georgia college essay prompts

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Georgia College & State University | GCSU’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Select-a-prompt short response.

The questions on this page are being asked by Georgia College As part of our mission to provide students with a liberal arts education, Georgia College strives to create an atmosphere that instills in students exceptional qualities of mind and character including respect for individuality. Georgia College is dedicated to extending learning beyond the classroom to foster critical thinking skills and help students develop the tools necessary to not only consume knowledge, but also produce knowledge. Our faculty create a rigorous and challenging classroom experience and prepare students to combine that experience with real-world applications. With this educational style in mind, please choose one of the two following essay topics:*

Given your own individual background and life experiences, what strengths or distinctions will you contribute to the student body at GCSU?

Please describe the most important goal you have established for yourself regarding your future undergraduate experience and explain how a Georgia College education fits into accomplishing this goal.

Common App Personal Essay

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

Undergraduate Admission

• Application Review Process
• Academic Preparation
• Standardized Tests
• Contribution to Community

Personal Essays

• Recommendations
• Interview for International Applicants
• Major Selection
• Institutional Fit

The purpose of the essays is to assess your writing ability and, more importantly, to learn more about you as an individual. This portion of the application helps us get to know you, assess mutual fit, and better understand what you could contribute to Georgia Tech.

Application Essay Prompts

Below are the Georgia Tech essay questions for 2023 applications. Both prompts are required of all applicants.

• Common Application Personal Essay: First-year applicants will choose one of seven essay prompts provided by Common App.
• Georgia Tech Short-Answer Question (max 300 words): Why do you want to study your chosen major specifically at Georgia Tech?

Start Your Essays

What Are We Looking for in Your Essays?

Essays are evaluated for both content and writing/grammatical skills. So, before submitting your application, you should take the time to edit and review your essay thoroughly. The traits of a strong essay include ones that:

• Demonstrate authenticity & self-awareness.
• Demonstrate thoughtfulness.
• Display attention to topic, style, and grammar.
• Demonstrate a student has thought about why Georgia Tech, specifically, is a fit for them and how their goals align with Georgia Tech’s Values . The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university established by the state of Georgia in Atlanta in 1885 and committed to developing leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition.

Our Advice for this Portion of the Application

• Get started early. Don’t wait until the last minute to complete your essays!
• Write and edit your essay in a document editor. Once you have the final draft, you can cut and paste it into your online application.
• Don’t write what you think we want to read. Write what you want to say!
• Don’t blow off the essay! We wouldn’t ask you to write it if we didn’t find it to be an important way to get to know you, and what you could bring to Georgia Tech.
• In the same way you would not copy directly from any other source you may incorporate into the writing process, you should not copy and paste directly out of any AI platform or submit work that you did not originally create. Instead, approach and consider any interaction with an AI tool as a learning experience that may help you generate ideas, provide alternative phrasing options, and organize your thoughts. Ultimately, we want to read and hear your unique and valuable writing style.

Per Georgia state law and Georgia Tech policy , all admission staff are mandatory reporters who are required by law to report suspected abuse or neglect of minors to appropriate authorities. Any statements in written materials, including anywhere in a student’s application or supporting materials, that give admission staff reasonable cause to believe abuse or neglect of someone under the age of 18 may have occurred must be reported to the Georgia Tech Police Department. Learn more about reporting requirements .

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The University System of Georgia has announced that the three most selective public universities in the state of Georgia will require standardized test scores for fall 2024 admission for first-year students. As one of the top three most selective public universities in the state, Georgia College & State University will require the SAT or ACT for admissions for fall 2024 . Keep in mind, GCSU employs a holistic admissions review process that takes into account a variety of factors such as GPA, difficulty of courses taken in high school, your essay, resume, and letters of recommendation. In addition, you may submit self-reported test scores for initial admissions review. If you are admitted using self-reported scores and choose to enroll at Georgia College & State University, you will need to submit official test scores by May 1, 2024.

Freshman Applicants

Our application for fall 2024 is now closed. However, please contact our office at 478-445-2294 to discuss potential waitlist options for freshman admission for Fall 2024.

Our Fall 2024 Freshman Application is due April 1. Apply with GAFutures.org Application Apply with The Common Application

Georgia College & State University is one of the three most selective public universities in the state, and we use a holistic review process that is focused on reading every student's application in-full to determine a well-rounded fit. Therefore, GCSU is not included in Georgia Match . Students must complete a traditional application on GA Futures or Common App to be considered for admission at GCSU.

Note: The Common Application is only available for first-time freshmen and for fall term only. Spring freshmen applicants please use GA Futures application.  

Paper Application

Your road to Georgia College starts here. Georgia College does not prefer one application over the other. All applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are complete, regardless of which application is used. Please submit ONLY ONE application and use ONLY that application all the way through to submission. Submitting more than one application will most certainly delay your admission decision.

Transfer Applicants

Our transfer application is open for spring 2024 and fall 2024.   Apply with GAFutures.org Application

Learn more about transfer student admissions requirements at Georgia College.

Transfer Admissions Requirements

As you prepare your application please review the items below.

The $35 online application fee is payable at the time of application for both freshman and transfer applicants and is non-refundable. The paper application fee is $40. If you submitted your application without paying the fee, you may do so  by clicking here .

Application processing fee is NOT required of:

• Students who registered for the SAT using a SAT fee waiver and chose the fee waiver option as their payment method after completing an application. Students must make sure to submit one of their official fee waivers to the Georgia College Office of Admissions for waiver to be accepted.
• Applicants aged 62 and above
• Applicants who applied and paid the application fee within the past six years, but never enrolled 

Transcripts must be sent directly from each and every high school or college attended to the GC Office of the Admissions, Campus Box 023, Milledgeville, GA 31061.

Official formats for receiving transcripts include:

College:   Parchment ,  National Student Clearinghouse ,  Mail High School:   GAfutures ,  Parchment ,  CommonApp ,  Naviance , and  Mail

Mailed transcripts should be sent in an unopened envelope that was sealed by the school.  Prospective first-year students must meet all admission requirements, including satisfactory completion of the  Required High School Curriculum  and all other requested documentation.

Faxed documents and copies provided by the student are NOT considered official and will not be used for admission purposes. Courses from one institution that are listed on another high school and/or college transcript will not substitute for an official transcript. Prior educational experience may not be omitted from an application package.

As part of our mission to provide students with a liberal arts education, Georgia College strives to create an atmosphere that instills in students exceptional qualities of mind and character including respect for individuality. Georgia College is dedicated to extending learning beyond the classroom to foster critical thinking skills and help students develop the tools necessary to not only consume knowledge, but also produce knowledge. Our faculty create a rigorous and challenging classroom experience and prepare students to combine that experience with real-world applications. With this educational style in mind, please choose one of the two following essay topics:

• Given your own individual background and life experiences, what strengths or distinctions will you contribute to the student body at GCSU?
• Please describe the most important goal you have established for yourself regarding your future undergraduate experience and explain how a Georgia College education fits into accomplishing this goal.

Generally, essays are completed on the application. However, if sending the essays via mail or email, please include the applicant’s full name and birth date to ensure materials are updated to the correct application. Essays may be mailed to Campus Box 23, Milledgeville, GA 31061, or emailed as a Microsoft Word document to  [email protected] .

The University System of Georgia has announced that the three most selective public universities in the state of Georgia will require standardized test scores for fall 2024 admission for first-year students. As one of the top three most selective public universities in the state, Georgia College & State University will require the SAT or ACT for admissions for fall 2024. Keep in mind, GCSU employs a holistic admissions review process that takes into account a variety of factors such as GPA, difficulty of courses taken in high school, your essay, resume, and letters of recommendation. In addition, you may submit self-reported test scores for initial admissions review. If you are admitted using self-reported scores   and choose to enroll at Georgia College & State University, you will need to submit official test scores by May 1, 2024.

Despite the changes and challenges of the last few years, GCSU's quality of education, commitment to community, and devotion to our students' success has not wavered. Neither has our holistic review process with our admissions applicants - we have always focused on academics, rigor, activities, and leadership. Admissions decisions are based on the total student portfolio and demonstrated potential for contribution to the university and probability for success in the unique environment of the GCSU community.

Self-Reported Test Scores In an effort to expedite the application completion process, Georgia College will allow self-reported test scores for initial admission review. You have two avenues to self-report your standardized test scores:

• Self-reported scores listed in the Common Application testing section
• Self-reported Score Form, which can be found in your admission portal after you have submitted your application

Please note: We will not use scores received on your high school transcript or via email, fax, or postal service. Additionally, GCSU cannot request scores on your behalf.

If you are admitted and choose to enroll at Georgia College, you will need to submit official test scores by May 1. Use the school codes below to submit your official scores:

• SAT/ AP/CLEP:  5252

To learn more about how we use test scores, click the button below.

GC TEST SCORE INFORMATION

LEARN HOW TO SEND SAT SCORES  

LEARN HOW TO SEND ACT SCORES 

SAT Test Dates  |  ACT Test Dates  

Other recommended items  include a letter of recommendation and resume of co-curricular activities. Letters of recommendation and resumes may be included on the application for admission, mailed to Campus Box 23, Milledgeville, GA 31061, or emailed as a Microsoft Word document to  [email protected] . Please include the applicant’s full name and birth date when sending the recommended items to ensure materials are updated to the correct application.

If your file is Complete and Ready for Review by the date(s) below, a decision will be entered on the noted decision date:

October 15, 2023 (Early Action)*

*Early Action decisions will be posted by late November 2023. Check our social media accounts and emails for more information about when decisions will be available. Students will be notified via email that there has been an update to their admissions application status.

Beginning in January (after the early action deadline), decisions will be released on a monthly basis.

Please note: Completed and Ready for Review status means that ALL required application materials along with the Undergraduate Application have been received to the Office of Admissions.

We invite prospective students to schedule a meeting with an admissions counselor to discuss the admissions process and answer any questions you have. Click the link below to find your assigned admissions counselor by Georgia county or state. Our Admissions Counselors are available to speak with you via phone, email, and/or a virtual ZOOM meeting. 

Click here to find your admissions counselor

If you have any questions about the undergraduate admissions process, please feel free to contact the Office of Admissions at  [email protected]  or 478-445-1283. For  Graduate Admissions  questions, please call or email 478-445-6289/  [email protected]

Undergraduate Update Form

Update your undergraduate application

The form must be submitted for students who meet the criteria below.

• Dual Enrollment students currently enrolled at Georgia College
• GC students who attend another school as a transient for either the Fall or Spring semester (the student needs to send an official transcript to the Admissions Office once their final grade is posted)
• Students who withdraw and receive a full refund for a Fall or Spring semester
• Non-Degree Seeking students  (must update every semester)
• Non-Degree Seeking, Amendment 23 students (must update every semester)
• Students who wish to attend/return to GC and applied or were enrolled less than a year ago (If more than a year has passed, the student needs to submit a new application)

Graduate Application for Admission

If you are considering Georgia College for graduate school, please complete the Graduate Application.  If you are interested in learning more about our graduate programs and opportunities, visit our  graduate student overview page .

ONLINE GRADUATE APPLICATION

International Application for Admission

If you are an international student considering Georgia College for an undergraduate or graduate degree, please complete the appropriate application. If you are interested in learning more about resources and opportunities for international students, please visit our  International Education Center  section.

INTERNATIONAL UNDERGRADUATE APPLICATION

INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE APPLICATION

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report  

The GC Annual Security and Fire Safety Report include crime statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred On Campus; in or on certain Non-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by GC; and on Public Property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, fire safety policies/statistics, and other matters. Hard copies are available at the Department of Public Safety. You may also request a hard copy by emailing  [email protected]  or view our most recent report .

As required by Title IX, Georgia College & State University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in any of its education programs or activities, including in admissions and employment. Inquiries concerning application of Title IX can be directed to GCSU's Title IX Coordinator or to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights. Please visit  Georgia College & State University’s Title IX webpage  for more information. 

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 3 tips for writing stellar georgia tech essays.

College Info , College Essays

Before you envision yourself getting settled in at Georgia Tech, you must get over the hurdle of writing the Georgia Tech essays. The Georgia Tech supplement requires you to write a short essay specifically for Georgia Tech. But what is the essay prompt? And what should you include in your Georgia Tech essay?

Keep reading to learn exactly what the Georgia Tech essay is, what kinds of topics you can write about (and what kinds of topics to avoid), and how to ensure you're submitting a quality essay.

Feature Image: Wally Gobetz /Flickr

What Are the Georgia Tech Supplement Essay Prompts?

The Georgia Tech application includes a total of two essays . For one of these, you'll choose one of the seven Common App prompts to respond to, and the other is specific to Georgia Tech. Here's the Georgia Tech prompt:

Why do you want to study your chosen major specifically at Georgia Tech?

How to Write the "Why Georgia Tech?" Essay

This prompt is a version of the "why this college?" prompt . Specifically, this prompt is a "why us?" prompt: It's asking you to elaborate on why this college and the major you've chosen are best suited to you and your aspirations. In other words, what about Georgia Tech and the field of study you want to pursue there will help you achieve your future goals?

To answer this question, you'll need to do some research on Georgia Tech and the academic program you're applying to . The easiest way to do this is to go to the Georgia Tech website to get an overview of what's offered by your program, including the kinds of classes, study abroad options, professors, and internship opportunities.

If possible, I suggest visiting the campus to sit in on classes and meet professors so you can get a clearer feel for the academic program as well as the environment at Georgia Tech as a whole.

In your essay, try to pick a specific characteristic to focus on —don't just say you want to attend Georgia Tech because it's prestigious or well-known. Lots of colleges are!

Next, you'll need to know how your education at Georgia Tech will help you after college . For example, you could write about how you think Georgia Tech's cooperative education program will help you gain relevant professional experience and make connections with like-minded peers.

Regardless of what aspects of Georgia Tech and your major you want to write about, make sure to clearly connect the essay back to you and your own interests and goals .

Here are some possible topics you could use for your "Why Georgia Tech?" essay:

• An anecdote relating some sort of positive personal experience you had at Georgia Tech (such as while on a campus tour)
• A positive interaction you had with someone affiliated with Georgia Tech, such as a current student or professor involved with the major you're applying for
• Your excitement about getting to work with a particular faculty member  and how this opportunity will help you further your career goals
• Your enthusiasm for getting to study in a program, major, or minor that's not usually offered at many schools or that has a unique, interesting angle at Georgia Tech
• A special facility or piece of equipment you're looking forward to being able to work in or with that isn't offered on other campuses or is very rare

Georgia Tech Essay Examples + Analysis

We've written two Georgia Tech essay examples to help give you an idea as to what and how you could write your Why Georgia Tech essay. Additionally, we go over what makes them good essays for a Georgia Tech application.

Georgia Tech Essay Example 1

"Honestly, I can't imagine what my life would be like if I hadn't gone to Georgia Tech."

Katrina was a few years older than me and the sister of my best friend, Troy, who'd given me her email address so I could ask any questions I had about her time at Georgia Tech. This was the last line of her response—and by far the most memorable.

Like Katrina, I can't imagine myself not attending Georgia Tech. As an aspiring environmental engineer, I see Georgia Tech as a gateway to not just learning but also professional success. The flexibility of the major would allow me to focus specifically on my passion for reducing the negative effects of climate change and securing access to clean water. As a senior, I plan to take several hydraulics-focused electives.

In addition, through the InVenture Prize, which I hope to participate in at least twice, I'll be able to utilize the knowledge I've gained through my classes, projects, and fieldwork by translating it into a concrete vision—specifically, an invention that will increase the availability of fresh, healthy water for disadvantaged communities.

After graduation, and as a proud Georgia Tech alumnus (ideally with an InVenture Prize), I plan to implement the skills I've gained through my environmental engineering major in the nonprofit sector.

I haven't met Katrina yet, but I feel as though I know her—perhaps it's that shared sense of joy at having discovered the perfect school for the paths we've chosen.

Here's why this Georgia Tech essay works:

• It's got a creative hook that draws you in. This Georgia Tech essay opens with a quotation that immediately makes it feel as though you're reading a compelling story. It then goes on to connect this hook directly to the narrator who "can't imagine … not attending Georgia Tech," ensuring the focus remains on the applicant and not Katrina.
• It mentions specific features of Georgia Tech. The applicant doesn't just write about how prestigious Georgia Tech is but specifically mentions opportunities she's interested in taking advantage of, such as hydraulics courses and the famous InVenture Prize competition.

The mark of a good college essay is an acceptance letter!

Georgia Tech Essay Example 2

Atlanta has been my home all my life, and I've always known that I want to be one of the people who help make it such a wonderful place to live. My dream is to create my own business that makes it easier for other start-up businesses to get up and running. Georgia Tech is my dream school because I know it will give me the absolute best chance of achieving my goals.

The course catalog for Georgia Tech's Scheller College of Business makes it clear that all business students receive a top-notch and comprehensive business education no matter what area they choose to focus on. However, what really interests me is Scheller's emphasis on entrepreneurship. I'm so excited to take advantage of the opportunities the school offers, like LBAT and study abroad programs that focus on starting a new business, the certificate in entrepreneurship, and the Enterprise Innovation Institute where I hope to collaborate with professors, business leaders, and peers to learn how to create and grow and successful business of my own.

Growing up in Atlanta, learned early that it has many resources for people hoping to go into business, and I know Georgia Tech will help me take advantage of them. Under the school's internship program, I hope to work for a start-up company, learning about what makes some new companies thrive while others fail, and getting on-the-ground experience learning what new companies need to do well and avoid common pitfalls. I'll also use Georgia Tech's extensive connections with local business leaders to continue to expand my business acumen outside the classroom.

I have so many ideas for what I want to do with my career, and I can't wait to attend Georgia Tech to learn the skills I need to make these dreams possible.

• It goes in-depth on what Georgia Tech offers. Like the first essay, this one also gets specific on exactly which parts of the school the writer plans to take advantage of the most. From mentioning the course catalog, specific business programs, and the school's connections with the community, it's clear the writer did her research and knows which of Georgia Tech's resources will be of most value to her.
• It has a clear vision of a career path. You don't need to know exactly what you want to do after you graduate college, but having a general idea can really help you show the admissions committee how you're going to take advantage of what Georgia Tech offers. In this case, it's the entrepreneurship and business opportunities at the school, which will help the writer start her own business after graduation.

How to Write a Great Georgia Tech Essay: Three Essential Tips

Now that you know the specifics of the Why Georgia Tech essay prompt, here are three key tips to use while writing your essay.

#1: Be Specific and Concise

The Georgia Tech supplemental essay only gives you room for up to 300 words. That's a pretty short essay! Since you're so limited in terms of length, you'll need to make sure you're using the space you have wisely. Don't write super flowery, verbose descriptions or rely on overly vague examples.

Instead, be as specific as you can be so that you're emphasizing only the most important parts of the story you want to tell. Specificity will make your essay more concise and easier to follow.

#2: Show, Don't Tell

You've probably heard this refrain a million times, but it's especially important for college essays: show your experiences, emotions, and perspectives instead of simply telling them to your readers . Doing this will make your Georgia Tech essays sound vibrant and alive rather than dull and boring.

One of the very best ways to catapult your descriptions to a whole new level and to lend a stronger voice to your writing is to use a variety of literary devices , including flashbacks, anecdotes, imagery, and euphemisms.

#3: Polish and Proofread

Before you submit your Georgia Tech essays, make sure to take some time to read them over, edit them, get feedback, and proofread them.

The best way to do this is to start by writing a rough draft. Once finished, put your essay away for a little while—from a couple of days to a week or so depending on the amount of time you have left before college applications are due —and then take it out again.

As you read your essay, mark any areas that are unclear, awkwardly worded, or irrelevant . You should also proofread your essay for any glaring typos and errors in punctuation, spelling, and grammar.

Once you've repeated this process a few times, it's time to get a new set of eyes to look it over for you. Ask someone you trust, such as a teacher, parent, or counselor, to read your essay and offer comments and corrections on it.

Doing all of this will ensure that your essay is completely polished by the time you turn it in to Georgia Tech!

What's Next?

If you're reading this, you're likely not only applying to Georgia Tech. Get more tips with our expert guides to the Stanford essays , the Northwestern essay , and the Harvard essay .

Applying through the Common App? Check out this comprehensive list of schools that accept the Common App , and learn more about how to write the Common App essay .

To learn more about Georgia Tech and how to get in, take a look at its admission requirements page .

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

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New Information for 2024 First Year Applicants

  david graves        may 26th, 2023 in blog.

For the Fall 2024 First-Year applicant group, there are three updates the UGA Admissions Office wants to make known when students are preparing to apply to UGA.

• We will be exclusively using the Common App for our First-Year applicants. We will still use our in-house application for non First-Year applicants such as transfer students, but in order to have a consistent look and make sure there are no issues with trying to match documents across different platforms, all First-Year applicants will need to use the Common App. We will have our in-house application ready in case there are any major issues that come up, but we do not expect that this will be needed.
• While UGA will continue to have the same EA and RD deadlines, we will be splitting the EA decision release date into two release dates : In-State applicants will receive an EA decision in mid-late November, while Out-of-State applicants will receive an EA decision in mid-late December. Our EA applicant pool has increased dramatically over the last few years (for 2023 we had roughly 26,000 EA applicants), so we are making this change to ensure all EA applicants receive a thorough review and the Admissions Office is not overwhelmed during the EA process. When we are closer to the estimated time frames listed above, we will have a better understanding of the exact decision release dates and will share the dates at that time. In addition, our documents deadline for both EA and RD have been expanded to 2 weeks after the application deadline. This will allow for both applicants and school counselors to have a little more time to make sure all transcripts, recommendations and other supporting documents are in our office.
• UGA will keep the same longer personal essay (250-650 words) as before, using the essay prompts from the Common App . The shorter UGA specific essay (200-300 words suggested) topic will be changing, with the following essay prompt being used for the class of 2024 (and hopefully beyond that) :

“ The transition from middle to high school is a key time for students as they reach new levels of both academic and personal discovery. Please share a book (novel, non-fiction, etc.) that had a serious impact on you during this time. Please focus more on why this book made an impact on you and less on the plot/theme of the book itself (we are not looking for a book report).”

• FYI – We are not restricting you to the exact years of 8th-9th grades, but rather the general timeframe of the middle to high school transition, which can extend somewhat further than one year on each end. Feel free to use your discretion in your choice of the timeline focused on the shift to your high school years.

As always, we also share an essay from an enrolling First-Year student that we believe shows great writing skills:

If you asked me what object I’d save in a burning fire, I’d save my notebook. My notebook isn’t just any notebook, it’s bubble gum pink with purple tie dye swirls, and has gold coil binding it together. But more importantly, it’s the key that unlocked my superpower, sending me soaring into the sky, flying high above any problems that could ever catch me. However, my notebook is simply the key. My real power rests in the depths of my mind, in my passion for writing. But to know how my powers came to be (not from a spider or a special rock), I must travel back to the first spark.

Nine years ago, on a cold winter morning, I sat at my tiny wooden desk in Mr. Barton’s famous Writer’s Workshop class. While I have no recollection of what I wrote, I can vividly recall my joy, the speed of my hand guiding the pencil on the paper, and the thrill I had knowing that I was the puppeteer. The story could be completely mine as long as I had my imagination. At this moment, my creative powers sparked like a car engine. This was the first time I truly enjoyed writing.

Four years ago, I wrote my first 6-word memoir in my eighth-grade rhetoric class. Inspired by my father’s recently diagnosed terminal illness, I wrote “Take his words, don’t take him”. It was as if all the energy of my powers surged into six meaningful words meant to honor the man that I would soon lose to a villain known as ALS. This was the first time I felt my writing.

Three years ago, my dad’s disease severely progressed. The ALS seized his ability to speak and locked it in a tower with no key. The only way we could communicate was with an old spiral notebook. Black pen ink filled the pages with his distinctive handwriting I personally liked to call chicken scratch. He was frail, yet full of life, when I walked into his room one day. He motioned for to me to read the notebook, and in his best chicken scratch it read, “I Love You”. Using my best eighth-grade girl penmanship, I wrote back, “I LOVE YOU MORE”. This was the first time I needed my writing.

Two years ago, I found my key. I drove to Target and purchased my bubble gum pink, purple swilled tie dye, and gold coil binding notebook. My powers always dwelled deep inside me, but the instant I opened my notebook, it was as if a bright light illuminated my face, unlocking a world of possibility. Feeling frustrated about the recent passing of my dad, I took my feelings to paper. My hand flew, and before I knew it, I was left with a poem, entitled “Broken Smile”. Once completed, I was speechless. I never understood that I could feel so deeply about the words I had to say, that I could feel so powerful in a world that often rendered me powerless. I felt… like a superhero.

One year ago, my powers began to flourish. My perfect pink notebook became the key to my inner thoughts and feelings… my superpower. I journaled about my day, wrote poems and meticulously crafted stories. But most significantly, tucked between the pages, I always carried a folded piece of paper to keep me inspired: a letter in the most beautiful chicken scratch I had ever seen.

One month ago, I needed my powers more than ever before. I needed them to convey who I truly am for the chance at the future of my dreams as a writer. Except this time, I didn’t need the key because my powers grew into fruition. Instead, I opened my laptop only to type out one sentence… “If you asked me what object to save in a burning fire, I’d save my notebook.”   Ariel A.

This essay gives us insight into the student’s feelings and thoughts, and she shares her passions and her challenges through descriptive word choice. This is an excellent essay, but please know that we are not expecting this level of writing from the applicant pool overall. This essay example is meant to show our applicant pool how to express themselves through similes, sensory language (words that capture the senses of the reader), and emotion. When we are reviewing essays, we are looking more at the student’s voice coming through and less on technical writing skills.

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Georgia Tech Supplemental Essays 2023-24 – Prompts and Advice

July 13, 2023

Georgia Tech has always been an excellent university where one could receive a top-notch educational experience. However, it was not always a highly-selective institution on the admissions front. In fact, back in the days of the Clinton White House, Georgia Tech accepted over two-thirds of those who applied. In 2023, this is a school that only admits 12% of out-of-state applicants and 29% of freshmen were the valedictorian or salutatorian of their high school class (let that sink in a moment…). It’s fair to say that an applicant to Georgia Tech today is playing a completely different ballgame than applicants in 1995, 2005, or even 2015. Even students with nothing lower than an A- on their transcript and an SAT/ACT score above the 95th percentile still need a compelling application in order to have strong odds of becoming a Yellow Jacket. That brings us to the Georgia Tech supplemental essays…

 (Want to learn more about How to Get Into Georgia Tech? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into Georgia Tech: Admissions Data and Strategies  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

Although it only has one general essay prompt, Georgia Tech’s supplemental section still affords applicants an opportunity to illustrate what makes them uniquely qualified for admission. Below is Georgia Tech’s supplemental essay for the 2022-23 admissions cycle. The College Transitions team also dishes advice on how to pen a winning essay.

2022-2023 Georgia Tech Essay Question

Why do you want to study your chosen major specifically at Georgia Tech? (300 words max)

This is part “Why Us?” and part “Explain Your Major” and your aim is to seamlessly touch on both topics in a tightly-woven 300-word composition. Georgia Tech is very forthcoming in its essay-related advice to applicants. They wisely advise all applicants to demonstrate “authenticity & self-awareness,” “thoughtfulness”, and to “display attention to topic, style, and grammar.” For a deeper dive, let’s examine the list of common pitfalls followed by a list of characteristics of a winning Georgia Tech supplemental essay:

Common components of a mediocre “Why Georgia Tech?” essay

• Georgia Tech’s engineering/business/computer science program is atop the U.S. News rankings, is prestigious, and has a great reputation.
• Generalities about why Atlanta is an ideal location for your college experience.
• Generalities about why Atlanta is an exciting/cosmopolitan/diverse/culture-filled city.
• Too many generic expressions of feeling (e.g. I know with all my being that Georgia Tech is the school for me…).
• Recycled statements from your other “Why Us?” essays that come across as stale, impersonal, or worst of all–irrelevant/inaccurate.

How to write a needle-moving “Why Georgia Tech?” essay

• Demonstrate how your goals align with the school’s mission statement. “The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university established by the state of Georgia in Atlanta in 1885 and committed to developing leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition.”
• Cite specific academic programs, professors, research opportunities , internship/externship programs, study abroad programs , student-run organizations , etc.
• How will you be an active, contributing member of the academic community at Georgia Tech?
• Show evidence of how your past/current endeavors will carry over onto Georgia Tech’s campus.
• How will you take advantage of Georgia Tech’s immense resources both inside and outside of the classroom?
• Lastly, address why Georgia Tech is the perfect fit for you. Also, touch on why you are the perfect fit for Georgia Tech.

Big-picture thoughts on a “Why this Major/College” essay

In any “Why Us?” composition, you need to show that you’ve done your homework on a given school. Yet, you don’t want it to read like a robotic list of items that you Googled ten minutes before writing the essay (even if the timing of the Google search is roughly accurate).

In addition to the pure research element, a lot of the time and skill required in creating a stellar Georgia Tech essay will involve connecting the classes, professors, opportunities, etc. of interest that you have uncovered to your distinct values, talents, aims, proficiencies, and future goals.

How important is the essay at this school?

Eight factors are “very important” to the Georgia Tech evaluation process. The Common App and supplemental essays are among them. Additional factors considered “very important” are: rigor of coursework, GPA, recommendations, extracurricular activities, character/personal qualities, volunteer work, work experience, and the level of the applicant’s demonstrated interest.

Georgia Tech Admission Essays – Personalized Assistance

If you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your Georgia Tech supplemental essays, we encourage you to get a quote  today.

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2 Georgia Tech Essay Examples

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Georgia Institute of Technology is one of the foremost schools in the country for STEM-related majors, such as computer science, engineering, and mathematics. Situated in Atlanta, there are plenty of opportunities for students to get real-world experience in their field through internships and study abroad. 

While writing any college essay can be intimidating, admissions officers at Georgia Tech are especially selective, so make sure your essays are top notch! In this post, we will be going over two essays real students submitted to Georgia Tech. In addition, we will explain what each essay did well and where they could improve to inspire your writing.

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Read our Georgia Tech essay breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts. 

Essay Example #1

Prompt: Why do you want to study your chosen major specifically at Georgia Tech? (300 words max)

I held my breath and hit RUN. Yes! A plump white cat jumped out and began to catch the falling pizzas. Although my Fat Cat project seems simple now, it was the beginning of an enthusiastic passion for computer science. Four years and thousands of hours of programming later, that passion has grown into an intense desire to explore how computer science can serve society. Every day, surrounded by technology that can recognize my face and recommend scarily-specific ads, I’m reminded of Uncle Ben’s advice to a young Spiderman: “with great power comes great responsibility”. Likewise, the need to ensure digital equality has skyrocketed with AI’s far-reaching presence in society; and I believe that digital fairness starts with equality in education.

The unique use of threads at the College of Computing perfectly matches my interests in AI and its potential use in education; the path of combined threads on Intelligence and People gives me the rare opportunity to delve deep into both areas. I’m particularly intrigued by the rich sets of both knowledge-based and data-driven intelligence courses, as I believe AI should not only show correlation of events, but also provide insight for why they occur.

In my four years as an enthusiastic online English tutor, I’ve worked hard to help students overcome both financial and technological obstacles in hopes of bringing quality education to people from diverse backgrounds. For this reason, I’m extremely excited by the many courses in the People thread that focus on education and human-centered technology. I’d love to explore how to integrate AI technology into the teaching process to make education more available, affordable, and effective for people everywhere. And with the innumerable opportunities that Georgia Tech has to offer, I know that I will be able to go further here than anywhere else.

What the Essay Did Well

The strongest part of this essay is the hook. It captures the attention of the reader and immediately draws them into the story. Yet, still, the reader is left with a desire to know how the anecdote ends; this sets a great flow and general outline for the essay. Another important aspect of the in medias res technique is how to “zoom out” from the story to the main point of the essay in a way that remains personal to the author. This essay does this very well by tying the computer game into the student’s passion for computer science in the second sentence.

This essay also does a great job of answering the prompt. “Threads” are something unique to the College of Computing at Georgia Tech, and this student makes it clear that the path they want to pursue is only possible through this program. We can also see their personality shine through in this essay. This student is someone who is invested in equality and justice, as evidenced by the reference to Spiderman, their past as an English tutor, and their interest in the People thread.

What Could Be Improved

This essay does a good job covering the basics of the prompt, but it could be elevated with more nuance and detail. The biggest thing missing from this essay is a strong core to tie everything together. And no, the student’s major is not enough of a core. So what do we mean? We want to see a common theme, anecdote, or motivation that is weaved throughout the entire essay to connect everything. Take the Spiderman quote for example. If this was expanded it could have been the perfect core for this essay.

Underlying this student’s interest in AI is a passion for social justice, so they could have used the quote about power and responsibility to talk about existing injustices with AI and how once they have the power to create AI they will act responsibly and help affected communities. They are clearly passionate about equality of education, but there is a disconnect between education and AI that comes from a lack of detail. To strengthen the core of the essay, this student needs to include real-world examples of how AI is fostering inequities in education. This takes their essay from theoretical to practical. In addition to establishing a current issue, they also need to include concrete details about their aspirations, more than simply a hope to “ integrate AI technology into the teaching process .”

Bringing details to every level of your essay makes it infinitely easier for your reader to conceptualize what you are saying, thus allowing them to see how the entire essay fits together as one.

Essay Example #2

Climate change is a human rights issue.  

There the headline was, screaming on my phone screen. I think about those suffering from a lack of clean water. I think about those suffering from a lack of clean air. 

I often think back to that headline – it’s what drives my passion for environmental engineering. As an environmental engineer, I can mitigate air pollution and design water treatment systems that address the water injustices that people face. However, it’s not just about creating a technology that cleans water; it’s about changing people’s lives. New technologies can make a lasting difference in humanitarian issues worldwide; Georgia Tech’s research on creating a toilet that turns human waste into clean water for those in need of improved sanitation aligns perfectly with my interests.   

At Georgia Tech, through the student-led organization, Engineers for a Sustainable World and the InVenture Prize, I can translate the knowledge gained from my classes into a concrete vision. I can design and implement hands-on sustainability projects around Atlanta and invent a water sanitation system for the on-site acquisition of clean water. 

Georgia Tech can also provide me with ample research opportunities, such as the broad area of Healthy Communities in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. I can further pursue my interest in developing solutions to deliver clean water while welcoming new areas of inquiry. An area I would like to explore would be the controlling of dangerous matter in the air to reduce health hazards; reducing the impact of climate change is of utmost importance to me. 

Studying environmental engineering at Georgia Tech would well prepare me to develop solutions to climate-related issues. With the countless opportunities that Georgia Tech has to offer, I know there is nowhere else where I can receive a better environmental engineering education.

This essay immediately tells the reader exactly what this student is passionate about with the attention-grabbing phrase “ Climate change is a human rights issue ,” and each subsequent line delivers on that statement. The student was true to themself and picked a particular environmental issue that they cared about—clean water—and they thoroughly demonstrated how they will make that their primary goal at Georgia Tech.

Choosing one specific issue that you care deeply about and finding unique programs at a school that directly relate to your social problem makes for a vastly stronger essay than one that generally talks about climate change and the need to address it. Because this student honed in on clean water, they could talk about the sanitation toilet designed by Georgia Tech (demonstrating a high level of research on the school), Engineers for a Sustainable World (showing the hands-on experience they will gain with water sanitation), and the intersection of their interest with the topic of Healthy Communities (illustrating their intellectual curiosity).

This student knows exactly what they want and how Georgia Tech will get them there. Their direct tone makes them sound confident, driven, and determined to make the world a better place.

The biggest thing that stands out in this essay is the lack of a personal connection to the student. Especially when they begin the essay with a statement that climate change affects human rights, meaning the rights of everyone, it is ironic that this student never discusses their personal rights. Instead, they “ think about those suffering from a lack of clean water ” and the “ water injustices that people face. “

One downside of separating yourself from a global humanitarian issue like climate change is that it paints you as a savior, which isn’t always received in the best light. Even more importantly, you miss out on the perfect chance to include personal anecdotes and your emotions—the best way to reveal your character to admissions officers!

Rather than telling us how this student thinks about others suffering, they should have shared a story about the polluted water in a nearby stream they can’t swim in or acid rain that corroded the playground that was a staple of their childhood. These are just examples, but they get at the idea of including concrete examples about the way polluted water has personally affected this child and the mental toll seeing the world around them be threatened has on them.

Where to Get Your Georgia Tech  Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your Georgia Tech 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

University of Georgia 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Action: Oct 15

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 1

You Have: 

University of Georgia 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations 

The Requirements: 1 essays of 200-300 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Oddball

T he transition from middle to high school is a key time for students as they reach new levels of both academic and personal discovery. Please share a book (novel, non-fiction, etc.) that had a serious impact on you during this time. Please focus more on why this book made an impact on you and less on the plot/theme of the book itself (we are not looking for a book report).” (200-300 words)

This prompt asks you to discuss a book that made a big impression on you as you navigated the transition from middle to high school. At CEA, we always recommend that you choose an unexpected work in order to stand out from the pack, but ultimately, you should aim for authenticity rather than uniqueness. If Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was the book you turned to in the beginning of freshman year, where you found not only fantastical escape, but also an accurate reflection of the struggles of fitting in (even if you weren’t the “chosen one”), then write about that! But a word of warning if you choose a more commonly read book such as those from the Wizarding World: your essay has to go above and beyond if it has any chance of making an impression on the admissions department at UGA. 

If, however, there is another less-mainstream book that struck a chord with you, we encourage you to select that one to elaborate upon. No matter your choice, as you contemplate the prompt, ask yourself: Which characters have inspired you? Which plotlines have stayed with you long after you closed the book? How did you apply what you took from the story to your own life?

Regardless of the book you choose, try to give yourself as much time as possible to reflect on its impact and the role it played in helping you navigate your introduction to high school. As always, it’s your job to tell admissions a story, one that reveals information about who you are, what you care about, and/or what inspires you.

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How to Answer the 2024-25 Common App Essay Questions

An outstanding college essay can be the x-factor that gets you accepted to the school of your choice – particularly if you’re hoping to attend a prestigious university . As the emphasis on test scores declines , recent data shows that over 56% of colleges place considerable or moderate importance on students’ supplemental essays. So the Common Application, with its variety of essay prompts , can help you showcase your personality, achievements, and aspirations. 

While writing essays about yourself may be an art form, how you approach your answer can be more scientific. Here are our best strategies to select and answer the Common App essay questions for the 2023-2024 admissions year. 

How do you know which prompt to pick? 

Before you start brainstorming, consider the following criteria to choose an essay topic.

• Instinct – When writing a college essay made its way onto your to-do list , was there a personal story that jumped to mind? If so, test out how it feels to trust that instinct. Is there a prompt that this idea aligns with? 
• Passion – Can you write about this topic with excitement? If you’re leaning toward a topic because it feels like the one you “should” choose rather than one you’re amped about, don’t fall for that common mistake . Admissions officers read a ton of essays. If you’re not passionate about your subject matter, it’ll be clear. 
• Understanding – While the Common App essay questions seem fairly straightforward, ensure you understand your prompt and can answer all parts of it. Another mistake students make is forcing something they want to talk about into an existing essay topic. If you have an idea that doesn’t address one of their specific questions, consider prompt 7, which allows you free rein to explore the topic of your choice.
• Dimension – Does your essay give insight into who you are, outside of your GPA, extracurriculars, and letters of recommendation? For example, if you were the captain of your school’s varsity soccer team, an essay about soccer may not be your best choice.

The Common App Essay Topics 

According to a study from Yale , the most important thing to college admissions officers isn’t which prompt you choose, but that you write a great essay. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind:

• Craft a compelling, cohesive narrative that relates back to who you are as a person and a student. 
• Be honest , and don’t embellish details nor use AI .
• Avoid clichés that college counselors have seen before .
• Start early , and give yourself plenty of time to perfect your essay.
• Proofread your essay , and ask a friend, teacher, or family member to read it too. 

Common App Prompt #1: Identity essay 

“Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.”

Students who have a unique aspect of their identity that isn’t otherwise represented in their application might enjoy this prompt. And remember: identity doesn’t just mean your ethnic background. 

• Choose an aspect of your identity that makes you who you are. Are you the first in your family to go to college? Were you educated outside of a traditional school system? Are you a member of a religious group that has shaped your worldview? Each of these examples represents an aspect of identity that might be interesting to explore.
• Be specific about your background, identity, or interest that you’ve chosen. Explain how your personal experience deviates from the norm. 
• Describe the impact of this facet of your identity on who you are. Reflect on how this has related to your growth and perspective on yourself, your community, and your future. For example, if English wasn’t your first language, how did learning the language influence your interests? Did you turn to movies and television and discover a love of cinema that influenced you to pursue a career in entertainment? 

Get your creative juices flowing by reading other Common App essay prompt 1 examples that worked.

Common App Prompt #2: Overcoming obstacles essay 

“The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?”

Don’t think you can only write on this topic if you’ve experienced some type of significant hardship. No matter who you are or where you’re from, you’ve had to overcome obstacles to get to where you are today. Adversity breeds resilience, which is a great quality to highlight to a college admissions committee. 

• Identify an obstacle that has impacted you. Think back on experiences that required you to persevere. This could be something big, like the loss of a parent or a natural disaster, or something less severe, like a failing grade on an important assignment or losing an election for class president. 
• Detail the experience and your role in it. How did you feel when you first encountered this challenge? If you were overwhelmed or scared, be honest. Specificity around details, emotions, and your mindset will create empathy and paint a full picture. Then, complete the story. How did this event unfold? How did your mindset shift? 
• Highlight what you learned and your eventual success. As you brainstorm, make a list of your takeaways. If you experienced a major illness, did you find a renewed sense of gratitude for your physical health? Then, connect your learnings to some success. If you got fired from a part-time job, did the experience help you identify the career path you actually want to pursue and put you in a position to pursue it? 

Study up on how other determined students have aced Common App essay prompt 2 . 

Common App Prompt #3: Individuality essay 

“Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?”

College campuses are full of students who are eager to expand their horizons and reassess previously held worldviews. If this sounds like you, prompt three might be perfect. 

• Choose a belief or idea that you questioned at some point. This could be anything from your approach to mental health, to your perspective on gender roles or religious beliefs. Explain why you held this belief and the importance of this idea in your life. 
• Explain what prompted you to explore . Was it a book? An article? A conversation with a teacher? Describe the scene – what happened, where you were, and how you felt.
• Detail the experience of your reflection . Did you turn to books to better understand the other side of this issue? Did you engage in conversation with people who thought differently from you? Get into the weeds of your exploration.
• Present your conclusion . If you changed your perspective, what was the evidence that caused this shift? And if you discovered an even greater sense of certainty around your original opinion, how does that feel? Or, if you’re still not sure but continuing to explore, that’s a great answer, too.

Read how other curious high school students explored beliefs in Common App Prompt #3 essay examples . 

Common App Prompt #4: The gratitude essay 

“Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?”

Gratitude can be a powerful source of motivation, particularly when we’re feeling defeated or down. If you’ve experienced an act of kindness that impacted your life in some significant way, reflect on it in prompt #4.

• Pinpoint an act of kindness that someone has done on your behalf. This could be something monumental, like a family member donating an organ, or a small, everyday gesture, like a stranger paying for your coffee. 
• Set the stage for your story. What happened? Why did you need this act of kindness? If you ran out of gas in the middle of the highway, what did that feel like? Then, present the act of kindness in as much detail as you can while staying within the word limit. What prompted the kind stranger to pull over with their gas can? What conversation ensued? 
• Explore your gratitude and reflect upon how the experience affected you. Did this random act of kindness change your perspective? Did you pay it forward through community service? Show how this experience caused you to change in some way, big or small. Don’t stop at gratitude; push yourself to action. 

Read about times other high school students felt inspired by the empathy shown to them.

Common App Prompt #5: The personal growth essay 

“Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.”

High school is a period of deep personal growth. Use this prompt to highlight ways you’ve grown that might not be captured by your GPA or extracurricular activities. 

• Reflect on periods of personal growth and pinpoint the events that might have triggered them. Make a list of these types of occurrences. For example, traveling abroad to a new country, being selected to write for the school newspaper, or overcoming a fear of public speaking to compete in a debate. 
• Narrate your experience . You might think of this as your “before” and “during” snapshot. If you weren’t the best student in your science class, but had an exciting hypothesis to tackle in a science fair project, describe how you approached this project. Then, tell the reader about what happened. Did you succeed? Did you fail? Did you uncover a new skill?  
• Expand on your shift in perspective and how this experience caused you to look at yourself and those around you differently. Think of this as your “after.” If your project went on to win your local science fair, how did this shift your view of your scientific abilities? Underline how you grew from this experience and how it shaped your perspective. 

For inspiration, here are examples of Essay #5 responses from high school students just like you. 

Common App Prompt #6: The passion essay 

“Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?”

Every student, no matter their GPA or collegiate aspirations, has a hobby or pastime they enjoy. Are you particularly passionate about yours? Take this opportunity to write about it, particularly if your passion is unique.

• List the things you love . Ideally, your greatest passion came to mind as soon as you read this prompt. But if you have an affinity for more than one thing, make a list. This could be anything from making pottery to playing chess or trying out new recipes in the kitchen.
• Explain why you have such an affinity for this hobby or pastime. Delve into the history behind this passion. How did you first get interested in rescuing animals? Did a parent or mentor expose you to this work? Did the experience of finding a lonely cat on the street spark your passion? 
• Expand upon your learning process and how you developed your knowledge of this topic. If you love astronomy, what steps did you take to learn about the night sky and types of stars? Did you immerse yourself in YouTube videos about space? Or visit local observatories? Demonstrate your thirst for knowledge and ability to self-motivate. 

Read other passionate essays here that have captivated admissions officers. 

Common App Prompt #7: Topic of your choice 

“Share an essay on any topic of your choice . It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt , or one of your own design.”

Prompt 7 can be divisive. For some, this open-ended prompt is a great opportunity to write a unique, personal essay. Since there are no rules (other than the word limit), there are several ways to approach Prompt 7.

You could choose a topic that is unique to you, write a personal statement, or tell a compelling story that has some broader appeal. Or, you could think totally outside the box and turn your essay into a screenplay, newspaper article, or other artistic form. 

If you’re considering this prompt, try not to recycle an essay you’ve previously written for a high school class. The admissions officer will recognize your junior year English essay on Othello and, most likely, will find this choice lazy. Moreover, the Common App essays are meant to offer insight into who you are – not how you perform academically. 

That said, this prompt does offer you the opportunity to reuse a prior essay as a base and then tweak it. Just be careful. The college admissions process is high-stakes. Don’t ruin your chances because you’re trying to save time on your essay. 

To find inspiration, check out other students’ essays on Prompt 7 . 

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The Common App essays give students an opportunity to inject some personality into their college applications. No matter which prompt you choose, write with passion and honesty. And then recycle some of those essays in your scholarship applications on Going Merry , to win some cash for college.  Going Merry is a comprehensive college prep platform that helps students get into college and afford it without student loans. We provide tips to make your college applications shine; we curate thousands of high-quality scholarships and help you win them; and we make it easier to compare colleges through our (free!) college cost insights tool. Take the next step to realizing your collegiate aspirations when you sign up for Going Merry today .

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Bill to Combat Antisemitism on Campuses Prompts Backlash From the Right

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia, said the legislation could make it illegal to assert that Jews killed Jesus, punishing Christians for “believing the Gospel.”

By Annie Karni

Reporting from Washington

A bipartisan push in Congress to enact a law cracking down on antisemitic speech on college campuses has prompted a backlash from far-right lawmakers and activists, who argue it could outlaw Christian biblical teachings.

The House passed the legislation, called the Antisemitism Awareness Act, overwhelmingly on Wednesday, and Senate leaders in both parties were working behind the scenes on Thursday to determine whether it would have enough backing to come to a vote in that chamber.

House Republicans rolled the bill out this week as part of their efforts to condemn the pro-Palestinian protests that have surged at university campuses across the country, and to put a political squeeze on Democrats, who they have accused of tolerating antisemitism to please their liberal base.

But in trying to use the issue as a political cudgel against the left, Republicans also called attention to a rift on the right. Some G.O.P. members said they firmly believe that Jews killed Jesus Christ, and argued that the bill — which includes such claims in its definition of antisemitism — would outlaw parts of the Bible.

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia, said she opposed the bill because it “could convict Christians of antisemitism for believing the Gospel that says Jesus was handed over to Herod to be crucified by the Jews.”

Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican leaders have sought to capitalize on the campus unrest to unite the G.O.P. and further drive a wedge in the Democratic Party, which is deeply divided over the war in Gaza. Many progressives have sided with the protesters who have condemned Israel’s tactics, citing the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians, while centrist lawmakers and President Biden have continued to support Israel’s right to defend itself after the Hamas attack in October.

The bill would for the first time enshrine a definition of antisemitism into federal law, and instruct the Education Department to consider it when investigating allegations of discrimination against Jews on college campuses. That could lead to federal funds being withheld from colleges or universities that fail to restrict a broad range of statements covered by the definition, which includes “denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination” and claiming that Israel’s existence is a “racist endeavor.”

The measure had its intended effect of dividing Democrats; 70 of them voted “no.” Representative Mike Lawler, Republican of New York and the lead sponsor, got in his intended jab, saying on the House floor that “some of my colleagues on the left are allowing electoral politics to get in the way of doing what is right.”

But the bill also splintered the G.O.P. conference, with 21 Republicans opposing it.

Representative Matt Gaetz, Republican of Florida, called the legislation a “ridiculous hate speech bill.” On social media, he argued that “the Gospel itself would meet the definition of antisemitism under the terms of the bill,” and included a line from the New Testament about the crucifixion of Jesus.

“The Bible is clear,” he added. “There is no myth or controversy about this.”

The Anti-Defamation League considers the assertion that Jews killed Jesus an antisemitic myth that has been used to justify violence against Jews for centuries. In 1965, the Catholic Church said that Jews could not be held collectively accountable for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. And in 2011, Pope Benedict XVI said in a book that there was no basis in the scripture for the belief that Jews were responsible for the death of Jesus Christ.

In 2019, former President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order on combating antisemitism that relied on the same definition that appears in the House bill. That did not stop right-wing lawmakers and activists from erupting over the issue after the legislation passed the House on Wednesday on a vote of 320-91.

“Did the House of Representatives just make parts of the Bible illegal?” Charlie Kirk, a far-right influencer, asked rhetorically on social media. “Yes,” replied Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host. “The New Testament.”

In an appearance on CNN on Wednesday afternoon, Representative Jared Moskowitz, Democrat of Florida, batted away Ms. Greene’s comments as par for the course for someone known for her antisemitic and racist language.

“I don’t think the Jewish community is worried right now what the ‘Jew Laser Lady’ has to say,” Mr. Moskowitz said, adding, “That’s not who we want on our side.” In a 2018 Facebook post , Ms. Greene wrote before she was elected to Congress, she speculated that a devastating wildfire that ravaged California was started by “a laser” beamed from space and controlled by a prominent Jewish banking family with connections to powerful Democrats.

“She has been one of the people in this hall that has stoked antisemitism in the past,” Mr. Moskowitz said.

Mr. Lawler said the argument put forward by Ms. Greene and Mr. Gaetz was “absurd on its face, inflammatory and irrational.”

The bill would mandate that the Education Department rely on the definition of antisemitism used by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance , an intergovernmental organization based in Stockholm, when enforcing anti-discrimination laws.

Jewish leaders have been pressing Congress to pass some version of the bill for years. In 2016, the Senate, which was controlled by Democrats, passed a similar measure, but it died in the Republican-led House. The hope of many Jewish leaders now is that the situation on campuses in the United States has become so heated in reaction to the Israel-Hamas war that there could be momentum for the bill to clear both chambers.

But it is now facing headwinds in the Senate. Ginned up by Mr. Carlson and other right-wing figures, a handful of Republicans, including Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky and Mike Lee of Utah, have voiced objections to the bill, according to two people familiar with the internal party discussion who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

“There are objections on both sides,” said Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader. “So we’re going to look for the best way to move forward.”

There has long been controversy , even among those who have dedicated their careers to studying and combating antisemitism, about the Holocaust organization’s definition and the potential it has to run afoul of the First Amendment.

Kenneth Stern, an attorney who wrote the definition, testified in 2017 that it “was not drafted, and was never intended, as a tool to target or chill speech on a college campus.” Its goal, he said, was to help governments collect data on antisemitism. One of his concerns was that anti-hate speech laws could let racist and antisemitic actors portray themselves as victims denied their constitutional rights.

Christopher Anders, director of the democracy and technology policy division at the American Civil Liberties Union, warned that the bill could lead to pressure on colleges and universities to restrict speech critical of the Israeli government “out of fear of the college losing federal funding.”

“The House’s approval of this misguided and harmful bill is a direct attack on the First Amendment,” he said.

Representative Thomas Massie, a libertarian Republican from Kentucky, made the same argument, calling the measure a “hate speech” bill that he believed was a violation of the First Amendment.

Opponents of the bill included progressive Democrats such as Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Cori Bush of Missouri and Pramila Jayapal of Washington.

“How dare the party of Donald Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene come down here and lecture Democrats about antisemitism,” Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez, Democrat of New Mexico, who voted against it, said on the House floor.

“Remember,” the lawmaker added, “the leader of the Republican Party, Donald Trump, dines with Holocaust deniers, and said there were ‘fine people on both sides’ at a rally where white supremacists chanted ‘Jews will not replace us.’”

She appeared to be referring to Mr. Trump’s dinner in 2022 with Nick Fuentes , an outspoken antisemite and racist who also forged ties with Ms. Greene and other right-wing lawmakers in Congress.

In addition to Mr. Gaetz and Ms. Greene, hard-right opponents of the legislation included Representatives Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, Chip Roy of Texas, Paul Gosar of Arizona and Andy Biggs of Arizona.

Annie Karni is a congressional correspondent for The Times. She writes features and profiles, with a recent focus on House Republican leadership. More about Annie Karni