Past, Present, Future (and a Dash of Specifics): The Secret Recipe to a Killer ‘Why This Major?’
Selective U.S. colleges don’t ask for busywork essays. When they want 200–350 words on why you’ve chosen your intended major, they’re looking for more than a generic “I like science” or “I want to help people.” They want a glimpse into how you think, what excites you intellectually, and how you’ll carry that energy onto their campus.
Here’s a step-by-step approach to brainstorming, outlining, and drafting a focused, authentic supplemental “Why This Major?” essay.
Step 1: Brainstorm Your Past, Present, Future
Never start writing with a blank page. That’s a recipe for frustration and endless rewrites. Instead, ask yourself:
Past (Spark): What first sparked your interest in this subject? Was it a class, a personal experience, a conversation, a problem that caught your attention?
Present (Development): How have you explored that interest since then? Think about specific courses, projects, books, debates, competitions, jobs, hobbies, or personal experiments.
Future (Direction): What kinds of questions or problems do you want to explore in college and beyond?
Tip: Don’t worry yet about making it sound polished. Jot down memories, phrases, even random images. Then, put them in chronological order. For a shorter essay (100-150 words), think of one “scene” per sentence. For a medium-length version (200-350 words), try one scene per paragraph.
Step 2: Be Specific (Really Specific)
Specificity is your best friend. The more generic your examples, the more likely your essay will blend into a sea of essays. But specific, concrete stories? Those stick.
Instead of: “I like psychology because I want to understand people.”
Try: “In AP Psychology, I was hooked by an experiment showing how memory can be manipulated, so much so that I started designing my own mini-tests on friends to see how they recalled details.”
Details not only show your interest, but also make the essay more interesting to read. And this is super important, considering the sheer number of essays admissions officers had to read.
Step 3: Sprinkle Some College Connection
A great “Why This Major?” essay doesn’t stop at why you love the subject. It also shows why this school is the best place for you to study it.
This doesn’t mean writing a laundry list of everything you like about the college. Instead, sprinkle in one or two school-specific connections that genuinely excite you:
A particular professor whose research aligns with your interests
A unique course, concentration, or program that only that college offers
A lab, center, or internship opportunity tied to your interests
A distinctive philosophy (e.g., interdisciplinary approach, experiential learning, etc.) that matches how you want to learn
Think of this as showing academic fit and why this major at this particular school is the perfect combination for you.
Step 4: Outline the Flow
With 200-250 words, you don’t have room for fluff. Keep it clean and structured, like this:
Hook + Spark (Past): A vivid moment, image, or anecdote that drew you to the subject (40-60 words).
Development (Present): How you have pursued this interest so far, in and out of class. Highlight 2 to 3 key experiences that deepened your curiosity (100-150 words).
Vision + College Connection (Future): What you hope to study or tackle in college, and how this particular school will help you do just that (20-40 words)
Optional Tie-back: A closing reflection that circles back to your opening idea (20-40 words).
Step 5: Draft Without Overthinking
When you write your first draft, resist the urge to sound “impressive.” Write quickly, don’t polish. You can refine your tone later.
When revising, ask yourself:
Does this essay sound like me?
Am I showing my interest through details, not just telling?
Is there a clear “past, present, future” arc?
Tip: After each sentence, ask yourself: “So what? Why should they care?” If the answer feels fuzzy, sharpen it with details or personal reflection.
Just FYI: What You Don’t Need
Lifetime commitment: You don’t need to prove you’ll stick with this major forever. In fact, more than 70% of college students change their major at some point in their undergraduate years. Colleges know interests evolve.
Exhaustive activity list: Don’t cram in every related activity. Pick the most impactful, meaningful 2 to 3 to highlight.
Overblown promises: Avoid lofty claims, like “I will cure cancer.” Specific, grounded goals are more credible and compelling.
Sample Essay for Brown + Brief Annotations
When my younger brother was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, I became the unofficial translator between his doctors and my family. I remember watching his endocrinologist sketch glucose curves on the back of a prescription pad, and feeling both overwhelmed and fascinated. I started googling terms I didn’t understand, then found myself reading far beyond what was necessary for my brother’s care.
That curiosity stuck. In AP Biology, I gravitated toward units on cellular communication, while in chemistry I was drawn to how molecular structures can shape entire treatment outcomes. For my science fair project, I built a simulation showing how insulin resistance develops, and presenting it forced me to explain a complex process in plain language—something I’d first learned to do for my family. Outside of class, I interned at a local hospital’s research wing, where I helped code patient survey data for a study on diabetes management. Even though my role was small, I was struck by how biology, chemistry, and statistics all converged toward real-world solutions.
At Brown, I’m excited by how the Open Curriculum will let me explore biology alongside courses in science communication and medical anthropology, so I can study both the molecular and human sides of healthcare. I’m especially drawn to Professor X’s work on patient education strategies in chronic illness, which connects to my own experiences translating medical jargon for my family. Brown’s School of Public Health and the opportunity to collaborate at the Population Studies and Training Center would give me the chance to see how biology, data, and policy intersect to shape real-world outcomes.
Notice how it:
Opens with a personal spark or reason (Past) - a personal, meaningful story
Builds with specific exploration (Present) - coursework, projects, internship
Ties to Brown’s unique offerings (Fit) - Open Curriculum, School of Public Health, research centers, faculty)
Ends with vision (Future) - forward-looking goals that connect to studying at Brown
You don’t have to prove that you’ve figured out your life at 17. A strong “Why This Major?” essay is a miniature story of curiosity, growth, and direction. If you can capture that in 200-350 words, you’re golden.