Georgetown University 2024-25 Application Essay Prompt Guide
Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 10
You Have:
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 .
About Amanda Amah
View all posts by Amanda Amah »
We'd love to connect you with an Advisor from our team.
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.
"I was accepted into Georgetown a few hours ago. Thank you for all your help! It was really difficult for me to get started on my applications, so I wanted to thank you for the help you gave in keeping me on top of things, guiding me through the brainstorming of essays, and revising them. This would've been such a stressful application experience had it not been for your help."
– 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
Contact us for information on rates and more!
- I am a * Student Parent Potential Partner School Counselor Private College Counselor
- Name * First Last
- Phone Type Mobile Landline
- Street Address
- Address City State / Province / Region Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czechia Côte d'Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine, State of Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Switzerland Syria Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, the United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Türkiye US Minor Outlying Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands Country
- Which best describes you (or your child)? High school senior High school junior College student College grad Other
- How did you find CEA? Internet Search Podcast New York Times Guidance counselor/school Social Media YouTube Friend Special Event Delehey College Consulting Perks at Work Other
- Common App and Coalition Essays
- Supplemental Essays
- University of California Essays
- University of Texas Essays
- Resume Review
- Post-Grad Essays
- Specialized Services
- Waitlist Letters
- Private School Essays
- General College Counseling
- School list with priorities noted:
- Anything else we should know?
- Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
School Stats:
- Agnes Scott College
- Alvernia University
- American University
- Amherst College
- Babson College
- Bard College
- Barnard College
- Baylor University
- Bennington College
- Bentley University
- Berry College
- Bethany College
- Bishop’s University
- Boston College
- Boston University (BU)
- Bowdoin College
- Brandeis University
- Brown University
- Bryn Mawr College
- Bucknell University
- Butler University
- California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
- California Lutheran University
- Capitol Technology University
- Carleton College
- Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)
- Catawba College
- Centre College
- Chapman University
- Claremont McKenna College
- Clark University
- Clemson University
- Coastal Carolina University
- College of Charleston
- College of William and Mary
- College of Wooster
- Colorado College
- Colorado School of Mines
- Columbia University
- Cornell University
- Culver-Stockton College
- D'Youville University
- Dartmouth College
- Davidson College
- Dickinson College
- Drexel University
- Duke University
- Earlham College
- Elon University
- Emerson College
- Emory University
- Flagler College
- Fordham University
- George Mason University
- The George Washington University
- Georgetown University
- Georgia State University
- Georgia Tech
- Gonzaga University
- Hamilton College
- Hampshire College
- Harvard University
- Harvey Mudd College
- Haverford College
- Hillsdale College
- Hofstra University
- Howard University
- Illinois Institute of Technology
- Illinois Wesleyan University
- Ithaca College
- Johns Hopkins University
- Kalamazoo College
- Lafayette College
- Lehigh University
- Lewis and Clark College
- Linfield University
- Loyola Marymount University (LMU)
- Lynn University
- Macalester College
- Manchester University
- Marist College
- Mary Baldwin University
- Meredith College
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- Monmouth College
- Moravian University
- Morehouse College
- Mount Holyoke College
- New York University (NYU)
- North Carolina State
- North Park University
- Northwestern University
- Occidental College
- Oklahoma City University
- Olin College of Engineering
- Pepperdine University
- Pitzer College
- Pomona College
- Princeton University
- Providence College
- Purdue University
- Reed College
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Rice University
- Roger Williams University
- Saint Anselm College
- Saint Elizabeth University
- Santa Clara University
- Sarah Lawrence College
- Scripps College
- Seattle Pacific University
- Seattle University
- Siena College
- Smith College
- Soka University of America
- Southern Methodist University
- Spelman College
- St. John’s College
- Stanford University
- Stevens Institute of Technology
- Stonehill College
- Swarthmore College
- Syracuse University
- Texas A&M University
- Texas Christian University (TCU)
- The College of Idaho
- The New School
- Trinity College
- Tufts University
- Tulane University
- UNC Wilmington
- University of California
- University of Central Florida (UCF)
- University of Chicago
- University of Cincinnati
- University of Colorado Boulder
- University of Florida
- University of Georgia (UGA)
- University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- University of Maryland
- University of Massachusetts Amherst
- University of Massachusetts Lowell
- University of Miami
- University of Michigan
- University of Minnesota
- University of Mississippi (Ole Miss)
- College of Mount Saint Vincent
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro
- University of Notre Dame
- University of Oklahoma
- University of Oregon
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Pittsburgh
- University of Richmond
- University of Rochester
- University of San Diego
- University of San Francisco
- University of Southern California (USC)
- University of Texas at Austin
- University of Tulsa
- University of Vermont
- University of Virginia (UVA)
- University of Washington
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Vanderbilt University
- Vassar College
- Villanova University
- Virginia Tech
- Wake Forest University
- Washington and Lee University
- Washington University in St. Louis
- Wellesley College
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
- Yale University
Want free stuff?
We thought so. Sign up for free instructional videos, guides, worksheets and more!
One-On-One Advising
Common App Essay Prompt Guide
Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide
- YouTube Tutorials
- Our Approach & Team
- Undergraduate Testimonials
- Postgraduate Testimonials
- Where Our Students Get In
- CEA Gives Back
- Undergraduate Admissions
- Graduate Admissions
- Private School Admissions
- International Student Admissions
- Common App Essay Guide
- Supplemental Essay Guide
- UC Essay Guide
- Coalition App Guide
- The CEA Podcast
- Admissions Stats
- Notification Trackers
- Deadline Databases
- College Essay Examples
- Academy and Worksheets
- Deferral Guides
- Get Started
J.D. Frequently Asked Questions
Application process.
Georgetown Law typically receives the most JD applications of any law school. For Fall 2024 admission, we received more than 11,000 applications.
Yes, and we strongly encourage you to complete your application as early as possible in the admissions cycle.
If you are an Early Decision applicant and your application is completed by March 1, you will typically receive a decision within approximately 4-6 weeks of your application being marked as complete.
If you are a Regular Decision applicant, you can typically expect to receive a decision approximately 8-12 weeks after your application is marked as complete.
Early Decision applicants who are deferred from receiving a final decision in the initial review or placed on the waitlist are released from their commitment to Georgetown Law and will be considered later in the cycle as Regular Decision applicants.
Although candidates admitted through the Early Decision process will be considered for merit scholarships and need-based financial aid in the same manner, and on the same timeline, as all other admitted students, they will not receive their financial aid information before their binding admissions decision. If you need to know your full financial aid package before committing to attend Georgetown, we recommend that you apply through the Regular Decision process.
Application Components
Currently, Georgetown Law requires a valid LSAT, GRE, or GMAT (or GMAT Focus) score as part of each application, with two exceptions to this requirement:
– Applicants seeking to enroll in the Evening Program who do not have a currently valid LSAT score may apply on a test-optional basis. – Applications submitted through the Early Assurance program for Georgetown University juniors do not require an LSAT, GRE, or GMAT (or GMAT Focus) score.
The Admissions Committee continues to actively explore other application opportunities, such as JD-Next, for possible future use. Any updates will be posted here and incorporated into the application instructions, as appropriate.
We have no preference when it comes to which standardized test an applicant chooses to take and submit – LSAT, GRE, and GMAT (or GMAT Focus) are all treated equally.
No, we do not use a converter. Our review of any score is not mechanical.
No, we do not use numerical cutoffs, and there is no minimum GPA or LSAT, GRE, GMAT (or GMAT Focus) score required for admission.
Due to our rolling admissions process, we strongly encourage you to take your preferred standardized test as early as possible, remembering that applicants typically require time for preparation in advance.
The Admissions Committee typically considers your highest score (or highest GRE or GMAT (or GMAT Focus) component scores as applicable, even if across multiple tests) while reviewing all available scores.
If you apply before the end of June 2025, LSAT scores earned in or after June 2019 are valid scores for your application. LSAT scores earned prior to June 2019 would not be reported and cannot be used to apply.
GRE scores are reportable and can be used for your application for five years following your test date. If you plan to apply with a GRE score approaching this five year-mark, please be sure to submit an otherwise complete application and ask ETS to send us your official score via the ETS portal. Our office must have enough time to receive and process the official score before it expires. (If timing is a concern, note that you can submit your request to ETS even before you submit your Georgetown Law application.)
There is no minimum or maximum length for the personal statement, but it should be double spaced. Most personal statements are approximately two pages.
The purpose of the application, and perhaps especially the Personal Statement and other essays, is for the Admissions Committee to learn more about you – how you think, what you value, how you write. While you can (and should) receive and incorporate feedback on drafts, the only person who may be engaged in the actual writing is you. Friends, family members, advisors, etc. – whether real or artificial – are not applying to Georgetown Law – you are.
There are countless ways you could choose to use external resources as you put together your application, and we cannot provide you with specific guidance on each and every scenario. But we urge you to reflect on how you would feel being completely open and honest with a member of the Admissions Committee about your process. If you would omit or downplay how you used an AI tool, or how much wordsmithing a trusted friend did in your draft, you should adjust your plan. Our only goal is to get to know you, and we are eager to hear your voice.
We only require one recommendation, but you may submit more if you’d like. Please note that once we receive one letter of recommendation, your application will be considered complete and sent to the Admissions Committee for review. You must let us know in advance if you would like your application held from review until we receive additional letters of recommendation. There is a section within the application where you can note that you would like your application held pending a specific letter.
Evening Program
Yes. Evening students learn from the same professors, take the same courses, and have the same opportunities as full-time students to pursue extracurricular activities, such as journals, clinics, and moot court.
The traditional Evening Program is designed to allow students to complete the J.D. requirements in four consecutive years, but Evening Program students may now pursue an accelerated program in order to graduate in 3 1/2 or 3 years. Please visit the Evening Program page for further details.
Yes, but in the first year, evening students may only take one day course during the spring semester. Beyond the first year, evening students may select any course, whether in the day or evening.
Yes. Students admitted to the evening program are considered for merit scholarships and need-based financial aid in the same way as Full-Time students.
Applicants seeking to enroll in the Evening Program who do not have a currently valid LSAT score may apply on a test-optional basis. Please contact the Office of Admissions for more information on applying without a standardized test score.
You can review Georgetown’s tuition and cost of attendance, along with other information on the Financial Aid website.
*** Enter the $2,000 College Transitions No Essay Scholarship Contest ***
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.
- 2-Year Colleges
- ADHD/LD/Autism/Executive Functioning
- Application Strategies
- Best Colleges by Major
- Best Colleges by State
- Big Picture
- Career & Personality Assessment
- College Search/Knowledge
- College Success
- Costs & Financial Aid
- Data Visualizations
- Dental School Admissions
- Extracurricular Activities
- General Knowledge
- Graduate School Admissions
- High School Success
- High Schools
- Homeschool Resources
- Law School Admissions
- Medical School Admissions
- Navigating the Admissions Process
- Online Learning
- Outdoor Adventure
- Private High School Spotlight
- Research Programs
- Summer Program Spotlight
- Summer Programs
- Teacher Tools
- Test Prep Provider Spotlight
“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”
— Lynn O'Shaughnessy
Nationally Recognized College Expert
$2,000 No Essay Scholarship
Presented by College Transitions
- Win $2,000 for college • 1 minute or less to enter • No essay required • Open to students and parents in the U.S.
Create your account today and easily enter all future sweepstakes!
Enter to Win $2,000 Today!
IMAGES
COMMENTS
Georgetown Law requires only one letter of recommendation, but additional letters are welcome. If at all possible, the letter of recommendation should come from a professor who is able to speak to your academic work.
Georgetown Law's Optional Essay Prompts Georgetown Law regularly changes up their optional essay prompts, so you need to check their website for current prompts when you apply. In 2021, they provided these prompts for applicants to write an optional essay:
Georgetown Law's Optional Essay Prompts. Georgetown Law regularly changes up its optional essay prompts, so you need to check the school's website for the current prompts before you start writing. In 2023, this is the prompt for applicants who would like to write an optional 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!
How much assistance can I receive with my Personal Statement and other writings within my Georgetown Law application? Can I use AI tools? The purpose of the application, and perhaps especially the Personal Statement and other essays, is for the Admissions Committee to learn more about you – how you think, what you value, how you write.
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)
This guide covers how to write each of the Georgetown supplemental essay prompts with exercises and essay examples to help you along the way.
Georgetown Law just released their 5 optional essay topics for this year. In my book “The Law School Admission Game,” I refer to these as the “silly” optional essays and I really, truly love them. You have 250 words to let loose, be yourself, make an argument, be memorable, be real, and get it out.
Hoping to get some advice on Georgetown's Top 10 optional essay - did anyone do brief descriptions of each that weren't necessarily full/complete sentences? I need to explain each, but I'm battling with the 250-word limit.
Dean cornblatt has said that a why Georgetown can help, though it isn't required and won't make up for lower scores. I loved the variety of options Georgetown provides for the supplemental essay, and I especially loved the freedom of the Top Ten essay.