, schools care less about knowing that you have your whole academic career planned out, and more about seeing that you are a genuinely curious, engaged student who does have intellectual passions, even if you’re still figuring out which one you want to pursue as a major. 

If you’re still undecided, you can opt to write about 1-3 potential majors (depending on the word count), while detailing how the school can help you choose one, as well as meet your broader academic goals. For best results, include personal anecdotes about a few academic subjects or courses that have inspired you, and share some potential career paths stemming from them. For more tips, see our post on how to write the “Why this major?” essay if you’re undecided . 

Where to Get Your “Why This Major?” Essay Edited 

Do you want feedback on your “Why This Major?” essay? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.  

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

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Dean Bokhari

How to Achieve Your Goals and Improve Your Life

By Dean Bokhari / Read or Listen 🎧

How to Find Your Why and Communicate Your Purpose

All businesses, organizations, and careers operate on three levels: (1) WHAT we do, (2) HOW we do it, and (3) WHY we do it. We’re all acquainted with WHAT we do —the products we sell, the services we offer, the jobs we do.  A few of us know HOW we do it —the things we think differentiate us or make us unique compared to the rest of the crowd, or our competition.  But only a handful of us can clearly articulate WHY we do what we do …

Our WHY is the purpose, the cause, or the belief that drives every organization and every person’s individual career.

WHY does your company exist?

WHY did you get out of bed this morning?

And WHY should anyone care?

Your WHY is what sets you apart from everyone else. It’s your purpose. It’s what inspires you to take action. Your WHY is also what inspires others to take action, spread your ideas, or buy your products.

Audio version: Press Play or  Listen on iTunes

I first learned about this concept of WHY when I read Start With Why by Simon Sinek. In that book, Simon explains how some of the world’s greatest leaders inspire themselves as well as other people to take action, buy their products, or champion their cause…

They do it by clarifying, understanding, and communicating their purpose—their WHY—before communicating anything else. They start with, sell with, and lead with WHY .

Sinek’s latest book, Find Your Why , serves as his follow-up to Start With Why … While Start With Why shows you why it’s important to start with WHY;  Find Your Why actually shows you how to find your WHY .

In this article/podcast, I’ll share one of my favorite ideas from Find Your Why –  how to construct a WHY Statement.

Learning how to construct a WHY Statement is a crucial part of discovering your WHY, and communicating your purpose to the world. And today you’ll find out exactly how to do it.

Find Your WHY and Communicate Your Purpose

Your WHY Statement is the most effective possible way in which you can articulate your WHY—your purpose… Not just to other people, but to yourself as well.

Your WHY Statement should be:

• simple and clear
• focused on how you’ll contribute to others, and
• expressed in affirmative language that resonates with you

Your WHY statement should be able to encapsulate all of the qualities we just mentioned—and it should be able to do so in a single sentence.

It should also be “evergreen,” meaning that it should be applicable to everything you do, both personally and professionally—without separation.

In Find Your Why , Simon Sinek and his co-authors explain that your WHY Statement is “a statement of your value at work as much as it is the reason your friends love you. We don’t have a professional WHY and personal WHY. We are who we are wherever we are. Your contribution is not a product or a service. It’s the thing around which everything you do— the decisions you make, the tasks you perform, the products you sell— aligns to bring about the impact you envision.”

The WHY Statement Format

Simon and his team provide us with a simple format to use as we draft our WHY Statement:

TO ____ SO THAT ____.

The first blank represents your contribution — the contribution you make to the lives others through your WHY. And the second blank represents the impact of your contribution.

Your job is to plug-in the blanks to create your own unique WHY Statement.

But before you start creating one, it might be helpful to have some examples to reference…

Examples of WHY Statements

Example #1. Simon Sinek’s WHY Statement

Here’s how Simon Sinek, one of the co-authors of this book, expresses his WHY:

“To inspire people to do the things that inspire them so that, together, we can change our world.”

The impact Simon wants is for each of us to change the world, in however way we can, for the better. But this alone is too broad. It’s incomplete until his intended impact is combined with his contribution —the work he actually does on Monday morning to make change happen.

The contribution portion—to inspire people—is what ties it all together, bringing focus and direction to the impact he wants to make on the world. Simon’s contribution is essentially WHAT he does (to make his WHY a reality). The books he writes, the workshops he conducts, and the speeches he gives are all part of WHAT he does to move his cause forward—to inspire people to do what inspires them.

And the more he inspires people to do what inspires them, the more of an impact he has towards making the world a better place.

Example #2. Dean Bokhari’s WHY Statement

Here’s how I express my WHY:

”To empower and educate people everywhere so that they can improve their lives and achieve their goals.”

The impact I want is for everyone, everywhere, to improve their lives and achieve their goals. And my contribution — WHAT I do to make the impact I desire — writing books and articles, delivering speeches, and publishing new episodes of my personal development podcast . The book summaries we publish at FlashBooks are also an expression of my WHY.

If you look at anything I do, you’ll notice that all roads lead back to WHY—to empower and educate people everywhere so that they can improve their lives and achieve their goals.

Now it’s your turn…

Draft Your WHY Statement

The ”TO ____ SO THAT ____” format was designed to be simple and straight-forward enough such that anyone can draft a meaningful WHY by using it. You can use it to create an individual WHY, or you can use it to create an organizational WHY. It’s a powerful tool that can pull your thoughts and actions towards doing what matters most to you.

• Grab a pen and pad and use the “TO ____ SO THAT ____” template to start drafting your own WHY Statement.
• Take as long as you need to do this, and keep in mind that you can modify your WHY as you evolve as an individual—none of this is set in stone unless you want it to be.
• Draft as many WHY Statements as you need to until you find the one that resonates with you on an emotional level.
• Once you’ve chosen a meaningful WHY Statement, take a second to congratulate yourself — you now have your very own WHY!

PS: Want the full book summary for Find Your Why ? Get it here

• Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team by Simon Sinek, David Mead, Peter Docker

Twitter/X: @DeanBokhari Hey, I'm Dean Bokhari. I write, speak + build businesses to inspire people to improve their lives + achieve their goals. I host a personal development podcast and I'm CEO of FlashBooks - where we produce self-help + business book summaries for busy people. My purpose? To empower, entertain and educate people everywhere to improve their lives and achieve their goals. If that’s what you’re into, you’ve come to the right place. Learn more dorky details here.

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What is Your Why? 5 Examples to Help You Find Yours

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Updated on February 25, 2024

• Your "Why" is a deep-seated motivator guiding life choices.
• Continual self-questioning helps uncover your personal "Why."
• Aligning actions with your "Why" enhances happiness and fulfillment

My personal “Why” statement in life is to be worth everything that has been given to me, and to have as much of a positive influence on the world as possible. But what is a “Why” statement? How can you find your own “Why” in life?

You need to find and define your own personal “Why” in life. Every single person has a deep motivation that fuels their life in the grand scheme of things. If you keep questioning why you do the things you do, you will eventually find your own personal “Why” in life.

This article shows you how you can find your personal “Why”. I’ve included actionable tips and different examples of others. After finishing this article, you will know exactly how to find your “Why”.

What is a “Why” in life?

Finding your “why” in life, examples of corporate “why” statements, “my why is to share the power of therapeutic humor with others.”, “my why is to help people be more connected in their life, career, and business.”, “to push myself to be the best version of myself so that i know my mom is smiling down on me.”, “to leave the world better than i found it and be remembered by the people whose lives i touched as a force for good in their lives.”, “to be worth it.”, wrapping up.

What is your “Why” in life?

This question is very common but makes you think about what you truly want out of life. How do you find out what your “Why” in life is? By asking as many questions as possible:

• Why do I do this?
• Why do I value this over that?
• Why am I not happy when X happens?
• Why am I stressed now?

If you keep asking these questions, it’s likely that you’ll eventually end up with the same answer.

Common answers to these “Why” questions are usually a variation or combination of the following:

• Providing for my family.
• To leave a legacy.
• Feeling loved.
• Having a positive impact on the lives of others.

So how do you find your “Why” in life? One way to try is by asking yourself the questions I mentioned before:

Here’s an example:

Q: Why am I so stressed all the time?

A: Because my work makes me stressed.

Q: Why do I work every day from 7:00 to 16:00?

A: Because I need money in order to do the things that I value most.

Q: What do I value most?

A: To live a happy life and to be surrounded by people who I can have positive interactions with.

Q: Why do I want to have a positive influence on the world ?

A: Because I’ve been given an opportunity in life that not a lot of other people have gotten (good upbringing, basic needs, family, health, education). I don’t just want to take these for granted . I want to use this opportunity to give back to the world.

A-ha. This is a “Why” statement that I can personally be happy with. With just 4 questions, I’ve dug down to the bottom of my “Why”, which shows me what drives me to do the things I do in life.

It’s also important to be willing to take a step back and look at the general direction of your life. Are you really living a life that you won’t regret one day? This is a harder question to answer, but it’s important to consider this every once in a while.

What does our data say?

I’ve interviewed 37 people who have at some point “reinvented” themselves in order to live a life that’s aligned with their “Why”. As a result of reinventing themselves, these people have shared with me the mental struggles that they’ve overcome:

Our most recent interviews discussing self-reinvention:

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About our project

The “Why” statement has become quite popular ever since the book Start With Why by Simon Sinek became a global best-seller.

This book covers the importance of “Why” statements in the corporate world, and how leaders can inspire more people to do the same by starting with the question “Why?”

The idea is that everything you do – whether you’re a business or a person – should have the same fundamental reason. So if somebody started to question your actions (why do you do that? Why this? Why that?), eventually, you’d circle back to your main “Why” statement.

“Why” statements are common in businesses already. Here are some examples:

• We aim to challenge the status quo. We aim to think differently. – Apple
• To connect millions of people in real life all over the world, through a community marketplace– so that you can belong anywhere. –  Airbnb
• To empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. –  Microsoft
• To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. –  Google

Examples of personal “Why” statements in life

Even though you have to define your own “Why” statement in life, it’s still interesting to read about other people’s statements. That’s why I’ve asked around to include examples of personal “Why” statements in this article.

This personal “Why” statement comes from David Jacobson, who is the president of Humor Horizons. I think this is a great example of how simple a personal “Why” statement in life can be.

My why is to share the power of therapeutic humor with others. Humor has been life transforming for me. It has enabled me to cope with chronic pain and severe arthritis. I have been able to do a 50-miles unicyle ride as a fund raiser which I partially attribute my sense of humor to helping me complete. I wrote a book on the humor habits that I use to help me cope and I am now beginning a research project to use positive depression tests rather than negative (how happy are you vs how sad, etc). My sense of humor is my source of happiness!

This “Why” statement comes from Beth Bridges and shows how a life event can solidify your purpose in life. Beth is an author and specializes in the power of networking. She also runs The Networking Motivator, a website about sharing networking strategies with others .

Here’s how she defines her “Why” in life.

My why is to help people be more connected in their life, career, and business. A year and a half ago, my husband of 17 years had a massive heart attack and was gone in minutes. What saved my sanity? The friends and business connections who gladly helped me with things small and large. Without that community, I would have been lost in despair and sadness. Now, I want to make sure that everyone has the tools and knowledge to build their own community so that they can survive whatever life throws at them.

This personal “Why” statement comes from Colby West , who shares a very touching story on how a life event can influence your “Why”. I think this is a great example of how you can be driven to make the most of yourself by defining a fundamental reason, a.k.a. your “Why”.

I lost my mom to alcohol abuse on the 14th of March 2017, which I didn’t know the degree of until it was too late. It took me about 2 years to realize that I needed to make a change in my life in order to become the person I know she would want me to be. Almost 4 months ago, I decided to work smarter AND harder and “spread my wings” a bit. I quit drinking alcohol, committed to health and wellness so much that I got my body fat % down to about 5%, all while adding 3 (soon to be 4) income streams to my life. Though I’m nowhere near finished, and will likely never be satisfied, I will continue to push myself to be the best version of myself so that I know my momma is smiling down on me, 100%.

This one comes from Paige, which I find a really inspiring example. “To leave the world better than I found it” is such a simple but powerful purpose. Paige started a global branding and marketing firm – called Mavens & Moguls – 18 years ago. She’s been happily married for 27 years, has a close circle of friends, nieces, nephews, and god kids.

Quite simply I want to leave the world better than I found it and be remembered by the people whose lives I touched as a force for good in their lives. I lost 7 people very close to me in 6 years and know first hand no one on their deathbed wishes they worked more, made more money or won more awards. They just want to be with the ones they love most and to tell them they mattered. I think of those people often and the roles they played in my life. I want to be remembered for passing along the very best in me to others so their lives are better and happier in some way because I was part of it.

This is my personal “Why” in life, and in order to explain what this means, I have to go back in time.

On the 17th of July, 2014, I wrote a journal entry that eventually went off-topic into a rant about how lucky I was. This is what I wrote down:

Seriously, I’ve been extremely lucky in my life so far. I have great parents and financial security. As a result, I’ve gotten a solid education, friends, safety, hobbies and I can easily get around. More importantly, I’ve not had any major setbacks in life so far. That leads me to think: Am I worth it? Do I actually deserve all these things? More importantly, how can I make sure that I actually deserve everything that I’ve been lucky enough to have so far? Simply appreciating what I have is definitely NOT enough. No way. I want to give back to my parents and to make them happy. I want to help other people as much as I’ve been helped in the past. And most importantly, I want to have a positive influence on the world. Come to think of it, I need to be the best version of myself I can. I need to reach my full potential. But what is my potential? I think I can potentially do a lot of good things in my life. I’m smart, physically fit and mentally healthy (I think). But why? Because I’ve been so lucky in the past already. My luck has given me so many potential opportunities, and if I want to be “worth it”, I need to make sure that I don’t let these opportunities go to waste. There are people with fewer opportunities (aka less luck) that still manage to have an amazing influence on the world by reaching their full potential. I need to do the same. I need to be worth it. How? By giving my “luck” to others as much as I can. By “paying it forward”. By not letting my opportunities go to waste. By appreciating everything that I have and not just taking it for granted. By being the best person I can. I don’t believe in karma, but if I did, it basically comes down to accumulating as much positive karma as possible. That’s how I can be worth it. Me

Even though I wrote this years ago, this is still exactly how I feel about my life. At the time, I didn’t worry about my wording. Instead, I just wrote whatever thoughts raced through my mind.

But now, after giving it some more time, I have redefined my personal “Why” in life like this:

To be worth everything that has been given to me, and to have as much of a positive influence on the world as possible.

💡 By the way : If you want to start feeling better and more productive, I’ve condensed the information of 100’s of our articles into a 10-step mental health cheat sheet here. 👇

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There you have it. There are many different reasons to do the things you do in life, but they generally follow the same fundamental driving force. If somebody started to question your actions, you’d have to be able to circle back to your main “Why” statement. If you’ve made it all the way down this article, I hope you know how to define your own personal “Why” statement.

I’d love to hear from you now! What is your “Why” in life? What makes you do the things you do on a daily basis when you really think about it? Let’s share more examples in the comments below!

Founder of Tracking Happiness, with over 100 interviews and a focus on practical advice, our content extends beyond happiness tracking. Hailing from the Netherlands, I’m a skateboarding enthusiast, marathon runner, and a dedicated data junkie, tracking my happiness for over a decade.

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Wow – such a great inspiring article – I have been looking for my ‘ “why?” ‘ for years and hope to find it soon! Thanks!🤗

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How to write your philosophy of education statement

The Philosophy of Education Statement is an important piece in your educator portfolio. It may be requested by hiring personnel at schools to be included with a cover letter and resume. Your teaching philosophy should be thoughtful, organized and well-written. The summary should be between 1-2 pages and should document and support your core educational principles.

• First, state your objectives as a teacher. These need to be achievable through some form of assessment.
• Second, you will want to outline the methods by which you will achieve your teaching objectives.
• Third, you will need to have demonstrated evidence of your achievements. This may take the form of standardized assessments or evaluations.
• Forth, allude to the factors that motivate you to be in the teaching profession. This is where you can be cerebral. State what motivates you to be in the teaching profession. 

Some Important Considerations

Your core values and beliefs.

The statement should reflect your core values and beliefs in terms of teaching. Consider your thoughts regarding the nature of students, the purpose of education and how people learn, and the role of teacher. As you develop your educational philosophy, think about completing the following statements: 

• I believe the purposes of education are ... 
• I believe that students learn best when... 
• I believe that the following curriculum basics will contribute to the social, emotional, intellectual and physical development of my students ... 
• I believe that a good learning environment is one in which ... 
• I believe that all students have the following basic needs ... 
• In order to further the growth and learning of my students, these basic needs will be met in my classroom through ... 
• I believe that teachers should have the following qualities ... 

Why You Teach

• What is the purpose of education? 
• What is your role as an educator?

Whom You Teach

• How will you reach the diverse students in your classroom? 
• How do you define your community of learners?

How and What You Teach

• What are your beliefs about how students learn?
• How will your beliefs affect your teaching? Think about management, instructional strategies, curriculum design and assessment.
• How do you balance the needs of the individual learner with the needs of the classroom community?
• What are your goals for students? 

Where You Teach

• How will you bring a global awareness to your classroom? 
• What will be your relationship with the community, parents, teaching colleagues and administration? 

Completing the Application 

Don't cut corners! As you are completing your applications, keep in mind that they are as important to your job search as your resume, letter of interest and other documents in your application packet. You are encouraged not to rush through completing your applications. Regional applications may be required instead of or in addition to the employer’s individual application.

• Be consistent with the information you provide on the application and on your resume. Make sure there are no contradictions of dates and places of employment and education.
• Do not make up an answer. Be honest. If you embellish, it will eventually catch up with you and you will leave a negative impression on the employer.
• Extra-curricular activities, which you may be willing to sponsor or coach, may be listed on most applications. Your willingness to sponsor activities can sometimes enhance your consideration for positions.
• Follow the application directions exactly. The directions may be different for each application you complete, so read all the directions carefully. Enter the correct information in the correct fields.
• Grammatical rules should be followed at all times. Teachers are held to high standards. Errors are unacceptable.
• Humor in your responses on an application can come across as sarcastic or flippant.
• Remember, an application may be a prospective employer’s first introduction to you; make it a professional one.
• Incomplete applications give the appearance of poor attention to detail. It is always best to respond to each question posed on an application whenever possible. An employer would not ask it if s/he did not want an answer.
• Never answer a question with “See my resume.”

Writing Your School Board Candidate Statement – With Examples

For candidates who run for school board, one of the most effective tools for connecting with voters is through school board candidate statements. While a candidate bio is about the candidate’s past and present, a candidate statement is designed to be personal and persuasive to voters. They focus on the candidate’s ideas, values, and goals for the future.

Before we look at the examples, let’s examine the elements that go into writing a powerful school board candidate statement.

Introduction :

Start with a brief introduction of yourself. Include your name and the position you’re running for, including the district name.

Professional and Personal Experience:

Highlight your work experience. Emphasize any experience you have in education, teaching, dealing with youth, or community roles. Outline your educational qualifications. Emphasize any specific training or expertise you have in educational policy, child development, or school administration.

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Your Platform and Issues:

Clearly state your campaign platform , focusing on the specific issues facing your district. They can be specific problems or even opportunities that are should be pursued. Explain plainly how you’ll address these issues. Share your unique vision for the school board when you join it. Outline your goals and what plan to do improve schools and support students.

Avoid the usual talking points and buzzwords. Too many important issues are boiled down to short quotes and slogans. Voter value authenticity from candidates who really care about policy and are genuine.

Closing Remarks:

Finish your statement with a short summary and reminder for voters to support you in making a positive impact on their schools and their children’s education.

Call to Action:

Encourage people to support your campaign and vote for you. Remind them when to vote, especially if  that date is not on the general election.

Examples of School Board Candidate Statements

My name is Brian Jones. I am running for the Highland School Board. It’s an important time to get involved in school board elections. This is true even if you don’t have children in the district. Our schools, once safe havens for learning, are facing new challenges. The radical changes you hear about in education nationally are happening right here.

I want an education system that encourages intellectual growth and critical thinking. Children should learn how to think independently, not just what to think. It’s vital that education remains free from agendas of all types. These agendas can undermine our national pride, childhood innocence, and parental rights.

As a candidate, I am focused on guiding our district towards these values. We must protect our children’s educational environment from bias and hidden agendas.

For more details about my platform and background, please visit my website at ______. Your vote is crucial. It’s a decision that will shape the future direction of our schools. Let’s ensure our education system remains a positive force in our country’s future. Your choice at the polls this fall is a statement about the education and values we want for our children.

Another example:

Hello, I’m Sarah Espita. I am a candidate for the Greater District School Board. My experience spans over thirty years in business leadership. I’ve worked for both large and small organizations, including running my own business. This experience equips me with skills essential for leadership on the school board.

Currently, our district faces several challenges.

These challenges include decreasing student numbers and supporting a new superintendent.  My role will involve facilitating open communication channels between the superintendent, the school board, and the community.

Focusing on student wellness is also a priority. I am dedicated to advocating for programs that foster more than just academic achievement. These programs will support the overall well-being of our students. This includes providing mental health resources and offering a range of extracurricular activities.

My campaign is not driven by a political agenda. It is rooted in my experience as a professional and as a parent of three children.

I seek your support in this endeavor. Together, we can tackle the challenges facing our schools. We can work towards a future where every student thrives.

I am Lisa Silvano, and I am running for the School Board of Education. The election is on May 17th, and your vote matters. I’m a parent of two children in the district and a committed community member. My experience in contract writing and financial negotiation will be invaluable for policy writing and handling fiscal responsibilities.

I believe in practical, common-sense solutions. These solutions address problems directly and efficiently. My top priorities include:

• Parental rights in education.
• Ensuring a safe and healthy learning environment.
• Fiscal responsibility.

We should teach our children to think for themselves while respecting rules and each other. Success comes from prioritizing what truly impacts and empowers our children. They must be prepared to contribute productively to society.

Our slogan is simple: Our Children, Our Choice, Our Future. Your support on May 17th will help shape a bright future for our children and our community.

A powerful candidate statement will go a long way toward staking your positions and putting yourself out there for voters.

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Center for Teaching

Teaching statements.

Print Version

• What is a teaching statement?
• What purposes does the teaching statement serve?
• What does a teaching statement include?

General Guidelines

• Reflection questions to help get you started
• Exercises to help get you started
• Evaluating your teaching statement
• Further resources

What is a Teaching Statement?

A Teaching Statement is a purposeful and reflective essay about the author’s teaching beliefs and practices. It is an individual narrative that includes not only one’s beliefs about the teaching and learning process, but also concrete examples of the ways in which he or she enacts these beliefs in the classroom. At its best, a Teaching Statement gives a clear and unique portrait of the author as a teacher, avoiding generic or empty philosophical statements about teaching.

What Purposes does the Teaching Statement Serve?

The Teaching Statement can be used for personal, professional, or pedagogical purposes. While Teaching Statements are becoming an increasingly important part of the hiring and tenure processes, they are also effective exercises in helping one clearly and coherently conceptualize his or her approaches to and experiences of teaching and learning. As Nancy Van Note Chism, Professor Emerita of Education at IUPUI observes, “The act of taking time to consider one’s goals, actions, and vision provides an opportunity for development that can be personally and professionally enriching. Reviewing and revising former statements of teaching philosophy can help teachers to reflect on their growth and renew their dedication to the goals and values that they hold.”

What does a Teaching Statement Include?

A Teaching Statement can address any or all of the following:

• Your conception of how learning occurs
• A description of how your teaching facilitates student learning
• A reflection of why you teach the way you do
• The goals you have for yourself and for your students
• How your teaching enacts your beliefs and goals
• What, for you , constitutes evidence of student learning
• The ways in which you create an inclusive learning environment
• Your interests in new techniques, activities, and types of learning

“If at all possible, your statement should enable the reader to imagine you in the classroom, teaching. You want to include sufficient information for picturing not only you in the process of teaching, but also your class in the process of learning.” – Helen G. Grundman, Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement

• Make your Teaching Statement brief and well written . While Teaching Statements are probably longer at the tenure level (i.e. 3-5 pages or more), for hiring purposes they are typically 1-2 pages in length.
• Use narrative , first-person approach. This allows the Teaching Statement to be both personal and reflective.
• Be sincere and unique. Avoid clichés, especially ones about how much passion you have for teaching.
• Make it specific rather than abstract. Ground your ideas in 1-2 concrete examples , whether experienced or anticipated. This will help the reader to better visualize you in the classroom.
• Be discipline specific . Do not ignore your research. Explain how you advance your field through teaching.
• Avoid jargon and technical terms, as they can be off-putting to some readers. Try not to simply repeat what is in your CV. Teaching Statements are not exhaustive documents and should be used to complement other materials for the hiring or tenure processes.
• Be humble . Mention students in an enthusiastic, not condescending way, and illustrate your willingness to learn from your students and colleagues.
• Revise . Teaching is an evolving, reflective process, and Teaching Statements can be adapted and changed as necessary.

Reflection Questions To Help You Get You Started:*

• Why do you teach the way you do?
• What should students expect of you as a teacher?
• What is a method of teaching you rely on frequently? Why don’t you use a different method?
• What do you want students to learn? How do you know your goals for students are being met?
• What should your students be able to know or do as a result of taking your class?
• How can your teaching facilitate student learning?
• How do you as a teacher create an engaging or enriching learning environment?
• What specific activities or exercises do you use to engage your students? What do you want your students to learn from these activities?
• How has your thinking about teaching changed over time? Why?

* These questions and exercises are meant to be tools to help you begin reflecting on your beliefs and ideas as a teacher. No single Teaching Statement can contain the answers to all or most of these inquiries and activities.

Exercises to Help You Get You Started:*

• The Teaching Portfolio , including a section on teaching statements, Duquesne University Center for Teaching Excellence. This website includes five effective exercises to help you begin the writing process
• Teaching Goals Inventory , by Thomas A. Angelo and K. Patricia Cross and their book Classroom Assessment Techniques . This “quiz” helps you to identify or create your teaching and learning goals.

Evaluating Your Teaching Statement

Writing A Statement Of Teaching Philosophy For The Academic Job Search (opens as a PDF), The Center for Research on Learning and Teaching at the University of Michigan.

This report includes a useful rubric for evaluating teaching philosophy statements. The design of the rubric was informed by experience with hundreds of teaching philosophies, as well as surveys of search committees on what they considered successful and unsuccessful components of job applicants’ teaching philosophies.

Further Resources:

General information on and guidelines for writing teaching statements.

• Writing a Philosophy of Teaching Statement , Faculty and TA Development at The Ohio State University. This site provides an in-depth guide to teaching statements, including the definition of and purposes for a teaching statement, general formatting suggestions, and a self-reflective guide to writing a teaching statement.
• Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement , Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Iowa State University. This document looks at four major components of a teaching statement, which have been divided into questions—specifically, to what end? By what means? To what degree? And why? Each question is sufficiently elaborated, offering a sort of scaffolding for preparing one’s own teaching statement.
• Writing a Meaningful Statement of Teaching Philosophy , McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning at Princeton University. This website offers strategies for preparing and formatting your teaching statement.

Articles about Teaching Statements

• Grundman, Helen (2006). Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement (opens as a PDF), Notices of the AMS , Vol. 53, No. 11, p. 1329.
• Montell, Gabriela (2003). How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy , from the Chronicle Manage Your Career section of the Chronicle of Higher Education .
• Montell, Gabriela (2003). What’s Your Philosophy on Teaching, and Does it Matter? , from the Chronicle Manage Your Career section of the Chronicle of Higher Education .

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Education Personal Statement Examples

What is an education personal statement?

Writing a personal statement for education is a chance to sell yourself to the admissions tutors and show them why you would make a good education candidate. It’s a place to describe your skills and strengths, as well as your career plans.

You are allowed up to 4,000 characters to explain why you are applying for an education degree, so you need to make sure your statement is as polished as possible to stand out from the crowd.

How do I write a good education personal statement?

Good education personal statements always use evidence to support their claims. You need to convince admissions tutors that you’re a good match for the programme, so if you claim to be committed or inquisitive, then use examples from your life to back it up.

To write a successful education personal statement you need to start early, brainstorm some ideas, and then begin your first draft.

This will then need to be carefully revised and edited before asking family and friends for feedback. Incorporate their comments and suggestions, and see how it is improved before asking them to look at it again.

Read through our education personal statement examples above to get an idea of what a good education statement entails.

Make sure you proofread your statement for grammar and spelling before sending it off, and if you feel you need a little extra help, take a look at our personal statement editing services .

What should I include in my education personal statement?

Many students choose to start their statement by picking a specific aspect of education and explaining why they enjoy it, e.g. developmental psychology, equality and diversity, etc.

Admissions tutors want candidates that are as passionate about the subject as they are.

As well as your motivations for studying education, think about your hobbies and extracurricular activities too. What skills have you learned from these and how will these help you in your education degree?

Talk about any work experience placements you have completed, e.g. shadowing a teacher or TA. What did you take away from this experience? Do you feel you have all the necessary personal traits and qualities that make a good sociology student?

Your wider reading is also important, so it's worth mentioning anything you've read recently that you found interesting and why. Generally, admissions tutors like students who express their views and opinions, and can back them up with evidence.

For more help and advice on what to write in your education personal statement, please see:

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A Level Results Day

Ontario Education Minister Todd Smith resigns

Simcoe north mpp jill dunlop taking over as education minister.

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Ontario Education Minister Todd Smith resigned his seat and from cabinet Friday to accept a job in the private sector less than three months after being given the education portfolio.

Simcoe North MPP Jill Dunlop will replace Smith as education minister, the province announced Friday afternoon.

Smith has served in cabinet since Premier Doug Ford's government was first elected in 2018, but spent the longest amount of time in the energy portfolio.

Sources who were not authorized to publicly discuss the issue have told The Canadian Press that Smith was not happy about the move to education in a cabinet shuffle in June, following three years as energy minister.

Ford's office said he will announce who will be stepping into the role of education minister at some point Friday afternoon.

Smith's resignation comes just one day after he announced a long-awaited new funding formula for child-care operators in the national $10-a-day program and an upcoming cut to the fees parents pay.

• Ontario Premier Doug Ford shuffles cabinet

Smith, a widely liked politician at the legislature who got his start in radio broadcasting, said it was a very difficult decision to leave and he thanked his wife and children for their support over the years he has spent at the legislature.

"It hasn't always been easy," he wrote in his statement.

"The life of a politician is hard and takes its toll. Especially when I was away from home as often as I've been over the past 13 years. I couldn't have asked for a better support system at home."

Ford thanked Smith for his years of public service.

"He leaves politics with a record that he can be incredibly proud of, including and especially fixing the previous government's energy policies and bringing electricity prices down for hardworking families and businesses," Ford wrote in a statement.

"Todd will always be a friend and I can't wait to watch his every success as he starts this next chapter of his life."

Smith served as the provincial representative for Bay of Quinte and was first elected when the Progressive Conservatives were in opposition in 2011.

Focus on nuclear energy as minister

During Ford's tenure as premier, Smith also served as the economic development minister, minister of children, community and social services, and minister of government and consumer services. He was government house leader between June 2018 and June 2019.

Liberal energy critic Ted Hsu wished Smith well in a reply to Smith's departure notice on social media.

"You were a tough opponent to have on the energy file, someone with great communication talent," he wrote. "Good luck with your next opportunity!"

As energy minister, Smith put a focus on nuclear power as a key way to secure enough electricity generation to meet Ontario's fast-growing needs, and was easing the province back into bringing more green energy into the system after the Tories cancelled projects in 2018.

However, as part of the efforts to ensure a steady supply of electricity Smith also brought more natural gas generation into the system, increasing greenhouse gas emissions from the sector, a move for which he was heavily criticized by environmental groups.

Born and raised in New Brunswick, Smith studied at Loyalist College in eastern Ontario, then worked in local radio as the voice of Belleville Bulls hockey and later as news director of Quinte Broadcasting.

In a statement, Opposition NDP Leader Marit Stiles criticized Smith's abrupt resignation, saying the education and child-care sectors are in crisis.

"That the brand-new education minister and minister in charge of child care abruptly jumps ship with less than three months on the job, the day after an important, long-delayed funding formula announcement for child care and just weeks before school is starting, shows the level of seriousness with which Doug Ford and his politicians take kids and families," Stiles said.

With files from CBC News

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More examples of why statements.

Voor Nederlands, klik hier .

More and more people and organizations have a WHY statement or are looking for one. To inspire and help you find your own WHY, I’ve written another article for you with more examples of WHY statements from people and companies. It is a follow-up to my most read article from 2019 with examples of WHY statements .

A WHY statement is mainly about expressing your unique WHY or your life purpose. You can read how I look at the difference between a WHY, purpose, mission, and vision in this article .

A WHY statement consists of a contribution and its impact on the world.

There are several techniques to discover your WHY. The basis is how you serve and what character strengths , talents, or strengths you use for this.

I follow Simon Sinek’s technique, and you can read more about finding your WHY in this article .

A WHY, meaning can also be “your intention,” “your aim,” or “your longing.”

Personal Why statements

The following WHY statements are from people I have worked with or people I found on the internet.

“I make life easier, so there is more positive energy.”

“I give words to what is invisible through which we can move forward.”

“I help others use their potential so that they do those things that deserve to be seen.”

“I inspire people from Boring Language to a Good Story so that they can enjoy standing in front of an audience.”

“I support others to develop their inner beauty so that it can radiate to the world.”

“To help people get unstuck so they can do what they love to do.”

“To help others to become better in their own lives so they can find meaningful life & grow to whatever happens to them.”

“Connecting people openly and safely so that they can be themselves, get moving, and live their potential, and there is more energy, joy, and love in the world.”

“To create art so that everyone can discover their own inspiration, love, and greatness.”

“Inspire and guide people in discovering and developing their distinctive capacity to make the right choices for a happy, successful, and loving life.”

“To illustrate what is inside so that we can each connect to our extraordinary.”

“To guide people with the insights they need so that each one of us can experience our freedom.”

“To engage with people in meaningful ways, so that we connect with depth and live in a more fulfilled world.”

Simon Sinek’s WHY

“To inspire people to do the things that inspire them so that, together, each of us can change our world for the better.”

“I facilitate so that people can elevate themselves and experience more enthusiasm and love.”

Why statements of groups

Below are examples of Why statements from groups, companies, and organizations. The majority I found on the internet, but there are also statements that I have created myself based on what I found on the organization’s website.

“We help patients as much as possible so that they can live a rich and autonomous life.”

“We offer meaningful work to strengthen the social position of our employees and to increase the appreciation for their work.”

“We create innovative solutions that help our customers excel in sustainable milk production to feed the world.”

“We structure the creative process to realize positive change.”

“We spread stories to motivate and activate people.”

Refine your WHY Statement

Perhaps your WHY (or your organization’s) is similar to one of the above statements. That is possible and allowed. The difference is that your WHY statement awakes other feelings, emotions, and energy than the WHY of others.

The key to a WHY statement is that it is:

• Clear and simple
• Focused on the effect you have on others
• Expressed in affirmative language that resonates with you.
• It should also be positive.

Discover your WHY or the one of your organization

Do you also want to discover your WHY so that you can work more purposefully, make better choices, and have the motivation to do those things that are in line with your WHY? Contac t us today!

We help individuals and groups find their own WHY to be more effective, positive, and energetic.

What is your WHY or the one of your organization? Let us know in the comment field below. The other readers of this article. and we are looking forward to reading from you!

Thank you for reading up to here & sharing this article with your colleagues, friends, or family. And please SHARE this article with your network on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn by pressing the buttons below so that they can also benefit from this article with more examples of WHY statements. You are welcome to copy parts of this blog if you state the source.

Have you seen an error in this article? Let me know! I am grateful !

Source:  Simon Sinek, “Find your WHY”  *

*This is an affiliate link. This means that I receive a small contribution from Amazon if you buy this book via my link. You don’t pay a cent extra!

Disclaimer: I am not being paid to promote the organizations mentioned in this Blog, nor do I own stocks.

Freek Zilvold

I relight the spark in the bedroom for couples who would love to find their passion in each other again, so they create more intimacy, connection, and… fun… using the principles from BDSM.

Thank you for sharing your WHY, Sam!

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Susan Wojcicki, a Pivotal Chief of YouTube, Dies at 56

She helped turn Google into an internet juggernaut and became one of the most prominent women in Silicon Valley.

By John Yoon and Mike Isaac

Susan Wojcicki , who helped turn Google from a start-up in her garage into an internet juggernaut, and who became one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent female executives with her leadership of YouTube, died on Friday. She was 56.

Her death was confirmed by her husband, Dennis Troper, who wrote on Facebook that she had been living with lung cancer for two years. He did not say where she died.

Ms. Wojcicki’s more than two decades with Google began in 1998 in her house in Menlo Park, Calif., part of which she rented to her friends Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the company’s founders. For $1,700 a month, the two used the garage as their office to build the search engine.

Ms. Wojcicki, who had been working at Intel, soon joined Google as one of its earliest employees and was its first marketing manager. Over the years, she reached its executive ranks, becoming Google’s most senior woman employee. She eventually led YouTube, which Google acquired in 2006, and which became one of the world’s largest social media companies.

“She is as core to the history of Google as anyone, and it’s hard to imagine the world without her,” Sundar Pichai, Google’s chief executive, said in a statement .

When she became YouTube’s chief executive in 2014, Ms. Wojcicki was hailed as the most powerful woman in advertising. She had made Google enormously profitable, and she was expected to repeat the trick at YouTube. She led Google’s ad business and played a key role in its acquisition of DoubleClick , an advertising technology company, in 2007.

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Here’s a look at questions about Tim Walz’s military record

Walz’s military record under scrutiny as Vance, GOP question his service

FILE - Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the running mate of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, is pictured at a campaign rally in Philadelphia, Aug. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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CINCINNATI (AP) — Republicans are questioning Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s military record after Vice President Kamala Harris named him as her running mate this week.

Here’s a look at the issue:

He retired before his unit’s deployment to Iraq

Walz served a total of 24 years in various units and jobs in the Army National Guard. But it’s his retirement in 2005 that’s prompting criticism from some Republicans who are suggesting he abandoned his team to pursue a campaign for Congress.

As he ramped up for a congressional bid in 2005, Walz’s campaign in March issued a statement saying he still planned to run despite a possible mobilization of Minnesota National Guard soldiers to Iraq. According to the Guard, Walz retired from service in May of that year.

In August 2005, the Department of the Army issued a mobilization order for Walz’s unit. The unit mobilized in October of that year before it deployed to Iraq in March 2006 .

There is no evidence that Walz timed his departure with the intent of avoiding deployment. But the fact remains that he left ahead of his unit’s departure. In a statement, the Harris campaign pushed back on GOP characterizations of Walz’s service, and also noted that he advocated for veterans once he was elected to the U.S. House.

“After 24 years of military service, Governor Walz retired in 2005 and ran for Congress, where he chaired Veterans Affairs and was a tireless advocate for our men and women in uniform — and as Vice President of the United States he will continue to be a relentless champion for our veterans and military families,” the campaign said.

Before leaving Detroit, where she and Walz played up their support for organized labor , Harris on Thursday responded to a question about the criticism of her running mate’s record.

“Listen, I praise anyone who has presented themselves to serve our country,” she said. “And I think that we all should.”

Walz didn’t serve in a combat zone

Earlier this week Harris’ campaign circulated on X a 2018 clip of Walz speaking out against gun violence, and saying, “We can make sure that those weapons of war, that I carried in war, is the only place where those weapons are at.” That comment suggests that Walz portrayed himself as someone who spent time in a combat zone.

According to the Nebraska Army National Guard, Walz enlisted in April 1981 — just two days after his 17th birthday — and entered service as an infantryman, completing a 12-week Army infantry basic training course before graduating from high school.

While attending the University of Houston in 1985, he was reclassified as a field artillery cannoneer as a member of the Texas Army National Guard, later serving as an instructor with the Arkansas Army National Guard.

In 1987, Walz returned to Nebraska’s Guard detachment, continuing field artillery assignments while he completed a college degree. By 1996, he transferred to the Minnesota Army National Guard. In 2003, he deployed to Italy in a support position of active military forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. But he was not in a combat zone himself.

“Do not pretend to be something that you’re not,” Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance said Wednesday as he campaigned in Michigan. “I’d be ashamed if I was saying that I lied about my military service like you did.”

Vance enlisted in the Marine Corps after graduating high school, serving four years as a combat correspondent, a type of military journalist, and deploying to Iraq in that capacity in 2005.

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Neither Trump nor Harris has served in the U.S. military. Trump received a series of deferments during Vietnam, including one attained with a physician’s letter stating that he suffered from bone spurs in his feet.

The Harris campaign statement said Walz “would never insult or undermine any American’s service to this country” and “thanks Senator Vance for putting his life on the line for our country. It’s the American way.”

What about his rank?

Harris’ campaign has referred to Walz as a “retired Command Sergeant Major,” one of the top ranks for an enlisted soldier. He did in fact achieve that rank, but personnel files show he was reduced in rank months after retiring. That left him as a master sergeant for benefits purposes.

Minnesota National Guard officials have said that Walz retired before completing coursework at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy, along with other requirements associated with his promotion.

Associated Press writers Darlene Superville, Trenton Daniel and Richard Lardner contributed to this report.

Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP

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What Is Education For?

Read an excerpt from a new book by Sir Ken Robinson and Kate Robinson, which calls for redesigning education for the future.

What is education for? As it happens, people differ sharply on this question. It is what is known as an “essentially contested concept.” Like “democracy” and “justice,” “education” means different things to different people. Various factors can contribute to a person’s understanding of the purpose of education, including their background and circumstances. It is also inflected by how they view related issues such as ethnicity, gender, and social class. Still, not having an agreed-upon definition of education doesn’t mean we can’t discuss it or do anything about it.

We just need to be clear on terms. There are a few terms that are often confused or used interchangeably—“learning,” “education,” “training,” and “school”—but there are important differences between them. Learning is the process of acquiring new skills and understanding. Education is an organized system of learning. Training is a type of education that is focused on learning specific skills. A school is a community of learners: a group that comes together to learn with and from each other. It is vital that we differentiate these terms: children love to learn, they do it naturally; many have a hard time with education, and some have big problems with school.

There are many assumptions of compulsory education. One is that young people need to know, understand, and be able to do certain things that they most likely would not if they were left to their own devices. What these things are and how best to ensure students learn them are complicated and often controversial issues. Another assumption is that compulsory education is a preparation for what will come afterward, like getting a good job or going on to higher education.

So, what does it mean to be educated now? Well, I believe that education should expand our consciousness, capabilities, sensitivities, and cultural understanding. It should enlarge our worldview. As we all live in two worlds—the world within you that exists only because you do, and the world around you—the core purpose of education is to enable students to understand both worlds. In today’s climate, there is also a new and urgent challenge: to provide forms of education that engage young people with the global-economic issues of environmental well-being.

This core purpose of education can be broken down into four basic purposes.

Education should enable young people to engage with the world within them as well as the world around them. In Western cultures, there is a firm distinction between the two worlds, between thinking and feeling, objectivity and subjectivity. This distinction is misguided. There is a deep correlation between our experience of the world around us and how we feel. As we explored in the previous chapters, all individuals have unique strengths and weaknesses, outlooks and personalities. Students do not come in standard physical shapes, nor do their abilities and personalities. They all have their own aptitudes and dispositions and different ways of understanding things. Education is therefore deeply personal. It is about cultivating the minds and hearts of living people. Engaging them as individuals is at the heart of raising achievement.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights emphasizes that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights,” and that “Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.” Many of the deepest problems in current systems of education result from losing sight of this basic principle.

Schools should enable students to understand their own cultures and to respect the diversity of others. There are various definitions of culture, but in this context the most appropriate is “the values and forms of behavior that characterize different social groups.” To put it more bluntly, it is “the way we do things around here.” Education is one of the ways that communities pass on their values from one generation to the next. For some, education is a way of preserving a culture against outside influences. For others, it is a way of promoting cultural tolerance. As the world becomes more crowded and connected, it is becoming more complex culturally. Living respectfully with diversity is not just an ethical choice, it is a practical imperative.

There should be three cultural priorities for schools: to help students understand their own cultures, to understand other cultures, and to promote a sense of cultural tolerance and coexistence. The lives of all communities can be hugely enriched by celebrating their own cultures and the practices and traditions of other cultures.

Education should enable students to become economically responsible and independent. This is one of the reasons governments take such a keen interest in education: they know that an educated workforce is essential to creating economic prosperity. Leaders of the Industrial Revolution knew that education was critical to creating the types of workforce they required, too. But the world of work has changed so profoundly since then, and continues to do so at an ever-quickening pace. We know that many of the jobs of previous decades are disappearing and being rapidly replaced by contemporary counterparts. It is almost impossible to predict the direction of advancing technologies, and where they will take us.

How can schools prepare students to navigate this ever-changing economic landscape? They must connect students with their unique talents and interests, dissolve the division between academic and vocational programs, and foster practical partnerships between schools and the world of work, so that young people can experience working environments as part of their education, not simply when it is time for them to enter the labor market.

Education should enable young people to become active and compassionate citizens. We live in densely woven social systems. The benefits we derive from them depend on our working together to sustain them. The empowerment of individuals has to be balanced by practicing the values and responsibilities of collective life, and of democracy in particular. Our freedoms in democratic societies are not automatic. They come from centuries of struggle against tyranny and autocracy and those who foment sectarianism, hatred, and fear. Those struggles are far from over. As John Dewey observed, “Democracy has to be born anew every generation, and education is its midwife.”

For a democratic society to function, it depends upon the majority of its people to be active within the democratic process. In many democracies, this is increasingly not the case. Schools should engage students in becoming active, and proactive, democratic participants. An academic civics course will scratch the surface, but to nurture a deeply rooted respect for democracy, it is essential to give young people real-life democratic experiences long before they come of age to vote.

Eight Core Competencies

The conventional curriculum is based on a collection of separate subjects. These are prioritized according to beliefs around the limited understanding of intelligence we discussed in the previous chapter, as well as what is deemed to be important later in life. The idea of “subjects” suggests that each subject, whether mathematics, science, art, or language, stands completely separate from all the other subjects. This is problematic. Mathematics, for example, is not defined only by propositional knowledge; it is a combination of types of knowledge, including concepts, processes, and methods as well as propositional knowledge. This is also true of science, art, and languages, and of all other subjects. It is therefore much more useful to focus on the concept of disciplines rather than subjects.

Disciplines are fluid; they constantly merge and collaborate. In focusing on disciplines rather than subjects we can also explore the concept of interdisciplinary learning. This is a much more holistic approach that mirrors real life more closely—it is rare that activities outside of school are as clearly segregated as conventional curriculums suggest. A journalist writing an article, for example, must be able to call upon skills of conversation, deductive reasoning, literacy, and social sciences. A surgeon must understand the academic concept of the patient’s condition, as well as the practical application of the appropriate procedure. At least, we would certainly hope this is the case should we find ourselves being wheeled into surgery.

The concept of disciplines brings us to a better starting point when planning the curriculum, which is to ask what students should know and be able to do as a result of their education. The four purposes above suggest eight core competencies that, if properly integrated into education, will equip students who leave school to engage in the economic, cultural, social, and personal challenges they will inevitably face in their lives. These competencies are curiosity, creativity, criticism, communication, collaboration, compassion, composure, and citizenship. Rather than be triggered by age, they should be interwoven from the beginning of a student’s educational journey and nurtured throughout.

From Imagine If: Creating a Future for Us All by Sir Ken Robinson, Ph.D and Kate Robinson, published by Penguin Books, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright © 2022 by the Estate of Sir Kenneth Robinson and Kate Robinson.

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Governor Phil Murphy

Governor Murphy Signs Legislation Bolstering Literacy Education for New Jersey Students

TRENTON – During this year’s State of the State Address , Governor Phil Murphy pledged to introduce new initiatives to increase literacy rates among New Jersey schoolchildren, furthering the state’s status as home to one of the best public education systems in the nation. Today, in collaboration with partners in the Legislature, the Governor signed two bills into law advancing his promise to set New Jersey’s students on course for lifelong success. The legislation will establish new initiatives to ensure young learners have access to the tools and resources needed to become strong, confident readers while also empowering our workforce of educators with professional development opportunities. “Literacy education represents the foundation upon which all future learning is built, and we owe it to our children to give them the strongest foundation possible. By bolstering support for literacy education, we are enabling New Jersey students to thrive both academically and in life, helping them to become informed, thoughtful, and engaged citizens,” said Governor Murphy . “Recent years have brought forth many challenges for our schools and our children. Understanding that strong reading skills have the potential to open countless doors for young learners, we must work together to support accelerated literacy learning in communities across the state. This legislation balances targeted intervention, tested learning strategies, teacher training, and continuous monitoring to ensure we deliver for our students. I thank Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz for championing this important work in the Legislature, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact of these initiatives on our school communities.” “Student literacy, especially for our youngest learners, is both fundamental to all student learning and a core element to bridging achievement and opportunity gaps,” said Kevin Dehmer, Acting Commissioner of Education . “These new initiatives, when coupled with our other programs to foster literacy, such as high-impact tutoring for students and existing professional development for teachers, can help students build those foundational skills that are so crucial to learning. These combined efforts will have lasting benefits for generations of students.” The first bill – S2644/A4303 – aims to strengthen foundational literacy instruction by establishing a Working Group on Student Literacy. This group, comprised of members appointed by the Commissioner of Education from all regions of the state, will be responsible for making recommendations to the Department of Education on the implementation of evidence-based literacy strategies, screening methods, and instruction for students, in addition to investigating ways to expand professional learning. Based on these recommendations, the Department will develop and publish guidance for school districts to use beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, and shall establish an online resource center to aid school districts in the selection of evidence-based, high-quality literacy instructional materials, including data analysis tools, as part of the school district’s implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in English Language Arts. Additionally, the Department will create a professional development program for early education teaching staff, including librarians, and those serving multilingual learners and/or students with disabilities. This will be available to all districts at no cost. Under the bill, districts will be required to conduct literacy screenings at least twice annually for students in grades K-3, beginning in the 2025-2026 school year. Districts must notify parents and guardians of their child’s results within 30 days of the close of the initial screening period. The Fiscal Year 2025 budget includes $5.25 million for literacy initiatives to advance this work. The primary sponsors of S2644/A4303 are Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz, Senator Vin Gopal, Assemblywoman Carmen Morales, Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt, Assemblywoman Annette Quijano, and Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin. “This is a forward-looking package of educational enhancement bills that will help rectify pandemic-related learning loss, close the achievement gap and improve literacy rates for our students,” said Senate President Nick Scutari. “The literacy instruction and intervention programs will be especially important for students who have experienced academic disparities. They will help advance educational equity in New Jersey’s schools. I want to commend Senate Majority Leader Ruiz, Senator Gopal and Senator Turner for their collaborative work with the Department of Education, our Assembly colleagues and education advocacy groups to get this done.”    “Increased equity in education, especially for foundational literacy, will serve every community in New Jersey,” said Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin . “When every child in our state has greater opportunity to succeed, we all benefit. These laws will ensure more strategic use of resources for our best-in-the-nation public schools. I want to commend my colleagues for all of their work on this legislation, partnering with teachers and other experts and advocates in the field to deliver for New Jersey’s kids.” “The bills signed today establish a framework to address the alarming fact that 57.6% of all third graders statewide are not meeting reading proficiency levels, with even more troubling rates for students of color, with 73.6% of Black and 72.5% of Latino third graders not reading at grade level,” said Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz . “These initiatives are a major step toward reversing these trends by strengthening foundational literacy instruction and addressing long standing educational inequities across New Jersey.” “Reading is the cornerstone of learning and academic achievement, and if we do not intervene now, another generation of children will fail to achieve their academic and economic potential,” added Senator Ruiz . “Early success in school significantly boosts the likelihood of students obtaining a high school diploma, pursuing higher education, and improving their future earning potential. The data is clear - median earnings rise from $35,500 for those without a high school diploma to $66,600 for those with a bachelor's degree. Setting our children up for success in life begins in the classroom. This is not only an investment in their futures but in the future of our communities.” “This is one of the smartest investments the state can make,” said Senator Paul Sarlo, Chair of the Senate Budget Committee . “Giving our students the skills and knowledge they need to pursue educational achievement and compete in the rapidly-evolving workplace will improve their future opportunities and contribute to the state’s economy. Our schools are an important foundation for educational excellence and economic progress. This initiative will help build a better future for New Jersey.”  “There is no greater investment we can make than investing in our children and this legislation will help us do that,” said Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin, Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee . “Specifically, it will enable us to focus on evidence-based practices and will assist us in identifying and addressing exactly where students face reading difficulties, ensuring timely and effective interventions for those in need.” “New Jersey public schools are among the finest in the nation, yet too often our children struggle to meet basic literacy proficiency thresholds,” said Senator Vin Gopal, Chair of the Senate Education Committee . “Securing our children’s success later in life begins in the classroom. These foundational literacy skills can determine a student’s academic success, college readiness, and future career and economic prospects. Establishing a framework for reading assessments and interventions will give teachers and school districts a reliable resource to draw from in order to help all our students reach their fullest potential.” “Today marks a pivotal moment in our efforts to enhance literacy instruction in New Jersey,” said Assemblywoman Carmen Morales. “This new law will be instrumental in helping us ensure that every child receives the foundational skills needed to succeed in the classroom, fostering a brighter and more equitable future for our students.” “This legislation is a testament to our continued commitment to education excellence. By focusing on early intervention and continued support, we are laying the groundwork for long-term success in schools,” said Assembly Education Committee Chair Pamela Lampitt. “I applaud today’s signing of this important bill and know that it will help strengthen our already top-notch education system.” “By instituting universal literacy screenings, we are taking proactive steps to address reading challenges early on,” said Assemblywoman Annette Quijano . “This law will provide an invaluable resource for our teachers and ensure that every student receives the necessary support to develop stronger reading skills.” The second bill – A2288/S2647 – establishes the Office of Learning Equity and Academic Recovery in the Department of Education to promote student literacy and advance learning equity through academic recovery practices. The office will be responsible for improving the Department’s capacity to make data-driven decisions, coordinate resources, and research best practices to support the creation of effective literacy, learning equity, learning acceleration policies, and professional development opportunities. The primary sponsors for A2288/S2647 are Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz, Senator Shirley Turner, Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez, Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly, and Assemblyman Sterley Stanley. “Recent state test scores show significant drops in student performance compared to pre-pandemic, with preexisting disparities worsening for low-income students, students of color, and students with disabilities,” said Senator Shirley Turner. “The academic performance data is abundant and alarming, and we must utilize it in our efforts to ensure all students have a fair shot at success in school. Establishing the new Office of Learning Equity and Academic Recovery will help improve our understanding of the factors that impact students reading ability and will implement new data-driven strategies to get students back on track.” “Establishing the Office of Learning Equity and Academic Recovery enables us to take a critical step to provide our students with the resources they need to achieve their full academic potential,” said Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez. “The legislation signed into law today works to ensure that our school districts have access to such vital information, allowing them to make data-driven decisions regarding their literacy and learning equity policies.” “The office being created through this bill will provide the necessary resources and expertise to close achievement gaps, particularly for our most vulnerable students,” said Assemblyman Benjie E. Wimberly . “By focusing on effective strategies and partnerships, we can strengthen student literacy and advance learning equity, leading to improved educational outcomes across the state.” “Our goal is to provide every student with the opportunity to succeed, regardless of the obstacles they’ve faced,” said Assemblyman Sterley Stanley . “This bill being signed today will play a vital role in collecting and analyzing relevant data in order to ensure that we, as a State that prides itself on the world class education we are able to offer, implement the most effective solutions so our students can continue to thrive.” “Early literacy is the foundation for academic success,” said NJEA President Sean M. Spiller. “We owe it to our children to give them every resource and every opportunity they need as they learn to read. Every child learns in a different way and at a different pace. We hope that this new effort will give our members more tools to identify challenges, offer needed supports and help their students succeed.”  "The New Jersey Parent Teacher Association (NJPTA) supports the Literacy Bill Package (Bill A2288ACS and S2644/2645/2646 SCS). This legislation establishes the Office of Learning Equity and Academic Recovery within the Department of Education (DOE), mandates universal literacy screenings for students from kindergarten through grade three and requires professional development for specific school district employees,” said Sharon Roseboro, President of NJPTA . “Research indicates that children who engage in reading at home are better prepared for academic success. Additionally, reading has been shown to enhance mental function. To ensure all children have equal opportunities, it is crucial to support measures that level the playing field. Parental involvement is vital to the success of these initiatives." “New Jersey’s public education system consistently produces some of the best student outcomes in the nation. However, Governor Murphy and legislators recognize that student literacy achievement must not only return to pre-COVID-19 levels but also surpass them. Today's endorsed legislation underscores this critical goal and introduces measures for both support and accountability to ensure its achievement,” said Richard Bozza, Executive Director of NJASA . "The New Jersey Children's Foundation shares the administration and Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz's belief that learning to read is such a critical factor in lifelong success. That is why we truly appreciate the Governor signing this legislation which takes very necessary steps forward in improving our ability to teach all students to read at an early age," said Barbara Martinez, Executive Director of the New Jersey Children's Foundation.   "JerseyCAN is thrilled and thankful for Governor Murphy's great leadership, Senate Majority Leader Ruiz's collaborative efforts, and the commitment of cross-sector organizations, educators, and parents to get us to this bold step of the passage of foundational literacy and academic recovery legislation that, though not a magic bullet, is the sorely-needed equalizer that all of New Jersey’s children deserve. Governor Murphy once stated that New Jersey is where opportunity lives, where education is valued, and where justice is embraced and today, as the Governor cements pivotal foundational literacy and academic recovery legislation into law, these words ring resoundingly true,” said Paula White, Executive Director of JerseyCAN. "We thank Governor Murphy, Majority Leader Ruiz and all the legislative sponsors for recognizing the urgency of the challenges facing New Jersey's schools, from learning loss to longstanding resource gaps in our urban centers. These new laws were the product of collaboration with a broad array of education stakeholders and will give more schools, both district and public charter schools, the tools to grow and expand their literacy programs to meet the needs of our youngest learners. While this policy response will require a continued all-hands-on-deck approach, New Jersey's public charter schools stand ready to meet that challenge," said Harry Lee, President and CEO of the New Jersey Public Charter Schools Association.  “Literacy is the essential skill that serves as the foundation for all learning. The New Jersey School Boards Association thanks Governor Murphy for prioritizing this issue and Senate Majority Leader Ruiz for her leadership in spearheading these critical measures that demonstrate her commitment to the children of New Jersey. And we applaud the entire Legislature for taking swift and bipartisan action in promoting and approving these bills, which will better prepare New Jersey’s students to become lifelong learners and productive citizens. We look forward to seeing the positive impact they will have on students’ academic achievement,” said Dr. Timothy J. Purnell, NJSBA Executive Director and CEO.  “Foundational literacy skills are not only the cornerstone of a high quality education but serve as the key to lifelong success, something every New Jersey student deserves.  The school leaders who make up the membership of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association, in partnership with loving parents and dedicated teachers, are committed to developing all students' literacy skills at the earliest possible ages. This legislative package was developed collaboratively with the Legislature, the Governor, and education stakeholders, and NJPSA wants to thank Senator Ruiz and Governor Murphy for their commitment to our children.  From ABCs to written worlds to be explored, NJ's future readers are fortunate to learn here!” said Debra Bradley, NJPSA Director of Government Relations, and Karen Bingert, NJPSA Executive Director. “ACNJ commends the Legislature and the Administration for these intentional policies to address literacy amongst New Jersey school-aged children. With only 42 percent of third graders meeting or exceeding proficiency standards in English language arts, there is a pressing need for action. Statewide efforts, including understanding student literacy, implementing literacy screenings, and supporting educators, are crucial and speak to New Jersey’s commitment to investing in children,"  said Mary Coogan, President & CEO, Advocates for Children of NJ. "With Gov. Murphy signing legislation to establish the Office of Learning Equity and Academic Recovery and a working group on student literacy, along with mandating universal K-3 literary screenings, New Jersey’s students who have fallen behind will have the resources and personnel they need to get back on track,” said AFTNJ President Jennifer S. Higgins.  "We are delighted to see these bills come to fruition and thankful to Senator Ruiz for her sponsorship and advocacy.  The real beneficiaries are the children of New Jersey, whose lives will be changed by this literacy initiative,” said Elisabeth Ginsburg, Executive Director, Garden State Coalition of Schools. “On behalf of the New Jersey Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NJSHA), an organization representing more than 1,100 speech-language pathologists and audiologists working in schools as well as health care settings and private practice, I first want to thank Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz for her vision and leadership on the issue of student literacy,”  said Dr. Karen Kimberlin, a speech-language pathologist (SLP) who specializes in language and literacy disorders, and who represented the Association on the Literacy Working Group created by the Majority Leader .  “We also thank the Assembly sponsors of the bills, Education Chair Pamela Lampitt and Housing Chair Yvonne Lopez and of course, Governor Murphy for signing this legislation today. SLPs are experts in language development, both oral expression and language comprehension, which are critical to the development of literacy skills. So, we are pleased that a Speech Language Specialist (SLS), as SLPs are called in school settings, will have a role in implementing these laws as a member of the Working Group on Student Literacy in the Department of Education.” “The ability to communicate effectively is the cornerstone of learning. New Jersey Tutoring Corps, Inc. wholeheartedly supports the signing of bills S2644/45/46, providing measures to strengthen literacy education for NJ children and their teachers. Further, we strongly support the signing of bill A2288, establishing an office focused on learning equity and academic recovery.  Together, these bills will provide NJ students, particularly our students who are furthest behind, with more opportunities to succeed both academically and in terms of their confidence as learners. Thank you, Senator Ruiz and Governor Murphy, for your efforts on behalf of education for all students in our state,” said Katherine Bassett, CEO NJ Tutoring Corps. "The New Jersey Association of School Librarians (NJASL) applauds Governor Murphy on the passage of the legislative initiatives to support student literacy (S2644,2645,2646). To most powerfully address reading deficiency, NJASL believes we must pair the foundational literacy skills with the simple joy of reading, and this really is the core mission of the school librarian. The thrill of a new book in the hands of a child after a school library visit or the excitement of students clamoring to ask questions of an author after a reading - to witness these interactions is to understand the superpowers of the school librarian and their ability to support student reading!” said Beth Raff, President of New Jersey Association of School Libraries. “Early literacy in any language is essential for student success. NJTESOL/NJBE is encouraged that these bills will support Multilingual Learners' success in reading by providing academic assistance for all struggling early readers,” said Kathleen Fernandez, Executive Director, NJ Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages/NJ Bilingual Educators.  "Save Our Schools NJ thanks Governor Murphy and Senator Ruiz for their commitment to the students of New Jersey. Making sure districts have resources is fundamental to their ongoing literacy efforts,” said Julie Larrea Borst, Executive Director, Save Our School NJ Community Organizing. "Strengthening reading and literacy outcomes for students gives them a better head start in all walks of life and provides improved preparation for continuing their post-secondary education or for entering the workforce, even for youth workers.  We thank the sponsors and supporters of this legislation, as well as Governor Murphy, for giving our students even more opportunity toward professional and personal development in these early stages,” said NJBIA President and CEO Michele Siekerka. “We are pleased to see legislation passed which finally starts NJ school districts addressing our general education literacy proficiency issues by using best practices, based in reading science, for reading instruction with all children. Additionally, we are thankful for legislation which will require all K-3 universal literacy screenings to help identify children early who might have reading challenges, like Dyslexia and get the appropriate intervention they need before they fall so far behind!” said Elizabeth Barnes, Founding Member, Decoding Dyslexia-NJ.

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• Undergraduate
• Transfer Students
• Departments
• Alternative Licensure and Residency Programs
• How to Become a Teacher in North Carolina
• Professional Education
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• Give Now 

Why I Chose Education

Everyone has a different reason. What's yours?

Simple Question, Powerful Answers:

We asked educators why they chose to enter the field of education and they shared their inspiring stories. From current students to those who have worked in education for decades, take a look at why our alumni chose to make a difference in the lives of learners.

“What you do as a teacher, as an educator, is you get to make an impact on the lives of others that can last their entire lifetime.”

– Bennett Jones ’14MSA, ’19EDD, director of the N.C. Teaching Fellows program

Ashlyn Scruggs ’15

“A real reason why I teach is to serve other people and give back to them,” says the Wake County Public School System middle school social studies teacher.

Meet Ashlyn 

Richmond Hill ’01MED

“There’s this power in being able to mentor and develop others,” says the provost of Northern Virginia Community College’s (NOVA) Woodbridge campus.

Meet Richmond 

“My goal and purpose has always been to make a positive impact in the lives of children. We know that a quality education is a game changer for all children, but is a dire need for children in poverty.”

– Valerie Bridges ’02MSA, ’10EDD, retired superintendent of Edgecombe Public Schools and the 2022 N.C. Superintendent of the year

EDGAR HUFF ’13MAT

“I believe the classroom is where the difference is made,” says the Wake County Public School System high school social studies teacher.

Meet Edgar 

HELEN LUPTON SMITH ’96PHD

“I realized what a big impact I can make in education. I can make a service impact, I can make a research impact and I can make a direct impact as an advisor and as a teacher,” says the associate professor in counselor education at North Carolina Central University.

Meet Helen 

Why Extraordinary Educators Choose Us:

college for education majors in North Carolina

Producer of STEM Educators in N.C.

most effective beginning teachers in North Carolina as rated by employers

Sources: College Magazine and UNC Educator Quality Dashboard

“We’re all part of a broader community of individuals who want our world to be a better place tomorrow than it is today.”

– Carl Harris ’98EDD, NC State College of Education board chair

JESSICA TERRONES ’22

“I want my classroom to feel representative of my students and a space where they can be themselves,” says the Lee County Schools middle school mathematics teacher.

Meet Jessica 

VANCE KITE ’18MED, ’21PHD

“I really like working with in-service teachers because I remember being there,” says the director of the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership.

Meet Vance 

KARRIE DIXON ’97, ’03EDD

“Education is an avenue to social and economic mobility. It transforms lives,” says the chancellor of Elizabeth City State University.

Meet Karrie 

SERGIO MADERA-GARCIA

“Just knowing that I was helping other students in bridging those gaps, it felt really good,” says the master’s student in higher education administration.

Meet Sergio 

AUTUMN GUIN ’20PHD

“My thing has always been helping kids and helping adults help kids,” says the NC State Extension program design and evaluation extension associate.

Meet Autumn 

We offer over 50 undergraduate, graduate and certificate options across our three departments.

#WhyIChoseEducation: ‘I Still Think That It Helps Us Build a Better Society When We Ask Rigorous Questions and Study Them Well,’ Says Stephen Day ’15PHD  

#WhyIChoseEducation: ‘Education Is a Career Trajectory That Allows You to Learn a Whole Lot in Order to Understand It Yourself, But Also to Share It With Other People,’ Says Jennifer Buelin ’12PHD  

#WhyIChoseEducation: ‘We’re Here To Support Schools That Have a Direct Impact on the Lives of Our Children,’ Says Orange County Schools Superintendent Danielle Jones ’12MSA, ’15EDD  

Why did you choose education.

Share why you chose the field of education and show your NC State College of Education pride on social media. Just tag your photos #WhyIChoseEducation on your Twitter or Instagram accounts.

🎉 Happy FDOC, extraordinary educators! We’re glad to have you back. Here’s to a successful year! ✨ #ExtraordinaryEducatorsPrepareHere

✨ "When I got to LIFT, I felt like this experience made me want to be a teacher 10,000 times more." 🚀 The Leadership Institute for Future Teachers (LIFT) welcomed its first group of high school students in the summer of 1986. 38 years later, LIFT continues serving as a platform for aspiring future teachers to find their voice, champion their beliefs and join a network of fellow educators. ❤️ Hear from the latest cohort of LIFT participants about what this six-day invitational program meant for them. Did you participate in LIFT? What`s your favorite memory? Let us know down below! ⤵️

🐺 This is how we welcome our incoming graduate students. 🫶 #ExtraordinaryEducatorsPrepareHere

2023 Articles

“Why me?”: Qualitative research on why patients ask, what they mean, how they answer and what factors and processes are involved

Klitzman, Robert

Patients often ask, “why me?” but questions arise regarding what this statement means, how, when and why patients ask, how they answer and why. Interviews were conducted as part of several qualitative research studies exploring how patients view and cope with various conditions, including HIV, cancer, Huntington’s disease and infertility. A secondary qualitative analysis was performed. Many patients ask, “why me?” but this statement emerges as having varying meanings, and entailing complex psychosocial processes. Patients commonly recognize that this question may lack a clear answer and that asking it is irrational, but they ask nonetheless, given the roles of unknown factors and chance in disease causation, psychological stresses of illness and lack of definitive answers. Patients may focus on different aspects of the question – e.g., on possible causes of illness (Why me? – whether God or randomness is involved) and/or on whether they are being singled out and/or punished (Why me vs. someone else?). Patients frequently undergo dynamic processes, confronting this question at various points, and arriving at different answers, looking for explanations that have narrative coherence for them, and make sense to them emotionally. Social contexts can affect these processes, with friends, family, providers or others rejecting or accepting patients’ responses to this question (e.g., beliefs about whether the patient is being punished and/or these questions are worth asking). Anger, depression, despair and/or resistance to notions about the roles of randomness or chaos can also shape these processes. While prior studies have each operationalized “why me?” in differing ways, focusing on varying aspects of it, the concept emerges here as highly multidimensional, involving complex processes and often affected by social contexts. These data, the first to examine key aspects and meanings of the phrase, “why me?” have critical implications for future practice, research and education.

• Medical ethics
• Hospital care

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Home > Blog > Tips for Online Students > Top 8 Reasons Why Education is the Key to Success

Higher Education News , Tips for Online Students , Tips for Students

Top 8 Reasons Why Education is the Key to Success

Updated: June 19, 2024

Published: April 19, 2019

You may have heard the saying that education is the key to success, but it’s really true. In fact, there are eight solid reasons to believe that pursuing education beyond your high school degree in the 21st century will make you more attractive to potential employers and ultimately become more successful.

1. Education gives you the skills that companies are looking for

As you progress through a college degree, you’ll learn how to manage your time; how to juggle several tasks at the same time, how to interact with all kinds of people, and new skills that companies are looking for now. At the University of the People (UoPeople), for example, faculty come from all over the globe and are prepared to teach those cutting-edge skills that companies are seeking as they look for new hires who will carry their businesses forward through the 21st century. In short, a real education today means that the institution offering a program of study provides skills that can be applied immediately once the student graduates and becomes part of the workforce

2. You’ll form networks and meet new people

Attending college isn’t just about completing courses and meeting other students. A successful, viable institution of higher learning has partners, affiliates, alumni, and other entities that can become a part of your professional network once you join a university community. Nowadays, when you pursue your education, most universities will show you how to become part of an  online community where you have plenty of opportunities to engage with other students, thinkers, degree-seekers, and problem-solvers like yourself.

As you proceed, you’ll gain a clearer sense of your own ideas and values. And when you’re finished with school, you’ll find that businesses in today’s global society are looking for people who know how to be a part of an online community and can communicate the company brand to their clients.

3. You’ll keep up with changing technologies

When you enroll in an academic program offered by University of the People or another accredited university, you engage in learning while using technologies that hiring companies are looking for. You gain valuable digital experience, allowing your education to provide you with the key to success.

4. You’ll define your career interests.

When you pursue an education in a particular degree, you’ll find that you’ll learn more about your professional interests, what you plan to do with your degree, and what the career options are. For instance, your choice of higher education provides you with resources, contacts, networks, and many other influences that allow you to explore the details of your career choice. You’ll have a much clearer notion of what you want to do, what you are capable of doing, and how to get a actually get a job in your field after completing your education.

5. You’ll develop time management skills.

Even if you are pursuing an education full-time, you may still need to work and manage the household budget, along with many other challenges. In short, because life requires that we wear many hats even under the best of circumstances, the process of getting an education automatically makes you focus on honing those coveted time management skills one of the sure-fire keys to success desired by top hiring companies all over the world.

6. You won’t be left out

Up until the first half of the 20th century, societies across the globe were vastly more rural and much less interconnected. Many people only received a minimal education without pursuing a high school degree. Today, times have changed. Digital technologies dominate virtually every aspect of our lives, making it essential to have the basic high school requirements for working with various technologies, communicating with written and verbal skills, and reaching out to others around the globe. However, a high school degree these days is just the minimum you need to consider entering the workforce in most instances. In fact, between 2019 and 2029, most of the jobs available will require a bachelor’s degree .

For all these reasons, acquiring education beyond the high school level is the key to success. We live in an ever-connected society where opportunities and expectations for knowledge and performance increase every day. And that’s why you don’t want to be left behind when there are real resources available to help you succeed. University of the People understands these growing needs and opportunities, and that’s why it makes learning tuition-free and accessible.

To go back to school through a completely online program offered by a US-accredited institution, check out the University of the People’s academic programs ! University of the People offers associate, bachelor, and master’s programs, all of which are online and tuition-free. When it comes to receiving a quality education without the huge price tag, University of the People is for people like you!

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