Inquire about our Early Bird Packages for Juniors before they expire!

Georgetown University 2017-18 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision: 

The Requirements: 2-3 brief essays

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Activity, Why

Georgetown 2017-18 Application Essay Question Explanations

Georgetown probably likes to think of itself as one of those holdout, maverick schools that has resisted the siren call of the Common Application. Well, we have bad news for them. (Which means we have good news for you, dear applicant.) The Gtown application is incredibly straightforward, comprising two of the most common supplemental prompts out there plus an opportunity for you to use your Common App personal statement anyway! The college admissions process rarely gives applicants a reason to release an evil cackle, so by all means, take the opportunity while you can. We’ll wait.

Short Essay (approximately one-half page)

Briefly discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved.

The Georgetown application kicks off with 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 the prompt does: focus on one of the activities “in which you have been most involved.” Although we usually urge students to write about items 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 has four years of debate club shaped the way you communicate? Was it hard coaching pee wee soccer as a freshman, and what motivated you to stick with it?

On the other hand, Georgetown is also giving you the opportunity to talk about camp, so if you have amazing camp stories that show your character and personality, definitely write about it! But think more along the lines of The Parent Trap and less along the lines of Wet Hot American Summer. If you don’t have a fantastic camp story about the time you saved everyone in your cabin by knowing the cure for poison ivy, think about another activity you’ve been involved in and why you’ve decided to spend so much of your time doing this. Why is it meaningful to you?

Essay One
ALL APPLICANTS:

As Georgetown is a diverse community, the Admissions Committee would like to know more about you in your own words. Please submit a brief essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you.

This is one of the hardest prompts! What do you mean; tell you about myself in my own words? What do you want to know?! Where do I start? Birth? School? Puberty? Calm down! Think about why they’re asking you this question and it will all fall into place. While many applications can often read similarly with impressive grades, extracurriculars, and teacher recommendations, this essay makes it so you can differentiate yourself with your personality. Do you have a very sarcastic sense of humor, do you make more dad jokes than your own father, do all of your friends refer to you as the “artsy” one? Georgetown wants to know that you’re more than your application, you’re a real person with quirks and weird habits and endearing qualities! It also doesn’t hurt to keep in mind that G-town specifically names “personal” and “creative” as two separate categories. If you fancy yourself a writer, now could really be your time to shine.

And remember, Georgetown isn’t on the Common App! Did you write your Personal Statement on Common App prompt #1? You could be in luck. If you chose a different prompt, don’t worry, you still might be able to recycle your Common App essay here — and it’s never too late to take our good advice on writing an essay about your background!

Essay Two
APPLICANTS TO GEORGETOWN COLLEGE:

Please relate your interest in studying at Georgetown University to your goals. How do these thoughts relate to your chosen course of study? (If you are applying to major in the FLL or in a Science, please specifically address those interests.)

This is the classic “why” essay you always see us talking about. Georgetown is asking a broad, simple question of you, “Why us?” but the extra sentence in parentheses might give you some hint at the kind of information they’re really mining for. If you’re planning to study with the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics or any of the sciences, Georgetown specifically wants to get a feel for your academic commitment to these departments. Chances are, it will help you to place your academic interests front and center no matter what your major is. Just remember that whether you were specifically invited to do so or not, you are not the only person interested in Chemistry or English. So dig for the things that make you genuinely excited about the Georgetown program in your area of interest.

But the prompt asks about your goals! So keep the bigger picture in mind. Think about what you want to achieve: life-long friends, amazing memories, a high GPA, Dean’s List, President’s List, president of the drama club, quarterback of the football team, a degree that will land you a job in Marketing, Nursing, Business, you name it! Look into Georgetown’s clubs, majors, professors, sports leagues, and classes to be able to provide them with specifics when you tell them, “This is why I want to go here.”

Please note: the information below relates to last year's essay prompts. We are going to update this guide with the prompts for 2021-22 as soon as they become available. Check back soon!
Want an expert to take a look at your essays?
Ivy Divider

We're here to help.

GET IN TOUCH »
Ivy Divider

Contact us for information on rates and more!

Supplemental Essay Prompt Guides:
Share this page:

Want free stuff?

CEA LogoContact us for
rates and more!