I’m going to disagree here. You should not write your essay about what you think the school wants to hear. You want to find an ED school that is a good fit for you and your interests. You want your essays to be a genuine reflection of YOU.
I do agree that doing a deeper dive is important, especially when selecting an ED school. It’s so much more than academic rankings and offerings. Look at the 4 year plan of study. What are the out of college requirements? Do all the liberal arts requirements at Cornell excite you or does it seems like a drag? Read the mission and vision statement of the university as a whole, and also the CoE. Read the messages from the Deans, the student led newspapers, and even the university social media pages. Look at career services supports. Think about if you want a hands on, career readiness focused program with lots of internship and co-op supports, or a more theoretical program that could better prepare you for grad school.
And don’t forget about the cost. Run the NPC and talk to your parents about affordability. If it isn’t affordable, move on and look for school that is in budget for ED.