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Located in Washington, DC, and providing an outstanding academic experience, expansive internship opportunities, and robust collegiate athletics, it isn’t hard to see why Georgetown is a popular college choice for many social seniors. Georgetown’s application offers a traditional blend of writing prompts, including a personal statement, a “Why us?” essay for several of its colleges, and an extracurricular essay. Though the prompts may be standard, the tips, ideas, and examples below can help you stand out from the field.
Before you begin writing, you may want to get deeper insights into the kind of student Georgetown is looking for, and how it views itself. You’ll find an extensive, by-the-numbers look at its offerings, from enrollment and tuition statistics to student life and financial aid information, on its Common Data Set. For a better sense of how Georgetown envisions its role in academia and how it wants to grow and evolve, read its strategic plan.
What are Georgetown's supplemental essay prompts?
Prompt #1
Please elaborate on any special talents or skills you would like to highlight. (250 words)
Prompt #2
Briefly discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved. (Approximately one-half page, single-spaced)
Prompt #3
For all applicants: As Georgetown is a diverse community, the Admissions Committee would like to know more about you in your own words. Please submit a brief personal or creative essay which you feel best describes you and reflects on your own background, identity, skills, and talents. (Approximately one page, single-spaced)
Prompt #4: School Specific Essays
APPLICANTS TO GEORGETOWN COLLEGE: A liberal arts education from the College of Arts & Sciences involves encounters with new concepts and modes of inquiry. Describe something (a class, a book, an event, etc.) that changed your thinking. (Applicants to the sciences, mathematics, public policy or languages are encouraged to include examples related to that field.) (Approximately one page, single-spaced)
APPLICANTS TO THE SCHOOL OF HEALTH: Describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying health care at Georgetown University. Please specifically address your intended major (Global Health, Health Care Management & Policy, or Human Science). (Approximately one page, single-spaced)
APPLICANTS TO THE SCHOOL OF NURSING: Describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying your intended major, Nursing. (Approximately one page, single-spaced)
APPLICANTS TO THE WALSH SCHOOL OF FOREIGN SERVICE: The Walsh School of Foreign Service was founded more than a century ago to prepare generations of leaders to solve global problems. What is motivating you to dedicate your undergraduate studies to a future in service to the world?
APPLICANTS TO THE MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS: The McDonough School of Business is a national and global leader in providing graduates with essential ethical, analytical, financial and global perspectives. Please discuss your motivations for studying business at Georgetown.
How to Write Each Supplemental Essay Prompt for Georgetown University
How to Write Georgetown Supplemental Essay prompt #1
Please elaborate on any special talents or skills you would like to highlight. (250 words)
Picking a Topic:
While you may have heard us encourage students to write with focus, preferring a deep dive on one topic over a brief mention of many, this prompt asks for talents and skills, so don’t hesitate to touch on your numerous abilities you haven’t had a chance to show elsewhere in your app.
To get started, set a timer for three minutes. Then, list as many skills and talents as you can. Don’t limit yourself to the ones you’d put on a job application. Consider talents large (communicating) and small (sharpening pencils just the right way), academic (naming any Shakespeare play based on only a couple lines) and non-academic (knowing which one of your siblings are home based on how many dishes are in the sink). For this essay, and especially for this brainstorm, almost any idea can work.
Have your list ready? Ok. Pick four to seven of your favorite ones. Choose a variety—this is a great chance to add some personality to your application, share some of your quirks, and show you’re a well-rounded applicant.
Here’s a strong example:
Example:
Over time, I have worked to develop a vocabulary whose nuance reflects the thoughtfulness with which I view the world. To do that, every day after school, I add a branch to my word board.
* * *
Meraki— a Greek word— means “to do something with soul, creativity, or love,” to leave a piece of yourself in your work. When I play the harp, I select pieces that lay bare my inner condition. At home, I cook with meraki: my brother has many dietary restrictions, and my desire to give him satisfying meals drives me to innovate new recipes that redefine his experience of eating.
* * *
Array is a term in programming that means “index out of bounds error.” When I founded Code Autism and invented RIPPL, I looked “out of bounds” to bring these ideas into reality.
* * *
Sonder— the notion that each person has a life as complex as your own— is expressed as well in my relationship with my brother. As he is nonverbal, I have learned to interpret his facial expressions and emotional needs without speech, something that informs my interactions with others on a daily basis.
* * *
毅力, or perseverance, informs not only my role in my family, but also my physical pursuits. As a result of studying Tae Kwon Do, I have mastered one hundred consecutive push-ups and can break a wooden board with a jumping roundhouse kick. As a blue belt, I am empowered to defend not only myself, but also others.
— — —
Tips + Analysis:
Share different sides of yourself. By choosing to share her talent for curating a nuanced vocabulary, this writer is able to touch on her interests in playing harp, cooking, taking care of her brother, programming, and Tae Kwon Do.
Ground your special talents and skills to values. Notice how the author does this in the example above (harp → vulnerability, cooking → care, programming → service, Tae Kwon Do → discipline, defending others).
Show range by balancing the academic/impressive with the personal/human. A young woman who founds a non-profit like Code Autism and invents an app like RIPPL is likely to impress a reader, but the impact is enhanced by the humility of caretaking for her brother. Her toughness is showcased through Tae Kwon Do, but balanced with the vulnerability of composing for the harp.
How to Write Georgetown Supplemental Essay prompt #2
Briefly discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved. (Approximately one-half page, single-spaced)
This is your basic extracurricular activity essay, and will double with many other prompts from other schools. Already written an extracurricular essay you love? Copy, paste, and call it a day.
If not, you can view a thorough, step-by-step guide to writing the essay at this link, or keep reading here for some tips on choosing a topic and a strong sample essay written specifically for Georgetown.
Picking a Topic
Here are a few steps you can take to identify a topic.
Go to your activities list and pick 2-3 possible topics.
Go through the BEABIES exercise (either mentally or by filling out the chart) to decide which topic might yield the most content.
Double check with your personal statement to make sure you’re showing some side of yourself that’s not currently being discussed at length there.
Let’s check a couple examples.
Example: Narrative + Overcoming a Challenge
Because this student is writing about overcoming a challenge, she uses a narrative structure, telling a linear story and explaining what she walked away with.
— — —
If there were a “cry graph” for the number of times students at my school broke down from freshman to junior year, it would increase exponentially. We often found ourselves weeping together in philosophy class, one of the only safe spaces to open up emotionally about the constant pressure we all experienced. I was alarmed at the number of times I heard “I’m going to kill myself” in the classroom on a daily basis, and my closest friend confessed that she considered quitting school. In short, my school community was very, very stressed. These red flags led me to decide that it was time to change the picture of the cry graph and create a space other than philosophy class where we could support each other, so I founded the Psychology and Mental Health Club.
I researched empirically proven de-stressing methods, and found that yoga, art therapy, and canine therapy can lower blood pressure and cortisol levels while increasing oxytocin levels. I organized stretching and doodle sessions, and collaborated with the library to host therapy dogs so that students could ‘paws’ and relax. After each event, we asked students to indicate their mood before and after; 96% of students responded that their stress decreased.
I am elated to say that the Mental Health Club seems to have successfully reversed the ‘cry graph.’ We have become a mindful, supportive, tight-knit community, and we are no longer defined by anxiety--rather, we are now defined by our dedication to mental health awareness and balance. I have received numerous requests to continue and expand the club’s work, so we plan to hold our sessions every two weeks, and to introduce meditation, calming music, herbal teas, and other mindfulness activities that I continue to explore.
— — —
Tips + Analysis:
This author uses her extracurricular essay to explain how she overcame a challenge in her school community. You can find a whole host of tips and ideas for this narrative style extracurricular essay here, but the following are a few quick takeaways:
Raise the stakes. We need to know why we should care about the challenge your extracurricular activity is working to solve. When this author shares the commonality of hearing students’ suicidal ideation, we can see why this is an important problem to solve.
Be specific about what you did. This author not only explains that she created a club, she also details both the distinct steps she took to generate a solution and the specific services her club offered.
If possible, share quantitative outcomes. We all probably trusted that the therapy dog sessions were effective (see: any puppy ever), but this author drives that point home with data: 96% of post-session student responses showed a decrease in stress.
Example: Montage + Making Connections
This student uses a montage structure for his essay, using different aspects of the extracurricular activity (debate) to demonstrate interest and achievement in a whole host of areas (philosophy, critical thinking, public service, self-awareness, self control)
— — —
Initially, debate seemed nonsensical: lambasting opponents while arguing improbable scenarios. But over time I’ve learned that it’s more than competition that drives me to stay up all night looking for evidence: I love learning about the political and ideological underpinnings of our society and the way they shape us.
On an easy debate tournament weekend, I research foreign diplomatic agendas and synthesize the information into coherent debate evidence. When tournaments become more hectic, however, I delve deeper into the works of philosophers and social critics and translate the knowledge into debate argumentation. While researching foreign policy, critical theory like Heideggerian phenomenology and constitutional details, I’ve developed an ability to critically analyze argumentation, make sense of the world around me and creatively express myself in an academic setting.
My hard work has paid off. In the past four tournaments, I’ve received a Top 10 speaker award for the varsity division consisting of about 50 debaters. This trend has increased my credibility in my debate league to such a level that my partner and I were invited to participate in a series of public debates at LA City Hall to defend the water policy for the drought. The opportunity allowed me to actually impact the public’s awareness and accept a larger responsibility in the workings of my community.
More importantly, however, debate has taught me to strategically choose my battles. When I prepare my arguments, I know that I can’t use all of them in the end of a round. I have to focus. I’ve learned to maximize my strengths and not try to conquer everything. Moreover, I’ve learned to be responsible with my choices. A wrong argument can mean losing if we can’t defend well. Not only do I now know how to zoom in from a bigger picture, but I also know how to pick the right place to zoom in to so I can achieve my goal.
Debate has turned me into an responsible optimizing, scrutinizing and strategizing orator.
— — —
Tips + Analysis:
As with the earlier example, you can find a wealth of tips for an “uncommon connections” style here. You can also find some distilled tips and ideas below.
Identify skills and learnings you’ve gained from the extracurricular activity, and where else those skills show up. This author has three primary takeaways from debate: an interest in philosophy, becoming a more vocal and active community member, and the ability to choose his battles. In your essay, you can earn bonus points by highlighting unexpected places those skills have shown up. This author could have cited the way she applied a philosophical concept to a drama performance she did, or how her participation in the LA City Hall debates led to her attending a climate march.
Organize your essay effectively by addressing each connection in its own paragraph. One possible structure for each paragraph is:
Name the skill or takeaway
How does it show up in your extracurricular activity?
How does it show up somewhere else, possibly unexpectedly?
Summarize the takeaways clearly. This is even more important if your takeaways are uncommon or unexpected. This author names each outcome of her engagement with the debate team in her closing sentence: responsibility, efficiency, a critical eye, and the ability to strategize.
How to Write Georgetown Supplemental Essay #3
As Georgetown is a diverse community, the Admissions Committee would like to know more about you in your own words. Please submit a brief personal or creative essay which you feel best describes you and reflects on your own background, identity, skills, and talents.
(Approximately one page, single-spaced)
Your Common App personal statement will usually also work well for this Georgetown prompt. Generally, “approx 1 page” means around 600 words. According to the G’town admission office, though, the essay just needs to fit on one page. Don’t push that too far (we don’t want readers running to find a magnifying glass), but we suggest writing a draft that’s around 600 words and making it fit after the fact.
Here’s an example of a Common App personal statement that doubled nicely for this Georgetown prompt.
Example:
The ocean has always been outside my door. I’ve moved several times within my home state of Connecticut, but even in unfamiliar places I’ve always been able to rely on its presence.
The ocean reminds me of the good in my life: boating with my family in the summer months, and lobstering as the weather grew colder. I loved it despite my father throwing me into a bloom of sea jellies when I was eight. This love and appreciation grew as I became older, along with my desire to learn more, so this past summer I worked as a camp counselor at the Mystic Aquarium. I expected to learn about young children and camp activities, but I actually learned a lot about human behavior by observing sea life.
As a camp counselor, I was in charge of sixteen 3-6 year-olds. I was thrown into a world of snacks, line up ropes, and play time. Each of the kids had their very own personality, aptly developed in their few years on earth. I was asked a billion questions: “How many penguins are there?” (36), “How deep can a seal dive?” (300 to 400 feet for up to 30 minutes). I learned new ways to interact and communicate with the kids. I talked slower, used fewer words, and developed a deep curiosity for the students' favorite colors. What I had not expected was that I would also be learning, and that the animals would be my teachers.
For example, the six sea lions live together in an outdoor enclosure. While many people assume the 1,100 pound male Astro runs their simulated outdoor environment, it is actually the 300 pound older female named Eden. She may not look in charge, but as the matriarch she keeps order. Eden taught me that even though I may not be big and scary, I can still lead. Whether as Head of Student Activities, organizing bonding activities for students, or as Head of our ‘Bowl-A-Thon’ fundraiser, I can use my skills—communication, empathy, and resourcefulness, among others—to be an effective leader.
The 36 penguins also live in their own community. They groom each other, swim, and eat together. Penguins gather together for warmth and protection, and all newcomers are welcomed into the community. This reminds me of my freshman year when I left home for the first time. I felt lost in my new habitat, but now, almost four years later, I have found my space and a group of girls who have become my community. They have been my support system, and my school has become a second home.
Clams are essential to many ecosystems, yet are often overlooked by the aquarium’s guests. One of our giant clams (so overlooked he doesn’t even have a name) was facing a death sentence due to the deterioration of the valve holding his shell together. A team of aquarists came together and used their resources to keep the clam alive. He became the little guy everyone was rooting for. As I moved to new schools (five in total), I often felt like an overlooked clam. Now as I find myself becoming one of the oldest at my school, I look out for clams in need of some extra care and find a way to keep them together.
When people think of aquariums they typically conjure up images of exotic fish, dolphins, belugas, and turtles. These large sea creatures usually assume the spotlight, but there are many others, and even the smallest clam has an important role in its community. I have learned the inherent and foundational value of hard, often unseen work, along with the well earned grandeur of larger, outward-facing accomplishments. One is essential to the other. The ocean has highlighted for me the value of everyone’s contributions and the importance of community, qualities which will serve me well in college and beyond.
— — —
Tips + Analysis:
Reach for Less Common Connections. People read essays about sports and expect them to be about hard work. They read essays about volunteering and expect them to be about selflessness. You know what they don’t expect? An essay about an aquarium really being about human nature. The less common connections made throughout this story help paint a unique picture of the writer. And note that while the less common topic (aquarium) helps, it’s the connections and insights that are more important. Meaning you can possibly make essays about sports and volunteering work—you’ll just have to spend a good chunk of time exploring how they connect to things we probably don’t expect them to (like, say, literature, or healthy boundaries, or…).
Let details be your voice. We learn, for example, that the writer worked with “3-6” year olds in the third paragraph of the essay. But rather than simply saying, “they asked me a lot of questions,” the writer uses specific details to put us in those moments. More than just simply relaying questions the kids asked, the writer also intersperses each question with their own narration (e.g., “‘How many penguins are there?’ (36)”). The details help us experience what the author did, while offering elements of voice that communicate the writer’s depth of understanding.
The thread is your guide. This writer’s montage essay consists of a series of examples of life-lessons learned through different experiences working at the Mystic Aquarium. The aquarium is their guiding thread. Using specific examples from their work related to that thread, they manage to reveal various key insights. Ultimately, each example (i.e., the clams, sea lions, penguins, and 3-6 year olds) reveals something about how the writer has come to understand the importance of an individual’s contributions in the context of a group. That’s some pretty cool stuff coming from an essay about an aquarium. A key takeaway: your “topic” is really just an excuse to help a college see the values/insights/skills/qualities/interests you bring to the campus.
How to Write Georgetown Supplemental Essay Prompt #4
Depending on which college within Georgetown you’re applying to, you’ll have a different prompt to address here.
APPLICANTS TO GEORGETOWN COLLEGE: A liberal arts education from the College of Arts & Sciences involves encounters with new concepts and modes of inquiry. Describe something (a class, a book, an event, etc.) that changed your thinking. (Applicants to the sciences, mathematics, public policy or languages are encouraged to include examples related to that field.) (Approximately one page, single-spaced)
APPLICANTS TO THE SCHOOL OF HEALTH:
Describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying health care at Georgetown University. Please specifically address your intended major (Global Health, Health Care Management & Policy, or Human Science). (Approximately one page, single-spaced)
APPLICANTS TO THE SCHOOL OF NURSING:
Describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying your intended major, Nursing. (Approximately one page, single-spaced)
APPLICANTS TO THE WALSH SCHOOL OF FOREIGN SERVICE:
Briefly discuss a current global issue, indicating why you consider it important and what you suggest should be done to deal with it. (approximately one page single-spaced)
APPLICANTS TO THE MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS:
The McDonough School of Business is a national and global leader in providing graduates with essential ethical, analytical, financial and global perspectives. Please discuss your motivations for studying business at Georgetown. (approximately one page single-spaced)
At their core, most of these prompts are asking for a “Why Georgetown?” response. Here’s a complete guide on how to write the “Why us?” essay—read through it and pay close attention to the “Why Cornell” and “Why Penn” examples (our favorites).
A note on Georgetown College:
The Georgetown College prompt is asking about an experience that changed your thinking, but in many ways that’s just the beginning—it’s seeking a window into your intellectual curiosity, adaptability, and depth of thought. Admissions officers are on the lookout for applicants who are not just passive absorbers of information, but active thinkers and learners, willing to challenge their preconceived notions (note GTown’s direct value of “restless inquiry”).
So understanding that—where do you begin?
First, you might imagine your mind as a vast library full of all the books you've ever read, classes you've attended, and oddball YouTube videos you've watched at 3 AM. Somewhere in there, tucked between "Why I'm Afraid of Spiders" and "That Time I Ate Too Much Chocolate", is a transformative experience—one that played a lead role in reshaping your thinking. Maybe it's about that Calculus class that made you see the world as an intricate web of patterns, or perhaps a philosophical podcast that turned your worldview upside down. Don’t think, though, that this has to be something where you believed A, and then after the experience you believed the opposite of A—transformative experiences are frequently more subtle and nuanced than that.
Note that although they explicitly encourage “applicants to the sciences, mathematics, public policy or languages…to include examples related to that field,” you could definitely tailor your examples to your academic interests even if they’re not included in any of the ones named. With that in mind, this essay can take on a bit of a “Why Major?” flavor in which your “mini-movie” is related to some formative class / book / event / etc… from your past.
A note on the Walsh School of Foreign Service:
The Walsh School of Foreign Service was founded more than a century ago to prepare generations of leaders to solve global problems. What is motivating you to dedicate your undergraduate studies to a future in service to the world?
The Walsh School of Foreign Service is one of the most well-regarded programs in the country for students interested in global issues and international relations. So this essay needs to be next-level if you want to have a chance. Here are some quick tips:
Committing to a college path dedicated to developing the tools needed to address worldwide issues is heady stuff, and it typically comes from a deep-seated desire to not just to help others but do so on a global scale. So what’s the story of your inspiration? Why foreign service? Was it a personal experience that had a profound effect on your outlook on the world? Or do you have a more general interest in effecting lasting change? If so, why? To brainstorm some ideas, it may help to think of this as a “Why Major” essay, with foreign service as the “major.” Here’s a complete guide to the “Why Major” essay.
You might use this as an opportunity to describe work you’ve done around a particular issue, one that stirred in you an intense urge to tackle a specific global concern. Past students, for example, have described work they’ve been doing on gender rights, the climate crisis, and everything in between. If this sounds like you …
Consider doing the Elon Musk exercise to tease out some material—only, in addition to “what you did” and the “impact you had,” you’ll want to add a 7th, even more important component: what impact do you hope to have in the future? And maybe even: How can SFS equip you to do that?
In answering the last sentence of the prompt, consider describing how the work/research you’ve done on a significant issue has revealed to you how complex this issue is. What makes it complex? What are the forces in play? How has that inspired a future in foreign service? Show us how your brain works, and how your heart is fully engaged.
If you do choose to write about a specific topic of global significance, become a semi-expert on your topic. In other words, research it enough so that you’re pretty sure you know more than your reader about it. This may take some time, but it’s worth it. Chances are, other students applying to SFS have spent considerable time either working on or studying their topic of choice, so showing you know your stuff will improve your chances of standing out.
Quick Note: If all this sounds way too intense, ask yourself: Do I want to be a Hoya? Or do I really, really want to go to SFS? If you’re not super interested in/excited about being in SFS, maybe consider just applying to Georgetown. If you’re not sure, definitely do some more research.
Action Items:
Reflect on what you want out of your college experience. Collect those insights using this chart. Identifying specific or niche interests and needs will help you find equally specific resources at Georgetown and make your “we’re a perfect match” (see more on this at the “complete guide” link above) case more compelling.
Spend at least an hour researching 10+ reasons why Georgetown might be a great fit for you, mapping them out in the third column of the chart.
Remember, we don’t want to prove that Georgetown is the best school for every student—we want to prove that it’s the best fit for you. This means that, for all the specifics you provide about Georgetown, you’ll also want to explain why those specifics appeal specifically to you. You’ll see examples of this in the sample essay below.
Create an outline based on either Approach One, Approach Two (recommended), or Approach 3 (as explained in our “Why us?” guide).
Georgetown College essay example
Example:
In history class, the dialogue surrounding the Civil Rights Movement often presents African Americans as a unified group fighting to resist racist policies. But James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time, written in 1963, helped me understand that the nuances of African American resistance have often involved strained personal relationships within African American families.
Early in this book, Baldwin retells a childhood experience where his father discouraged him from staying in school because he thought a higher level of education didn’t help African Americans enter the professional sphere. Baldwin recalls encountering “too many college-graduate handymen,” but refuses to drop out of school, mostly as an act of defiance towards his father.
Baldwin continues to describe experiences that heightened the tension between him and his father—particularly regarding religion, parental control, and life on the streets.
Although resisting white oppression was difficult for Baldwin, resistance often caused divides in his personal relationships, which was more draining. Before reading this book, it had never occurred to me that overcoming the barriers perpetuated by racism in some cases involved taking a break from one’s traumatized community, which in this case was Baldwin’s own father.
I can relate. My father and I have differing methodologies for informing ourselves of current events and choosing to support a political candidate. My father makes his decision based on the political party, overall impact the candidate will have in the government, and major news headlines, while I believe in learning all the details about the candidate, doing extensive research on their speeches and personal history, looking at which influencers support them, and following their updates on social media. These small differences have caused my father and I to disagree in some political conversations. I used to doubt my own perspective when my father and I discussed politics, but Baldwin’s essay taught me to hold my own ground while also respecting my father’s opinion. It also taught me to critically reflect upon my own values.
Social problems play out in personal ways. The Fire Next Time has helped me find the balance between acknowledging strains in personal relationships while learning how to grow as an activist. Reading about Baldwin’s experience has helped me draw parallels to my personal struggles, and helped me combat my unconscious assumption that all African Americans have experienced the consequences of white oppression in the same way.
— — —
Tips + Analysis
Show how the piece changed, broadened, or challenged previously held beliefs. The key to this essay is to show how the thing you chose to write about contributed to your growth—how it gave you “insight or inspiration.” So, think about doing that in two parts: first by describing the belief or perspective you started with (the status quo), then by explaining how your viewpoint evolved. In her intro, this student starts right out with a summary of both: “In history class, the dialogue surrounding the Civil Rights Movement often presents African Americans as a unified group fighting to resist racist policies. But James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time, written in 1963, helped me understand that the nuances of African American resistance have often involved strained personal relationships within African American families.” That’s a nice way to establish the essay’s theme from the beginning.
Make it personal. Remember, this is an essay about you, not so much the work you chose. You will, naturally, have to spend some of your word budget talking about the piece, especially as it relates to the idea or perspective that inspired or enlightened you. This student spent 100 words on Baldwin’s perspective—a quarter of the essay. We wouldn’t recommend using much more than that. But the student then quickly dives into the insight she gained, how “overcoming the barriers perpetuated by racism in some cases involved taking a break from one’s traumatized community.” Even more instrumental was showing how she related to Baldwin’s experience, through her political disagreements with her own father. But she doesn’t stop there. In demonstrating her growth, the student is clear about how she applied what she learned: “Baldwin’s essay taught me to hold my own ground while also respecting my father’s opinion. It also taught me to critically reflect upon my own values.”
Show how your growth has impacted your life in other ways. If you can demonstrate that the lessons you took away from the piece inspired you in multiple ways, all the better. For this student, in addition to having a new outlook on her political conversations with her father, she learned to “find the balance between acknowledging strains in personal relationships while learning how to grow as an activist,” while also learning to “draw parallels to my personal struggles,” and “combat my unconscious assumption that all African Americans have experienced the consequences of white oppression in the same way.”
Convey key values you want Georgetown to see. One of the most important goals of this essay is to show Georgetown what’s meaningful to you and why. That means conveying key values, especially those you share with Georgetown. This essay is teeming with strong values: empathy, compassion, social change, curiosity, accountability, diversity, quality relationships, respect, love.
Consider being vulnerable. Expressing vulnerability makes the essay more relatable, allowing the reader to connect with you on a more personal level. You can show vulnerability in multiple ways—with self-deprecating humor, by revealing embarrassing details, by sharing secrets or deeply personal information. This student is vulnerable in describing some over-generalized beliefs she had about the African-American experience, which some people may be shy about revealing for fear of judgment. Sharing that perspective makes her growth, and her willingness to embrace it, all the more meaningful.
4. APPLICANTS TO THE WALSH SCHOOL OF FOREIGN SERVICE
The Walsh School of Foreign Service was founded more than a century ago to prepare generations of leaders to solve global problems. What is motivating you to dedicate your undergraduate studies to a future in service to the world?
In the last quarter of 2019, the Lebanese people, suffering from dire economic conditions, had been protesting their government’s inefficiencies, corruption, and inability to govern, demanding the resignation of its sectarian leaders. People from across different sects—Sunnis, Shias, Christians—united in an attempt to overthrow the ruling government.
At the root of the crisis is the makeup of Lebanon’s sectarian government, which was solidified as a solution to end the Civil War in 1990. The system divides power evenly among the three religious groups fighting for control of Lebanon—with the presidency allocated to a Maronite Christian, the prime ministership to a Sunni Muslim, and Speaker of Parliament to a Shia Muslim. However, while the system ended the war, it created new challenges by turning warlords into politicians loyal only to each of their own religious factions. As the government became a source of personal gain, the Lebanese people were forced to rely on patronage and clientelism, feigning allegiance to their religiously affiliated political parties to gain basic needs such as a job, healthcare, or education.
The situation came to a head on August 4, 2020, after two consecutive explosions shook Beirut, leaving nearly 200 dead, 6,500 injured, 300,000 displaced, and US$10-15 billion in damage. The explosions took place in Lebanon’s main port, in a storage facility that illegally stored ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive chemical, triggering a new round of demonstrations over the government’s mismanagement. Using the slogan “all of them means all of them,” the Lebanese people demanded the government’s entire ruling body step down, but while the Prime Minister resigned, the corrupt sectarian government remained in power.
This sectarian power divide has made Lebanon vulnerable to foreign interference in addition to its implications for the people of Lebanon. While Shia leaders aligned with Iran, the Sunnis are with the U.S.-allied Arab Gulf states, and the Christians are with France. With the backing of foreign nations, the different factions within Lebanon have become emboldened to spread their ideology throughout the Middle East and beyond. The Shia faction, called Hezbollah, has funded terrorist groups in other countries, such as Yemen, Bahrain, and Iraq, threatening the safety of the global community.
As a Bahraini, I feel a special bond to Lebanon. Ours are two of the few Middle Eastern countries with religious and ethnic diversity, and their people have coexisted and intermarried over centuries. I am a product of that diversity: a half-Sunni and half-Shia, like many in Lebanon. It saddens me that although the people of Lebanon are united despite their sects’ differences, their government’s system divides them, threatening their safety and the peace and prosperity of the region.
The Lebanese government should follow Bahrain's example in how it resolved protests and brewing conflicts that erupted from the Arab Spring: launch an independent inquiry to investigate human rights violations and initiate a national dialogue, which can be a first step toward restoring human rights and establishing a merit-based democratic system of governance. The leadership must take advantage of the French government’s support and President Macron’s proposal for international financial aid, which is conditioned on the government’s economic and political reforms and was also welcomed by the wealthy Gulf Arab states. But this international support requires serious political and economic steps inside Lebanon. Even if the sectarian power-sharing system cannot be abolished (or will not abolish itself), it has to reset its priorities so that all three offices of the government provide the Lebanese people with basic rights. This national dialogue must generate a plan of action that focuses on economic prosperity, not sect loyalty, and abolishes the government’s use of quotas when filling its jobs.
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Tips + Analysis
Dive deep into your chosen global issue. This essay manages to offer a nuanced view on the protests in Lebanon despite its (necessary) brevity—no easy feat. Readers have no doubt that this writer understands the complexities of the geopolitical situation they’re describing. The writer seems as though they’ve already worked to develop the kind of understanding we’d expect them to explore freshman year at Georgetown. Language like this shows that the writer understands how complex situations are built on one another.
Make it personal. Though this writer is not Lebanese, they find various ways to connect their experiences to their overarching topic (e.g., “As a Bahraini,” and “a half-Sunni and half-Shia, like many in Lebanon”). This personal connection reinforces our understanding of the writer's genuine interest in the issue; the writer isn’t just interested in global affairs as an abstract concept, but sees its impact on an experiential level.
How will you play a role? No one expects you to have solved a massive geopolitical conflict before entering college (though, if you have, definitely consider writing about that!). All the same, it’s important to show readers that your interest in Foreign Affairs isn’t the interest of a spectator—colleges in general and Walsh in particular want students who aspire toward a “future in service to the world.” How do you hope to engage on the issues you raise? In addition to demonstrating their impressive understanding of the conflict in Lebanon, the writer ends the essay by suggesting measures the Lebanese government can adopt, drawing inspiration from Bahrain.
4. APPLICANTS TO THE MCDONOUGH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS:
The McDonough School of Business is a national and global leader in providing graduates with essential ethical, analytical, financial and global perspectives. Please discuss your motivations for studying business at Georgetown.
Cosmopolitan: not the magazine or drink, but a word that has stuck with me since my freshman year history class description of Ancient Rome. It was defined as a place where humans from different backgrounds, countries, and beliefs can come together and learn from each other while still maintaining their unique identities. This idea of an international community full of new ideas and people has always excited me. Although I cherish the small and quaint communities that I grew up in, and appreciate the diverse and thought-provoking perspectives Miss Porter’s has ingrained in me, I am looking forward to expanding my growth immersed in a bustling city. I believe that Georgetown will offer me the opportunity to be part of a vibrant, cosmopolitan community, where smart, engaged students from around the world will come to trade ideas and create lifelong relationships.
I want an interdisciplinary education that prepares me for a career outside of college. Georgetown’s Business and Global Affairs major combines the curricula of The McDonough School of Business and School of Foreign Service. This will allow me to explore my interest in political affairs, while also learning about the business world. I have taken ‘Accounting from Debt to Equity’ and ‘Microeconomics’ at my school, giving me a solid background for classes offered at McDonough such as ‘Global Business Experience’.
Georgetown also has many opportunities outside my intended major. Having attended an all-girls school, I have found a safe and productive space working with other women. I would love to get involved with The Period Empowerment Project and Georgetown’s Women's Center to continue developing these valuable relationships.
Georgetown’s location coupled with unique business programs, including the The McDonough School of Business/Walsh School of Foreign Service interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science in Business and Global Affairs, will provide and prepare for transformative internship possibilities at the White House and Congress. These opportunities will help me develop the necessary skills and language to communicate in the business world. Conversely, I can also learn outside of Georgetown’s campus and surrounding community. For example, the ‘Georgetown in Barcelona: Business Ethics and Marketing’ study abroad program will allow me to dive into topical issues such as sustainability.
The education of the whole student, as stated in Georgetown's motto “cura personalis”, means learning in and outside the classroom. A Georgetown education will help me become a well rounded, community-focused, “cosmopolitan” leader who can help make meaningful and informed contributions to the world.
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Tips + Analysis
Hook ‘em! While it’s the body of your essay that ultimately carries the weight, the first sentence/s of your essay is an important moment. It sets the tone for the essay, and, most importantly, it can make the reader want to keep reading. This writer hooks the reader by differentiating a unique term’s (“cosmopolitan”) popular associations to offer a profound insight into global unity and diversity. Playing with the reader’s commonly held notions is one tried and true way to start an essay, and if you’re interested in more ways to “hook” a reader, check out this blog post.
Show them you’re not just window shopping. It’s one thing to simply say “I’m interested in taking X class.” It’s quite another to demonstrate how specific courses you’ve taken in high school will prepare you for specific courses in your time at college. This writer notes that taking “Accounting from Debt to Equity” and “Microeconomics” in high school prepares them to take “Global Business Experience” at McDonough. Note that the writer didn’t just open up a course catalog and pick a McDonough class that sounded kinda cool. Instead, we get the sense that the writer has put some thought into what they’ll be tackling in McDonough’s courses and has mapped out some of the possible arc of their education, demonstrating their informed interest in the School. Want some help organizing your own research into the school’s you’re applying to? Check out our guide on that here.
It’s not just about the major. Did you catch the writer’s mention of the Period Empowerment Project and Georgetown’s Women's Center? It's as if they've already penciled in their first club meeting. The result is that they’re demonstrating their interest in the applications of McDonough’s classes; they’re not trying to simply study the coursework for its own sake. This shows they've not only done their homework but also mapped out their college journey. They’re signaling: “I'm ready to learn, engage, and truly be a Hoya!” They’re also demonstrating how they want to be an active, engaged member who contributes to the community—some colleges’ prompts directly ask this question (“how will you contribute?”), but even for colleges that don’t, it can be a nice touch to add some detail that helps your reader see how you want to engage.
Special thanks to Nick Muccio for writing this blog post.
Rather than candy, Nick (he/him) went searching for people’s vacuum cleaners when trick or treating. He’s since found other ways to help people clean, usually involving their essays (though he has great ideas on carpet maintenance, too). He earned a degree in Psychology from Bates College, where he rowed boats and acted in plays. Teaching high schoolers English for seven years taught him about the importance of presence and knitting sweaters. He sweats a lot, usually on purpose, and usually involving running shoes, a bike, or a rock climbing harness. His greatest fear? Heights. His greatest joys? Numerous, though shared laughter is up there.
