Frequently Asked Questions When Applying to Georgetown
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:
- Should You Focus More on Your Essay Topic or the Values You Highlight?
- Do First-Generation Students Have a Fair Chance of Acceptance?
- What Are the Biggest Mistakes Students Make When Applying to Georgetown?
Should You Focus More on Your Essay Topic or the Values You Highlight?
You should think about your values, who you are, and the stories you have first when brainstorming, because this is going to lead you to a great topic. For example, you could focus on extracurriculars or a paid work experience and talk about the values or friendships you gained. You could also reflect on a touching memory with a friend or family member and how they have shaped who you are today.
Be careful not to feel boxed in by the essay prompt. If you think about what you want to communicate to the admissions office first, you have the freedom to look at the different essay prompts and determine how to convey the stories and values you want to present.
Finally, remember that the topic of your essay does not just have to be a simple thing. As an example, in one of the essays in CollegeVine’s blog post, 19 Examples of Stellar Common App Essays, an applicant writes about doing their best thinking and becoming the best version of themselves when they shower. This student uses the idea of a shower as a metaphor to explain who they are. It was a creative risk, but it worked, and such unique ideas only come from brainstorming and looking at the prompts with an open mind.
For more information on how to write Georgetown’s supplemental essays, check out this article on CollegeVine.
Do First-Generation Students Have a Fair Chance of Acceptance?
You have a great chance of being admitted to Georgetown if you are a first-generation student. Your unique background lends itself to writing some great essays, and this can help you stand out even more in the application process. Additionally, this could help your chances as Georgetown looks to boost the presence of first-generation students on its campus.
Georgetown also offers a variety of support systems for first-generation students. Many faculty members at Georgetown have stickers in their offices expressing support for first-generation students, and there are people in the financial aid office who specialize in helping first-generation students. The Georgetown Scholars Program also exists to help groups of people who have historically had less access to higher education, which includes first-generation students.
Overall, if you identify as a first-generation student, this will be an asset to your application.
What Are the Biggest Mistakes Students Make When Applying to Georgetown?
One of the biggest mistakes students can make when applying to Georgetown is to not prioritize their essays, or not write them in an engaging, thoughtful way that tells the admissions office about who they are as a person.
Your essay should not be overly general, vague, or cliche. Many people tend to talk about the same topics, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, and this can be a major error. If you write about common topics, make sure to do so in a unique way and to highlight your personality in your essays.
Another common mistake students make is in not understanding the culture of the school they are applying to. Remember that Georgetown University is an institution in Washington D.C., and as a result it respects politics and government service. Georgetown’s admissions office also tends to be progressive and is a Jesuit Institution. Therefore, you should not demonize religion in your essay, for example.
Always remember the human factor in college admissions, which is the idea that on the other end of your application is the admissions officer reading your application and they are a person with their own biases and opinions.
Interested in applying to Georgetown? Check out these articles to learn more about Georgetown and get tips on your application:
