Georgetown Supplemental Essays: 2024-2025

Georgetown Supplemental Essays: 2024-2025

Does Georgetown have supplemental essays?

Yes. You will be required to answer three Georgetown University essay prompts as part of the Georgetown application requirements. Each Georgetown essay has a different word count. However, they vary from half-page to full-page.

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 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.

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. Additionally, keep in mind that each of the college-specific prompts has a word limit of one page, single spaced. So, these aren’t necessarily short essays. Take advantage of the word limit to tell a story and fully answer each prompt.

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 five 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: 

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.

This Georgetown application essay prompt is a take on the standard “why major” essay. However, in this case, you don’t necessarily need to know exactly what you plan to major in. If you do, that’s great, and you should by all means mention it. But, if you’re still undecided, as many entering the Georgetown College will be, you can still successful write this essay.

This Georgetown College why school essay (or why this college essay) needs applicants to get specific about why they’re interested in studying at Georgetown College specifically. Here is where doing your research will come in handy. You’ll want to reference specific courses, majors, minors, internships, or faculty at Georgetown. Whatever it is that truly has you excited about studying at Georgetown College should be mentioned here, and the more specific you are, the better!

You might also mention Georgetown values. For example, the College of Arts & Sciences mission and values seem to be based on three things: intellectual vitality, a global outlook, and dedication to service. 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 Prompt:

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 to stand out, then, be sure to include specific details of how your interest in nursing originated and what you hope to do with it.

Successful Georgetown essays for the School of Nursing will be authentic and personal. Try to approach this prompt through a personal connection to healthcare, namely nursing. 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? 

You might focus on a personal interaction with a nurse who had an impact on you and your family when caring for a loved one. Or perhaps you have a relative who’s a nurse and you’ve admired their hard work, dedication and compassion for as long as you can remember. Getting personal in this Georgetown supplemental essay, and all of the Georgetown essays, is key! Admissions wants to know about you, so avoid general or cliché topics. On that note, 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.

School of Health 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, or Human Science).

Again, this Georgetown supplemental essay asks students to explain what ignited their interest in their intended field of study. Similar to the School of Nursing essay, students should reference relevant personal experiences. For example, if you have a personal connection to health care that has led you to want to attend the Georgetown’s School of Health, now is the time to share that.

Additionally, this in this Georgetown supplemental essay, students must specify their intended major within the School of Health. So, you should know what you want to study! You may reference factors that relate to a specific major (global health, health care management & policy, or human science) or you may simply share factors that influenced your interest in getting into health care in general. But, from there you will need to specify your intended major. So, if your influential factors relate to your intended major, then that’s even better!

Just as with the other Georgetown essays, be sure to get specific and personal when writing this Georgetown supplemental essay. However, be genuine and authentic as well. You shouldn’t be making things up in your Georgetown supplemental essay!

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.

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.

More CollegeAdvisor resources

Think of each Georgetown supplemental essay as a piece of your application puzzle. If any are missing, or don’t fit, the puzzle won’t display a clear picture. The same is true for your Georgetown application. Each Georgetown supplemental essay should add new information about yourself that hasn’t been highlighted elsewhere in your application. Indeed every Georgetown supplemental essay plays an important role in your application narrative. Therefore, you’ll want to do everything you can to write your best Georgetown essays possible!

In addition to this Georgetown Supplemental Essay guide, you can also find other valuable, free resources from CollegeAdvisor on essay writing. Georgetown has three different supplemental essays that students need to complete, however, each Georgetown supplemental essay prompt is similar to a more traditional college essay prompt. In fact, we can categorize each Georgetown supplemental essay into three general, popular college essay categories: extracurricular activity essay, community or diversity essay, and the why school or why major essay. Lucky for you, CollegeAdvisor has even more resources on writing each type of these essays.

There are plenty versions of the extracurricular activities essay that you’ll come across as you fill out applications. The Georgetown supplemental essay asks students to share why that activity has been meaningful to you. Check out this guide on tackling extracurricular activities essay to have a better grasp on how to approach this Georgetown supplemental essay.

The second Georgetown supplemental essay is quite open-ended. However, it’s a perfect opportunity to write a diversity or community essay. This type of essay shares more about you and your background. Check out these community essay examples to see what works when it comes to writing this type of essay.

The third Georgetown supplemental essay is different depending on which school you’re applying to. However, each prompt falls into the why major or why school essay category. Read this article on how to write an impactful why major essay to help you get started. And, check out some why this school essay examples as well. Reading essay examples can help you write your own unique essay. Additionally, mastering both of these college essays will help with not only this Georgetown supplemental essay, but also your other college application essays.

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?

Use these three tips to help you ace writing each Georgetown supplemental essay. These tips can also apply to most college essays, so use them in other applications as well. Most importantly, stay organized as you write college essays and prepare your Georgetown supplemental essays. You want to stay ahead of important deadlines. Many students can find essay writing stressful. However, if you give yourself plenty of time to tackle each Georgetown essay, it can help to relieve some pressure and allow you to write your best essays possible.

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.

Use this guide and other CollegeAdvisor resources to help streamline your Georgetown supplemental essay writing process. And, if you feel like you need more support in essay writing, or any part of the college application process, CollegeAdvisor has plenty of expert advisors that can guide you along the way. Reach out to learn more!

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.