How to Write the Georgetown University Essays 2024-2025

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

A few tips for your response:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

While we would normally always encourage applicants to submit any optional essays, there’s not really a need to answer it at all if you would be repeating content from the activities list on your application or Prompt 1. This response should be brief, especially since it’s not listed with the rest of the essay prompts.

That being said, if you do have any talents or skills that you haven’t yet included or want to elaborate on, go ahead! The skills or talents that will be most impactful here will have led you to develop personally, or are more unusual and merit further explanation. This is an opportunity to demonstrate your passion, dedication, and any significant related achievements you want to have on your application.

For example, maybe you’re a yo-yo champ and have organized local tournaments, teaching you event planning skills. Or, maybe you create art from trash you find on walks on the beach and have sold $1,000 worth of pieces, and motivated hundreds of neighbors to join you on your cleanups. Your skill can be more everyday as well, such as working in a grocery store or tutoring young kids; as long as it’s contributed to your growth meaningfully, you can highlight it here.

It’s not necessary to be terribly verbose in this response. Remember—it’s separate from the listed prompts and is intended to be a brief space for you to tack on anything you want considered that didn’t make it on other parts of the application. 

How to Write the Georgetown University School-Specific Supplemental Essays

This is an example of a Why This Major essay archetype. Georgetown wants to know why you’re drawn to the College of Arts & Sciences and how it aligns with your academic and career goals. For especially competitive majors, this prompt is used to gauge your preparation and genuine interest. Since there are limited spots, they want to make sure those spots go to the students who will make the most of the program and contribute the most to the Georgetown community. In this response, you’ll connect the dots between your academic interests, the Jesuit values of education mentioned in the prompt itself, and the specific resources and opportunities at Georgetown.

A strong response will reference specific elements of Georgetown’s offerings for your major and describe how it aligns with your personal, specific reasons for enjoying the field and wanting to focus on it. It’s always a good idea to do some research about the department you’re planning to study in by looking into classes, professors, labs, experiential learning, and extracurricular initiatives that relate to your intended major. However, when including university-specific resources, make sure you don’t just name drop the—demonstrate the connection and application to your interests. 

Also, don’t neglect the aspect of Georgetown’s Jesuit traditions—they’re included in the prompt for a reason! You don’t have to be Catholic or even religious to connect with these values. The emphasis is on community and integrating service and research with traditional learning, and Georgetown places special significance in work toward social justice. 

So, to sum up, there are three bases to cover here: your personal motivations and ambitions regarding your major, Jesuit education values, and Georgetown’s specific resources. These themes should be interconnected and clearly articulated.

When considering your motivations and ambitions in pursuing your chosen field of study, think about what drew you to that major and to Georgetown in the first place. What types of experiences have you had that contributed to your interest in this domain? What do you hope to accomplish through this interest in your future professional life? Apply these answers to Georgetown’s Jesuit educational values and university resources. How do you see yourself contributing to the Georgetown community, especially within your major or department? How will a degree from Georgetown’s College of Arts and Sciences help you achieve your long-term goals?

Check out the examples below for some inspiration:

“Like lots of kids, I’ve always been interested in ancient history, especially the stories of ancient civilizations. I studied Latin in high school and enjoyed reading classical texts, which is why I want to continue studying history in college. Georgetown’s College of Arts & Sciences has a strong history program, and I know I’ll learn a lot from the professors there. I also appreciate Georgetown’s Jesuit values because I think it’s important to study history with a focus on ethics and understanding. I’m excited to be a part of a community that values both education and moral development.”

Although this response provides some personal color about the writer’s connection to the study of history, it comes off as vague and superficial because of the lack of detail. See the revision below for a better excerpt:

“From a young age, I found myself drawn to the stories of ancient civilizations and how their cultures, languages, and art shaped the world. My interest led me to study Latin in high school, where I read classical texts deeply and recognized my passion for ancient history. Georgetown’s College of Arts & Sciences stands out to me for its strong emphasis on interdisciplinary learning, particularly through the Classical Studies program. I am especially interested in the work of Dr. Marden Nichols’ work on the impact of Roman art and architecture on ancient history, as it aligns well with my own interest in the influence of classical art on cultural and intellectual historiography. Additionally, Georgetown’s Jesuit values resonate with my desire to approach the study of history not just as an academic pursuit, but as a way to understand and contribute to the ethical foundations of today’s global society.”

The elaboration in the second example more clearly explains their passion for ancient history and how it developed and demonstrates a familiarity with the offerings and traditions of Georgetown.

The more personal and specific your response, the better. Authentic reflection on the overlap between your interests and goals and Georgetown’s faculty, curriculum, and traditions will make your essay stand out. 

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

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

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

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

Read on for some ideas below:

1. If you are someone who lived through a serious or chronic illness, you can address your experiences here as a way to explain your interest in the health industry. While an illness can be a challenging and extremely personal topic to write about, you can focus on the ways it helped to develop your passion for helping others or for conducting scientific research. This is a way to put your academic accomplishments in context.

2. If you or a family member have witnessed or experienced any injustices in the healthcare system, you can discuss how the system failed to operate effectively and ways for which it could improve in the future. Accessibility to healthcare can vary depending on region, demographics, and socioeconomic status. Try to find specific examples that are relevant to your experience that illustrate your understanding of the issue and desire to gain a better understanding of the field. 

3. As technology continues to aid in the advancements of medicine, the field of healthcare is constantly evolving. Are there any areas of health sciences that have yet to be fully explored? Think of a narrow area of healthcare study and explain how delving deeper into that topic could have a lasting impact on society. Try and pick a topic that captivates the reader and highlights something about your own personality. 

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

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

This is a Why This Major essay archetype in which Georgetown wants to understand your motivations for pursuing a career in nursing and how the university’s program aligns with your goals. They’re looking for evidence of your commitment to nursing, as well as how you embody the values of ethics, empathy, and leadership that are central to their nursing program.

To begin, consider what inspired you to pursue a career in nursing—specific experiences, people—and what your long-term goals in the career are. Emphasize how you view nursing as being distinct from the larger healthcare industry. For example, maybe it’s because nursing uniquely cultivates the trusting relationships between patients and experienced healthcare professionals. So, if you’re applying to this major, you should emphasize your passion for caring for individual patients rather than focusing on broader aspects of the health sciences. 

However you frame your interest, take care to demonstrate “ethical, empathetic, and transformational” qualities in your experiences. How does Georgetown’s emphasis on ethics and empathy align with your personal values and career goals? The prompt lists these features purposefully, so apply them to your own journey. 

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

• If you have a family member who works in the healthcare industry, you can discuss your first exposure to the field in the context of building connections with your loved ones. Perhaps your uncle has spent countless hours pointing out inefficiencies in the ways we currently manage large hospitals based on his work as a doctor. You can recount these conversations as a gateway to your passion for healthcare and even mention some projects you may wish to pursue to combat these problems in the future. 

• If you spent a summer or your after-school hours volunteering at a local hospital or other medical establishment, you can use an anecdote describing your experience to underline your interest in the industry. Keep in mind that many other students applying to this school will likely have similar activities on their resume. Try to find a unique angle that will exemplify your experience.

• Think about some characteristics that might be beneficial in the field of nursing: quick thinking, adaptability, remaining calm under pressure. Describe specific examples of events when you displayed these characteristics. Did your reaction to the event surprise you? Did you develop these skills over time? How did the result of the event change your outlook on similar situations in the future? Your account of these experiences should illustrate something that you discovered about yourself and how these skills and experiences are relevant to your nursing major. 

After you’ve nailed down the aspects of your personal interest in nursing, apply them to Georgetown. Research the School of Nursing and its values, curriculum, and extracurriculars. Why are you specifically interested in studying nursing at Georgetown University? What aspects of their program appeal to you the most? Consider how Georgetown will help you achieve your long-term career goals.

When you sit down to write, remember that your main goal is to explain to the admissions committee why what you want to accomplish cannot be accomplished by studying any other field. Focus on program features that set Georgetown apart from other universities and find a connection to your personal experiences that will help to humanize you in the eyes of the reader. However, make sure not to list resources or curriculum that Georgetown offers without reflecting on them in the context of your personal motivations and aspirations.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here are a few response ideas:

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

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

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

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

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

Where to Get Your Georgetown Essays Edited

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

Need feedback faster? Get a free, nearly-instantaneous essay review from Sage, our AI tutor and advisor. Sage will rate your essay, give you suggestions for improvement, and summarize what admissions officers would take away from your writing. Use these tools to improve your chances of acceptance to your dream school!