Better research equals better essays
Two overlooked research methods: college newspapers and questions to ask current college students. Download the full guide with 50 college newspapers and 50 questions.
Here's our 2-step Method to researching colleges and writing stronger supplemental essays!
THE COLLEGE ESSAY RESEARCH GUIDE
GO BEYOND THE BROCHURE. GET THE REAL STORY.
CAMPUSWINK | COLLEGE EXPLORATION & ADMISSIONS
How to Write a Better “Why This College?” Essay
The best college essays don't come from Googling “What makes [insert college] unique?”
They come from curiosity. From asking better questions. From discovering something about a college that genuinely excites you—and being able to explain why it matters to you.
And here's something that might surprise you: Two of the best research resources are completely overlooked by many applicants.
Student newspapers and actual conversations with current college students.
We're sharing two of our favorite ways to go beyond the admissions website, along with 50 college newspaper links, more than 80 questions to ask current students, and a research worksheet to help turn everything you discover into a compelling supplemental essay.
01 / READ THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER
THE BEST COLLEGE RESEARCH TOOL YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT USING.
Seriously. Find your prospective college's student newspaper, subscribe to it, and spend some time reading it.
It's free. It's entertaining. And it's a goldmine of information about what is actually happening on campus.
You'll discover everything from campus traditions and student organizations to new academic programs, research opportunities, funding debates, dining controversies, local coffee shops, and the issues students are talking about.
Unlike the admissions website, the student newspaper is written by students, for students.
And that's exactly what makes it so valuable.
Imagine reading about a student-led sustainability initiative, an exciting new research lab, or a campus tradition you've never heard of. Suddenly, you have something specific to explore, a question to ask, or an opportunity that connects directly to your own interests.
That's the kind of research that can make a supplemental essay stand out.
50 College Newspapers Worth Exploring
YOUR RESEARCH STARTS HERE. TAP ANY NEWSPAPER TO EXPLORE.
University
Student newspaper
Harvard
Yale
Princeton
Columbia
University of Pennsylvania
Brown
Dartmouth
Cornell
Stanford
MIT
University of Chicago
Northwestern
Duke
Vanderbilt
Rice
Notre Dame
Georgetown
University of Virginia
UNC Chapel Hill
University of Michigan
UC Berkeley
UCLA
UC San Diego
University of Washington
University of Oregon
University of Texas at Austin
Texas A&M
University of Florida
The Independent Florida Alligator
Florida State
University of Georgia
Ohio State
Penn State
Wisconsin–Madison
University of Minnesota
University of Iowa
Indiana University
University of Illinois
Purdue
Michigan State
University of Maryland
Boston University
Northeastern
Tufts
NYU
USC
Emory
Wake Forest
Johns Hopkins
Carnegie Mellon
University of Rochester
Newspaper URLs are provided for convenience; individual links have not been independently verified for current availability.
02 / TALK TO THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY GO THERE
REAL STUDENTS. REAL STORIES. THE DETAILS YOU WON'T FIND IN A BROCHURE.
This is where the magic happens.
You can spend hours researching a college online and still have no idea what it's actually like to be a student there.
What are the professors really like? Which classes have students talking long after the semester ends? What traditions bring everyone together? Which opportunities have changed someone's career plans?
The people who can answer those questions already exist. They're the students who are actually living the experience.
And often, all you have to do is ask.
Start with your existing network. Ask friends and family for introductions. Encourage your student to strike up conversations during campus visits. Reach out through social media.
Or use Campuswink to connect with current college students who have signed up to share their experiences through private campus tours and virtual conversations.
(And the college students are compensated for their time, so you're helping them earn money while sharing their experiences. A win-win! 🧡)
If possible, talk to someone studying your intended major. Ask about classes, professors, hands-on projects, internships, and the opportunities that have shaped their college experience.
But don't stop there.
Ask what surprised them. What they wish they'd known. What makes their school different.
Because the goal isn't just to collect interesting facts.
THE GOAL IS TO DISCOVER WHY THIS COLLEGE COULD BE THE RIGHT PLACE FOR YOU.
03 / ASK BETTER QUESTIONS. GET BETTER STORIES.
MORE THAN 80 QUESTIONS TO TAKE YOUR COLLEGE RESEARCH DEEPER.
You don't need to ask all of these! Choose the questions that align with your interests, intended major, and what you're hoping to learn.
The best conversations happen when you're genuinely curious and willing to ask a follow-up question.
ACADEMICS & CLASSES
What is learning actually like here?
Go beyond course catalogs and rankings to understand teaching styles, professor relationships, classroom culture, and the experiences that make an academic program unique.
What's been your favorite class so far, and why?
Which class completely changed how you think?
Which class surprised you the most?
Is there a class every student should take, regardless of major?
What's your favorite assignment you've completed?
Tell me about a project you're especially proud of.
What's the most hands-on class you've taken?
Have you worked on any real-world or community-based projects?
Which class pushed you the hardest?
What's the coolest thing you've built, designed, researched, or created?
Do professors encourage discussion or mostly lecture?
How accessible are professors outside class?
What's an example of a professor going above and beyond?
Which professor has had the biggest impact on you?
Which professor should everyone try to take?
Have you ever changed your major or career goals because of a professor or class?
Are there any unique seminars, honors classes, or freshman experiences?
What's one class that's unique to this university?
RESEARCH & OPPORTUNITIES
Where does learning come to life?
Explore research labs, creative projects, mentorship, and the opportunities that help students turn classroom knowledge into real-world experience.
How easy is it to get involved in undergraduate research?
What research projects are students excited about?
Can freshmen participate in research?
Have you presented research or attended conferences?
Which labs or research centers stand out?
What's something happening academically that isn't advertised much?
Are students encouraged to collaborate across majors?
FINDING YOUR PEOPLE
Because belonging matters, too.
College isn't just about what happens in the classroom. It's also about finding community, building friendships, and discovering where you fit.
How did you find your closest friends here—class, dorm, club, job, or something else?
What communities or spaces helped you feel grounded when you were new?
What's the club and organization culture like? Is it easy to join, competitive, time-heavy, or welcoming?
Are there signature student groups that shape campus life?
What's one underrated way students build community here?
How easy is it to try something new without already being experienced?
When students feel lonely or overwhelmed, what resources or habits actually help?
What kind of student tends to thrive here, and what kind of student might struggle?
CAMPUS CULTURE
Every campus has a personality. What's this one's?
From beloved traditions to the everyday experiences that make a school feel like home, these questions can reveal the personality of a college.
How would you describe the personality of this campus?
What's something admissions tours don't tell you?
What surprised you after enrolling?
What's the biggest misconception about this school?
What traditions should every student experience?
Which traditions are your favorites?
What's your favorite campus event?
What makes students proud to attend this school?
What does this school value most?
What's something unique about this campus culture?
What do students love talking about?
If you had to describe this school in three words, what would they be?
MAJOR-SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
Go deeper than the degree description.
Two colleges might offer the same major, but the experiences can be completely different. Find out what makes this particular department worth exploring.
Why did you choose this major here instead of somewhere else?
What makes this department different?
Which classes best represent the program?
What projects do students in your major complete?
What's the biggest challenge in your major?
Which electives have been unexpectedly valuable?
What issues do students actively talk about or organize around?
Do students collaborate or compete?
How early do students start major-specific classes?
Which companies recruit heavily from your department?
Are there capstone projects or senior showcases?
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
What happens beyond the classroom?
Learn how students prepare for internships, build professional connections, and take advantage of career resources.
When did you get your first internship?
How helpful is the career center?
What networking opportunities have been most valuable?
How involved are alumni?
Are there on-campus jobs or roles that are especially valuable for experience?
What does recruiting look like here—career fairs, networks, pipelines, or target-school dynamics?
What's one career-related advantage this school has that you didn't realize before enrolling?
Have professors helped students find internships?
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
The questions that get people talking.
Sometimes the most meaningful insights come from asking students to reflect on their own experiences.
What experience made you realize this school was the right choice?
If you could relive one day here, which would it be?
What's a moment that made you feel like you belonged?
What opportunity has shaped you the most?
If your younger sibling attended here, what would you tell them not to miss?
What do you think makes someone a great fit for this university?
04 / QUESTIONS THAT PRODUCE ESSAY GOLD
THE STORIES BEHIND THE SCHOOL.
These are some of our favorite questions because they invite students to share the experiences that made their college special to them.
And those stories can lead you to the details that make your own essay more personal, specific, and memorable.
What's one story about this school you tell everyone?
What class are you still talking about months later?
What's something that only students here would understand?
What's one thing you wish admissions had told you?
What's something you've experienced here that couldn't have happened anywhere else?
What made you fall in love with this school?
If you had to convince your best friend to come here, what story would you tell?
What's your proudest moment as a student?
What's one tradition you hope never changes?
Which professor's office would you walk into again tomorrow if you could?
Which assignment made you realize, “This is why I chose this major”?
What's a project that perfectly represents what this university is all about?
What opportunity here changed your future?
What class, lab, clinic, studio, or experience would be impossible to recreate somewhere else?
If you were writing your “Why This College?” essay today, what would you include?
05 / TURN YOUR RESEARCH INTO A BETTER ESSAY
YOUR “WHY THIS COLLEGE?” RESEARCH WORKSHEET
You've read the newspaper. You've talked to a current student. You've learned things you never would have discovered from the admissions website.
Now what?
The strongest “Why This College?” essays connect a specific, real detail about the college to a specific, real detail about you.
Not just “This college has an incredible entrepreneurship program.”
But what is it about that program that excites you? How does it connect to something you've already done, something you're curious about, or something you hope to accomplish?
Use this worksheet to organize your research and start making those connections.
PART ONE / WHAT I DISCOVERED
College I'm researching:
From the student newspaper
Newspaper name and link:
Date(s) read:
Interesting detail #1
A tradition, program, event, issue, or opportunity.
Interesting detail #2
Interesting detail #3
From my conversation with a current student
Student's name and major:
How we connected:
Questions I asked (choose 3–5):
Detail or story they shared #1:
Detail or story they shared #2:
Detail or story they shared #3:
PART TWO / MAKE IT PERSONAL
THIS IS WHERE THE ESSAY STARTS TO TAKE SHAPE.
Now connect what you've learned to your own interests, experiences, and goals.
1. The most surprising thing I learned was...
2. This detail connects to my own interests or goals because...
3. Here's how I picture myself participating in or contributing to this specific opportunity, club, class, or community...
4. One sentence I could use in my essay draft:
06 / THE BIGGER PICTURE
BETTER RESEARCH. BETTER ESSAYS. BETTER COLLEGE DECISIONS.
Here's what we hope you'll take away from this guide:
Don't just tell a college you love it. Show them you've taken the time to understand it.
Read what students are writing about. Ask questions that go beyond the official tour. Discover the professors, projects, traditions, and communities that genuinely interest you.
Then think about how your own story connects to what you've learned.
And remember, all of this research serves a purpose beyond writing a great essay.
It's helping you make one of the biggest decisions of your life with more confidence and a much clearer picture of what your college experience could actually look like.
That's what college exploration should be about.
Want to Go Beyond the Brochure?
At Campuswink, we connect prospective students and families with current college students for private, personalized campus tours and virtual conversations.
Whether you're researching a particular major, comparing colleges, gathering insights for supplemental essays, or just want to know what life is really like on campus, our student Guides are here to help.
Real students. Real conversations. Real insights.
College is a big decision. Get the whole story. 🧡