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How to Write the Georgetown University Essays 2023-2024

Located in the U.S. capital, Georgetown prides itself on fostering global perspectives and cultivating students’ learning through Jesuit values. Georgetown University has three required prompts: two supplemental essays for all applicants and one school specific prompt focusing on the student’s intended area of study. 

As a highly competitive and prestigious university, it is important for Georgetown applicants to not only highlight their strong academic achievements, but also find ways to differentiate themselves through their essays. This post will show you how you can write standout responses to each Georgetown supplemental prompt.

Read these Georgetown essay examples to inspire your own writing.

Georgetown Application Essay Prompts

All applicants.

Prompt 1: Briefly discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved. ( 1/2 page, single-spaced) 

Prompt 2: As Georgetown is a diverse community, the Admissions Committee would like to know more about you in your own words. Please submit a brief essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you. ( 1 page, single-spaced)

School-Specific Prompts

(Each essay should be approximately one page, single-spaced)

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 each)

School of Health: Describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying health care. Please specifically address your intended major (Global Health, Health Care Management & Policy, or Human Science).

School of Nursing: Describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying health care. Please specifically address your intended major Nursing.

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?

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 the Georgetown University General Supplemental Essays

Prompt 1—all applicants, briefly discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved. (1/2 page, single-spaced).

This prompt is the classic Extracurricular Essay , and it’s a great opportunity to showcase your unique passions and experiences to the admissions committee. The open-ended nature of this prompt provides you with a great deal of flexibility to highlight parts of your personality that you haven’t had the chance to express in other parts of your application. In order to most effectively answer this prompt, write about the activity that you are most passionate about AND explain why this activity is meaningful to you. 

A few tips for your response:

For many students, sports are likely one of the first topics that come to mind when thinking about significant activities outside of the classroom. However, since they are a very common topic for prompt responses, essays about sports can often fall prey to cliché themes that may get lost in a sea of other sports-related essays. 

If you choose to write about a sport, be very thoughtful about how you frame your experience. Think about what makes your experience stand out from other applicants’ sports stories.

For example, scoring the winning touchdown at a championship game may have been an exhilarating memory, but how is your passion for the game unique to your experience?

Maybe there was a time where you had to overcome adversity or things didn’t turn out the way you had hoped. Perhaps an injury left you on the bench for the rest of the season or an unfair call from a referee that cost you the game — explain how these challenges contributed to your overall experience with the activity, even when the situation was not ideal. 

When the prompt asks for the activity with which you have been most involved, it does not necessarily refer to the number of hours you spent.

The prompt specifies that it is asking about the activity that you have been “most involved” in. Therefore, the activity that you choose to write about should be something that shows your ongoing dedication to the activity. However, the activity that you spend the most time doing may not be the activity you are most passionate about. 

For example, you may have devoted nine years of your life to playing an instrument and performing. At the same, you may have joined the school paper as a junior, written several articles for every edition, and created a brand new features section to highlight student accomplishments beyond the classroom.

While counting hours would lead us to conclude that you’ve spent more time being a musician, it is evident from this example that you’ve shown more initiative as a reporter, despite the short period you spent at the paper.

While it is fantastic if your chosen activity directly ties into the major you’re planning to pursue, don’t worry too much about picking something that you deem most relevant to your field.

In this essay, the admissions committee is looking to understand your passions, the skills you gained, your strengths as a leader or a team player, and your dedication. If you can demonstrate your commitment to, say, teaching ukulele to small kids, along with your creativity and excitement in approaching the task at hand, you will show the admissions committee that you have acquired transferable skills which you will apply with the same intensity to your collegial pursuits.

Don’t try to second-guess what the admissions committee may or may not wish to see. Pick an activity that makes you the most excited — the one you never cease to talk about with your friends and family — and write about why it’s important.

Prompt 2—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 essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you. (1 page, single-spaced).

Although Georgetown is not on the Common App, this prompt asks essentially the same questions as the Common App personal statement prompts . This essay is an opportunity for the admissions committee to get to know you as an individual. Through this essay, they want to learn who you are, what your values are, what drives you and gets you out of bed in the morning, or in other words — what makes you unique. The most efficient approach here is to use your Common App personal statement.

Notice the prompt’s emphasis on the importance of diversity (the Diversity Essay is another common prompt, and we recommend reading our linked guide for more info). Whether or not you end up using your Common App essay, make sure that your response highlights the unique perspective you will contribute to the Georgetown community. Remember that diversity does not necessarily imply belonging to an ethnic or religious community, which is a topic many students tend to initially gravitate towards. For example, if you are someone who has lots of experience traveling, you can talk about how exploration is a key aspect of your personality. If you devote all of your free time to designing sets for your school’s plays, you can emphasize your identity as an artist and team player in your response.

The admissions committee will be choosing among hundreds of applicants, many of whom will have academic profiles, grades, and scores similar to your own. The key to producing a successful response here is to make yourself stand out in the eyes of your reader.

How to Write the Georgetown University School-Specific Supplemental Essays

Georgetown college prompt, 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.) (1 page, single-spaced).

For this prompt, you are asked to share an experience or piece of media that changed your perspective on something. Although the prompt specifies that science, math, public policy, and language applicants should pick an example related to their prospective major, we recommend all applicants follow this advice so the essay emphasizes your interests.

In order to fully convey how something changed your thinking, the reader needs to know what you were like before the inciting event. This is a common mistake students make for this type of essay, so make sure you demonstrate a clear before and after.

The quality of this essay mainly comes down to the event or concept you pick and how well you are able to tell the story surrounding it. If you’re feeling a little lost and like you don’t know where to begin, consider some of these examples of sample students and what they might write about.

• A student interested in politics might write about watching election night coverage on TV. Maybe before this experience she only believed in red and blue states, but after watching political commentators zoom in on county-wide data, she realized the existence and prevalence of the rural-urban divide.
• A student pursuing American studies might choose reading Of Mice and Men and explain how before he viewed history from a meta perspective studying trends and dates, but the book’s depiction of the everyday struggle inspired him to hone in on day-to-day effects of historical events.
• A student interested in statistics could write about a fight he got into with his parents that forced him to use data to his advantage. While before he relied on emotions to make a point, he’s since realized the power data can have in making convincing arguments.
• A student who considers themself to be bad at science could write about their biology teacher who pushed them to engage with the subject which made the student discover an interest in how cells use nutrients. Because of their positive experience in the class, they now want to pursue a career in nutrition. 

For each of these examples, notice how the student picks something that relates to their interest or major and highlights their perspective before and after? That’s what you are aiming for. 

Once you explain your new way of thinking, make sure you take it a step further to connect it to Georgetown. You aren’t asked to talk about Georgetown resources or opportunities in the prompt, but including it will impress admissions officers and show your dedication to the school. It doesn’t have to be super extensive, but it’s a good idea to allude to how you will continue to bring this new perspective to the Georgetown community. 

School of Health Prompt

Describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying health care. please specifically address your intended major (global health, health care management & policy, or human science ; 1 page, single-spaced )..

In this essay, you have the opportunity to explain to the admissions committee why you feel passionate about devoting your academic career to health sciences. 

Until recently, the areas of health and nursing were combined into one school at Georgetown. However, this year’s applicants will be the first to get to choose whether they want to enter into the School of Health or the School of Nursing. Prior to writing your response, make sure to research the major and school you’re applying to and verify that it corresponds with your desired area of interest. After conducting your research, explain in your response how the major and school you’ve chosen are uniquely suited to your academic journey and career goals. 

For example, health care management & policy majors really focus on the policy aspect of the health industry, learning about key stakeholders in the policymaking process and understanding what goes into managing and improving the healthcare industry. If you’re applying into this major, you want to highlight your interest in the legislative and managerial aspects of the field, rather than discuss your passion for taking care of individual patients. Above all, this essay is the time for you to reflect on how your specific interest in health was the foundation for choosing a major that aligned with that field.

As with any school-specific essay, you want to write something that sets you apart from all the other applicants. It’s very likely that they, too, will have experiences working in labs or passions for improving healthcare systems to speak about. You need to find an angle that highlights your unique perspective and approach.

Read on for some ideas below:

• If you are someone who lived through a serious or chronic illness, you can address your experiences here as a way to explain your interest in the health industry. While an illness can be a challenging and extremely personal topic to write about, you can focus on the ways it helped to develop your passion for helping others or for conducting scientific research. This is a way to put your academic accomplishments in context.
• If you or a family member have witnessed or experienced any injustices in the healthcare system, you can discuss how the system failed to operate effectively and ways for which it could improve in the future. Accessibility to healthcare can vary depending on region, demographics, and socioeconomic status. Try to find specific examples that are relevant to your experience that illustrate your understanding of the issue and desire to gain a better understanding of the field. 
• As technology continues to aid in the advancements of medicine, the field of healthcare is constantly evolving. Are there any areas of health sciences that have yet to be fully explored? Think of a narrow area of healthcare study and explain how delving deeper into that topic could have a lasting impact on society. Try and pick a topic that captivates the reader and highlights something about your own personality. 

Can you think of a specific moment when you first realized that you wanted to study health? What were you doing when you fell upon that revelation? Was there a particular impactful conversation or event that led you to this conclusion? Perhaps you had a family member who couldn’t afford their healthcare services and consequently suffered from an otherwise preventable illness. 

Maybe you also completed a compelling research project for your biology class and became fascinated with genetic disorders, leading you to seek out a summer internship in a local lab. Whatever angle you choose, be sure to reflect on the questions above as you prepare to write your essay, and try to pick a narrative that highlights your personality.

School of Nursing Prompt

Describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying health care. please specifically address your intended major (global health, health care management & policy, or human science; 1 page, single-spaced)..

This prompt is a chance for you to highlight why you have chosen an academic career specifically in nursing. In your response, make sure you emphasize how nursing to you is distinct from the larger healthcare industry. 

For example, studying nursing can equip you for a wide variety of careers in healthcare. However, nursing is differential because it uniquely cultivates the trusting relationships between patients and experienced healthcare professionals. So if you are applying to this major, you should emphasize your passion for caring for individual patients rather than focusing on broader aspects of the health sciences. 

When applying to a school with a particularly narrow focus of learning, it is even more imperative that you find ways to stand out from other applicants. As unsympathetic as this may sound, caring for a sick relative or recovering from an injury will likely be worn out response topics. Think about ways you can frame your story to be unconventional and cause readers to develop a deeper understanding of your personality. 

Read on for some ideas below: 

• If you have a family member who works in the healthcare industry, you can discuss your first exposure to the field in the context of building connections with your loved ones. Perhaps your uncle has spent countless hours pointing out inefficiencies in the ways we currently manage large hospitals based on his work as a doctor. You can recount these conversations as a gateway to your passion for healthcare and even mention some projects you may wish to pursue to combat these problems in the future.  
• If you spent a summer or your after-school hours volunteering at a local hospital or other medical establishment, you can use an anecdote describing your experience to underline your interest in the industry. Keep in mind that many other students applying to this school will likely have similar activities on their resume. Try to find a unique angle that will exemplify your experience.
• Think about some characteristics that might be beneficial in the field of nursing: quick thinking, adaptability, remaining calm under pressure. Describe specific examples of events when you displayed these characteristics. Did your reaction to the event surprise you? Did you develop these skills over time? How did the result of the event change your outlook on similar situations in the future? Your account of these experiences should illustrate something that you discovered about yourself and how these skills and experiences are relevant to your nursing major. 

When you sit down to write, remember that your main goal is to explain to the admissions committee why what you want to accomplish cannot be accomplished by studying any other field. Focus on program features that set Georgetown apart from other universities and find a connection to your personal experiences that will help to humanize you in the eyes of the reader.

Walsh School of Foreign Service Prompt

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 (1 page, single-spaced).

Applicants to the School of Foreign Service are expected to be well-versed in global affairs. This essay is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your passion for and understanding of global and public service. The admissions committee wants to understand why this topic is important to you , and personal anecdotes are the most powerful way to convey this. 

It is important to pick an experience related to one of your interests that is unique and can be connected to solving global problems. Don’t try to write an essay about the hot topic of the day like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict if you don’t have a deep personal connection. You should choose an issue or experience with a problem that motivated you to take action and dedicate your life to helping the world.

Here are some strong example responses you can use for inspiration:

1. If you have devoted time to raising money for a charity that helps finance the education of a child in need, you can connect your personal experience to the larger issue of income or education disparities. Spend a paragraph detailing the moment that first sparked your interest in this issue and follow it up with a nuanced analysis of what you hope to learn in college that will allow you to address the larger issue at hand.

 2. If you’re passionate about female participation in politics, you could discuss your first voting experience and highlight how the lack of female candidates on the ballot sparked your outrage. Or you could mention the insufficient number of female role models in the political arena that struck you as a child interested in politics. Be descriptive and detailed about your emotions to convey the deep need you feel to solve this issue .

3. If you’ve taken a class or worked on a project that exposed you to a variety of international issues, explain why a particular topic struck a chord . While you may not have a direct experience with the issue at hand, try to think of ways to connect it to your own life. Then go on to discuss how you hope to return to and solve this issue in the future.

4. Even if you lack an academic or extracurricular experience that ties into global affairs, there are other ways you can make a personal connection to the topic. If there is a book you read or a movie you watched that exposed you to an issue of global significance, which you’ve been curious about ever since, this can be your link! Make sure to show why this topic grabbed your attention and to highlight your intellectual curiosity and passion.

Whichever topic you choose to write about, remember that your essay should seamlessly connect your past to your future. You need to demonstrate your passion for the field of foreign service, what your goals are within the field, and how the Walsh School will help you grow your passion to achieve your future goals.

McDonough School of Business Prompt

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 (1 page, single-spaced)..

This prompt should not be regarded as yet another “why business school” essay. Note the question’s emphasis on a global approach and its reference to ethics . As mentioned earlier, Georgetown’s identity is built upon its Jesuit values, which manifest themselves in all its academic programs. When you write this essay, keep those keywords in mind. In responding to the prompt, highlight the unique perspective that this program seeks to provide and emphasize your appreciation for the opportunities it will offer you.

Here are a few response ideas:

1. If the school’s focus on ethics appeals to you, you could discuss your passion for developing sustainable business practices and link it to a local business in your community whose model you particularly appreciate. If you have ever worked for a small business or if your family or friends own one, you can mention it to point out the origins of your focus on sustainability.

2. If the McDonough’s global approach attracted you to the school in the first place, you can talk about your interest in economic models different from that of the U.S . For instance, if you’re fascinated by India’s initiatives to combat deep poverty in its rural regions, this is your opportunity to discuss it.

Be sure to tie it to the programs and opportunities offered at the school. For example, if there is a course on the economics of poverty that you are particularly eager to enroll in or a professor who is an expert in this field, talk about it in your response!

3. You can never go wrong with harnessing Georgetown’s advantageous D.C. location to help you justify your interest in its business school. In particular, if you’re interested in financial policy or the interaction between the government and entrepreneurs, you can reference the internship opportunities that McDonough’s strategic location will provide you and the star faculty, who frequently come to teach at Georgetown after working in D.C.’s public and private sectors for many years.

The main reason that Georgetown does not use the Common App is that it wishes to only attract students who are dedicated enough to their university and its values that they are willing to go through a separate application process to get there. As you work on your application, remember what makes Georgetown unique and why these particularities appealed to you when you first put Georgetown down as a potential school on your list. Think hard about your motivation for applying, do your research, and reach out for help when needed!

Where to Get Your Georgetown Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your Georgetown essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools.  Find the right advisor for you  to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Georgetown University 2023-24 Essay Prompt Guide

Early Action: Nov 1

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 10

You Have: 

Georgetown 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 1 essay of 250 words; 1 half-page essay; 2 page-long essays

Supplemental Essay Type(s):  Activity , Why, Diversity

Prompt 1: Please elaborate on any special talents or skills you would like to highlight. (250 words)

This prompt may come first on the list, but we think you should save it for last! For the other essays on the Georgetown application, we ask you to dig deep and share personal stories that showcase talents and interests. Don’t dry the well by listing all of your (many!) skills and talents too soon. Every essay should reveal something new to admissions. So once you finish polishing your other pieces, ask yourself: what’s missing? Is there some critical puzzle piece that will help connect your other three essays? Or have you been dying to get something off your chest that didn’t fit anywhere else? This essay could be the perfect outlet for you to showcase your more personal skills, interests, and quirks. If the rest of your essays showcase your drive to work in international relations, perhaps your answer to this prompt could showcase a lighter side: your love of experimental cooking (and impressive knife skills!). Or maybe explain how learning a new language helped you learn how to whistle! While you should aim to showcase genuine skills that you have put effort into cultivating, you can also have a little bit of fun. This prompt is the most open-ended one on the application, so show admissions something they won’t find anywhere else on your application.

Prompt 2: Briefly discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved. (approximately 1/2 page, single-spaced) 

Next up is a fun twist on the classic activity essay, which asks you to expand on an extracurricular endeavor that you care about. For starters, we’d give you basically the same advice the prompt does: focus on one of the activities “in which you have been most involved.” Although we usually urge students to write about items that haven’t appeared elsewhere on their application, the activity essay is an exception since it specifically asks you to address an item on your resume. So, pick something with meat! When have you had the opportunity to take on a leadership role? How has four years of debate club shaped the way you communicate? Was it difficult coaching pee wee soccer as a freshman, and what motivated you to stick with it?

Prompt 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 1 page, single-spaced)

Though it seems straightforward, this may be one of the hardest prompts! (What do you mean, tell you about myself in my own words?) Don’t fret. You can treat this essay just like the Common App’s prompt #1 , which asks students to write about a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. (Even better: if you’ve already written an essay in response to the Common App’s first prompt, you can recycle that essay here since Georgetown has its own application platform!)

If you’re approaching this essay from scratch, take some time to brainstorm. What about your background, talents, or identity might be worth highlighting for an admissions officer? Don’t worry about cramming every aspect of the wonder that is you into one essay; they will naturally reveal themselves along the way as you write. Whether you want to write about a facet of your identity that few people know about or a passion you’ve been dabbling in (and telling everyone about) for years, you can’t go wrong with authentic reflection and an engaging hook!

Georgetown University School-Specific Prompts.

(each school-specific prompt should not exceed 1 page, single-spaced), georgetown college of arts and sciences: 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.).

Admissions wants to learn about a time when your mind was changed. If you’re an active reader or information seeker, you probably have a few ideas already. But if nothing comes to mind immediately, don’t panic; instead, think about the times in your life when you’ve had an “Aha!” moment that forced you to drastically re-examine one of your beliefs or understandings. Admissions wants to know that you are open to new ideas and can reflect in order to see things from a different perspective. As you tell your story, include sensory details to bring your experience to life, whether you’re sitting in the back of a classroom, head in your hands, trying to wrap your brain around the truth-bomb your teacher just dropped; or curled up in a blanket by the fireplace with your nose in a gripping book. If you’re deciding between “Aha!” moments to write about, pick the one most closely related to your intended field of study. Applicants who can articulate their thoughts and feelings while showcasing malleability and a willingness to thoughtfully consider new ideas will likely stand out as valuable additions to the Georgetown community. 

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).

If we know anything about applying to medical programs, it is this: everyone wants to help people; everyone wants to make the world a better place; everyone wants to make a meaningful contribution. Few fields lend themselves to service-oriented clichés and platitudes as readily as medicine does, so to safely navigate the minefield of hackneyed generalizations, start with something personal! What’s one eye-opening experience that made you believe healthcare could be your calling? Perhaps it was a single moment, like accidental eye contact with a concerned mother at the ER. Or maybe it was something more long-term, such as navigating your school in a wheelchair after knee surgery and realizing you want to improve patient outcomes through researching physical therapies. Whatever the case, use your personal story as the backdrop for your argument. What did you learn? What problems do you hope to tackle? What change do you hope to help create? As we said, it’s not enough to just want these things; your job is to show admissions why medicine interests you personally. Once you’ve accomplished that, be sure to address the role Georgetown will play in your plan for the future. In other words, why do you want to study healthcare at Georgetown in particular? Do they have a research lab that’s at the forefront of innovation? A wise applicant will do some research so they can infuse their response with specific details that demonstrate meticulousness and drive.

School of Nursing: Describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying your intended major, Nursing.

Well, this is about as straightforward as prompts get! Our advice is much the same as it is for students applying to the School of Health (see above). Set yourself apart from other applicants by not only discussing the factors that led you to pursuing a career in nursing, but by also connecting those experiences to your larger goals for the future. If there are elements of a Georgetown education that will support your particular interest or connect to your past experiences in some way, you should dig into that in your response, while also revealing new information to admissions about your character, motivations, and aspirations.

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 wants to know what fuels your fire. What is driving you to dedicate your undergraduate studies (and maybe even your life!) to a path of service? Maybe you are incredibly passionate about combating climate change before it’s too late. What do you hope to achieve and how? Perhaps you’re following in the footsteps of a trailblazer you look up to—how do you hope to continue fighting the good fight in their honor? If you’re feeling stuck, ask yourself: what kind of mark would you like to leave on the world? How do you think you can positively contribute to a cause that is important to you? If you had the power to make a lasting impact in any area at all, what would it be? While building the personal connection is key, you’ll also want to leave yourself some space to spell out at least a few steps you might take to address your global issue of choice.

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.

If you think we’ve never seen an essay with the line, “I love money,” you would be wrong. Spoiler: this does not make a great first impression. Studying business is about so much more than dollars and cents, and the prompt offers a few other aspects of business you’ll learn about in this program including “ethical, analytical, financial and global perspectives.” In order to get some perspective, we’d recommend doing your homework. Like any classic why essay, the best answers are personal and specific, so go beyond your general interest in business and try to figure out specifically why Georgetown could be the right fit for you. Is it the location? The professors? The travel opportunities? Allow yourself to follow every lead and fall down every rabbit hole as you root through the program website. Your essay should paint a picture of the kind of student you will be at Georgetown, from the classes you’ll take to the activities you’ll pursue. How will this education prepare you for your dream career?

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 3 top tips for writing exceptional georgetown essays.

College Essays

With an acceptance rate of less than 12 percent , Georgetown is ranked as an extremely competitive school . If you want to be a part of the student body, you need to impress, and one of the best opportunities you have to do that is in your Georgetown essays.

Don't let the Georgetown essay prompts intimidate you. Though they may look complicated at first—and they do ask complex questions—some foresight and planning will help you write essays that are sure to impress.

This guide will walk you through the Georgetown essays, giving you a look into the expectations and thought process behind each of the essay prompts .

Feature Image: Patrickneil /Wikimedia Commons

What Should You Know About the Georgetown Essay Prompts?

Georgetown doesn't use the Common or Coalition Application . Instead, you'll be filling out an application tailored specifically to their desires, though it may cover most of the same information.

Because of that, you'll want to pay extra close attention to what you discuss in your essays. Your essays should be tied specifically to Georgetown rather than the more general approach of the Coalition or Common Application .

The Georgetown essays include one short essay of about a half-page, single-spaced, one longer one-page essay required of all students, and a second one-page essay specifically tied to one of Georgetown's four schools: Georgetown College, the School of Nursing and Health Studies, Walsh School of Foreign Service, and the McDonough School of Business.

Students in the arts—specifically music, dance, theater, and studio art—may submit additional portfolios as part of their application, but it isn't required.

What Are the Required Georgetown Essay Prompts?

Because Georgetown's application is only for Georgetown, you'll immediately notice that they're a lot more specific than the Common or Coalition prompts. You should keep that specificity in mind as you answer the questions, thinking not just about why you want to go to a good school, but why you want to attend Georgetown specifically .

How to Answer the Georgetown Short Essay Prompt

Discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved. (One half-page, single spaced.)

This question is pretty straightforward. Though you've no doubt discussed your extracurriculars throughout your application, this question asks you to think deeper about one of them . Ask yourself why you do those activities, and what they personally mean to you.

"Why," not "what," should be the question you're answering . Flesh out your mentions of extracurriculars in your application with discussions of why you do them and what you've learned. The activity you discuss should be significant to you—not something you do purely for fun or something you do because your parents make you.

As with the first question, don't inflate things to look more impressive. If you spent most of your summer watching TV, that might be relevant if you're an aspiring screenwriter, and you can mention it—but again, answer the question of why . Why did you choose the shows you did? What did you learn from them?

That said, watching TV isn't the best choice. You'd be better off discussing how you spent your summer working on an original short film or participating in a workshop for aspiring screenwriters—but no matter what your preferred activity, there is a way to discuss why it's significant to you and what you learned from it.

This prompt gives you space to discuss your interests, particularly the things that can't be represented by numbers as grades and test scores can. It gives Georgetown a clearer picture of you, which helps in their decision.

This is also a space to expand on participation. Maybe you never became captain of the swim team and you've been worried that the lack of leadership might count against you. In this essay, you can explain that though that was your goal, you didn't quite make it—but that you learned a lot anyway.

This essay really is about what's significant to you, so there are no wrong answers—it's your execution that matters . Avoid being too general, or focusing too much on picking the most impressive thing from your roster if that thing didn't actually matter to you. Be genuine with what's significant to you and your essay will be stronger for it.

How to Answer the Georgetown Essay Prompt 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 essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you. (One page, single-spaced.)

Notice how the emphasis on this question is on you. This is called a "Why You?" style essay — though the application is for Georgetown, the admissions office wants to know why you'll be a good fit for the college and what you in particular will bring to the student body .

What this means is that Georgetown doesn't want to hear about how they have the best program or the greatest campus. They want to know about you and what makes you unique .

When answering this question, think about what makes you a good fit for Georgetown's student body. Consider their mission statement , their origin as a Catholic and Jesuit college , and what that means today.

That doesn't mean that you need to identify yourself as Catholic if you aren't (please don't do that), but that you should consider the role that faith plays in Georgetown's approach to education . How does their mission statement connect to your own life and educational goals?

Demonstrating that you understand the school's mission and how you can contribute to it as a student is one of the most important parts of this question.

But "Why You?" is only part of the question . The specific mention of diversity is important, too. Its inclusion in the question means that it's important to Georgetown, and they want you to demonstrate that it's important to you, too.

Don't get too fixated on typical meanings of "diverse." We often use the word to refer to the variety of genders, sexualities, races, socio-economic statuses, and so on that exist in the world, but diversity of thought is worthwhile, too. Of course, you should write about your gender, sexuality, race, and so on if it's relevant to what you'll bring to campus—and it often is—but don't feel like it's all you have to offer.

Think about what your experience has taught you, and how those lessons will contribute to Georgetown's diverse student body. That can mean discussing overcoming socio-economic hardship, or it can mean relating how you and your seven brothers used to squabble until you realized working together got chores done faster. Everybody has a unique story to tell, and this is Georgetown offering you space to tell yours .

Georgetown invites you to get creative here, but if you want to take a more embellished approach than a traditional essay, be sure that that creativity comes through in your writing and language rather than in the events . Don't inflate things to look more interesting or diverse than you are—this is your chance to flesh out the grades and test scores with your personality, so be sure it's your personality that the admissions office sees.

How to Answer the Georgetown College Essay Prompt

Georgetown College is the largest undergraduate school at Georgetown University, and contains many of the school's arts and sciences programs.

What does it mean to you to be educated? How might Georgetown College help you achieve this aim? (Applicants to the Sciences and Mathematics or the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics should address their chosen course of study.) (One page, single-spaced.)

This question is asking about your personal relationship with education and learning. But more than that, it's asking you why you want to attend Georgetown, making it a "Why Us?" essay .

When answering this prompt, think about your goals and how Georgetown fits into them . They don't need to hear about how they're a good school and you've always wanted to attend a competitive college—they already know that, and most other students also want to attend a good school. Why Georgetown specifically, as opposed to all the other possible schools you could apply to?

This is a good place to demonstrate familiarity with their mission and curriculum. Are there particular classes or faculty driving your decision to attend? Mention them!

Think holistically here. How will attending Georgetown enrich your education and help you reach your career goals? Keep their mission statement in mind as you write—consider the ideas of diversity, service to humanity, and community and how those fit into your goals.

Again, avoid generalities. Your essay should have enough concrete connection to Georgetown that you couldn't easily swap another school's name in and still have it make sense. Of course, there will always be some overlap with other schools, but be sure that the true spirit of Georgetown comes through in your essay.

How to Answer the Georgetown School of Nursing & Health Studies Essay Prompt

Georgetown's School of Nursing and Health Studies is exactly what it sounds like. This is where you'll be applying if you're interested in any of the health care fields, which is reflected in the prompt.

Describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying health care. Please specifically address your intended major (Global Health, Health Care Management & Policy, Human Science, or Nursing). (One page, single-spaced.)

This question isn't quite a clear-cut "Why Us?" or "Why You?" question, unlike the previous ones. Instead, it's asking "Why Health Care?"

Again, always keep in mind Georgetown's mission as a college: diversity, discussion, and the well-being of humanity. All of these things can factor into your essay in a meaningful way.

Think beyond health care being a reliable and well-paying field. Why do you want to care for people? Why the health field, specifically? Tying Georgetown's mission into this question is a great way to demonstrate your interest in the field, but also in the specific ways that this school teaches.

In this question, Georgetown wants you to demonstrate your interest in the field. If you're invested in health care, you're more likely to succeed in the program. The admissions office also wants to know what passion and interest you'll bring to the school, making you a student they want to invest in.

If you don't already know why you've chosen to pursue health care over other fields, now's the time to start thinking about it. Health care can often be thankless, difficult, and even frightening if you're working in emergency situations. What drives you to do it anyway?

Maybe you've struggled with illness yourself, and you want to commit to researching cures. Or maybe you're fascinated by the ways that disease impacts society, and you want to learn more about prevention and how to enact it on an individual basis. No matter what your career goal is, it's important that you can explain why you've chosen this field over all others.

However, be sure you can tie your interest to Georgetown specifically. Your essay will be even stronger if it explains not just what appeals to you about health care, but why Georgetown is the right college to help you achieve your goals.

How to Answer the Walsh School of Foreign Service Essay Prompt

If you're interested in international relations, Wash School of Foreign Service is likely where you'll be applying.

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? (One page, single-spaced.)

This is a perfect example of a  "Why Us?" question. Of all the schools out there, and all the programs, what led you to apply to Georgetown's school of foreign service? 

The trick to this question is being specific. Sure, the Walsh School of Foreign Service has interesting classes, great professors, and a strong track record for job placements, but so do a lot of other schools out there. What does it offer that other schools can't? In your response, be sure to mention specific courses/internship opportunities/professors who will give you opportunities unique to Georgetown.

We give more advice on how to answer this question under the next prompt, which is also a Why Us question!

How to Answer the McDonough School of Business Essay Prompt

The McDonough School of Business is exactly what it sounds like. If you're attending Georgetown with an interest in business, you'll need to answer the following prompt:

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. (One page, single-spaced.)

Like the Walsh School of Foreign Service, the McDonough School of Business prompt is a classic "Why Us?" question , asking you to identify not just that Georgetown is a good school, but why it's the right school for you and your interests.

To answer this question, consider the university's ethos and curriculum. Look at their course offerings and consider those as well as whatever reasons you have for applying. Think specifically, not generally— beyond it being a well-respected university, what does Georgetown have to offer you that other well-respected universities do not?

Georgetown wants to hear that you're committed to their program specifically, so answer in specifics. Identify features of their program in particular, and be sure to answer the question of why those features draw you to Georgetown.

If you have a personal anecdote about Georgetown, such as a moment on a tour, a personal connection to the campus, or admiration for a particular alumni, this essay is a good place to discuss it. If not, it's always a good idea to use concrete specifics, such as classes and extracurriculars that appeal to you. Fold those into a discussion of Georgetown's mission and your own career goals to paint a complete picture of why this is the right school for you.

What Does a Successful Georgetown Essay Look Like?

Planning an essay can be difficult as you try to weigh what the school might want against everything you could possibly cover. Thankfully, there's at least one successful Georgetown essay out there you can read in its entirety :

"Listen, girl. He's over 60 and speaks no English. There is no way we would hire him." His tone was rude, but I sadly understood why my dad wasn't hired. I faced my hopeful dad and watched his smile drop as I told him that Dave just remembered that they hired someone yesterday and that they really couldn't afford to hire anyone else. My dad was disappointed, but nonetheless he graciously shook Dave's hand and thanked him for his time. Job searching is difficult for everyone, but in a world full of Daves, it's almost impossible. Daves are people who look at my family and immediately think less of us. They think illegal, poor and uneducated. Daves never allow my dad to pass the first round of job applications. Daves watch like hawks as my brother and I enter stores. Daves inconsiderately correct my mother's grammar. Because there are Daves in the world, I have become a protector for my family. I excuse their behavior as just being a "typical American." I convince my mother that they are only staring at her lovely new purse. I convince my dad they are only shouting about store sales to us. Aside from being a protector, I am also an advocate. As an advocate, I make sure my family is never taken advantage of. I am always looking out for scams and discrepancies. I am the one asking the questions when we buy or sell a car. I make sure all details are discussed and no specifics are left unanswered.

It's not hard to see why the writer was accepted to Georgetown. This essay clearly demonstrates her experience and understanding of the world. The last paragraph is a great example of how to turn that experience into something actionable—she wants to go into public service, politics, or diplomacy because of how she's helped her parents and the bigotry she's witnessed as she's done so.

We know from reading exactly what the writer will bring to Georgetown: an understanding of the world and the way it's treated her and her family. She demonstrates her understanding of diversity clearly, which answers the first prompt—it shows what makes her unique as well as what she'll contribute.

The essay shows her personal story and how that's influenced her lifelong plans. Because the admissions office understands where she comes from and the essay finishes with where she hopes to go—as well as covering some of the obstacles she's overcome—they have a complete picture of her as a student.

One area the essay could be improved is strengthening the connection to Georgetown specifically. This essay is quite strong—she did get into Georgetown with it—but spending a little more time reflecting on how her life experience connects to Georgetown's mission would give it a little extra oomph . As it is, this could be an application essay for pretty much any school. Drawing a clear connection from your experiences to the college you're applying to demonstrates a stronger degree of interest, making your essay stand out.

Key Points of Advice for Georgetown Essays

No matter which prompts you're answering, it's a good idea to follow general advice for your Georgetown essays, too. Though the application for Georgetown is unique to the school, it still follows most of the common rules of college applications, so be sure to read up on some common tips for college applications .

#1: Read Prompts Carefully

Don't just answer the surface-level question. You have quite a bit of space to answer each of these, so read each one carefully, understand the deeper questions it might be asking, such as "Why You?" and be sure to answer those as well. Brainstorming will be a huge help here, as you can get all of your ideas out and select the ones that support your point the best.

#2: Connect Your Story to Your School

When you're writing "Why Us?" essays, think about your story—the things that have made you who you are, your ambition, your goals—and add in how Georgetown is the next step on your journey. Think beyond that it has a good reputation or that lots of impressive people have graduated from there. Draw a clear line between you and Georgetown by tying your experience in with its curriculum and mission statement. This will demonstrate that you're not just reusing the same essay for a bunch of schools, and that Georgetown is your real goal.

#3: Edit and Revise

Editing and revision are your best friends when it comes to a polished Georgetown essay. Don't just fire off a draft and call it good. Spend some time planning, writing, editing, and revising , being sure to start early so you can let your drafts rest between readings.

Spending more time will take some of the stress out of writing and let you put in more effort to get it into shape. The longer you have, the more thought you can put into it, so start early!

What's Next?

Give yourself plenty of time to get your Georgetown essay done by staying on top of all the deadlines for your application .

What else do you need to get into your dream school aside from stellar essays? This guide has all the requirements to get into Georgetown .

Even if you're not going to Georgetown, you should understand the college application process from start to finish. This helpful guide will walk you through applying to college starting from your freshman year of high school!

Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

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Georgetown Supplemental Essays: 2022-2023

Georgetown essay guide quick facts:.

• Georgetown acceptance rate: 12%— U.S. News ranks Georgetown as a highly competitive school.
• 1 half-page (~250 word) essay
• 1 full-page (~500 word) essay
• 1 school-specific essay (~500 words)
• Georgetown application note : Georgetown DOES NOT accept the Common Application or Coalition Application. Students must submit an application via Georgetown’s own application portal.  
• #1 Georgetown Essay Tip : We recommend answering ALL Georgetown University supplemental essays comprehensively and thoughtfully, highlighting in all of your Georgetown essays why Georgetown is the perfect school for you.

Does Georgetown have supplemental essays?

Yes. You will be required to answer three Georgetown University essay prompts as part of the Georgetown application requirements.

While many students may find the Georgetown supplemental essays stressful, the Georgetown essays are actually a great chance to show Georgetown admissions who you are. In particular, pay attention to your “why this college essay” (in this case, the why Georgetown essay). Georgetown admissions loves this question when assessing a Georgetown application. 

Still stressed about getting the Georgetown University supplemental essays right? This guide will break down each of the Georgetown essays, giving you the best chance to impress Georgetown admissions.

Note: Georgetown does not use the Common App . Instead, you will respond to the Georgetown essay prompts through the Georgetown Application portal . Since the Georgetown application does not go through the Common App , keep a close eye on Georgetown’s application deadlines in order to ensure you have plenty of time to work on your Georgetown essays.

What are Georgetown’s supplemental essays?

The Georgetown essay prompts are found only in the Georgetown application. Your responses to the three Georgetown University essay prompts will discuss your extracurriculars , background , and motivations for attending Georgetown.

Above all, the Georgetown University supplemental essays aim to help the Georgetown admissions officers get to know you . Each of the Georgetown essay prompts is broad. This gives you the freedom to write your Georgetown supplemental essays about who you are with relatively few limitations. Take advantage of each of the Georgetown University essay prompts to maximize your Georgetown admissions odds .

Georgetown Supplemental Essays — Prompt 1 ( Required ):

Briefly discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved. (1/2 page, single-spaced).

In the first of the Georgetown essays, Georgetown admissions asks about the activity in which you are most involved. Most strong Georgetown applicants will engage meaningfully with several extracurricular activities . So, highlight what extracurriculars make you unique in your Georgetown supplemental essays. 

This Georgetown essay prompt gives you the chance to demonstrate how your extracurricular pursuits make you special. This will help you impress Georgetown admissions.

Answer the “why,” “what,” and “how”

This prompt for the Georgetown essays asks you to discuss three key things: 

• Why you chose to do your chosen activity
• What you’ve done to show dedication to this activity
• How this activity has impacted your community

Strong Georgetown University supplemental essays will address each of these things. Don’t get bogged down in statistics when answering the first of the Georgetown supplemental essays: why you chose to do an activity and the results of your involvement matter more than the sheer number of hours you’ve spent doing something.

The best Georgetown essays will discuss topics that you haven’t already emphasized elsewhere in your application. Use this Georgetown application essay to offer new insight into your extracurricular life, and be careful not to be repetitive. This Georgetown application essay should provide a response that Georgetown admissions hasn’t seen in another part of your application. 

Show another side of yourself

Additionally, note that the activity that you write about in this Georgetown application essay doesn’t need to connect directly to your major. After all, your Georgetown supplemental essays should help admissions officers understand all aspects of who you are, both as a student and as an individual.

In this Georgetown application essay, use your chosen extracurricular to highlight your collaboration and leadership skills. Think about how your extracurricular engagements will inform what you do in the future and weave it into the first of the Georgetown University supplemental essays. While your accomplishments are relevant and important, Georgetown admissions will ultimately admit you based on your potential. 

The Georgetown supplemental essays are a great way to show admissions what you will do with your education. You want admissions officers to come away from your first Georgetown application essay with an understanding not only of what you’ve done in high school but, also, of what you will do on their campus.

Think outside the box

In your Georgetown supplemental essays, try to avoid writing about an activity that lots of students could write about such as sports, Model UN, or volunteering at homeless shelters. Georgetown essays about these topics can feel cliché. That being said, if you have a unique story to tell about one of these topics, tell it in the Georgetown supplemental essays. 

As you craft this Georgetown application essay (as well as the other Georgetown University supplemental essays), make sure that your response is as unique and personal as possible. Additionally, all of your Georgetown essays should be vivid, descriptive, and deeply authentic. With that in mind, if you read over your Georgetown essays and feel like someone else could have written them, you might want to rethink your topics and responses to the Georgetown University essay prompts.

Successful Georgetown supplemental essays focus more on the applicant than the organization. In other words, don’t waste time describing the logistics of your activity or program when responding to the first of the Georgetown essay prompts. Instead, just write about what you did and why it mattered . Write about your actions, leadership, and impact. Finally, balance storytelling with reflection. How can you use your Georgetown application essay to reveal your values and goals?

Georgetown Essay Reflection Questions:

• Is your response to this Georgetown application essay personal and unique?
• Did you use the first of the Georgetown supplemental essays to write about one of the activities in which you are most involved?
• Does your Georgetown application essay focus on you more than the organization or club you describe?
• Do you avoid repeating details found elsewhere in your application?

Georgetown Supplemental Essays — Prompt 2 ( Required ):

As georgetown is a diverse community, the admissions committee would like to know more about you in your own words. please submit a brief essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you. (1 page, single-spaced).

As stated above, Georgetown does not use the Common Application or the Coalition Application. As a result, many students reuse their Common App essay for the second of the three Georgetown essay prompts. 

For many students, this is a good choice for this Georgetown application essay. In general, applicants tend to spend more time editing and reworking their Common App Personal Statements than any other college essays. So, if you feel like your Common App essay “best describes you,” you might consider repurposing it for this Georgetown application essay prompt.

When (and when not) to use your personal statement

That being said, the second of the Georgetown essay prompts does differ from the Common App essay prompts in some notable ways. Often, your Common App essay topic was chosen because it “best describes you.” This Georgetown application essay prompt, however, also highlights how Georgetown is a “ diverse community ,” essentially asking how you would supplement this diversity. 

While not necessarily a standard “why this college essay,” the second of the Georgetown University essay prompts asks what you would bring to campus in terms of “diversity.” Remember, the term “diversity” can mean many things. In other words, it doesn’t just relate to your cultural background or heritage. Essentially, your second Georgetown application essay should revolve around what makes you unique and what your perspective would bring to the Georgetown community.

To strengthen your Georgetown University supplemental essays, consider writing a new personal statement if your Common App essay was primarily about academics. You might also edit your Common App essay to better suit this Georgetown application essay by emphasizing how your diverse attributes will inform your presence on Georgetown’s campus. Successful Georgetown supplemental essays will do just that. 

One more note: Georgetown supplemental essays in response to this prompt can either be “personal or creative.” If you are a creative writer, this Georgetown application essay is your time to shine! If you have a deeply personal and impactful story, tell it in the second of the Georgetown essay prompts—even if you don’t do so in a conventional essay form.

• Does this Georgetown application essay response highlight the unique perspective you would contribute to Georgetown’s diverse community?
• Do you reveal what “best describes you”?
• Does your essay present a part of your background and experience that you did not already write about for one of the other Georgetown University essay prompts?
• Does your essay “show” your message more than it “tells” it?

Georgetown Supplemental Essays — College Specific Prompts

The Georgetown supplemental essays in this section will vary depending on your intended major or area of study. Responses to these Georgetown essays should focus on your intellectual interests and intended educational goals. Successful student responses to these college specific Georgetown University supplemental essays should be unique and passionate. Lackadaisical and cliche responses to these Georgetown supplemental essays will not stand out to admissions amongst the many Georgetown essays that are submitted. 

What’s the best way to impress admissions when responding to these college-specific Georgetown essay prompts? Successful college-specific Georgetown supplemental essays will write a why Georgetown essay that shows how applicants will enrich Georgetown specifically. These Georgetown University supplemental essays should also show how applicants would benefit from and utilize Georgetown specific programs. 

While all the Georgetown essay prompts seem different, at the core they are each a why this college essay. Let’s check out what it takes to impress admissions officers when responding to each of these college-specific Georgetown supplemental essays. 

Unpacking the College Specific Prompts:

These Georgetown University essay prompts are school-specific. The school-specific Georgetown application essay responses should not exceed 1 page, single-spaced.

The third of the Georgetown supplemental essays will depend on which of the four colleges within the University to which you apply. The last of the Georgetown supplemental essays essentially poses the why this college essay prompt. Successful responses to these school specific Georgetown supplemental essays will include everything you’d want to see in a why Georgetown essay.

However, this why Georgetown essay should get specific. Your final Georgetown application essay should show why you want to study your major and why at Georgetown. 

When reading Georgetown University supplemental essays, the Georgetown admissions committee looks for applicants who accord with the University’s Jesuit values of service, ethics, and global awareness. Also, they want to see that you’ve considered why Georgetown is the place for you. This leads us to the “why Georgetown essay” and the college-specific “why school essay.”

Be specific

Successful Georgetown supplemental essays responding to this Georgetown essay prompt will make full use of the one single-spaced page limit. This Georgetown application essay will typically be around 650 words. The best Georgetown essays will use specific details to articulate a cohesive plan for studying at Georgetown. Research the specific programs, professors, classes, and opportunities that you want to participate in at Georgetown. Given the specific nature of Georgetown’s programs, it’s even more important that you know exactly why Georgetown is the place for you. Then, demonstrate that to Georgetown admissions through the last of the Georgetown University supplemental essays.

In your Georgetown application essay, avoid just writing about location. Many students write their why Georgetown essay about wanting to go to college in Washington D.C., but there are many universities nearby. When writing about D.C. in this Georgetown application essay, articulate how your engagement with the community will be made possible by opportunities at Georgetown . What makes Georgetown the perfect school for you?

Georgetown College Prompt: 

What does it mean to you to be educated how might georgetown college help you achieve this aim (applicants to the sciences and mathematics or the faculty of languages and linguistics should address their chosen course of study.).

This Georgetown application essay prompt depends on a definition—namely, what it means to “be educated.” To begin, think about what education means to you—is it academic? Social? Cultural? All of the above? Now, consider how Georgetown’s programs can help you educate yourself as a professional and as a community member. This Georgetown College why school essay (or why this college essay) needs applicants to tie that all together.

In general, successful Georgetown essays (Georgetown supplemental essays that impress Georgetown admissions) for Georgetown College will use the definition of “educated” to address why a student wants to pursue a major. Impactful Georgetown University supplemental essays for Georgetown College will think critically about why you want to pursue your chosen field and how this field will inform what your education looks like. At the end of the day, this Georgetown application essay should make the case that you can only truly be educated by Georgetown to achieve your goals. Use specific details—courses, professors, and programs—to emphasize why Georgetown College is the place for you. 

School of Nursing & Health Studies Prompt:

Describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying health care. please specifically address your intended major (global health, health care management & policy, human science, or nursing)..

When writing the Georgetown supplemental essays, keep in mind that everyone can say they want to make a difference and help people. If you want your “why school essay” for the School of Nursing & Health Studies to stand out, then, be sure to include specific details of how your interest in health and nursing originated and what you hope to do with it.

Successful Georgetown essays for the School of Nursing & Health Studies will be authentic and personal. Try to approach this prompt through a personal connection to healthcare. Then, connect your story to specific programs at Georgetown. Many students will write about their shadowing in the medical field or volunteering in medical facilities in their Georgetown essays. What sets you apart? 

Additionally, avoid focusing on the COVID-19 pandemic in this Georgetown essay—these essays can seem cliché unless you have a specific personal connection to healthcare in the age of COVID-19.

Walsh School of Foreign Service Prompt:

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.

Effective Georgetown supplemental essays responding to the “why this college essay” for Walsh will detail how you plan to impact the world and how Georgetown will make that plan a reality. ”Global problems” and “service to the world” both take many forms. Successful Georgetown essays won’t narrow applicants’ interests solely to political science and international relations—instead, they’ll think broadly about the tools Georgetown can give them to make the world a better place. Like other Georgetown essays, your response to this prompt should be specific and personal.

Successful Georgetown University supplemental essays for this prompt should not just be aspirational. Instead, they should also include how your interest in solving global problems translates to your past and current activities.

If you aren’t sure how to begin answering this “why school essay” prompt, think about how you spend your time. Do you tutor underprivileged children, so you care about expanding access to education? Do you help people learn to speak English because you want to break down cultural and linguistic barriers? International problem-solving comes in many forms. The best Georgetown supplemental essays will depict Walsh as the next step in an applicant’s journey toward making a difference in the international sphere.

McDonough School of Business Prompt: 

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..

This Georgetown application essay prompt emphasizes the holistic nature of business—namely, how it relates to “ethical, analytical, financial, and global” perspectives. This holistic attitude also accords with Georgetown’s Jesuit values, which set McDonough apart from its competitors.

The best responses to this specific “why school essay” (“Why McDonough ?”) will answer all aspects of this prompt, emphasizing the Jesuit dimensions of McDonough’s programs. A moving “why business” and “why this college essay” will not focus on money or titles. Instead, the best Georgetown essays for the “why school” essay for McDonough will emphasize the impact that you will have at Georgetown and beyond.

The most impactful Georgetown supplemental essays will get personal. What are your current and prior experiences with your intended major? How have you developed the skills to succeed in business? Research the specific programs and opportunities you would join at McDonough.

College-Specific Georgetown Essay Reflection Questions:

• Does your essay respond adequately to the essay prompt?
• Do you discuss the specific clubs, classes, professors, and/or opportunities that you would be involved in?
• Does your essay tell a personal and specific narrative?
• Do you articulate a clear plan for your time at Georgetown?

How to write Georgetown Supplemental Essays

So, how should you answer the Georgetown University essay prompts?

First of all, keep in mind the word limits of the Georgetown university essay prompts. The first of the Georgetown essays is limited to 250 words. This Georgetown supplemental essay asks you to discuss the importance of an extracurricular activity in which you are most involved. The next two Georgetown essays– the personal statement and the “Why Georgetown” college-specific essay– have one-page single-spaced limits rather than word limits. 

All three Georgetown University essay prompts are required

Before you start writing, it’s important to understand how your essays will be assessed. 

In evaluating Georgetown essays, the admissions team looks at both content and writing skill. Essentially, this means it’s not just about what you say in the Georgetown supplemental essays, but how you say it. Use the Georgetown University essay prompts to tell your story, and approach each of the Georgetown Universityessay prompts holistically. Since there are three Georgetown University essay prompts, you can illustrate different parts of your identity in different essays. Each Georgetown application essay should tell your readers something new about you.

It may feel overwhelming to complete three Georgetown University essay prompts. However, if you give yourself enough time to plan, draft, and revise your Georgetown supplemental essays, you can help minimize your stress. In fact, using the tips from this guide will show you how to use the Georgetown University essay prompts to your advantage!

Focus on your identity

In each Georgetown application essay, focus on one experience, event, or element of your identity. Then, introduce it in an intriguing way through a “hook” at the beginning of each of your Georgetown supplemental essays. Next, provide background and relevant details to each of your Georgetown essays. And finally, discuss in your Georgetown supplemental essays how this has impacted your life, motivations, and relationships with others. In each of the Georgetown essays, relate your stories, background, and discussion to a central message in order to best respond to the Georgetown essay prompts.

In this guide, we’ve broken down each of the Georgetown University essay prompts to help you write Georgetown supplemental essays that will stand out in admissions.

How much does Georgetown care about essays?

Georgetown is intentionally not part of the Common Application; they want to admit applicants who put in the extra effort to apply. This makes the “Why Georgetown” college specific supplemental essay even more important. However, of course, all of the Georgetown supplemental essays are important within the Georgetown application requirements.

Read the checklist of Georgetown application requirements to make sure you complete each step, including the three Georgetown supplemental essays. Many students have impressive GPAs and test scores, which means your Georgetown University supplemental essays give you the chance to stand out. 

Implement the tips in this essay guide to set yourself apart through your Georgetown supplemental essays. Use your Georgetown essays to engage your reader through interesting stories, vivid details, and an actionable plan for your time at Georgetown.

Top 3 Tips for Writing Georgetown Essays

In this guide, we’ve discussed how to specifically answer the three Georgetown essay prompts. But, what are some of the most important tips in making sure you impress the admissions team with your Georgetown supplemental essays?

How to write impressive Georgetown supplemental essays:

#1 – start early.

Be sure to leave yourself time to edit and revise each of your Georgetown University supplemental essays! Georgetown has two deadlines to turn in all of your Georgetown application requirements: November 1, 2021, and January 10, 2022. Apply by November to know your decision on December 15, 2021.

#2 – Look at the big picture

When writing your Georgetown supplemental essays, consider your application as a whole. Make sure that each of your Georgetown essays says something new about you. After all, no two Georgetown essay prompts are the same. Be sure to not repeat other parts of your application in the essays.

# 3 – Show your unique self

These Georgetown supplemental essays are an opportunity for you to stand out to admissions. Don’t generalize when writing your Georgetown essays. Get specific about your experiences. Use the opportunity to not only demonstrate who you are, but also to show off your writing style.

Georgetown Supplemental Essays — Final Thoughts

In each of your Georgetown essays, be unique and original, but also genuine and honest. Instead of trying to predict what your readers would like to hear in your Georgetown supplemental essays, just tell your personal story. 

Do your research on the specific college within the University to which you are applying so you can connect yourself with Georgetown. Be clear, concise, and specific in your responses to the Georgetown essay prompts. There is no cookie-cutter Georgetown student, so highlight what makes you stand out in your Georgetown supplemental essays. Good luck!

This Georgetown supplemental essays guide was written by Sarah Kaminski .  Looking for more admissions support? Click  here  to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how  CollegeAdvisor.com  can support you in the college application process.

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A Guide to the Georgetown Essays 2023-2024

October 23, 2023

Georgetown University continues to hold its place as one of the country's top universities. Securing admission to this esteemed school is no easy feat, as Georgetown boasts an acceptance rate of just 12%. Whether you aspire to join their renowned undergraduate business program or envision yourself achieving the same level of success as notable  alumni Bill Clinton and Bradley Cooper, one hurdle stands in your way: the Georgetown essays 2023-2024.

Unlike many other universities, Georgetown University does not utilize the Common Application or its personal statement prompts. Instead, they provide their own unique set of essays, designed to gain insight into your character and passions. Whether you're applying to Georgetown College, the School of Nursing and Health Studies, the Walsh School of Foreign Service, or the McDonough School of Business, crafting compelling responses to the Georgetown essays 2023-2024 is essential to setting yourself apart from the competition and positioning yourself as an indispensable candidate.

Georgetown Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

Please elaborate on any special talents or skills you would like to highlight. (250 words).

If you are really proud of one of your abilities, now is the time to show it. Georgetown wants students who bring a variety of backgrounds and interests, this essay is a good opportunity to show a new side of yourself. Your talent doesn’t have to be an external ability such as playing the piano or writing sonnets. Neither is it required that you have received an award for this talent!

You can write about an internal characteristic such as an easy facility for making friends with new people. Or it can be something quirky like being a phenomenal cartoonist. In fact, it is better if the skill you mention is unique because your Georgetown essays 2023-2024 need to establish you as a memorable candidate. For questions like this, you don’t want to answer with a typical talent, or an ambiguous characteristic. We can assure you that many of your peers are going to be talented writers, musicians, and singers. You need to bring your own exceptional spin. As for personal characteristics, asserting that a trait like kindness is your greatest asset is frankly boring and vague. Think about what differentiates you.

The main point of your essay should emphasize why this talent or skill is meaningful to you. Why are you particularly proud of this talent? Make sure you’ve addressed all parts of the prompt. Is it a natural skill, or did it take time to develop? Will you continue to use this talent in your future goals and career? What have you learned about yourself while pursuing this skill? Let the reader understand why this talent matters so much, and exactly why it’s an admirable ability.

Briefly discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved. (approximately 1/2 page, single-spaced) 

Each year, Georgetown receives thousands of applications from students with stellar grades. By asking such a question through the Georgetown essays 2023-2024, the school is interested to know the kind of impact you’ve made in your community in order to distinguish you from the rest of the applicants. The school wants to know what part of your current high school career holds the most significance to you and how that in turn will influence the way you contribute to the Georgetown community. By asking this question, Georgetown wants to know the type of leader you are, how you collaborate with others, and what you care about the most.

To think about the activity you want to elaborate on, take a look at your activities list. A question like this should highlight one of the extracurriculars listed at or near the top of your activities list. In the activities section, you only had 150 characters, including spaces to describe what you did. But if it truly is an activity that has mattered, there’s far more to say. Reflect on what kind of leader you were while participating in the activity, if it’s an initiative that you started, why it is important to you, and the people you connected with. Half of a page is about 250 words, so really focus your answer on the impact rather than spending too much time describing what you did as part of the activity.

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 1 page, single-spaced)

While the previous question highlights what you’ve done and how you’ve made an impact, this question attempts to get more to the core of who you are. Alongside evaluating your academic achievements, Georgetown especially considers your “accomplishments outside of the classroom, demonstrated commitment to the broader community, and personal qualities such as resiliency, motivation and, ambition are certainly considered.” They want to see whether you possess qualities that can not only uniquely add to the Georgetown community but benefit from it as well. 

It can be difficult to figure out where to even begin brainstorming this question — you can probably name a few different points or facets of your life that you consider core to your personality and character. To write this essay, it would be wise to write about the same topic as the Common App personal statement . Since Georgetown admissions officers won’t be looking at your Common App, it’s absolutely okay to draw from your personal statement, as that essay is also about a story that is completely unique to you. This prompt provides you with a chance to tell a story that doesn’t apply to 99% of other students. Your response could also focus on a part of your background that has shaped you or it could highlight an experience that you believe distinguishes you from your peers. The prompt also says you can get creative with your essay, so don’t be afraid to think out of the box. Unlike the Common App, which isn’t school-specific, you can even add a sentence or two at the end of this prompt as you’re only submitting this response to Georgetown!

School-Specific Prompts

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.).

In order to create a powerful and impactful response that truly captures your insatiable thirst for knowledge and unwavering eagerness to explore new ideas, it is essential to carefully select a class, book, or event that embodies these qualities. Reflect on an experience that not only challenged your preconceived beliefs and assumptions, but also compelled you to reassess your perspective and actively seek fresh approaches to problems. Use this opportunity to showcase your openness to intellectual growth and your ability to critically analyze your own viewpoints.

When reflecting on your experience, make sure to establish a strong connection between that encounter and the education you hope to receive at Georgetown's College of Arts & Sciences. Explore how this experience aligns with Georgetown's focus on nurturing critical thinking, interdisciplinary studies, and engagement with innovative ideas. Emphasize the ways in which this encounter has expanded your knowledge and enhanced your ability to think critically and creatively.

Remember to utilize vivid details and personal anecdotes to make your story compelling and unforgettable. By painting a vivid picture of your journey, you will engage the reader and allow them to connect with your transformative experience on a deeper level. Delve into how this transformative experience has impacted you as an individual. Reflect on the valuable insights you gained about yourself and how this change has influenced your goals, aspirations, or values. Express how this experience has shaped your character, broadened your perspective, and ignited a desire for personal and intellectual growth. This reflection will demonstrate your self-awareness and your ability to learn and grow from your experiences.

Georgetown highly values intellectual curiosity, a commitment to personal growth, and a desire to engage with novel ideas. Your essay should vividly demonstrate these qualities and illustrate how you would be an invaluable asset to their academic community. Showcasing your passion for learning, your ability to think critically, and your eagerness to contribute to the academic discourse will make you a standout candidate for admission.

Applicants to the School of Nursing and Health Studies:

Describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying health care. please specifically address your intended major (health care management & policy, human science, global health, or nursing)..

Georgetown knows that all students applying to the School of Nursing and Health Studies have a passion for medicine, want to help people, and imagine a career for themselves in healthcare. This question asks you to dig deeper. What makes your specific interest in the field unique? The school wants to see that you have done your research on Georgetown’s nursing school specifically and understand the resources that make the college unique. 

In this essay — without overlapping with the previous question about who you are — you have to expand on a story related to your love for medicine that only applies to you. Lots of students may have been inspired by their own or their relatives’ illnesses, while others might have realized their calling for the profession through an internship junior year. Since you have about 500 words you can write in detail about how your interest in medicine originated, the ways in which you explored the interest further both academically and through extracurriculars, and then delve more into how your choice of major at Georgetown can help you reach your aspirations. Why Health Care Management & Policy, and why at Georgetown? Make sure the reader understands that you understand the school’s offerings and resources and that you’re ready to make the most of them.

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.

The Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown is one of the best known schools in the world for studying international affairs. Admissions officers use this prompt to understand both your personality, character, and values. The School of Foreign Service wants to see where your priorities lie, what your goals are, and how an education in one of the school’s unique majors such as Regional and Comparative Studies and International Political Economy can help you get there. The school is looking for ambitious, open-minded, and curious individuals, and using this prompt among the Georgetown essays 2023-2024 can be an effective way of doing so.

If you’ve answered the 4th prompt among the Common App personal statement essays ( Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve.) , you can write a similar response here. Remember that while this question asks for a current global issue, you’re still writing supplemental essays for your application. This prompt is less about what problem you’ve chosen, and more about getting to know what’s important to you and how you react when faced with one. Moreover, since it doesn’t have to examine a problem the world has already solved, you can use this prompt to delve deeper into your academic interests, specifically within the Walsh School. Is your desire to end climate change connected with your selection of the college’s Science, Technology & International Affairs major? Carefully choose an issue that shows your personal stake, as well as conveys you as an individual aware of the world around them.

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..

As one of the top undergraduate business schools in the United States, the McDonough School wants to know how you hope to benefit from a business degree from Georgetown specifically. They want to know what you want from a business degree at this stage — how will you take advantage of Georgetown’s hands-on opportunities? What impact have you made on your community and what are you bringing to the classroom? How will you add to the diversity of your cohort?

The word limit allows you to go into details about discovering your love for not just business — but your specific interest in the discipline. Whether it’s marketing or accounting, ask yourself questions to start brainstorming exactly what motivates you. Was there one instance that catalyzed your passion and goals? How have you explored the subject of your interest since then? How has your curiosity about the topic grown? The majority of your essay should be dedicated to tying your interest in with what McDonough has to offer. Note which professor you can’t wait to learn from or a class that stands out to you on your way to becoming a future entrepreneur.

Additional Tips for Writing the Georgetown Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

Now that you’ve taken a look at the prompts for the Georgetown supplemental essays , here are a few tips to help your brainstorming process: 

• Don’t underestimate the power of your extracurriculars : Admissions officers want to know what makes you tick outside the classroom. Don’t just shrug off the first essay and repeat information word for word from what you’ve already included in your activities list. They want to know about your perspective and identity. Your activities could have shifted your views in a way that you might not have even realized before sitting down to write the essay. And you won’t be able to analyze their impact properly if you don’t look at them from a more nuanced angle.
• Research both the college of your choice and the university as a whole: While you definitely have to go in-depth to understand what makes the college of your choice within Georgetown special, it’s also essential that you understand what makes Georgetown unique. This means understanding its identity and values , researching its unique opportunities, and really knowing why you think you would be a good fit. The fit automatically shines through in your writing if you’ve worked to authentically connect your research to your interest in the school.

Georgetown University is a dream school for many students. Naturally, the competition is not easy. To help admissions officers understand what you can bring to campus and how the school can help you grow and thrive, take advantage of these prompts to explain what makes you unique. With the right amount of research, the extracurriculars and grades to back it up, and passion for your field of interest, you can give yourself a fair shot at this well-esteemed university.

If you are looking for a college admissions counselor to help maximize your chances of getting into your dream school, we can help! InGenius Prep has helped more than 6,000 students around the world gain admission into the most competitive schools including Harvard, Yale, MIT, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, NYU, and more. Sign up for a free strategy call today and join the 6,000+ students we've helped get accepted into their dream school.

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September 9, 2023

2023-2024 Georgetown University Supplemental Essay Prompts

Georgetown University has released its 2023-2024 admissions essays for applicants to the Class of 2028 . The Jesuit institution, which has for years bucked the trend of joining The Common Application , asks applicants to respond to three essays in addition to one essay that is school-specific within the broader university. So, what are this year’s essay prompts? Let’s dive in!

2023-2024 Georgetown Essay Topics and Questions

Essays for all georgetown applicants.

All Georgetown applicants must answer the following three essay prompts

1. Please elaborate on any special talents or skills you would like to highlight (250 words) .

Applicants should focus on a skill related to the hook they’ve showcased in the activities section of their Georgetown application. After all, Georgetown’s admissions committee doesn’t care if an applicant can juggle. Even if the skill doesn’t relate to the student’s hook, the talent must showcase intellectual curiosity or it’s a wasted opportunity.

2. Briefly discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved (approximately 1/2 page, single-spaced) .

Applicants should shine a spotlight on one of their more meaningful activities. And, yes, this activity should relate to the student’s hook. If a student is interested in studying political science, the activity they write about for this essay prompt should not relate to physics. Georgetown’s admissions committee wants to see how applicants are going to make the world better in a small but meaningful way. As such, this is an opportunity to show rather than tell how they’ve done that to date through the prism of a specific extracurricular pursuit.

3. 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 1 page, single-spaced)

It’s unsurprising that unlike many of its peer institutions, Georgetown has made few changes to its application in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling outlawing Affirmative Action. After all, Georgetown’s longtime Dean of Admissions Charles Deacon is well known for his aversion to change. For example, it took a worldwide pandemic for the man to finally switch to notifying applicants of their decisions via the Internet rather than snail mail.

While this essay is similar to last year’s third essay prompt required of all applicants, the wording is slightly different. Unlike last year’s prompt, Georgetown has included “background” and “identity.” Last year, the prompt read, “As Georgetown is a diverse community, the Admissions Committee would like to know more about you in your own words. Please submit a brief essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you.”

Now, keep in mind that some schools, like Johns Hopkins University , included bold language that very much capitalized on the loophole Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts penned in his majority opinion outlawing Affirmative Action , allowing schools to continue to consider a candidate’s race in context: “Nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.” Georgetown, unsurprisingly, didn’t go nearly as far in its language under its reluctant-to-modernize admissions czar — but it’s a step nonetheless.

Students need not be underrepresented minorities to answer this prompt powerfully. Students can instead write about their faith, community, or experiences, but we do encourage applicants who are underrepresented minorities to subtly make it clear since Georgetown, like all highly selective universities, continues to wish to admit a diverse class of students.

Georgetown School-Specific Essays

For the school-specific essay, irrespective of the school, the essay should not exceed one page, single-spaced.

Georgetown College of Arts and Sciences

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.)

Georgetown’s admissions committee wants to understand how an applicant thinks. Through a specific anecdote or anecdotes (no matter a student’s chosen field of study) — be it via a book, event, classroom discussion, lecture, or anything — it behooves applicants to shine a light on how they are filled with conviction. Yet, they’re also malleable to change when presented with better ideas. And, of course, it wouldn’t hurt to pepper — by showing rather than telling — the importance of the Jesuit tradition and, in particular, Cura personalis, in their storytelling.

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.

This essay prompt presents applicants with an opportunity to share an origin story — as high schoolers rather than as children — for their interest in business. Ideally, the origin story traces to an activity featured in the student’s Georgetown activities section. And, of course, McDonough isn’t looking to admit future business titans just out for money. They want to understand how applicants will make the world better in a small but meaningful way. As such, McDonough applicants should infuse their essays with Jesuit traditions — and why they matter to them in business. And, yes, this essay should also be infused with Why McDonough and Why Georgetown specifics (and, no, name-dropping professors and listing classes don’t count as genuine specifics).

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?

Walsh is looking to learn the origin story of an applicant’s interest in foreign service — as high schoolers rather than as children. Through a specific anecdote or anecdotes, which ideally trace back to the student’s activities so they’re showing rather than telling, applicants should highlight how they hope to leave a mark on the wall in a way that can be actualized. Stopping climate change can’t be actualized. Incentivizing countries to be greener — based on specific research and insights — is much more doable.

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).

Georgetown’s School of Health seeks to understand a student’s origin story, as a high schooler, for their interest in the disciplines under the School of Health’s umbrella. A grandparent becoming ill with breast cancer is not the way into such an essay since it’s all too common and doesn’t say enough about how a student thinks and how they wish to leave a mark on their field.

Instead, applicants should tell a small story that ideally relates to an activity they’ve participated in during high school, that showcases precisely why they want to contribute to the health field and how they hope to make a difference — and always in a small but deeply meaningful way.

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Sample Essays

The breadth of Georgetown’s core curriculum means that students are required to write for a wide variety of academic disciplines. Below, we provide some student samples that exhibit the key features the most popular genres. When reading through these essays, we recommend paying attention to their 

1. Structure (How many paragraphs are there? Does the author use headers?) 

2. Argument (Is the author pointing out a problem, and/or proposing a solution?) 

3. Content (Does the argument principally rely on facts, theory, or logic?) and 

4. Style (Does the writer use first person? What is the relationship with the audience?)

Philosophy Paper

• Singer on the Moral Status of Animals

Theology Paper

• Problem of God
• Jewish Civilization
• Sacred Space and Time
• Phenolphthalein in Alkaline Solution

History Paper

• World History

Literature Review

Comparative Analysis 

Policy Brief

• Vaccine Manufacturing

White Paper

Critical Analysis

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How to Respond to the 2023/2024 Georgetown Supplemental Essay Prompts

Cece Gilmore is a Content Writer at Scholarships360. Cece earned her undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Arizona State University. While at ASU, she was the education editor as well as a published staff reporter at Downtown Devil. Cece was also the co-host of her own radio show on Blaze Radio ASU.

Learn about our editorial policies

Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

The Georgetown University supplemental essays are an important part of the overall application. Georgetown has a 12% acceptance rate , so your very best writing is required here. Remember, you are not alone in this Georgetown supplemental essay writing process! Keep reading our guide to learn more about how to best respond to the Georgetown supplemental essays. 

Breaking down the Georgetown supplemental essays

Georgetown requires all applicants to respond to three prompts. 

Here is a breakdown of the word count for the Georgetown supplemental essays: 

• Short Essay – approximately ½ page, single spaced
• Essay 1- approximately 1 page, single spaced
• Essay 2- approximately 1 page, single spaced, response based on intended school

Georgetown Supplemental essay questions for all applicants

Short essay.

Briefly discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved (½ page, single spaced)

This is an opportunity to expand on an extracurricular activity that you are passionate about and have participated in the most. 

Some questions to help brainstorm your response could include: 

• Did you receive any leadership roles in this activity? 
• Why do you love this activity? 
• When did you become interested in this activity? 

Once you establish your main activity, write a story surrounding this event and detail a narrative! Do your best to connect back to Georgetown. Think of Georgetown clubs you want to become involved in to continue to pursue your interests. For example, if you love participating in track and field, but do not want to participate at the college level, discuss joining the Georgetown University Running Club. Additionally, try to really show not tell how significant this activity is in your life. For example, you could detail a narrative of how going for a run allows you to clear your mind and helps you cope with stress! Ultimately, this is your time to expand upon a passion you have and why you are passionate about it! 

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. (1 page, single spaced)

Although this is one of the first questions asked by Georgetown, it may be smart to save this question for the end. This is because there are a lot of prompts that Georgetown asks that reveal many of your interests and skills. 

Therefore, to ensure you are not repeating yourself in your responses, answer this question last. Every essay you are responding to should reveal something new! 

Once you are ready to answer this question, brainstorm some of the following questions: 

• What is missing from your application that you want to highlight about yourself? 
• Are there any skills you possess that have not been touched upon? 
• Is there a leadership position you were involved in that you want to detail? 
• What would you do if you had to go on stage at a talent show? 

It is important to use this question as an outlet to showcase your skills, talents, and interests. 

Some examples of some skills, talents, or interests can be: 

• Playing an instrument 
• Participating in a sport
• Speaking a different language
• Mastering a video game
• Able to do something others cannot

You should be not just stating what talents you have, but also a short narrative or story surrounding each skill. Describe how you discovered this skill or how long it took you to become the expert you are today. 

Therefore, it is important to be short and thoughtful with your word choices. Eliminate any filler words and only describe the important parts of your story.

This prompt is quite broad, which can make it challenging to respond to. It is important to try and come up with a topic for this essay that has not been discussed in your application thus far. Remember, Georgetown has most likely already read about your academic and athletic achievements. So, try to be more creative in your response!

So what should you write about? 

To help you brainstorm creative topics for this essay, think of the following questions: 

• What are you known as in your friend group? (Exp: the artsy one, the funny one…) 
• Are there any quirks you possess? 
• Do you belong to any communities? 
• What kind of background did you come from? 
• Have you ever had to overcome anything? 
• What are you passionate about? 
• Is there anything that makes you stand out from other applicants? 

If you are still having trouble coming up with a topic idea for this essay, do not fret. Remember, Georgetown does not use the Common App . This means that you could potentially use your response to the Common App as an answer to this essay.

If you are going to use your Common App essay response to answer this question make sure you are: 

• Not repeating yourself in your application
• Answering the question entirely
• Revealing a new piece of information about yourself

Essentially, Georgetown wants to be able to connect with your application and your personal and unique experiences. Therefore, be yourself and always reveal new things!

Essay #2: Georgetown school-specific essay questions

Each school-specific prompt should not exceed one-page, single-spaced. 

Georgetown College essay

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.) 

Georgetown College admissions wants to hear all about your way of thinking! Try to brainstorm a time in which your mind was changed – this can be anything from reading a book to seeing a TED Talk to having a conversation with a teacher. Whatever event, be sure you are picking one that most closely aligns to your intended major such as mathematics or public policy. Remember, you want to show, not tell! So describe this change of thinking through a story! Try to include details to bring your experience to life such as reading your book while driving through the mountains or seeing a TED talk in class and immediately having millions of ideas rushing through your brain. Additionally, it may be wise to describe your thinking prior to the event and then after the event. This will show how exactly you have changed and how much. Now, go one step further and connect back to Georgetown! Doing so will impress the admissions officers and truly demonstrate how you are a perfect fit for the Georgetown community. It’s a good idea to allude to how you will continue to take this new way of thinking to the Georgetown community. 

Questions to consider

• What is a time in which you changed your thinking on a topic? 
• What did you learn from changing your thinking? 
• How will you take what you have learned and apply it while at Georgetown? 

School of Health essay

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).

This essay question should be fairly easy if you have a passion for studying health care. Ultimately, you just need to explain why you want to study health care! And specifically, why you want to study health care at Georgetown. So, write a story describing your interest in global health, healthcare management & policy or human science! After detailing this narrative, go into detail about why Georgetown is a perfect fit for you. Describe any specific classes, professors, clubs, or the location of DC to demonstrate your interest in Georgetown. The most important thing is that you are tying your response back to Georgetown! 

• Why do you want to major in your chosen major?
• What do you aspire to do with your degree?
• Why did you choose to apply to Georgetown? 

School of Nursing essay

Describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying health care. Please specifically address your intended major Nursing. 

If you are considering the School of Nursing, then you obviously have a passion for helping people. Therefore, you should not focus on this fact in your response. Remember, these Georgetown supplemental essays are an opportunity to make yourself stand out from other applicants – so try to really think about this question. 

In order to avoid any cliches, try thinking of the following questions to help you brainstorm your response: 

• What has been an eye-opening experience you have had that has influenced your decision to apply to the School of Nursing? 
• Why the Georgetown School of Nursing? 
• Why do you want to help people? 
• Was there a specific instance in which you realized nursing was your calling? 
• Is there anyone close to you who works in the medical or nursing field? 

After brainstorming, begin your response by describing a narrative. Tell your story about why you became interested in nursing and studying in the medical field. Whatever your story may be, use that as the backbone of your response for this essay. 

Try to answer the following questions in your essay: 

• What have you learned from this passion? 
• What change do you hope to bring to your future profession? 
• What do you hope to do with this degree? 
• What will you become involved in while at Georgetown? 

The most important thing is that you are tying your response back to Georgetown. Specify how and why Georgetown’s program and resources are the best fit for you. 

See also : Top nursing scholarships

Walsh School of Foreign Service essay

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?

International service is a rather uncommon major and profession to go into. Therefore, there is most likely a story behind your decision to choose this school. 

Start by brainstorming the following questions: 

• What inspired you to pursue this major? 
• Is there someone who inspired you to pursue this particular degree? 
• What do you want to do with this degree? 

Now that you have a good idea of what you want to write about, detail exactly what degree you are intended to pursue. Communicate what your goals are for this degree. What do you hope to accomplish? 

In addition, describe how you plan to contribute to change the world for the better. 

Afterwards, connect back to Georgetown by writing about the programs, clubs, and/or opportunities you hope to take advantage of while studying there. 

McDonough School of Business essay

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 motivation for studying business at Georgetown.

In order to stand out from other applicants, begin by detailing any background you may have in business. This could be anything from taking a business class in high school to creating your own brand that went viral. Once you describe your business background, connect back to the McDonough School of Business specifically. 

There are a lot of business schools out in the country, so why Georgetown? In order to accurately answer this question, you should have done adequate research on the following aspects of the McDonough School of Business: 

• Class sizes
• Travel opportunities
• Clubs and organizations

Becoming familiar with these aspects of the school allows you to write about the factors that are most important to you. Be open and honest–which factors appeal to you most,  and why? 

Final thoughts on responding to the Georgetown supplemental essays

The Georgetown supplemental essays are quite challenging, but they are completely worth the effort.  Georgetown heavily relies upon the supplemental essay responses to select applicants, so it is important that your application is well-rounded. Make sure that you are not repeating anything when writing your essays. In addition, always connect your experiences back to Georgetown by detailing what you want to become involved in on campus. 

Additional resources

Are you curious about how many colleges to apply to , how to choose a college , or when to take the SAT/ACT ? Do not worry because Scholarships360 has you covered! In addition, we have numerous resources to help you through the rest of your college essays. Check out our guides on how to write an essay about yourself , how to write a successful admissions essay , and how to write 250 or 500 word essays. Throughout your college application journey, make sure that you apply to all the scholarships you qualify for! 

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First Year Applicant

Georgetown offers students the opportunity to apply in two ways: Early Action or Regular Decision. Regardless of which option you choose, we encourage you to begin your application by submitting the Georgetown Application as soon as possible. Filling out and submitting the Georgetown Application should only take you a few minutes. Once you submit the Georgetown Application, we will open your application file and begin the process of scheduling the required interview with a member of your local Alumni Admissions Committee.

Since we communicate with candidates via email about scheduling alumni interviews as well as missing credentials, we kindly ask that you allow access to the georgetown.edu email addresses through any spam filters used by your internet service provider.

For all important information about the application process, we recommend printing out the Information for Candidates document.

Checklist and Deadlines

No application will be considered until all of the required credentials have been received. A notice of missing credentials will be emailed, but students should make every effort to ensure that they are submitted on time (see deadlines below). A complete application includes the following information:

Georgetown Application Application Supplement Secondary School Report (including transcript) Teacher’s Recommendation A Non-refundable Application Fee of $75.00 – payable in USD Results of the College Board Scholastic Assessment Test or the American College Testing Program examination sent directly from the testing service Scores from College Board SAT Subject Tests sent directly from the testing service (if taken prior to January 2021)

All applicants for Early Action must clearly indicate their intention in the appropriate space on the application form, but otherwise should follow the normal application procedure. While we recommend that Early Action applicants complete testing requirements in their junior year, scores from the September and October test dates will typically arrive in time for consideration at Early Action. Students should make certain to request that scores be sent to Georgetown well in advance of the deadline to ensure timely receipt.

All admitted first year students will then have until May 1 to submit their enrollment agreement and non-refundable deposit to reserve a place in the first year class.

Early Action applicants should submit all materials by November 1. They will be notified by the admissions committee of their admissions decision by December 15. Regular Decision applicants should have all application materials postmarked by January 10. They will be notified by the admissions committee of their admissions decision by April 1. Accepted students have until May 1 to mail their deposit.

We appreciate your interest in Georgetown and look forward to learning more about you and your accomplishments in the coming months.

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Georgetown Supplemental Essay Examples

Coming up with essays for your college application can be hard, which is why reading over several Georgetown supplemental essay examples will help you greatly in composing your own series of essays. How to write a college essay can be dreadfully tricky, even with expert college essay tips , so being able to look at the final result of the handiwork of others can boost your confidence and make your own writing and re-writing processes much more enjoyable, relaxed, and open.

This article will cover the Georgetown supplemental essays, providing examples for each before wrapping up with a short section on general tips, as well as specific essay tips for Georgetown.

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Article Contents 10 min read

The georgetown supplemental essays.

All Georgetown applicants will be required to write one short essay (1/2 page) and two additional essays (1 page each). The first two are the same for all students, but the third depends on which program you are applying to; these requirements are contained within the prompts.

All Applicants

Short essay.

Length: approximately 1/2 page, single-spaced

Prompt: “Briefly discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved.”

With this prompt, Georgetown is looking for something significant that indicates why you will be an excellent addition to their school. Pick an activity that shows off several good qualities in yourself. You might have something that showcases your leadership, good nature, sense of humor, and ability to adapt, for instance. Read our sample answer for an example of how to do this.

—Sparks literally fly, igniting the kindling, and bringing us one step closer to ghost stories and s’mores – my fire is the first one lit among the cabins, and there are cheers from the kids under my supervision. I can remember being one of those young campers, watching my counsellor make a fire. Now, I get to be the fire-maker, and it’s fun and thrilling to pass on the knowledge I have because of this camp.

The camp, named Camp Karha, is set in the forest, right on a lake, and it is as secluded and majestic as a person could ever want. I spent my summers here as a boy, and now, as a teenager, it is my summer job and obsession. I can’t wait to return every year. A big part of that involves pushing myself to learn more outdoor skills and imparting that knowledge to the campers.

Woodcraft is wonderful. There’s something truly special about taking raw materials and shaping them – often with nothing more than a pocketknife – into the tools we need and want, or just woodcarving little creatures and toys. I love being able to show the campers how to safely engage in woodwork.

Length: approximately 1 page, single-spaced

Slightly longer, in this essay, Georgetown is expecting you to more fully describe yourself and what you think you can contribute to the diversity of the school, which they consider important.

Prompt: “As Georgetown is a diverse community, the Admissions Committee would like to know more about you in your own words. Please submit a brief essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you.”

I’m eight years old. I love to sit outside and watch the stars at night. Even when I cannot see them, I still look up and hope they are there, looking down on me. The universe fills me with wonder, and I wonder if I will ever go up there some day.

I’m twelve, and somebody has told me that we are all made of the same star-stuff, just specks of gold and carbon that exploded out of nova-blasts – echoes of the Big Bang and the forces of physics. I hear this, and I wonder how people can be so mean to each other. I wonder this because of what happened to me last year.

The third essay requires a response to a specific prompt related to the school at Georgetown to which you are applying. We have provided one sample response here as an example, pertaining to the prompt for Georgetown College applicants.

Prompt: “What does it mean to you to be educated? How might Georgetown College help you achieve this aim? (Applicants to the Sciences and Mathematics or the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics should address their chosen course of study).”

Length: approximately 1 page, single-spaced.

It’s impossible to be educated but necessary to try.

Education is a process, through which a person can move forward in their understanding – of other persons, of themselves, of the universe and natural world, and of life. Any one of these subjects is vast and overwhelming enough to provide a lifetime of potential learning, never reaching the fullness of understanding in any one category. “Mastery” of a subject is therefore ironic at best, if not an absurdist joke.

I don’t mean to say that a person cannot develop expertise or understanding; rather, “to be educated” is perhaps a stray goal. To “be educated” is not an achievement in the past tense, but a state of being – an active condition.

People change, as do the times we live in, as well as our total understanding of the universe. How can we truly finish learning? This is an integral part of my personal philosophy, and this philosophy is what drew me to apply to Georgetown’s Faculty of Language and Linguistics in the first place.

The FLL is described as follows: “… fostering international understanding is particularly embodied in the teaching and learning of other languages and cultures…” This is exactly what I am driving at: continuous understanding and a constant vigilance with respect to personal education are necessary. I hope to achieve that through studies with the FLL.

I hope to major in Classical Greek and make a study of the texts and ideas that shaped Western civilization. But, in keeping with the spirit of my philosophy, and the philosophy and telos of the FLL’s program, I also want to take courses in Arabic.

While these are by no means the only cultural origin points in our world, they are major centers of Eastern and Western thought, and learning about both simultaneously will help me understand more of our globe than I could with either language by itself.

I have already studied the stories of Greek and Arab cultures, albeit through translations, and I look forward to learning about these cultures in their own words. I have a job with a travel agency, and I hope to make pilgrimages to Greece and the Middle East to witness firsthand the birthplaces of so much of our modern civilization.

Ultimately, I would like to become a teacher to share my findings with students and to benefit future generations with this fusion of humanity.

Of course, I will never be educated – past tense – but I will continue to allow myself to be educated. I am being educated and will be educated by all I encounter. I believe this process is true now, as I learn from ancient texts and my teachers. I believe it will be true when I travel to other countries and learn from the land and the people of those countries. I hope it will still be true when I am a teacher, even on the verge of retirement, learning from my students how to educate myself and keep up with the times.

To be educated is impossible, but being educated is a lifelong gift.

One of the following prompts will replace the Georgetown College prompt if you are applying to one of these schools. While we have not provided examples for these, we wanted to make sure you still had access to the prompts.

\u201cThe 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.\u201d ","label":"Prompt for the McDonough School of Business","title":"Prompt for the McDonough School of Business"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

General Essay Writing Tips and Tips for Georgetown’s Essays

Use a standard essay writing format, composed of an opening paragraph, a “body” of three or four paragraphs, and a conclusion of one or two brief paragraphs. Keep in mind that Georgetown has two main essay lengths: half-page and full-page. You’ll need to shorten or lengthen each section accordingly. For example, if you’re writing your full-page essays, you can have a regular, full paragraph introduction. But, if you’re writing the half-page “short” essay, you should reduce the text to succinct and short paragraphs.

The opening, how to start a college essay , needs to set up the rest of the essay by introducing the subjects you will be writing about and providing the reader with a “hook” sentence to kick it off. This hook must be arresting, to the point where even a non-Admissions Committee member would want to keep reading. Check out college essay introduction examples for some additional help in writing your introduction.

The body of the text should consist of several paragraphs that support your main point. Stick to one or two key ideas so that you can build your essay around them. You don’t have a lot of space to talk about your points, so you should make the most of the room you do have.

Working on your Common App essay or personal statement too? Check out this video for tips:

The conclusion at the end should wrap up whatever you “promised” your reader in the opening paragraph. If you spoke about a particular struggle you had, for example, you need to “pay that off” at the end.

There is an additional section in the Georgetown application, which asks any applicant to “Please indicate any special talents or skills that you possess.” Note that this is not expected to be an essay; simply list the skills, abilities, talents, or anything else that you can do that are not apparent from your other answers, essays, and resume.

The word limit for Georgetown essays is loose. By restricting you to a half page or whole page, they are essentially telling you that you don’t need to worry precisely about how many words or characters you’ve typed up. That doesn’t mean you can ramble or go over the limit! You need to respect limits, even if they aren’t as precise as a character count.

What you should focus on is being a good writer who gets their point across efficiently. Show your readers that you don’t need 1,000 words to say something. The half page should be approximately 325 words, and the whole page should be somewhere around 650. Obviously, there is wiggle room, but respect your readers’ time and give them a polished piece.

Read up on as many expert college essay tips as you can so you can deliver the best essay you have in you.

Check out these college essay examples to help you with your own writing.

With these ideas and prompts under your belt, you’ll be able to strike off on your own essay writing journey with confidence.

This means that you don’t need to stick to a standard genre or style. You might try writing in blank verse, rhyming couplets, metaphor, or as a story. If you are going for a creative essay, feel free to explore different ways to express your thoughts. Do keep clarity in mind, however; you don’t want to run completely amok and wind up focusing so much on creative expression that you forget to include clear points to convey your message to the admissions committee.

Georgetown’s limits are given in terms of half or full pages, not words. They are to be typed and single-spaced. The instructions use the word “approximately,” which means that whether you fill a page with many shorter paragraphs or only a few longer ones, you’ll be “correct” and within the limit. The limit is flexible.

Err on the side of fewer words, because brevity is the soul of wit – so runs the received wisdom – and if you can write up a swift, effective essay, that’s better than rambling on without saying much. Although Georgetown doesn’t have a word count, they will still expect tight writing.

This might differ from school to school, but essays submitted through the Common App can be modified after submission. With Georgetown, this is done through the Application Change Form . In the case of a replacement essay, note that you need to include the prompt, and the previous essay will still be read in addition to the replacement. In other words, try to be as certain as possible before you click the “submit” button.

Very important. Your transcripts and high school resume might tell the admissions committee who you are in terms of raw numbers, but essays can tell them so much more. Essays reveal your character and show off your uniqueness. Take advantage of this opportunity and express your unique, individual self. This is invaluable, as it allows you to bring something more than pure numbers to the table.

No. They aren’t about grades; they’re about introducing yourself to the admissions committee. If you work hard and follow expert advice, these essays will show you to be the ideal candidate and somebody the committee wants to meet – but grades aren’t entering into it.

Schools often have very similar essays. A good idea is to figure out all the essays for every school you’re applying to and then see if some overlap. You can save a lot of time if you can tweak secondary essays from one school so that they will be tailor-made for another. However, if you do this, be careful to ensure that every detail is accurate for each school, including any mention of the school’s name or programs!

We encourage you to engage with at least four and up to ten schools to increase your chances and focus enough time on each application without feeling overwhelmed.

It’s better to talk about a time you learned, and grew, as a result of failure. Discussing failure alone is of no value but talking about failing and coming back from that failure stronger and with lessons demonstrably learned for the future will show you in a very positive light, indeed.

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Opinion Guest Essay

This Is Peak College Admissions Insanity

Credit... Illustrations by Pete Gamlen

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By Daniel Currell

Mr. Currell, a lawyer and consultant, was a deputy under secretary and senior adviser at the Department of Education from 2018 to 2021. He is a trustee of Gustavus Adolphus College.

• May 1, 2024

Selective college admissions have been a vortex of anxiety and stress for what seems like forever, inducing panic in more top high school seniors each year. But the 2023-24 admissions season was not just an incremental increase in the frantic posturing and high-pressure guesswork that make this annual ritual seem like academic Hunger Games. This year was different. A number of factors — some widely discussed, some little noticed — combined to push the process into a new realm in which the old rules didn’t apply and even the gatekeepers seemed not to know what the new rules were.

It happened, as these things often do, first gradually and then all at once.

It started with a precipitous rise in the number of people clamoring to get in. The so-called Ivy-Plus schools — the eight members of the Ivy League plus M.I.T., Duke, Chicago and Stanford — collectively received about 175,000 applications in 2002. In 2022, the most recent year for which totals are available, they got more than 590,000, with only a few thousand more available spots.

The quality of the applicants has risen also. In 2002, the nation produced 134 perfect ACT scores ; in 2023 there were 2,542 . Over the same period, the United States — and beyond it, the world — welcomed a great many more families into the ranks of the wealthy, who are by far the most likely to attend an elite college. Something had to give.

The first cracks appeared around the rules that had long governed the process and kept it civilized, obligating colleges to operate on the same calendar and to give students time to consider all offers before committing. A legal challenge swept the rules away, freeing the most powerful schools to do pretty much whatever they wanted.

One clear result was a drastic escalation in the formerly niche admissions practice known as early decision.

Then Covid swept through, forcing colleges to let students apply without standardized test scores — which, as the university consultant Ben Kennedy says, “tripled the number of kids who said to themselves, ‘Hey, I’ve got a shot at admission there.’” More applications, more market power for the schools and, for the students, an ever smaller chance of getting in.

Last year, the Supreme Court’s historic decision ending race-based affirmative action left colleges scrambling for new ways to preserve diversity and students groping in the dark to figure out what schools wanted.

Finally, this year the whole financial aid system exploded into spectacular disarray. Now, a month after most schools sent out the final round of acceptances, many students still don’t have the information they need to determine if they can afford college. Some will delay attending, and some will forgo it entirely, an outcome that will have lasting implications for them and, down the line, for the economy as a whole.

These disparate changes had one crucial thing in common: Almost all of them strengthened the hand of highly selective colleges, allowing them to push applicants into more constricted choices with less information and less leverage. The result is that elite admissions offices, which have always tried to reduce the uncertainty in each new year’s decisions, are now using their market power to all but eliminate it. This means taking no chances in pursuit of a high yield, the status-bestowing percentage of admitted students who enroll. But low uncertainty for elite colleges means the opposite for applicants — especially if they can’t pay the full tuition rate.

Canh Oxelson, the executive director of college counseling at the Horace Mann School in New York, says: “This is as much uncertainty as we’ve ever seen. Affirmative action, the FAFSA debacle, test-optionality — it has shown itself in this one particular year. Colleges want certainty, and they are getting more. Families want certainty and they are getting less.”

In 2024, the only applicants who could be certain of an advantage were those whose parents had taken the wise precaution of being rich.

The Early Bird Gets the Dorm

For Ivy Wydler, an elite college seemed like an obvious destination, and many of her classmates at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School in Washington, D.C., were headed along the same trajectory. After her sophomore year of high school, she took the ACT and got a perfect score — on her first try, a true rarity. Her grades were stellar. So she set her sights high, favoring “medium to big schools, and not too cold.”

Touring campuses, she was dazzled by how great and exciting it all seemed. Then she visited Duke, and something clicked. She applied in the binding early decision round.

It’s a consequential choice. Students can do so at only one college, and they have to promise to attend if accepted, before knowing what the school’s financial aid offer will be. That means there is at least a chance an applicant will be on the hook for the full cost, which at Duke is $86,886 for the 2024-25 year. Students couldn’t be legally compelled to attend if they couldn’t afford it, but by the time they got the news, they would have already had to withdraw their other applications.

If full tuition isn’t a deal killer, as it wouldn’t be for Ivy’s family, the rewards are considerable. This year, just over 54,000 high school seniors vied to be one of only 1,750 members of Duke’s incoming class. The 6,000 who applied in the early decision round were three times as likely to get in as the 48,000 who applied later.

Until recently, early decision was a narrow pathway — an outlier governed, like the rest of this annual academic mating season, by a set of mandatory practices laid out by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, which is made up of college admissions officers and high school counselors. Those rules said, for example, that colleges couldn’t recruit a student who was already committed to another school or actively encourage someone to transfer. Crucially, the rules said that colleges needed to give students until May 1 to decide among offers (noting early decision, which begins and ends in the fall, as a “recognized exception”).

The Justice Department thought those rules ran afoul of the Sherman Antitrust Act, which bars powerful industries from colluding to restrain competition. At the end of 2019, NACAC agreed to a settlement mandating that the organization “promptly abolish” several of the rules and downgrade the rest to voluntary guidelines. Now, if they chose to, colleges had license to lure students with special offers or benefits, to aggressively poach students at other schools and to tear up the traditional admissions calendar.

At that point, nothing restrained colleges from going all in on early decision, a strategy that allows them to lock in students early without making any particular commitments about financial aid. Of the 735 first-year students that Middlebury College enrolled last year, for example, 516 were admitted via binding early decision. Some schools have a second round of early decision, and even what amounts to an unofficial third round — along with an array of other application pathways, each with its own terms and conditions.

With the rules now abandoned, colleges got a whole new bag of tricks. For example, a school might call — at any time in the process — with a one-time offer of admission if you can commit on the spot to attend and let go of all other prospects. Hesitate and it’s gone, along with your chances in subsequent rounds. “We hear about colleges that are putting pressure on high school seniors to send in a deposit sooner to get better courses or housing options,” says Sara Harberson, the founder of Application Nation, a college advising service.

To inform these maneuvers, colleges lean on consultants who analyze applicant demographics, qualifications, financial status and more, using econometric models. High school seniors think this is checkers, but the schools know it’s chess. This has all become terrifying for students, who are first-time players in a game their opponents invented.

Application season can be particularly intimidating for students who, unlike Ivy, did not grow up on the elite college conveyor belt. When Rania Khan, a senior in Gorton High School in Yonkers, N.Y., was in middle school, she and her mother spent two years in a shelter near Times Square. Since then she and her younger brother have been in the foster system. Despite these challenges, she has been a superb student. In ninth grade, Rania got an internship at Google and joined a research team at Regeneron, a biotechnology company. She won a national award for her study of how sewage treatment chemicals affect river ecosystems. Looking at colleges, she saw that her scores and credentials matched with those of students at the very top schools in the country.

One of the schools she was most drawn to was Barnard. “I like that it’s both a small college and” — because it’s part of Columbia — “a big university. There are a lot of resources, and it’s a positive environment for women,” she said. And it would keep her close to her little brother.

Barnard now fills around 60 percent of its incoming class in the early decision round, giving those students a massive admissions advantage. It would have been an obvious option for Rania, but she can’t take any chances financially. She applied via the general decision pool, when instead of having a one in three chance, her odds were one in 20.

Officially, anyone can apply for early decision. In practice it’s priority boarding for first-class passengers.

Unstandardized Testing

When selective colleges suspended the requirement for standardized testing, it didn’t really seem like a choice; because of the pandemic, a great many students simply couldn’t take the tests. The implications, however, went far beyond mere plague-year logistics.

The SAT was rolled out in 1926 as an objective measure of students’ ability, absent the cultural biases that had so strongly informed college admissions before then. It’s been the subject of debate almost ever since. In 1980, Ralph Nader published a study alleging that the standardized testing regimen actually reinforced racial and gender bias and favored people who could afford expensive test prep. Many educators have come back around to regarding the tests as a good predictor of academic success, but the matter is far from settled.

Remarkably, students still take the exams in the same numbers as before the pandemic, but far fewer disclose what they got. Cindy Zarzuela, an adviser with the nonprofit Yonkers Partners in Education who works with Rania and about 90 other students, said all her students took the SAT this year. None of them sent their scores to colleges.

These days, Cornell, for example, admits roughly 40 percent of its incoming class without a test score. At schools like the University of Wisconsin or the University of Connecticut , the percentage is even higher. In California, schools rarely accept scores at all, being in many cases not only test-optional, but also “test-blind.”

The high-water mark of test-optionality, however, was also its undoing.

Applicants tended to submit their scores only if they were above the school’s reported median, a pattern that causes that median to be recalibrated higher and higher each year. When Cornell went test-optional, its 25th percentile score on the math SAT jumped from 720 to 750. Then it went to 760. The ceiling is 800, so standardized tests had begun to morph from a system of gradients into a yes/no question: Did you get a perfect score? If not, don’t mention it.

The irony, however, was that in the search for a diverse student body, many elite colleges view strong-but-not-stellar test scores as proof that a student from an underprivileged background could do well despite lacking the advantages of the kids from big suburban high schools and fancy prep schools. Without those scores, it might be harder to make the case .

Multiply that across the board, and the result was that test-optional policies made admission to an elite school less likely for some diverse or disadvantaged applicants. Georgetown and M.I.T. were first to reinstate test score requirements, and so far this year Harvard, Yale, Brown, Caltech, Dartmouth and Cornell have announced that they will follow. There may be more to come.

The Power of No

On Dec. 14, Ivy got an answer from Duke: She was rejected.

She was in extremely good company. It’s been a while since top students could assume they’d get into top schools, but today they get rejected more often than not. It even happens at places like Northeastern, a school now ranked 53rd in the nation by U.S. News & World Report — and not long ago, more than 100 slots lower than that. It spends less per student on instruction than the Boston public schools .

“There’s no target school anymore and no safety school,” says Stef Mauler , a private admissions coach in Texas. “You have to have a strategy for every school you apply to.”

Northeastern was one of the 18 other schools Ivy applied to, carefully sifting through various deadlines and conditions, mapping out her strategy. With Duke out of the picture, her thoughts kept returning to one of them in particular: Dartmouth, her father’s alma mater. “My mom said, ‘Ivy, you love New Hampshire. Look at Dartmouth.’ She was right.” She had wanted to go someplace warm, but the idea of cold weather seemed to be bothering her less and less.

Meanwhile Rania watched as early decision day came and went, and thousands of high school seniors across the country got the best news of their lives. For Rania, it was just another Friday.

A Free Market in Financial Aid

In 2003, a consortium of about 20 elite colleges agreed to follow a shared formula for financial aid, to ensure that they were competing for students on the merits, not on mere dollars and cents. It sounds civilized, but pricing agreements are generally illegal for commercial ventures. (Imagine if car companies agreed not to underbid each other.) The colleges believed they were exempt from that prohibition, however, because they practiced “ need-blind ” admissions, meaning they don’t discriminate based on a student’s ability to pay.

In 2022, nine current and former students from an array of prestigious colleges filed a class-action antitrust lawsuit — later backed by the Justice Department — arguing that the consortium’s gentlemanly agreement was depriving applicants of the benefits of a free market. And to defang the defense, they produced a brilliant argument: No, these wealthy colleges didn’t discriminate against students who were poor, but they sure did discriminate in favor of students who were rich. They favored the children of alumni and devoted whole development offices to luring the kinds of ultrarich families that affix their names to shiny new buildings. It worked: Early this year, Brown, Columbia, Duke, Emory and Yale joined the University of Chicago in conceding , and paying out a nine-figure settlement. (They deny any wrongdoing.) Several other schools are playing on, but the consortium and its rules have evaporated.

This set schools free to undercut one another on price in order to get their preferred students. It also gave the schools a further incentive to push for early decision, when students don’t have the ability to compare offers.

For almost anyone seeking financial aid, from the most sought-after first-round pick to the kid who just slid under the wire, the first step remained the same: They had to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form, or FAFSA.

As anyone knows who’s been through it — or looked into the glassy eyes of someone else who has — applying for financial aid can be torture at the best of times. This year was the worst of times, because FAFSA was broken. The form, used by the government to determine who qualifies for federal grants or student loans, and by many colleges to determine their in-house financial aid, had gotten a much-needed overhaul. But the new version didn’t work , causing endless frustration for many families, and convincing many others not even to bother. At mid-April, finished FAFSA applications were down 29 percent compared with last year.

“The FAFSA catastrophe is bigger than people realize,” says Casey Sacks , a former U.S. Department of Education official and now the president of BridgeValley Community and Technical College in West Virginia, where 70 percent of students receive federal funds.

Abigail Garcia , Rania’s classmate and the 2024 valedictorian of their school, applied to in-state public colleges as well as Ivies. She couldn’t complete the FAFSA, however, because it rejected her parents’ information, the most common glitch. She has financial aid offers from elite schools, all of which use a private alternative to the government form, but she can’t weigh them against the public institutions, because they are so severely delayed.

For most students, 2024’s FAFSA crisis looks set to take the uncertainty that began last fall and drag it into the summer or beyond. “That’s going to reduce the work force in two to four years.” Ms. Sacks says. “FAFSA completions are a pretty good leading indicator of how many people will be able to start doing the kinds of jobs that are in highest demand — registered nurses, manufacturing engineers, those kinds of jobs.”

As the FAFSA problem rolls on, it could be that for the system as a whole, the worst is still to come.

Can Any of This Be Fixed?

On the numbers, elite college applicants’ problems are a footnote to the story of college access. The Ivy-Plus schools enroll less than 1 percent of America’s roughly 15 million undergraduates . If you expand the pool to include all colleges that are selective enough to accept less than a quarter of applicants, we’re still talking about only 6 percent of undergraduates. The easiest way to alleviate the traffic jam at the top is to shift our cultural focus toward the hundreds of schools that offer an excellent education but are not luxury brands.

Luxury brand schools, however, have real power. In 2023, 15 of 32 Rhodes scholars came from the Ivies, nine from Harvard alone. Twenty of this year’s 38 Supreme Court clerks came from Harvard or Yale. If elite colleges’ selection process is broken, what should we do to fix it?

Here’s what we can’t do: Let them go off and agree on their own solution. Antitrust law exists to prevent dominant players from setting their own rules to the detriment of consumers and competitors.

Here’s what we won’t do: Legislate national rules that govern admissions. Our systems are decentralized and it would take a miracle for Congress not to make things worse.

But here’s what we can do: Hold the schools accountable for their processes and their decisions.

Institutions that receive federal funds — which include all elite colleges — should be required to clearly state their admissions criteria. Admissions as currently practiced are designed to let schools whose budgets run on billions of taxpayers dollars do whatever they want. Consider Stanford’s guidance to applicants: “In a holistic review, we seek to understand how you, as a whole person, would grow, contribute and thrive at Stanford, and how Stanford would, in turn, be changed by you.” This perfectly encapsulates the current system, because it is meaningless.

Colleges should also not be allowed to make anyone decide whether to attend without knowing what it will actually cost, and they should not be allowed to offer better odds to those who forgo that information. They should not offer admissions pathways tilted to favor the rich, any more than they should offer pathways favoring people who are white.

It just shouldn’t be this hard. Really.

The Envelope Please …

Ivy has the highest academic qualifications available inside the conventional system, and her family can pay full tuition. Once upon a time, she would have had her pick of top colleges. Not this year.

Over the course of the whole crazy admissions season, the school she had come to care about most was Dartmouth.

Along with the other seven Ivies, Dartmouth released this year’s admissions decisions online on March 28, at 7 p.m. Eastern. Ivy was traveling that day, and as the moment approached, she said, “I was on the bed in my hotel room, just repeating, ‘People love me for who I am, not what I do. People love me for who I am, not what I do.’”

She was rejected by Duke, Vanderbilt, Stanford, Columbia and the University of Southern California, where Operation Varsity Blues shenanigans could once guarantee acceptance but, as Ivy discovered, a perfect score on the ACT will not. She landed on the wait list at Northeastern. She was accepted by Michigan and Johns Hopkins. And Ivy was accepted at both her parents’ alma maters: the University of Virginia and Dartmouth, where she will start in September.

For Rania, the star student with an extraordinary story of personal resilience, the news was not so good. At Barnard, she was remanded to the wait list. Last year only 4 percent of students in that position were eventually let in. N.Y.U. and the City University of New York’s medical college put her on the wait list, too.

A spot on a wait list tells applicants that they were good enough to get in. By the time Rania applied to these schools, there just wasn’t any room. “It was definitely a shock,” she said. “What was I missing? They just ran out of space — there are so many people trying to get into these places. It took two weeks to adjust to it.”

She did get lots of other good news, a sheaf of acceptances from schools like Fordham and the University at Albany. But then came the hardest question of all: How to pay for them? Some offered her a financial aid package that would leave her on the hook for more money than undergraduates are allowed to take out in federal student loans. Even now, some colleges haven’t been able to provide her with financial aid information at all.

Rania had all but settled on Hunter College, part of the City University system. It’s an excellent school, but a world away from the elite colleges she was thinking about when she started her search. Then at almost the last moment, Wesleyan came through with a full ride and even threw in some extra for expenses. Rania accepted, gratefully.

For Rania, the whole painful roller coaster of a year was over. For so many other high school seniors, the year of broken college admissions continues.

Daniel Currell, a lawyer and consultant, was a deputy under secretary and senior adviser at the Department of Education from 2018 to 2021. He is a trustee of Gustavus Adolphus College.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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Best College Admissions Consultants – 2024

May 7, 2024

As you look through the various lists of the “Best College Admissions Consultants” on the internet, you’ll be treated to an array of lists compiled by what appears to be some impartial ranking entity (“Aha, I’ve finally found the Consumer Reports/Wirecutter of college counseling!”). In reality, each of these lists is created by a particular college consulting agency, and published via a proxy server with no identifiable author. It’s about as “2024” a marketing technique as you can employ, but it’s also disingenuous and misleading, qualities that likely aren’t exactly aligned with what you’re looking for as you seek counseling and support for your child who is about to make what could be a $400,000 investment in tuition, housing, and other costs.

This list of the Best College Admissions Consultants only has one entry and it is, of course (spoiler alert), for our own company. While we do think we are “the best,” we also believe that there are dozens (or more) of other fantastic private counselors and essay coaches spread across the United States. Many others also provide research and experience-based advice that leads to positive outcomes for clients. As such, we aren’t knocking any other excellent company out there; in this space, we simply want to present the case as to why, for certain types of students and families, College Transitions may be the best fit.

Ready to Speak with a College Transitions Counselor?

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What makes College Transitions unlike any other college counseling agency?

• The CT Founders have authored two published books: The Enlightened College Applicant (2016, 2023) and the annual college guide Colleges Worth Your Money (now in its 5th edition).
• We’ve published research in top higher education journals such as Education Evaluation & Policy Analysis ,  Research in Higher Education,  and  The Journal of Higher Education.
• We’re regularly quoted by top national/global publications (example here ).
• CT maintains a free Dataverse,   Common Data Set Repository, blog, and newsletter for parents, students, and counselors.
• We developed a College List-Building Tool.
• We are certified in and able to offer valuable Career Assessments.
• Our essay coaches are highly trained professionals who all have teaching or tutoring experience, typically at the college level. Many of our coaches are also published writers or researchers who hold master’s or doctoral degrees in English, writing, or education.

In addition to these specific features and achievements, our philosophy also differs from many competitors. In short, we take the long view with our students and work backward. Through developing a sense of what future happiness and career success look like to a given individual, we can help develop an undergraduate plan of attack designed to get them on a successful and realistic path toward that vision.

Finally, we work with all our students 100% virtually in a model that we have honed relentlessly over the past decade. We deeply understand that building trust in a remote environment requires responsiveness, a value that is at the core of our counseling and essay coaching services. Accordingly, our efficient and effective counseling and essay coaching model makes it possible for students to receive expert, personalized support on a flexible schedule. This model also enables students to dedicate the bulk of their time to what matters most: schoolwork, activities, test prep, essays, and actual applications.

Best College Admissions Consultants (Continued)

College transitions clients’ recent acceptances, class of 2023.

Representing 36 states, 11 countries, and 126 different high schools, the College Transitions Class of 2023 was our largest, most diverse, and most accomplished yet. With support from our team of counselors, CT students earned admission offers from more than 200 colleges and universities. We have included a sampling of our most popular schools below. Institutions listed in  bold  accepted five or more of our students.

We have plans for high school students of all grade levels:

Mentorship & Planning

Grades 9 and 10.

Provide guidance for all essential college planning tasks during the first half of high school, including:

• Academic advising and course selection for all grades
• Extracurricular planning
• Summer activity planning (including support for summer program essays)
• Resumé building
• Diagnostic standardized testing and score assessment
• Preliminary college visits and demonstrating interest

Grades 11 & 12, and Transfers

Offer support throughout the entire college search and application process, including for the following tasks:

• College list development
• Preliminary review, assessment of chances, and strategic positioning
• Course selection
• Essay coaching (for personal statements and supplemental essays)
• Activities list and resume development
• College interview prep
• Standardized testing strategy
• Letter of recommendation strategy
• Financial aid and scholarship guidance
• College decision guidance and college transition support

We sincerely believe that you will find the Best College Admissions Consultants for your needs right here at College Transitions. Again, we invite you to get to know us more through our website and/or by filling out a Consultation Request .

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The Magis Prize

Starting in academic year 2024-2025 and for three subsequent years, the Magis prize recognizes early-stage Associate Professors of exceptional creativity who are making a profound impact in their field of scholarship. It makes an investment in the candidate’s potential to make future advances, by providing $100,000 and two semesters of research leave to focus on scholarship. Further, it seeks to enhance student participation in advanced research collaborations with extraordinary faculty. Selected winners will have an outstanding scholarly record of unusually high impact, and present a compelling and potentially transformative research agenda. 

Three winners will be selected in each of the next four years. Each winner will receive $100,000 to support their research and two semesters of research leave free of teaching and service, to be used within three years. The two semesters of research may be taken together or apart or in combination with other research leaves but no more than three semesters of research leave may be taken consecutively. The two semesters of research leave will not count towards sabbatical accrual. Units will receive support for covering lost teaching due to the two semesters of research leave. 

Selection Process

Submissions are invited for the 2024-2025 Magis Prize from Associate Professors who were tenured in academic years 2021-2022, 2022-2023, or 2023-2024, in the Georgetown College of Arts & Sciences, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Walsh School of Foreign Service, the McDonough School of Business, the McCourt School of Public Policy, the Earth Commons Institute, the School of Nursing, and the School of Health. 

Application materials include a current curriculum vitae (use  template  from tenure dossier) and a three-page essay describing the applicant’s research agenda that tackles a problem or challenge of importance to society today. Applicants may propose a new project or extend ongoing research.  The essay must address 1) significance of the problem or challenge; 2) general research approach; and 3) what makes the proposed work exceptionally innovative or original. A detailed budget is not required. However, a brief description of how the funds from the Magis Prize will further the research agenda and how Georgetown students will be included in the research should be included.  

Materials should be uploaded to this  BOX  folder by 5:00 pm on June 3, 2024.

Each application will be evaluated by two experts in the area of the proposed work from among the Georgetown University faculty. The application and the expert evaluations will be reviewed by a panel of distinguished faculty, who will make their recommendations for the three winners to the Provost. Winners will be announced in  August 2024 . 

Responsibilities of the Magis Prize Recipient

In each year of the three-year Magis Prize, the awardee will present a progress report on the work funded by the prize to the Provost. In the last years of the prize, the awardee will meet with Georgetown’s Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship (CNDLS) instructional design teams to consider how to incorporate the innovations created over the term of the prize into the Georgetown curriculum. When the research facilitated by the Magis Prize has reached an appropriate level of completion, the awardee will deliver a university-wide lecture describing the results of the research.  All publications resulting from the prize should cite the support of the Magis Prize.

Title: Meet the Class of 2024: The Must-Read Stories from Georgetown’s Graduating Seniors

As we prepare to send off the Class of 2024, take a look back at the last four years of memories, achievements and milestones from this next generation of graduates from Georgetown.

This commencement season, we celebrate…

The class that started college in a pandemic.

Class of 2024, New Transfer Students Move to the Hilltop, Start First In-Person Classes

But became a class of outstanding scholars who broke university records.

Georgetown Students, Alumni Win Record Number of Fellowships in 2023

5 georgetown students, alumni named marshall scholars in record-breaking year.

Third Georgetown Student Wins 2024 Rhodes Scholarship

Georgetown Alumnus, Tech Policy Researcher Wins the 2024 Rhodes Scholarship

Georgetown Alumnus, War Crimes Researcher Wins 2024 Rhodes Scholarship

60 Georgetown Students, Alumni Named Finalists for Presidential Management Fellows Program in 2024

Two Juniors Awarded Goldwater Scholarships for Research in STEM

Senior Who Researches Peacebuilding Wins Gates Cambridge Scholarship

Two Hoyas Awarded Prestigious Schwarzman Scholarship in China

And explored new fields inside and outside of the classroom.

A Future Foreign Service Officer’s Training at the Diplomatic Dinner Table

I took a georgetown course on mass incarceration. it was my favorite class ever., sustaining the oasis: traveling to qatar to learn about middle east water security, cop28: a georgetown graduate student’s perspective traveling to the world’s largest climate conference, journey to nairobi: an international development and community-centered perspective.

Exploring Peacebuilding and Conflict Management in South Africa

The class that has gotten out the vote.

First-Year Student Balances School, Advocacy at Mi Familia Vota in Nevada

Students Get Involved in 2020 Election By Working on Campaigns, Voter Engagement

The Results Are In: Student-Led Initiative Helps Get Out the Vote

And engaged directly with world leaders.

Hear From 5 Global Leaders on Topics Important to Georgetown Students

Madeleine Albright’s Teaching Assistants Remember Her Impact at Georgetown

Hoyas on the campaign trail: students track presidential primaries in iowa and new hampshire, the class that is fighting to create a more sustainable future.

After a Trip to the Yucatan, Undergraduates Find Their Plans Shaken Up

Mccourt student taps into life-giving water supplies in southeast asia.

A Not-So-Secret Garden That Whets More Than Appetites

And is now prepared to bring healing and care for others.

‘Open Your Envelopes!’ With Nerves and Tears of Joy, Med Students Celebrate Match Day

Student-Run Ambulance Service Celebrates 40 Years of Caring for Fellow Students

Graduate nursing student embraces indigenous yupik culture while serving in rural alaska, the class that spent their time at georgetown discovering the world and pursuing their passions.

International Development Policy Students Gain Field Experience in Jordan and Cambodia

Aspiring Lawyer Lands Her Dream Legal Internship in Appalachia With a Cold Email

My Nursing Pilgrimage to Lourdes, France

Meet the Best Friends Who Argue All Day and Are Nationally Ranked Debaters

And advocated for change in their communities, around the world and at georgetown.

After Years of Campaigning, SFS Student Helps Protect Women’s and Children’s Rights in Indonesia

Hoyas Spend Summer Advocating for Migrants and Running Summer Camp

Black Georgetown Rediscovered: Students Help Preserve History at Underground Railroad Hideout

Join us in celebrating this resilient, record-shattering class that is continuing georgetown’s tradition of graduating people for others..

Congratulations to the Class of 2024!

Celebrate the class of 2024.

To the Class of 2024…

• Class of 2024