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Georgetown Supplemental Essays 2024-25 – Prompts and Advice

June 20, 2024

The nation’s oldest Jesuit institution of higher learning is also its most selective, as Georgetown University welcomed just 12% of applicants to the Class of 2028 onto its historical and notably beautiful Washington, DC, campus. Whenever you are applying to a school of Georgetown’s caliber, where the average admitted applicant has a 1470 SAT score and is at (or near) the top of their high school class, you need to find ways to set yourself apart from the pack. Toward that aim, prospective Hoyas need to take advantage of the Georgetown supplemental essays.

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

The goal is to write compelling, standout compositions. Your essays should showcase your exceptional writing ability and reveal more about who you are as an individual. Below are Georgetown’s essay prompts for the 2024-25 admissions cycle along with tips about how to address each one.

Georgetown Supplemental Essays – Prompt 1

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

The wording of this prompt changed slightly from “ Indicate any special talents or skills …” to “ Please elaborate on any special talents or skills …” This tells us that Georgetown is encouraging applicants to go into more detail about their chosen talent/skill.

If you are a world-class athlete, you are likely already in the recruitment process. If you placed high in AIME or won a National Merit Scholarship, that is already stated in the awards section. Therefore, using the prized 250 words of real estate to merely rehash the fact that you won an award for something you are good at would not be an inspiring move. Instead, use this essay as an opportunity to offer a new level of depth and understanding about your talent(s). In addition to discussing the talent you possess, describe the journey of how you developed your abilities and how they have impacted you.

A few years back, Malcolm Gladwell popularized the idea that becoming an expert at anything takes 10,000 hours of practice. Consider talking about the grind and sacrifice it took you to become great at a given skill. Describe how you see that skill becoming even more finely tuned/developed over time. If this skill fits into your future academic/career plans, all the better—share that too!

Georgetown Supplemental Essays – 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) 

Perhaps you are the captain of a team, the editor-in-chief of your school paper, or the president of a club. On the other hand, you may simply be a valuable contributing member. Regardless of whether you are a leading man/woman or a still-essential bit player, make sure that you use your writing ability to show the admissions officer what type of involved team member you are rather than merely telling them.

You can also discuss how you have engaged with your high school local/community. Share what you have learned from interacting with people of a different ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual identity, etc. Draw on past evidence of your commitment to being a positive force in the context of your activity/activities. Also be sure to speculate how that is likely to manifest on Georgetown’s campus. Research and cite Hoya student-run organizations, local nonprofit groups, or anything else you are drawn to. The admissions committee wants to understand precisely how you will contribute to their campus community of 7,000+ undergrads. Drawing the link between your past efforts and future aims is critical here. For example, if you’ve done work with Habitat for Humanity throughout your teens, it will be most impactful if you express your commitment to joining Georgetown’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity in the future.

Georgetown University Supplemental Essays – 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 one page, single-spaced)

Whether you decide to write about yourself in a way that is light, creative, humorous, personal, sincere, or vulnerable (any are perfectly fine), aim to reveal a picture of yourself that cannot be gleaned from elsewhere in your application materials.

Take note of the wide-open nature of this prompt. While there are no limits to the way in which you approach this essay, here are some angles to consider:

  • A perspective you hold
  • An experience you had
  • A community you belong to
  • Your cultural or family background
  • Something you’ve had to overcome

The admissions officer looking at your essay is hoping to connect with you through your written words. So be open, humble, thoughtful, inquisitive, emotionally honest, mature, and insightful. No matter what type of story you tell, the goal is to have the reader come away saying, “I can definitely see this applicant as a contributing member of our talented and engaged student community.”

Georgetown Supplemental Essays — The School-Specific Essay

Depending on the College or School that you are applying to at Georgetown, you’ll need to write a separate school-specific essay. At their core, all of them are “Why Us” essays. As you address each prompt (see below), be sure to include Georgetown-specific offerings and opportunities that support your reasoning, interests, and future plans.

Elements of a great Georgetown “Why Us?” essay

  • Cite school-specific  academic programs , professors,  research opportunities ,  internship/externship programs , and  study abroad programs .
  • Reference student-run organizations at Georgetown that align with your passions.
  • Describe how you take advantage of Georgetown’s immense resources both inside and outside of the classroom.
  • Make sure to touch on both a) why Georgetown is the perfect fit for you and) why you are the perfect fit for Georgetown. Covering both topics is essential.

Common mistakes on a Georgetown “Why Us?” essay .

  • Fawning over the picturesque Gothic-style Georgetown campus (it is quite beautiful, but they already know that).
  • Georgetown is top-ranked, prestigious, and has a great reputation. Again, they know!
  • Too many generic expressions of feeling (e.g., It has been my dream since I was a toddler to be a Hoya… ).
  • Recycled statements from your other “Why Us?” essays that come across as stale, impersonal, or worst of all–irrelevant/inaccurate.

Georgetown College: Founded in 1789, the Georgetown College of Arts & Sciences is committed to the Jesuit traditions of an integrated education and of productive research in the natural sciences, humanities, social sciences, and fine arts. Describe your interest in studying at College of Arts & Sciences. Applicants interested in the sciences, mathematics, or languages are encouraged to make specific reference to their choice of major.

Out of all the attributes they could have chosen, Georgetown chose to reference “integrated education” and “productive research” within the prompt. Accordingly, you may want to do some research on the two aforementioned traditions and think about how they’ll impact your education at Georgetown. You can also write about any other offerings, programs, professors, or opportunities within the College of Arts and Sciences that are especially interesting to you and in line with your experiences and goals. Note that Georgetown encourages certain types of applicants to make specific references to their prospective field of study.

Georgetown Supplemental Essays (Continued)

School of Nursing: Georgetown University’s School of Nursing is committed to the formation of ethical, empathetic, and transformational nursing leaders. Describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying Nursing at Georgetown University.

School of Health: Georgetown University’s School of Health was founded to advance the health and well-being of people locally, nationally, and globally through innovative research, the delivery of interdisciplinary education, and transformative engagement of communities. Describe the factors that influenced your interest in studying health care at Georgetown University, specifically addressing your intended related major: Global Health, Health Care Management & Policy, or Human Science.

Since these prompts are similar, the below advice applies to both:

“A nurse is not what you do, it is who you are.”

This quote from an anonymous source captures the idea that becoming a nurse is a calling; not a profession you just stumble into. Healthcare is no different. Healthcare professionals are willing to work long shifts in the service of others, be on the frontlines of a pandemic, and deal with life’s toughest challenges (e.g., suffering and death) on a regular basis. Many applicants share stories of caring for sick relatives, experiencing a tough medical episode themselves, or observing the challenges faced by a particular community as inspiration for studying nursing or healthcare.

In addition, you’ll want to include school-specific research that demonstrates your knowledge of the school’s opportunities and resources as well as the skills Georgetown will help you build (and why they are important to you). Overall, show the admissions committee that you are a passionate and mature healthcare or nursing candidate, that this field is genuinely “who you are,” and that attending Georgetown will be the right fit for you.

Walsh School of Foreign Service: Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service was founded more than a century ago to prepare generations of leaders with the foundational skills to address global issues. Describe your primary motivations for studying international affairs at Georgetown University and dedicating your undergraduate studies toward a future in global service.

International service is not something every 17/18-year-old in the country is dreaming about doing as a vocation. There is likely a very interesting story surrounding what motivated you to apply to the Walsh School of Foreign Service and this essay invites you to share this very narrative. You don’t need to look any deeper than today’s headlines to identify powerful and immensely challenging global problems. Regardless of your major, you likely have a highly specific set of academic and career goals taking shape in your mind.

If you can communicate these goals and the motivations behind them while sharing a vision for how you will contribute to the betterment of humankind in one or multiple regions of the world, then you are likely to end up with an excellent Walsh essay. Moreover, discuss why Walsh in particular will be a great fit for you.

McDonough School of Business: Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business provides graduates with essential global, ethical, analytical, financial, and diverse perspectives on the economies of our nation and the world. Describe your primary motivations for studying business at Georgetown University.

Before you start writing, do some McDonough-specific research and think about why a business education from McDonough in particular will be a great fit for your interests and goals. Further, to stand out, applicants need to connect the resources they’ve chosen to experiences they’ve had, demonstrating that they have availed themselves of every opportunity to dive into the business world during their high school years. Of course, not everyone has parents who hand them money to invest in the stock market or land them an internship at Goldman Sachs in 9th grade.

Relevant experiences can include high school investing clubs, participation in activities like FBLA, summer programs/courses in business/finance/economics, running your own local small business or e-business (Etsy, landscaping, etc.), or just a regular old retail job. The important thing to highlight is what you learned from your experiences. You should also note how you’ll bring that newly acquired knowledge to the classroom at Georgetown, and how your experiences have informed & influenced what you hope to continue learning in college.

How important are the Georgetown supplemental essays?

There are a whopping 8 factors that Georgetown considers to be “very important” to the evaluation process. These are: rigor of secondary school record, character/personal qualities, class rank, GPA, standardized test scores, recommendations, extracurricular activities, and most relevant to this blog—the application essays. The essays undoubtedly play a significant role in the admissions process at Georgetown. They can help the committee decide who to admit when choosing between similarly credentialed (GPA, test scores, etc.) applicants.

Want personalized assistance with your Georgetown supplemental essays?

Interested in working with one of our experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your Georgetown supplemental essays? We encourage you to get a quote  today.

Need more writing-related resources? Consider checking out the following:

  • Common App Essay Prompts
  • 10 Instructive Common App Essay Examples
  • College Application Essay Topics to Avoid
  • How to Brainstorm a College Essay
  • How to Start a College Essay
  • How to End a College Essay
  • “Why This College?” Essay Examples
  • Best College Essay Help
  • College Essay

Andrew Belasco

A licensed counselor and published researcher, Andrew's experience in the field of college admissions and transition spans two decades. He has previously served as a high school counselor, consultant and author for Kaplan Test Prep, and advisor to U.S. Congress, reporting on issues related to college admissions and financial aid.

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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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Georgetown Supplemental Essays 2022-2023

georgetown essays 2022

By Eric Eng

View of Georgetown University building.

When it comes to applying to the top schools in the country, your application is vitally important. In order to give yourself the best chance of gaining admission, you need to make sure all aspects of your application are top-notch. In this post, we’re going to do a deep dive into how to write Georgetown supplemental essays for 2022-2023 and everything you need to keep in mind as you write.

Georgetown uses the common app, and this means that you will be asked to answer essay questions contained in the common app. But like many top schools, Georgetown also requires that you complete several short essays about your personal or intellectual growth. The Georgetown supplemental essays 2022-2023 allow applicants a certain amount of freedom when choosing their supplemental essay topic, but we’re going to look at each essay prompt and discuss the best way to respond to each topic.

Georgetown Supplemental Essay Prompts 2022-2023

So, let’s start by looking at each supplemental essay prompt, and then we will discuss how to approach each one individually.

The Georgetown supplemental essays 2022 are each designed to give you the opportunity to share something different about yourself. The first prompt asks for a 250-word essay, the second essay is approximately one single-spaced half page, and finally a single-spaced full-page essay. We’re going to look at each prompt individually and create specific strategies for each one. The Georgetown supplemental essays 2022-2023 are as follows:

  • Indicate any special talents or skills you possess. (250 words)
  • 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)
  • 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. (approximately 1 page, single-spaced)

So, now let’s take a look at each prompt individually and create a strategy for each.

How to answer the Georgetown supplemental essays?

Chances are, you’ve seen essay prompts like these on other applications, but we’re going to look at each prompt and develop strategies for your responses. Let’s look at the first prompt.

Prompt 1: Indicate any special talents or skills you possess. (250 words)

This prompt is often the last supplemental essay prompt that you will see on an application. Typically, this prompt is reserved for any additional information about you that hasn’t already been discussed on your application. Georgetown, however, asks this question first. While you may be inclined to save this prompt for last, it might be a good idea to write this first and let it inform your other supplemental essays.

Keep in mind, the Georgetown supplemental essay word limit restricts you to 250 words, so this isn’t the place to go into detail about your skills and talents. Instead, reflect on the skills and talents you possess, and think about which ones are most important to you. Which skills guide you in life? How do your skills provide a direction for you? You don’t need to give detailed answers to these questions but use them to zero in on the skills that are most important to you. You can also use this reflection to help you respond to the next prompt.

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)

This prompt allows you a bit more freedom, but a half page is still pretty short. Start by choosing the activity that best describes this prompt. It can be an activity that was part of your school’s curriculum, or it could be something that you pursued outside of school. The point isn’t the activity itself, but why it was so significant to you. The Georgetown supplemental essays 2022-2023 are more about gathering information about your values and integrity than specific details.

Once you’ve identified the activity you want to discuss, think about why it was so important to you. What did you learn? How has this activity changed the way you look at the world? What new skills have you gained from this activity? Did this activity help you understand or develop talents you already had? And lastly, why did this activity become your central focus?

Georgetown wants to see your passion for this activity, but also how it has affected you as a person. They also want to see how this activity will inform the decisions you make in the future.

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

This is perhaps the most difficult of the Georgetown supplemental essays 2022 because it gives you the least direction. So, let’s break the prompt down into its component parts and come up with a strategy.

First, you need to decide what kind of essay you want this to be. Georgetown gives you a great deal of leeway, so the goal is to be as creative as possible. So, what does Georgetown mean when they say it can be a personal or creative essay? Essentially, Georgetown is allowing you to express your personality in whatever manner you choose.

The rest of your application tells Georgetown everything they need to know about your academic career, so this is where you have the chance to let your personality shine. Are you the funny person in your group of friends? Wow Georgetown with your sense of humor. Are you the person who can also come up with an interesting story? Use that skill to craft a creative essay where you are the main character. Have you lived through an extraordinary life experience? Describe how this has shaped you as a person.

The other challenge applicants often face when responding to this prompt is figuring out where to start. You obviously can’t tell your whole life story in one page, so focus on a period of time, or an event, in which you detail your personality within a certain context. Of course, if you have the creative chops to compellingly write your entire life story on one single-spaced page, go for it. The most important thing to keep in mind when responding to this prompt is to give Georgetown a better understanding of you as a person instead of simply a list of facts about you. Use your experiences, but also use your real voice. Ideally, a friend of yours should be able to read this essay and know exactly who wrote it without having to be told.

At AdmissionSight, our goal is to help you with every step of the college admissions process. The Georgetown supplemental essays 2022 can seem daunting at first, but our experience and expertise will help you navigate the entire process with confidence. Hopefully, this guide to the Georgetown supplemental essays 2022-2023 has been helpful, but if you want more information about how AdmissionSight can help you realize your dreams, set up your free consultation today.

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georgetown essays 2022

A Guide to the Georgetown Essays 2021-2022

Padya Paramita

October 14, 2021

georgetown essays 2022

Year after year, Georgetown University remains one of the most prestigious universities in the country. Understandably, gaining admission is not easy—Georgetown has an acceptance rate of only 15% (and reached a record low of 12% last year). Whether you’re applying to this DC school for its well-renowned undergraduate business program, or you see yourself becoming as successful in your field as alums Bill Clinton and Bradley Cooper, you first have to overcome the Georgetown essays 2021-2022 . 

Georgetown University is not a part of the Common Application and doesn’t use the Common App personal statement prompts, but rather offers its own set of essays to understand who you are and where your interests lie. Regardless of whether you’re an applicant to Georgetown College, the School of Nursing and Health Studies, the Walsh School of Foreign Service, or the McDonough School of Business, you have to write strong responses to the Georgetown essays 2021-2022 in order to frame yourself as a must-have candidate that stands out from other applicants.  

Prompts for the Georgetown Essays 2021-2022

Short essay.

Indicate any special talents or skills you possess (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 2021-2022 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 (approximately one-half page, single-spaced) discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved.

Each year, Georgetown receives thousands of applications from students with stellar grades. By asking such a question through the Georgetown essays 2021-2022, 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.

Long Essays

Compose two essays (approximately one page, single-spaced each) on the topics given below.

Essay 1 - 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.

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!

Essay 2 - according to your choice of college within Georgetown University

Applicants to georgetown college:.

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 question might sound intimidating at first, but if you break it down and read each part carefully, you’ll notice that this is a typical “why school” essay. Admissions officers use this question within the Georgetown essays 2021-2022 to determine your fit for not just the university, but Georgetown College itself. One of the biggest reasons colleges use supplemental essays is to make sure that the applicant and the school are a strong match for each other. By understanding what appeals to you about the college, and your choice of school within GU, as well as how you can benefit from its resources, the reader can understand whether you would thrive at this DC institution.

The most component part of any “why school” is to demonstrate that you’ve done research on the college. This is an academically-focused essay so make sure your response is centered around how an education at Georgetown College can hone your current skills and reach your goals. It’s absolutely essential that you mention resources that Georgetown specifically can offer you. What appeals to you about the Linguistics or Psychology major at GU specifically? Is there a particular professor whose research you have followed? Is there a course within your chosen department that fits perfectly with your dream career? Let the school know why you believe you’re the perfect fit — help them see it as well. 

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:

Briefly discuss a current global issue, indicating why you consider it important and what you suggest should be done to deal with it.

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 2021-2022 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.

Further Tips for Writing the Georgetown Essays

  • 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. Good luck! 

Tags : Georgetown University , applying to georgetown , georgetown essays 2021-2022 , georgetown essays

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How to Ace the 23/24 Georgetown Supplemental Essays

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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.

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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.

Applicant sits in the library and works on Georgetown supplemental essays

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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August 6, 2021

Georgetown University 2021-2022 Essay Prompts

georgetown essays 2022

Georgetown University, home of a college application that looks like it was invented in the early aughts, has released the 2021-2022 essay prompts for applicants to the Class of 2026. This year, applicants are asked to answer four essay prompts. But do keep in mind that since Georgetown is not a Common Application subscriber (its longtime admissions czar, Charles Deacon , a recurring character and favorite of our college admissions blog, has been a longtime holdout), these essays are not in addition to the Personal Statement and optional Covid-19 essay. Rather, many students are able to use a shortened version of their Personal Statement for one of the Georgetown prompts. So what exactly are the prompts, you ask? Wonder no more!

The first prompt reads, “Indicate any special talents or skills you possess.” Applicants are asked to answer the question in 250 words. The second prompt reads, “Briefly discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved.” Applicants are asked to answer the question in about half a page, single spaced. The third prompt reads, “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.” Applicants are asked to answer the question in about a page, single spaced. This, of course, is the perfect opportunity to use the Common Application Personal Statement. Georgetown’s fourth and final prompt reads, “What does it mean to be educated? How might Georgetown College help you achieve this aim?” Applicants are asked to answer this prompt in about a page, single spaced. It’s essentially a Why College essay with a little extra kick to it.

Have a question on the 2021-2022 Georgetown University essays for applicants to the Class of 2026? Let us know your question by posting it below. We look forward to hearing from you!

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TOWARD THE CONQUEST OF ADMISSION

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Georgetown University.

First Year Application

We look forward to working with you throughout the admissions process. Please visit the General Information page for first-year applicants to learn more about the Georgetown University application process. For important information about the application process, we recommend you to review the Information for Applicants  document.

Georgetown Application Submission

Step One  – Complete and submit the  Georgetown Application . Filling out this form should only take you ten to fifteen minutes. This form creates your official admissions file and allows us to track and connect any documents or standardized testing sent in support of your application. Submission of the Georgetown Application also initiates the  alumni interview , conducted between September and February for first year applicants.

Within 24 hours of submitting the Georgetown Application , you will receive an email with instructions on how to create your application account, so you can begin working on your additional required application forms. Please contact our office if you do not receive this email, please do not submit another Georgetown Application.

Step Two  – Complete and submit your  additional required application forms . These forms will allow you to tell us more about yourself and include your chosen school and major at Georgetown, activities, standardized testing updates, and your essays. Once you log in to your application account, please complete all additional required application forms by the deadline. (Early Action: November 1, or Regular Decision: January 10).

Important Note: The Recommendations Request form will ask you to provide the names and email addresses of your high school counselor and recommending teacher(s). Emails are sent to them automatically to request these documents for your application. Please complete this form as soon as you have secured the correct contact information for your recommenders. The remaining additional required application forms can be completed over time and are due no later than your application deadline.

Application Changes:

Information submitted on the Georgetown Application can be updated on the additional required application forms. If you need to make any changes to your application after completing the additional required application forms, please submit the Application Change Form . Please do not submit another copy of the application.

Application Forms:

We strongly encourage applicants to use the online application. To view the essay questions ahead of submitting your application, please see the additional required application forms that have been provided. Reference copies are available in PDF format below:

Georgetown Application Additional Required Application Forms Secondary School Report Teacher’s Report Midyear School Report

    Supplemental Materials: Art, Music, Theater, and Dance (Not Required)

We hope you are able to convey your talents and extracurricular activities in your undergraduate admissions application. However, those with an exemplary art talent they wish to pursue on campus are able to submit a supplement to their application. All art supplemental materials are reviewed by each specific department and therefore we cannot confirm receipt.

Music : If you have musical talent that you would like to be evaluated along with your application please find specific instructions on the Performing Arts website.

Theater : If you have theatrical talent that you would like to be evaluated along with your application please find specific instructions on the Performing Arts website.

Dance : If you have dancing talent that you would like to be evaluated along with your application please find specific instructions on the Performing Arts website.

Studio Art : If you have visual art talent that you would like to have evaluated along with your application, please find specific instructions on the Art and Art History website.

We appreciate your interest in Georgetown University and look forward to working with you throughout the application process. If you have any questions, please contact the admissions office .

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Georgetown University 2024-25 Essay Prompt Guide

Early Action: Nov 1

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 10

Georgetown 2024-25 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

How to Write Compelling Georgetown University Essays

Since Georgetown doesn’t use the Common App, they require four essays, one of which is specific to the college you’re applying to. Three of these essays fall into CEA’s archetypes: the Why Essay , Diversity Essay , and Activity Essay , while the fourth asks you to elaborate on one of your talents. Taken together, these four essays help to illuminate your “accomplishments outside of the classroom, demonstrated commitment to the broader community, and personal qualities such as resiliency, motivation and ambition.” The most important thing to remember while drafting your responses is to be honest and true to yourself. Georgetown wants unique individuals who will embrace their community, so show them what sets you apart from the crowd! Read on for more guidance on each essay.

Georgetown Essay Prompts Breakdown

All georgetown university applicants , 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? 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 describe your drive to work in international relations, perhaps your answer to this prompt could reveal 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 highlight 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. (1/2 page, single-spaced, or approximately 300-400 words depending on font size) 

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 as the prompt: focus on one of the activities “in which you have been most involved.” Although we usually urge students to write about experiences 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 have 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? Regardless of what you choose to write about, be sure to describe what it means to you.

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 personal background and individual experiences, skills, and talents. (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 

Georgetown college of arts and sciences: founded in 1789, the georgetown college of arts & sciences is committed to the jesuit traditions of an integrated education and of productive research in the natural sciences, humanities, social sciences, and fine arts. describe your interest in studying in the college of arts & sciences. (applicants interested in the sciences, mathematics, or languages are encouraged to make specific reference to their choice of major.).

You can probably guess what we’re going to recommend here…wait for it…research! Georgetown wants to know not just what you want to study but why you want to study it at their school. The prompt makes specific reference to the school’s Jesuit history, focus on research, and “integrated education,” so start there. Are you looking forward to a college experience grounded in faith? Are you excited to tie your various interests together through different courses, activities, and clubs? Does the Core Curriculum speak to your desire to not only focus on your intended major, but also explore other fields? If you know what you want to major in, make sure you take extra care to reference specific courses, professors, clubs, or other research opportunities that excite you. The more specific details you can incorporate into your essay, the more sincere and personal it will feel (and be!). 

School of Nursing: Georgetown University’s School of Nursing is committed to the formation of ethical, empathetic, and transformational nursing leaders. Describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying Nursing at Georgetown University.

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 below). Set yourself apart from other applicants by not only discussing the factors that led you to pursuing a career in nursing, but also tying those experiences to your larger goals for the future. Take note of the keywords in the prompt’s first sentence and try to connect them to your story. Are you attracted to Georgetown’s focus on ethics because you come from a family of medical professionals? Were you drawn to the profession due to an empathetic nurse who supported your family during your little sister’s leukemia treatments? How do you hope to embody these characteristics in your future career? 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.

School of Health: Georgetown University’s School of Health was founded to advance the health and well-being of people locally, nationally, and globally through innovative research, the delivery of interdisciplinary education, and transformative engagement of communities. Describe the factors that influenced your interest in studying health care at Georgetown University, specifically addressing your intended related 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, and 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 in 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 by 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? Align your response to the keywords in the prompt’s first sentence to show that Georgetown is the right school for you. Do they have a research lab that’s at the forefront of innovation? Are you eager to engage with local and global communities by volunteering in DC and studying abroad? How will Georgetown’s interdisciplinary education support your goals as a Human Science major? A wise applicant will do some research so they can infuse their response with specific details that demonstrate meticulousness and drive.

Walsh School of Foreign Service: Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service was founded more than a century ago to prepare generations of leaders with the foundational skills to address global issues. Describe your primary motivations for studying international affairs at Georgetown University and dedicating your undergraduate studies toward a future in global service.

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? Next, describe how Georgetown’s specific program will help you achieve these goals. What courses, professors, study abroad experiences, clubs, or activities make Georgetown’s program stand out? The prompt makes reference to “generations of leaders,” so do some research to see if there are any alumni in whose footsteps you hope to follow. Finally, 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: Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business provides graduates with essential global, ethical, analytical, financial, and diverse perspectives on the economies of our nation and the world. Describe your primary motivations for studying business at Georgetown University.

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 this prompt offers a few other aspects of business you’ll learn about in this program, including “global, ethical, analytical, financial, and diverse 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?

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Georgetown Essays

We have been reading Georgetown essays for over twenty years now, so we know a thing or two about the most common mistakes students make. The most common mistakes to avoid are repeating the prompt in your essay (don’t waste your words), trying to sound like an academic (admissions wants to hear your authentic voice!), and using cliches (they’re ineffective and—let’s face it—lazy).

Why Choose College Essay Advisors for Georgetown Essays

We at College Essay Advisors have been guiding students one-on-one through the essay writing process for Georgetown for over twenty years. We take a holistic approach to these essays, considering each student’s application package as a whole and identifying their strengths to highlight. Our Advisors accommodate each student’s scheduling needs to virtually brainstorm, draft, and revise winning essays. It’s incredibly important to us that each student’s voice is preserved, and we pride ourselves in helping students to write successful Georgetown essays that differentiate them from similarly qualified applicants. For more information, submit a contact form below or review our one-on-one advising services or list of student acceptances . 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Georgetown requires:

  • one (1) essay of 250 words
  • one (1) half-page essay; and
  • two (2) page-long essays

So four (4) essays in total.

Georgetown University seeks to welcome students of “character, intelligence, motivations and achievement, without distinction on the basis of race, gender, immigration status or religious preference.” So, naturally, applicants who want to give themselves an edge will make an effort to highlight their own aspirations, accomplishments, character, and intellect without shying away from matters of personal identity.

In order to make your Georgetown essays stand out, we recommend giving yourself plenty of time to brainstorm , reflect on your stories, and piece together cohesive narratives that reveal new information about who you are and what you hope to accomplish without relying on common cliches.

Georgetown asks applicants to submit one (1) essay of 250 words, whereas the other essays don’t have word counts. Instead, they require page counts (one half-page essay and two full-page essays, to be exact).

With each of the school-specific essays, admissions is trying to suss out your motivations for studying your academic interest of choice at Georgetown and what you hope to do with that education long after graduation. To write a strong essay, you will need to think ahead to what you hope to achieve in the future. Then, circle back to how a Georgetown education will help you get there. The more specific you can be in referencing aspects of their offerings that will propel you toward meeting your goals, the better. Just make sure not to regurgitate all the information from their website back to them without reflecting on why said offerings appeal to you, specifically.

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– CEA Student, Georgetown, Class of 2025

"I just wanted to say thank you once again for your support and assistance with [my son's] Georgetown application. Without a doubt, you made this whole process fun, interesting and bearable. [My son] absolutely loved working with you!! After reading all of his essays, all I could say was, “Wow!!” Each and every one was a true reflection of him. I was so proud of his hard work, dedication and authenticity."

– CEA Parent, Georgetown, Class of 2026

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2022-2023 Georgetown

  • Thread starter wysdoc
  • Start date Apr 24, 2022

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School

Plain-spoken Texan

  • Apr 24, 2022
  • The Georgetown University Academy for Research, Clinical, and Health Equity Scholarship (ARCHES)
  • Pedro Arrupe S.J. Scholarship for Peace (ARRUPE)
  • Gateway Exploration Program (GEP)
  • Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP)
  • Georgetown University School of Medicine Summer Immersion Program (GUSOM SCS)
  • Cultivating Opportunity & Realizing Excellence (CORE) Leadership Program

princessneuro

  • Jun 7, 2022

Good luck to everyone here!  

boomertexas

Full member.

  • Jun 28, 2022

Secondary!  

  • Are you/will you be enrolled as a student at Georgetown University during the 2022-2023 academic year? (Y/N)
  • Have you ever participated in any of the following Georgetown Programs? (check all that apply):
  • The Georgetown University School of Medicine (GUSOM) strives to ensure that its students become respectful physicians, with cultural humility, who embrace all dimensions of caring for the whole person. With our Jesuit values of Cura Personalis, People for Others, and Community in Diversity, we are steadfast in our commitment to racial justice and to addressing the health inequities exacerbated by the recent pandemic. Please describe how your values, life experiences, and your identity will contribute to these GUSOM priorities.
  • Is there any further information that you would like the Committee on Admissions to be aware of when reviewing your file that you were not able to notate in another section of this or the AMCAS Application?
  • Why have you chosen to apply to the Georgetown University School of Medicine and how do you think your education at Georgetown will prepare you to become a physician for the future? (3000 characters)
boomertexas said: Are you/will you be enrolled as a student at Georgetown University during the 2022-2023 academic year? (Y/N) Have you ever participated in any of the following Georgetown Programs? (check all that apply): The Georgetown University Academy for Research, Clinical, and Health Equity Scholarship (ARCHES) Pedro Arrupe S.J. Scholarship for Peace (ARRUPE) Gateway Exploration Program (GEP) Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP) Georgetown University School of Medicine Summer Immersion Program (GUSOM SCS) Cultivating Opportunity & Realizing Excellence (CORE) Leadership Program The Georgetown University School of Medicine (GUSOM) strives to ensure that its students become respectful physicians, with cultural humility, who embrace all dimensions of caring for the whole person. With our Jesuit values of Cura Personalis, People for Others, and Community in Diversity, we are steadfast in our commitment to racial justice and to addressing the health inequities exacerbated by the recent pandemic. Please describe how your values, life experiences, and your identity will contribute to these GUSOM priorities. Is there any further information that you would like the Committee on Admissions to be aware of when reviewing your file that you were not able to notate in another section of this or the AMCAS Application? Why have you chosen to apply to the Georgetown University School of Medicine and how do you think your education at Georgetown will prepare you to become a physician for the future? (3000 characters) @wysdoc Click to expand...

No limits! Just says short answer in the section heading @wysdoc  

Okay @wysdoc , I need some tough love. GU is one of my dream schools. I love cura personalis and the DC area, and I think I have a lot to offer, but their technical standards say: Section scores: <125 are considered non-competitive. I have one section with a 124. Everything else is solid and I've demonstrated competencies elsewhere, but will this completely disqualify me? It is a $130 secondary fee (whew!) and I don't think I can waste that just to be screened out. Is it worth it?  

boomertexas said: Secondary! Click to expand...

futuremdpls

OOS Secondary received just now!  

boomertexas said: Okay @wysdoc , I need some tough love. GU is one of my dream schools. I love cura personalis and the DC area, and I think I have a lot to offer, but their technical standards say: Section scores: <125 are considered non-competitive. I have one section with a 124. Everything else is solid and I've demonstrated competencies elsewhere, but will this completely disqualify me? It is a $130 secondary fee (whew!) and I don't think I can waste that just to be screened out. Is it worth it? Click to expand...
NIKK234 said: I think it depends on the section! I am not an expert lol but i assume if its like CARS that can be a little more understanding. That secondary fee is scary! Click to expand...
boomertexas said: God, I wish... CARS was a 132 lol. It was B/BC Click to expand...
NIKK234 said: Oh with 132 in CARS you can submit lol 😂 Click to expand...

Okay stupid question - anyone else having difficulty signing into the secondary? The email didn't include instructions but I figure we do the "forgot password" thing to set a new one, but I tried that and haven't gotten any email  

futuremdpls said: Okay stupid question - anyone else having difficulty signing into the secondary? The email didn't include instructions but I figure we do the "forgot password" thing to set a new one, but I tried that and haven't gotten any email Click to expand...

OOS secondary received!  

paul30 said: OOS secondary received! Click to expand...

LeeSin

raava said: Honestly is there anyone IS lol Click to expand...
LeeSin said: not a state! over 700,000 people without representation! Statehood for DC!!! ok rant over Click to expand...
raava said: Yeah but strategically if you are an undergrad in a DC school applying straight, you'd claim residency in your home state. If you're taking at least one gap year, you'd hop a few hundred feet across the Potomac and apply with VA residency. Click to expand...
LeeSin said: I mean strategically sure... but there is life outside of med school apps. I am in "state" so I am the unicorn you're searching for Click to expand...

How long do people plan to go with these "short answer" essays? Everything has been so regimented since I decided to go for med school, I don't like ambiguity!  

tovarishch said: How long do people plan to go with these "short answer" essays? Everything has been so regimented since I decided to go for med school, I don't like ambiguity! Click to expand...
jenkinss said: They were 1000 chars last cycle, so I might just stick with that tbh. Click to expand...

hec0201

  • Jun 30, 2022

secondary submitted! (ouch on that fee though)  

kneecocoa said: I am also still struggling... we make one typo and our application goes in the trash, but they can mess up the mass email describing how we are supposed to pay them more money... and we pay them more money to get a rejection??? gotta love it Click to expand...

hopefulmdinprogress

What are your guys' opinions on mentioning a non-Catholic/Christian religion in Georgetown's secondary? I'm working on the prompt about how my values, life experiences and identity will contribute to cura personalis and I feel like it's been a major part of my life because it's a big pillar in my religion. If I bring it up, should I mention explicitly which religion I follow (Sikhism) or just leave it vague? Thank you!  

hopefulmdinprogress said: What are your guys' opinions on mentioning a non-Catholic/Christian religion in Georgetown's secondary? I'm working on the prompt about how my values, life experiences and identity will contribute to cura personalis and I feel like it's been a major part of my life because it's a big pillar in my religion. If I bring it up, should I mention explicitly which religion I follow (Sikhism) or just leave it vague? Thank you! Click to expand...
  • Jul 1, 2022

Why does this school ask for a social security number? Is there any way to skip this? I am uncomfortable giving this information.  

hadv3r said: Why does this school ask for a social security number? Is there any way to skip this? I am uncomfortable giving this information. Click to expand...
  • Jul 2, 2022

That feeling when you didn't get the "only 1000 characters" memo and go to paste your responses into the secondary... Oof  

deleted1117431

  • Jul 3, 2022

does Georgetown ask if you have previously applied to medical school or if you have previously applied to their medical school? or both  

EMWannaBeDoc22

  • Jul 4, 2022
barney123 said: does Georgetown ask if you have previously applied to medical school or if you have previously applied to their medical school? or both Click to expand...
  • Jul 5, 2022

What is the secondary application fee?  

mguy29678 said: What is the secondary application fee? Click to expand...
  • Jul 7, 2022
  • Jul 9, 2022

Do the 1000 characters include spaces?  

rainman1150

rainman1150

  • Jul 10, 2022
jbc333 said: Do the 1000 characters include spaces? Click to expand...

AlwaysRefreshingMyEmail

  • Jul 11, 2022

For those of you who are reapplying, how much are you guys changing your secondary essays? I am struggling with significantly changing mine because my reasons for wanting to go to GUSOM haven't changed nor has my additional info I want the committee to know about me. Has anyone spoken with admissions about this? I don't want to come across as lazy, but how many ways can we keep saying the same thing?  

AlwaysRefreshingMyEmail said: For those of you who are reapplying, how much are you guys changing your secondary essays? I am struggling with significantly changing mine because my reasons for wanting to go to GUSOM haven't changed nor has my additional info I want the committee to know about me. Has anyone spoken with admissions about this? I don't want to come across as lazy, but how many ways can we keep saying the same thing? Click to expand...

sosmedicine

futuremdpls said: I am completely rewriting everything! For schools that I applied to before I'm not even looking at what I wrote last time, because obviously that didn't get me an II or A. If you really do have the same passions and goals, you'll be able to write them well from scratch again. Don't let yourself get held back by what you wrote before Click to expand...

deleted1022805

  • Jul 12, 2022

Where are the research opportunities listed on the website? It seems like the page hasn't been updated since 2016 lol.  

gasstationsushi

gasstationsushi

sosmedicine said: This is a good point, I also changed my essays completely to reflect new experiences and tried to fit their mission better Click to expand...

crunchwrap360

crunchwrap360

  • Jul 14, 2022

OOS Secondary received  

  • Jul 19, 2022

when are interviews usually sent out?  

turtle2021 said: when are interviews usually sent out? Click to expand...

thefirerisen

thefirerisen

  • Jul 23, 2022

Have been looking into GU but I don't want to apply if I am not competitive in terms of volunteer hrs. I know it is incredibly service oriented but does anyone have any statistics for this? What are the average/median number of hours towards service and does clinical volunteering count?  

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Berkley Forum

Russia's Influence in the Balkans: The Interplay of Religion, Politics, and History

By: Harun Karčić

July 25, 2022

As Russia’s war against Ukraine rages on and President Vladimir Putin continues his renewed campaign for global influence, Moscow is increasingly asserting itself in a region that has been off the radar for some time—the Balkans .

Nested between the Black Sea and the Adriatic, the region’s geostrategic location and its proximity to the Middle East is important to Moscow. The Adriatic Sea would provide Russia with access to warm-water ports—a quest which has been a historic driver of Russian diplomatic and military activity in Southeastern Europe. Back in the 1950s, the USSR had even constructed the Pasha Liman naval base in Albania where attack submarines of the Soviet navy were stationed until Albania’s dictator Enver Hoxha broke off ties with Moscow in 1961.

However, more important for Russia are the region’s significant historical, cultural, and religious connections —narratives of shared ties that are actively propagated by Russian media outlets in the region, as well as public diplomacy officials. More specifically, Moscow plays the shared cultural and religious ties card among the region’s Orthodox Christian population that constitutes significant percentages in Bosnia, in addition to majorities in Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. Serbia has been perceived as Russia’s kin state in the region, a much smaller and feebler version of the Russia-Belarus relationship, which involves manipulating identity politics, church relations, and economic interests.

As one of the last regions of Europe that has not yet been fully integrated into Euro-Atlantic structures, the Balkans present an obvious target for Russian influence operations. Religious links are usually gate-openers for more consequential deals—including in strategic sectors such as energy, banking, and real estate —and hence gradually lead to political and economic dependence.

Although Russia has had three ruling regimes over the past two centuries—tsarist, Soviet, and post-communist—the same imperialistic mentality has survived empires and remained dominant in the halls of the Kremlin. Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, there is no place for doubt as to what extent President Vladimir Putin is willing to go in order to instrumentalize Russian-speaking minorities across Russia’s borders and utilize the Russian Orthodox church in order to advance his irredentist aspirations. This ought to be considered when analyzing the Western Balkans as well.

Russian overt and covert influence operations in the Balkans have been aimed at fostering local, people-to-people connections and creating friendly constituencies and various levers of influence. Russia’s second approach was to exacerbate existing political and social fissures within a country, betting that such moves would inhibit further integration into Western economic, political, or security structures.

But there is also the tit for tat moment: since NATO has been expanding across former Soviet republics that Moscow considers its spheres of influence (i.e., Baltics, Georgia, and Ukraine), Moscow feels entitled to reciprocate in NATO’s inner yard. However, unlike the post-Soviet Central Asian states or the Caucasus, Russia is incapable of physically penetrating the Balkans; hence it relies on local players.

Moscow enjoys a series of local assets including highly placed Serb nationalist politicians such as Milorad Dodik (a member of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s tri-partite presidency) and Aleksandar Vučić (Serbia’s powerful president). There are also biker gangs, friendly paramilitary militias, murky businessmen, pro-Russian media outlets, and above all the transnational Serbian Orthodox Church .

Russian President Vladimir Putin recruited the Orthodox Church from the very onset as a primary soft-power instrument. Over the years, it has grown to play an instrumental role in advancing Russian interests, not only in countries perceived by the Kremlin as its “near abroad” but to all other states where Orthodox Christians live. Because church and religion have always been important societal and political factors in the region, and perhaps the only real division points in terms of identifying ethnicity, the Kremlin sought to spread its influence in predominantly Orthodox Western Balkan countries.

The Russian Orthodox Church’s main interlocutor in the region is the Serbian Orthodox Church, which concomitantly has a close relationship with the Serbian state and often provides religious legitimacy to domestic and foreign state policies. Outside of Serbia, the Serbian Orthodox Church controls parishes in Bosnia’s autonomous Republika Srpska entity, Montenegro, Croatia, and in parts of Kosovo. Hence, Moscow’s political and religious influence trickles down and cascades through Belgrade.

So strong has this influence been that while much of world stood in solidarity with Ukrainians in March 2022, thousands of citizens in Serbia and in the autonomous Republic of Srpska organized mass rallies in support of Russia and President Vladimir Putin. Among those marching were Serb members of the notorious Kremlin-backed bikers’ club Night Wolves, members of pro-Kremlin NGO Sveti Georgije, and also members of the ultra-nationalist Ravna Gora Chetnik Movement. Russian-friendly media outlets in the region eagerly reported on the rallies and lionized the Russian military.

Finally, there are Russian oligarchs with close ties to the Russian Orthodox Church and the Kremlin who can provide Moscow with a useful mask of deniability, should things go wrong. The most prominent example is Konstantin Malofeev , who is strongly linked with Milorad Dodik, the Bosnian Serb member of the presidency.

Looking at Russia’s interests in the Balkans from a broader perspective, it is interesting to note that in the 1990s, Russia was too weak to carve its sphere of influence in the former Yugoslavia, despite its greatest efforts. It was NATO—led by the United States—that dominated for many years. However, as the United States diverted its attention and resources to Afghanistan and Iraq in the 2000s, development, security, and state building of the Western Balkans was outsourced to the European Union. The lack of a coherent EU strategy towards the region produced no viable steps forward, and eventually the Kremlin saw an opportunity to step in.

Moscow had been sending trial balloons to see what it could get away with before hitting hard when an opportunity appeared—and the lack of any meaningful Western response was interpreted as a sign of weakness.

Over the years, numerous religious, business, and political networks have been knitted—including with the criminal milieu—between Moscow and the Balkans. The consequences of this partnership are likely to have serious implications sooner rather than later. We already see the results of Moscow’s co-option and subversion efforts which have managed to not only stall, but reverse democratic and political gains achieved by Western involvement since the 1990s. Particular attention must be paid to far-right nationalist politicians such as Milorad Dodik and Aleksandar Vučić, whose relationships with Vladimir Putin have exposed them as the most willing subordinates of the Kremlin’s political diktats.

According to the latest International Republican Institute survey, Bosniak Muslims and Kosovar Albanians are the most ardent supporters of NATO and the EU in the Western Balkans. The war in Ukraine has provided a rare window of opportunity for the United States to recalibrate its foreign policy and make a forceful comeback to Europe, particularly to the Balkans.

It is an opportunity that must not be wasted, because any conflict in the Western Balkans has the potential to enflame neighboring NATO member states, and hence destabilize the transatlantic military alliance and western liberal order.

Editor's Note: This article was written as part of the Geopolitics of Religious Soft Power project , a partnership between Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and the Brookings Institution supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The statements made and views expressed are solely the responsibility of the respective authors.

About the Author

Harun Karčić headshot

Harun Karčić

Dr. Harun Karčić is a journalist and political analyst covering the Balkans. Over the past decade, he has authored numerous articles on geopolitics and religion, particularly Islam, in the post-communist Balkans. He also writes about the role played by foreign powers including Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Turkey. His scope has more recently expanded to include China and Russia as well. He also regularly reports on Muslim minorities in Europe and rising right-wing nationalism.

CSTO leaders posing in front of their flags at a meeting in Minsk

Title: The Collective Security Treaty Organization: A Lifeless, Shambling ‘Alliance’

Russia’s answer to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), is a zombie—an undead creature shambling around the former Soviet Union, lacking a pulse but continuing to go through the motions of still being alive. Absent some extraordinary events, such as a decisive Russian victory in Ukraine, it is doubtful whether the CSTO can be restored to anything close to a functioning alliance. Such a situation would greatly impact the region’s security environment, unlikely as that may seem.

What is the CSTO?

The CSTO is a military alliance that brings together six post-Soviet countries into a mutual security pact. It originated out of the collapse of the Soviet Union, during which Russia and five other newly independent states (Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Belarus) signed the Collective Security Treaty (CST) on May 15, 1992. All the parties were interested in avoiding the potential dangers associated with a regional security vacuum, which could have led to intraregional conflicts and the intervention of external powers; thus, they joined the CST as a solution to their fears.

For Russia, the CST was a chief means to maintain its regional dominance and protect its self-declared zone of “ privileged interests .” For the weaker states, however, binding themselves to Russia was a means to signal to Moscow that they were not potential security liabilities. Consequently, in aiming to avoid potential Russian military interventions, these CST states put into practice the dictum of keeping one’s friends close but one’s (potential) enemies closer.

In 2002, this security architecture was upgraded into the CSTO, establishing a new international organization and formal institution to implement the 1992 document. Initially, the CSTO “ existed mostly as a paper structure ” and served primarily to formalize Russian weapon transfers and training. It also served as a mechanism to legitimize the maintenance of the Kremlin’s military bases outside of the Russian Federation through a multilateral, rather than unilateral or bilateral, veneer.

Yet rather than being a truly multilateral alliance, the CSTO was closer to a series of spokes all originating from Moscow, and, should Moscow have faltered in its responsibilities, there would have been little left holding it together. However, during the 2010s, the CSTO took several steps to transform itself into a stronger and more purposeful security mechanism. Nonetheless, it remained rather weak and dependent upon Russia to function.

The Slow, and Then Quick Death of the CSTO

As long as the alliance served its members’ interests, the security infrastructure envisioned by the CSTO could be maintained, but this did not come to fruition.

Specifically, the 2010 failure of the CSTO to comply with Kyrgyzstan’s request to counter ethnic clashes in the southern part of its country is seen by many as the beginning of the institution’s irrelevance. This event occurred as a result of the claim that the alliance’s mandate only extended to external aggression, not domestic instability, which prompted Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to ask: “ What sort of organization is this one, if there is bloodshed in one of our member states … and this body keeps silent? ”

The foundations of the CSTO were further undercut by Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and its open support for the secession of ethnic Russians in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region. The consequences of these events were acutely felt in Belarus and Kazakhstan, given their mutual borders with the Russian Federation and their ethnic and cultural connections to Russia—both of which Moscow could exploit to enact another “ Ukraine scenario ” on their soil.

In an instant, Russia went from being viewed as a “benevolent hegemon” to a “neighborhood bully,” and Minsk and Astana found themselves in an “ intra-alliance security dilemma ,” aligned with an irredentist with potential plans for their countries. However, neither Belarus nor Kazakhstan sought to withdraw from the CSTO in part because that would have given Moscow the excuse it needed to intervene. Yet, there were clear signs that both Belarus and Kazakhstan sought to distance themselves from their ostensible alliance partner by taking concrete steps to secure their country’s sovereignty through changes to their national security doctrine, rhetoric, and policy.

Another failure occurred when the CSTO was unwilling to heed Armenia’s call to protect the ethnic-Armenian exclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020. Despite the protection of their co-nationals being among Armenia’s most important national security interests, Moscow outright refused to assist, asserting that since the hostilities were “ not taking place on Armenian territory ,” the CSTO security guarantees did not apply.

Notably, the peacekeeping force sent to Nagorno-Karabakh following a Russian-brokered ceasefire in November of that year was not under CSTO auspices but rather through Moscow’s sole authority, another symbol of the CSTO’s unwillingness to assist Armenia. The following year, the Kremlin dismissed border skirmishes between Azerbaijan and Armenia proper as not enough to invoke the CSTO’s mutual defense provisions. The alliance was also powerless in the face of border clashes between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in 2021. One commentator explained the alliance’s inaction as rooted in the fact that its charter merely prohibits war between two of its member states , as opposed to aggression like in the Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan situation.

Thus, Russian action or inaction caused the CSTO to fail at almost every level. Still, the alliance may have been able to move past these events since arguments for inaction were technically justifiable, and Moscow could ensure its allies that Crimea/Donbas was a one-off event. However, all this would be upended in early 2022.

The Year CSTO Died

There was a brief possibility of revival of the CSTO in January 2022, when CSTO peacekeepers were deployed to Kazakhstan to assist the regime of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Even though the bulk of the troops sent were from Russia, the region finally witnessed the alliance in action to safeguard regional stability. However, this hope along with the entire alliance’s viability was quickly dashed with Russia’s full-bore invasion of Ukraine a month later.

None of the other CSTO members formally recognized the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, and no troops from the non-Russian CSTO countries were deployed to support Russia’s war. Russia’s annexation of four additional Ukrainian provinces was likewise rejected by CSTO members, a subtle affirmation of Ukraine’s sovereignty. Moreover, except for Lukashenko, who remains persona non grata in the West as a result of the 2020 crackdown against the democratic opposition, CSTO leaders have sought to foster positive relations with the West and China. For example, Kazakhstan’s Tokayev dismissed any notion that he owed the Kremlin a debt for the events of January 2022. Instead, Astana intensified its long-standing policy of undertaking a ‘multivector’ foreign policy, balancing the country’s ties between Russia, the West, and China.

Making matters worse for Russia were the war’s negative externalities: the slow pace of the invasion and the need to reinforce its military saw Moscow pulling some troops out of other parts of the region to devote to Ukraine. Consequently, Russia failed to fulfill its regional leadership role by ignoring renewed and escalating clashes between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in September 2022, when Tajikistan reportedly sent troops across the border. Rather than opposing what many Kyrgyz saw as an “invasion,” Russian President Vladimir Putin chose to honor his Tajik counterpart “ for the provision of regional stability and security ” with an award. In response, Kyrgyzstan abruptly canceled CSTO joint military exercises that were due to take place later that month.

That same month, Azerbaijan took advantage of the regional chaos to initiate clashes with Armenia along their mutual border. A year later, Baku launched a full-scale offensive against Armenian-occupied territories, quickly overwhelming ethnic-Armenian forces and pushing aside the remaining Russian peacekeepers to seize full control over Nagorno-Karabakh. Despite the death of some Russian forces and, again, reported strikes into Armenia proper , Russia once again stayed silent. In fact, some Russian officials openly criticized Yerevan and the Karabakh-Armenians for provoking Azerbaijan, implying that Armenia was insufficiently loyal to Russia. Hence, Russia demonstrated to the rest of the CSTO that its interests were the only ones that held water.

What Does the Future Hold?

If alliances are fundamentally built upon trust and power, then the CSTO’s future seems bleak. The continual undermining of the alliance’s core principles appears to have created a strategic opening for external powers.

Maximizing stability will require a soft touch. The best policy for Washington , Brussels , and Beijing is to put into practice a quote often attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte : “Never interfere with an enemy while he’s making a mistake.” Russia has come nowhere close to achieving its overarching goal of establishing hegemony over the post-Soviet space. In fact, Russia has only weakened its regional geopolitical influence and popular support . Rather than binding them closer, Russia’s CSTO allies have redoubled their efforts to cultivate ties with the U.S./West and China during 2023. And there’s no indication that this will stop in 2024.

Foreign powers must understand that the multilayered relationships between Russia and other CSTO members cannot be broken overnight. Forcing these countries to conclusively choose a ‘bloc’ will likely prove counterproductive, as they would be hesitant to risk provoking the region’s still-dominant power. Instead, the United States and Europe should materially reward these states for both asserting their geopolitical independence and engaging in hedging behavior by seeking out ways to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties with them.

Some countries will be more receptive to this than others. Kazakhstan has probably gone the farthest, as its outreach to the West and China has been reciprocated. Armenia is justifiably rethinking its myopic dependence on Russia for its security following the Kremlin’s inaction in the Caucasus, boycotting the November 2023 CSTO summit in Minsk. Although Yerevan declared that it was not planning to leave the alliance, some comments by the Armenian Prime Minister were less definitive.

This comes in the context of the broader deterioration of the Armenian-Russian relationship : not only has Yerevan actively sought to improve relations with the West , but it has also joined the International Criminal Court, which has indicted Putin for war crimes. Paul Globe referred to Armenian-Russian relations as being in “crisis,” and we are now seeing this reflected in Yerevan’s recent suspension and “de facto freeze” of its involvement in the CSTO, with additional threats to make this a “de jure” change in its relationship toward the alliance.

While Belarus will almost certainly go the way of Lukashenko , Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are likely not too far behind their counterparts in rethinking their relationship with Russia. Allowing what Moscow set in motion to take its due course, and nudging it along the way, will likely prove to be the most fruitful to further weaken Russia’s bedrock regional security system.

Regional Implications

What would the unraveling of this system mean for the region? Three outcomes are most likely – none of which are mutually exclusive. First, we have already seen conflicts in the region intensify as Russia becomes an absentee security provider. There is little reason to believe that this trend will reverse, thus creating a regional environment increasingly characterized by instability.

Second, it could also create an opening for outside powers to increase their influence in the region either through bilateral ties with the post-Soviet states or by filling the vacuum left by Moscow. We see substantial evidence of the first in terms of the West’s reciprocal inroads with Kazakhstan and Armenia. Regarding the latter, these countries may begin to look beyond Moscow to help resolve their issues. For example, one could imagine China, which has positive relations with the Central Asian states , being invited to mediate between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Finally, all of this will make Russia even more insecure as it sees its sphere of influence slipping away. We have already seen in Ukraine how Moscow responds to perceived insecurity. While its options at present are limited by the Ukrainian quagmire, eventually that war will end. And the region may find itself with a Russia desperate to restore its regional hegemony – not a promising prospect for the post-Soviet states.

The CSTO is not going to go away overnight, but it will be an alliance in name only, something more akin to the latter stages of the failed, Cold War-era Central Treaty Organization and the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization , rather than the NATO alliance it was modeled upon. For now, though, the CSTO will continue to shamble on, not quite dead, but not truly amongst the living.

Dr. Thomas Ambrosio is a professor of political science at North Dakota State University, USA, where he has taught in the Department of Political Science & Public Policy since 2000. His research interests include the domestic and international politics of the former Soviet Union, authoritarianism, authoritarian diffusion and learning, critical geopolitics, and ludic studies.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

  • Multilateral Institutions & Agreements ,
  • Regimes & Governance ,
  • Russia & Eurasia ,
  • War & Conflict

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What Georgetown is Looking for in Their Essays

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Alexander Oddo and Vinay Bhaskara in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered: 

Why are your essays so important, how will you impact the georgetown community, what are your personal qualities, are you and your interests authentic.

Essays are a crucial step in applying to any college. But Georgetown, in particular, values its supplemental essays . Essays account for up between 25% to 35% of the admissions decision at Georgetown, whereas at most schools it is 25% or below. 

Many students applying to Georgetown have the right qualifications on paper: good grades, test scores, and extracurriculars. Therefore, when deciding between applications, it boils down to the essay. They know you are qualified to be a Georgetown student, but what kind of student will you be when you are there?

The first factor that an admissions officer will be looking for is whether you will positively add to the campus community. Every college is thinking about this. What they are trying to do is imagine what you will be like on campus, as well as what you would be like as an alumni of the school. 

What extracurriculars are you going to be joining once you are on campus? What events at Georgetown are you going to be participating in? Are you going to be attending Georgetown day festivities? Perhaps you will help run the student government, or run for Student Senate President. They are trying to think about who you are as a person, and what value and impact you will have on and beyond campus. 

No one can predict the future here, but your essays can sometimes give colleges a really good idea of what kind of student you will be like at their school and what you will be like after graduating. 

Georgetown has a set of core values, one of which is the idea of “care for the whole person.” Georgetown applies that to admissions, too. That means they want people who are interdisciplinary thinkers, very open-minded, and ready to explore all the world has to offer. 

At Georgetown, they value things like loving to learn, caring about others, striving to make the world a better place, determination, and resilience. In your essays, you will want to make sure that you show the ways in which you align with these values and why.

When reviewing your essays, Georgetown admissions officers are looking for authenticity in your reasons for wanting to enroll at their school. They get a lot of applications simply because they are a prestigious, top 50 school, but Georgetown, in particular, does not like people applying for its name. 

The main reason why the Georgetown application is not on the Common App is so they can reduce the number of people applying to schools for clout and prestige. They want to make it extra work, so they get applicants who like Georgetown authentically and have key reasons for wanting to go, besides the fact that it is a good school.

As a result, you should make sure to do your research when applying to Georgetown. In each essay, you want to show that you understand the school and are excited about its opportunities. 

You can find more information on how to write Georgetown’s supplemental essays in this article . And if you’re stuck in the brainstorming phase and eed examples of great college essays? Check out 19 Examples of Stellar Common App Essays or 16 Strong College Essay Examples . 

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  1. Georgetown Supplemental Essays 2024-25

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