The Why Penn “Why this College” Essay Example


Understanding rhetoric is key to essay writing. So, as you dive into academics, explore the following rhetorical analysis example to begin writing like a seasoned expert.


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An essay introduction is critical in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. To ensure its effectiveness, consider incorporating these key elements: a compelling hook, background information, a clear thesis statement, an outline of the essay’s scope, a smooth transition to the body, and optional signposting sentences.

The Why Tufts “Why this College” Essay Example

The process of writing an essay introduction is not necessarily straightforward, but there are several strategies that can be employed to achieve this end. When experiencing difficulty initiating the process, consider the following techniques: begin with an anecdote, a quotation, an image, a question, or a startling fact to pique the reader’s interest. It may also be helpful to consider the five W’s of journalism: who, what, when, where, why, and how.
For instance, an anecdotal opening could be structured as follows: “As I ascended the stage, momentarily blinded by the intense lights, I could sense the weight of a hundred eyes upon me, anticipating my next move. The topic of discussion was climate change, a subject I was passionate about, and it was my first public speaking event. Little did I know that pivotal moment would not only alter my perspective but also chart my life’s course.”

An essay introduction typically ranges from 5-10% of the total word count. For example, in a 1,000-word essay, the introduction would be roughly 50-100 words. However, the length can vary depending on the complexity of the topic and the overall length of the essay.

These are not "rules" but common sense criteria. Additional criteria for selecting examples will largely depend on the topic and nature of the essay.

The purpose of an essay introduction is to give an overview of the topic, context, and main ideas of the essay. It is meant to engage the reader, establish the tone for the rest of the essay, and introduce the thesis statement or central argument.


The Why Cornell “Why this College” Essay Example

Writing a strong introduction is crucial for setting the tone and context of your essay. Here are the key takeaways for how to write essay introduction:3

Short Descriptive Essay Example

How would I determine whether an example is appropriate for my essay? What characteristics may I use to determine on a case-by-case scenario if an example is appropriate much like a check list?

The Why Bowdoin “Why this College” Essay Example

A practice-based topic (such as medicine, law, social work or business studies) should usually use real and referenced cases to illustrate a point. This usually requires much more extra information than would be acceptable for examples in other fields, but this can often be resigned to appendices.

The Why Swarthmore “Why this College Essay Example

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Humanities, social sciences, languages, arts and other less prescriptive topics usually require a broad coverage of examples in order to substantiate an argument. For this reason, examples should be as brief as possible (within reason) and from as wide a variety of sources as possible. If your examples must come from a single source (as with literary analysis) then examples should be selected from the full body of the work rather than a single verse, chapter, character or whatever. Of course, if you are able to provide material from outside the work in question to support your point, this is usually very well received.

The Why Johns Hopkins “Why this College” Essay Example

Note that the above point about multiple examples is true when making an argument, but when making a counter-argument (ie disproving a previously proposed argument) it is generally only necessary to provide a single and conclusive counter-example, unless the counter-argument is the main theme of your work.

The Laptop Sticker “Why this College” Essay Example

We'll start by covering what NOT to do, what kinds of details you SHOULD include in your essay, and where to find the best resources for researching your “Why this college?” essay.