Originally published at https://easedit.co/blog/how-to-answer-why-this-university
How to Answer "Why This University?" — What Admissions Interviewers Actually Want
There's a version of this answer that gets you through. And a version that actually sticks.
The version that gets you through sounds like this: "I've always wanted to come here. The university has a great reputation, the course is highly regarded, and I know I'd thrive in the environment."
No admissions interviewer has ever been moved by that answer. They've heard it from the fifteen people before you.
The version that sticks is specific. Not just "I want to study business here" but "I've been following Professor Allen's research on emerging market supply chains — it overlaps directly with the internship I did in Nairobi last summer." Not just "the campus felt right" but "when I spoke to a current student last month, she described how the tutorials work here, and that's exactly how I learn best."
What the question is actually asking
When an interviewer asks "why this university?", they're not asking for a list of reasons you find the school attractive.
They're asking: did you choose us deliberately? Or are we just one of twenty applications?
Generic answers say: "you're one of twenty." Specific answers say: "I chose you."
Three things your answer needs
First — your criteria. What do you actually look for in a university? Teaching style, research focus, campus culture, course structure? Saying this shows you've thought seriously about what you need, not just what sounds impressive.
Second — your research. What did you do to find out if this school matches those criteria? Visited campus, talked to current students, attended an open day, read faculty research. Name at least one specific thing you did. Even one real action proves the decision was deliberate, not just hopeful.
Third — the match. What specific thing about this university directly answers your criteria? The more specific you are, the more credible you sound. A named professor is stronger than "great faculty." A specific lab or programme is stronger than "excellent opportunities."
For MBA applicants: it's two questions in one
For MBA interviews, "why this school?" almost always arrives alongside "why an MBA?" and they're expected as one flowing answer.
Deal with both. The "why MBA" part needs to connect what you've already done, what you want to do next, and why you can't get there without the degree. The "why this school" part needs to go further than listing course modules — those are in the brochure. Talk about the community, specific clubs or resources, the type of peers you'll work alongside, something you can only access at this school.
Keep the curriculum part short. The personal part is what they remember.
The trap almost everyone falls into
Praising the school's ranking or reputation.
This is the most common mistake — not because it's wrong, but because it proves nothing about fit. "You're ranked highly" tells the interviewer that you could be applying to any top-ten school. It doesn't tell them why this one.
Replace every reputation claim with something specific. "Strong business faculty" becomes "Professor Chen's research on green supply chains, which I read after her talk at last year's MBA fair — it's directly connected to where I'm heading." That's a sentence no other candidate can say.
One thing worth doing before the interview
The best answers to this question are usually built before the conversation begins.
Talk to current students. Read recent faculty research. Go to an open day if you can. Not to collect facts, but to form a genuine opinion.
An answer built on real research doesn't sound rehearsed. It sounds like someone who actually made a choice — which is exactly what you want them to think, because that's exactly what you did.
Want to put this into practice?
easedit.co lets you run a full AI-powered mock interview, get scored feedback on your answers, and track your improvement over time. No signup required to try your first session.
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