george washington university admissions essay

The George Washington University 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Guide

Early Decision: Nov 1

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 5

The George Washington University 2024-25 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 1 essay of 500 words

Supplemental Essay Type: Diversity

(Optional) Every applicant can choose from one of the following two essay prompts to submit.

Prompt 1: at the george washington university, our students frequently interact with policymakers and world leaders. these experiences and those of our alumni can shape the future of global affairs. if you had the power to change the course of history in your community or the world, what would you do and why (500 words).

Admissions wants to accept ambitious students who seek to leave the world a better place than they found it. If you had the power to change the course of history, what would you do? Take some time to brainstorm and write down anything that comes to mind. Maybe if you had the power, you would make higher education more affordable and accessible to first-generation children of immigrants like yourself. Perhaps you would decriminalize drug possession and allocate more funds to rehabilitation programs across the country to help fight the opioid crisis. Let your imagination run wild and show the George Washington University admissions committee that you aren’t afraid to dream big and imagine a better world. 

Prompt 2: The George Washington University encourages students to think critically and to challenge the status quo. Thus, civil discourse is a key characteristic of our community. Describe a time when you engaged others in meaningful dialogue around an issue that was important to you. Did this exchange create change, new perspectives, or deeper relationships? (500 words)

Engaging others in meaningful conversations about important issues can be incredibly intimidating and challenging, and the George Washington University admissions committee knows this. Nevertheless, we have all experienced standing up for what we believe in some capacity, so scroll through your memory to identify a time when you had an uncomfortable conversation with friends, family, or even mere acquaintances. Maybe you engaged your grandparents in a conversation regarding the Black Lives Matter movement. Were you able to clearly communicate your perspective? Did they have a different understanding of the movement after speaking with you? Perhaps you learned that one of your friends was a passive supporter of an organization that you vehemently disagree with. How did you broach the subject and what was the outcome of your conversation? You don’t need to have changed someone’s mind to impress admissions here. You just need to show that you’re not afraid to speak up about important issues and engage with those who may have different opinions than you. College will present you with a plethora of opportunities to meet and interact with people who are very different from you, so show GWU that you’re game to learn, listen, share, and grow.

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How to Ace the 2024-2025 George Washington University Essays

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The George Washington University supplemental essay prompts are in, and we’ve got all the tips you need to nail them on the head! Applying to a school located in our nation’s capital might seem a bit daunting, but don’t let that discourage you from giving it your all. Let’s jump in!

Who they are

According to their website, George Washington University is dedicated to helping their students become the best they can be in whatever field they choose. They offer degrees in liberal arts, business, engineering, international affairs and more. GWU’s mission is for students to cultivate a passion for the things they are learning and apply that knowledge to better the world around them. 

Education means more than just learning in classrooms at George Washington University. Students also have the chance to participate in over 12,000 internships around the D.C. area, including internships with the White House, National Institutes of Health, and World Bank. Take a look at GWU’s notable alumni to see how their students are making a difference!

Now, let’s jump into the supplemental essay prompts. George Washington University gives you two options to choose from. You only have to respond to one, so let’s read through both and see which one works best for you!

Check out: How to write a 500 word essay

At The George Washington University, our students frequently interact with policymakers and world leaders. These experiences and those of our alumni can shape the future of global affairs. If you had the power to change the course of history in your community or the world, what would you do and why? (500 words)

Okay, George Washington University comes out swinging with their first supplemental essay prompt! They want to see you use critical thinking, while also applying your values, to come up with ideas for how you would change things about our world. That may seem like a lot, but we can break it down into three parts!

Part one is defining a personal experience you can use for this question. This prompt is to help George Washington University get to know you better, so the more personal your answer, the better! So, let’s answer some questions about you first. 

Questions to consider

• Have you had any interactions with policy makers, government officials or world leaders of any kind?
• What would you like to change about society, globally or locally? 
• Are there any historical topics you especially enjoy or have spent time studying? 

The questions above may not have highlighted a specific experience for you, but hopefully, they got you thinking. Building off a personal experience first and then tying that to a historical or social idea will help you shine through on your application.

Part two of this question is about “bigger picture” ideas. This is where you’ll come up with a historical event, person, or social tie that you can link back to a personal experience. 

• What choices, laws, policies, or leaders have impacted your life, locally or globally?
• Have you, or those close to you, ever faced issues not because of laws, but because of stigmas in society or outdated views from history that still remain in society?  
• Is there anything in your life that you recognize has happened, or been a result of, historical events? 

For the final section of this prompt, think about values. If you haven’t spent any time on the George Washington University website, take some time now to read about their mission and values. 

• How do we make choices differently knowing they will have an impact on more than just the current times?
• What values do you think are important for a healthy society?
• How do you uphold those values?

It’s not just about seeing history and thinking about how you would change it now that you have a birds eye view. This prompt is highlighting that you are part of a generation that is also going to make long lasting decisions, policies, and laws, just like those who came before you. 

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The George Washington University encourages students to think critically and to challenge the status quo. Thus, civil discourse is a key characteristic of our community. Describe a time when you engaged others in meaningful dialogue around an issue that was important to you. Did this exchange create change, new perspectives, or deeper relationships? (500 words)

Prompt two isn’t all that different from the first in that you are asked to talk about similar themes, such as community, critical thinking and how your values apply. The great thing about this prompt is that you are asked to talk about personal experiences specifically. Let’s break this prompt into three parts as well!

Once again, personal experience will be our starting point. Below are some questions that ask about where and when you may have had meaningful interaction with someone about important issues. 

• Were you a part of any organizations or clubs in high school that dealt with social or school related issues?
• Have there ever been times where you have challenged the status quo? 
• What situations do you find yourself applying critical thinking to? 

Instead of part two of this prompt asking for historical context, you get to provide context about your experience. Based on the personal experience you want to share, answer the questions below to give the reader of your essay some more context about the situation and who you are.

• What social issue or status quo did your experience highlight?
• What is your goal during your experience? Were you seeking to educate someone, learn more, build relationships? 
• What brought about this experience? Was it planned, did it just come about? 

Finally, for the last portion of this prompt, talk about the outcome and the impact. Note, that there doesn’t have to be a profound, positive impact for an experience to be meaningful. You may have had a really difficult conversation about race or gender with someone that left you feeling like nothing had changed, but that’s okay. Let’s take a look at our last set of questions for this article. 

• What was the outcome of the experience you shared? 
• How did it make you feel to discuss meaningful, impactful issues with someone?
• How did your values push or influence you in your personal experience?

Related: How to write a great college supplemental essay

Wrapping up

Regardless of which essay prompt you chose, you should have shared a personal experience of yours with George Washington University and how it tied to something bigger. There is no right or wrong answer to the questions asked. So, take a deep breath and know that you did your best!

Additional resources

Congratulations, you’ve finished responding to the George Washington University supplemental essay prompts! However, the work does not end here. The college application process involves a lot of different decisions, and we are here to help you through them.

Whether you are deciding on how many colleges to apply to or whether to send your test scores to test-optional schools , we’ve got you covered. We can also help you decide what looks good on a college application , and offer some behind-the-scenes perspective on how decisions are made in the admissions office . Finally, check out our guide to reach, match, and safety schools , and our guide to the Common App essay prompts . Good luck!

Other supplemental essay guides

• Georgetown University (Washington, DC)
• Boston University (Boston, MA)
• New York University (New York, NY)
• Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD)

Frequently asked questions about the George Washington University supplemental essay prompts 

Will submitting an optional supplemental essay help my george washington university application, how many words should the gwu supplemental essay be, scholarships360 recommended.

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August 6, 2024

George Washington University Supplement Essay Prompts: 2024-2025

The George Washington University has published its supplemental essay prompts for the 2024-2025 college admissions cycles. Applicants to GWU’s Class of 2029 are offered the chance to respond to one of two essays. And while their response is optional , longtime readers of Ivy Coach ’s college admissions blog know all too well that which is  optional  in elite college admissions should never be considered  optional . So what are this year’s essay prompts? Spoiler Alert: they’re the same as last year’s. Let’s dive in!

2024-2025 GWU Essay Topics and Questions

Applicants to GWU’s Class of 2029 have the choice of responding to one of the following two optional essays:

Optional Essay Prompt 1

At the George Washington University, our students frequently interact with policymakers and world leaders. These experiences and those of our alumni can shape the future of global affairs. If you had the power to change the course of history in your community or the world, what would you do and why? 

It’s all about choosing a specific topic to answer this question well. Broad topics like climate change or racism will not suffice. We encourage applicants to lean into sharing a story about their community rather than the world at large since admissions officers always prefer students acting locally while thinking globally. This essay prompt offers applicants a chance for students to teach admissions officers something about their own community and how they would hope to effectuate change.

Optional Essay Prompt 2

The George Washington University encourages students to think critically and to challenge the status quo. Thus, civil discourse is a key characteristic of our community. Describe a time when you engaged others in meaningful dialogue around an issue that was important to you. Did this exchange create change, new perspectives, or deeper relationships?

This essay prompt is a chance for students to showcase the diverse intellectual thinking they will bring to GWU’s community. Admissions officers seek to admit students who will argue their opinions with zeal. Still, they also want these same students to be open to changing their views when presented with the different viewpoints of their peers and professors. So, when addressing this prompt, applicants should pick an engaging topic that showcases their passion and highlights how they’re malleable to change.

Ivy Coach’s Assistance with GWU Essays

If you’re a rising senior seeking assistance submitting essays that will wow GWU admissions officers, fill out Ivy Coach ’s consultation form , and we’ll be in touch to outline our college counseling services.

You are permitted to use www.ivycoach.com (including the content of the Blog) for your personal, non-commercial use only. You must not copy, download, print, or otherwise distribute the content on our site without the prior written consent of Ivy Coach, Inc.

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How to Write the George Washington Supplemental Essays 2024–2025

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The George Washington University (GW), located in Washington, D.C., has provided unparalleled educational opportunities to students for over 200 years . From poet Elizabeth Acevedo , astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor , CNN anchor Dana Bash , to Senator Elizabeth Warren , George Washington’s accomplished alumni span countless career fields. Hoping to join their ranks? First, you’ll need to nail your George Washington supplemental essays. Let’s dive in.

George Washington 2024-2025 Prompts

Below are the prompts for the George Washington supplemental essays. Note that there are also required essays for certain programs, including the Cisneros Leadership Institute and the School of Media & Public Affairs . That said, this article will focus on the optional essay prompts for all applicants, as well as the required essay prompts for applicants to the University Honors Program.

Optional for All Applicants

Every applicant can choose from one of the following two essay prompts to submit, but writing an essay is optional. That said, we encourage all serious applicants to write one of the George Washington supplemental essays. If nothing else, the essay is an exercise in knowing yourself better. Ideally, the essay provides the admissions team with more favorable data points about who you are as an applicant.

At the George Washington University, our students frequently interact with policymakers and world leaders. These experiences and those of our alumni can shape the future of global affairs. If you had the power to change the course of history in your community or the world, what would you do and why? (500 words or fewer)

The george washington university encourages students to think critically and to challenge the status quo. thus, civil discourse is a key characteristic of our community. describe a time when you engaged others in meaningful dialogue around an issue that was important to you. did this exchange create change, new perspectives, or deeper relationships (500 words or fewer), university honors program applicants.

Applicants to the University Honors Program at GW must write these essays in order to receive admissions consideration.

With small classes and a dedicated faculty, the University Honors Program (UHP) embraces the ideals of a liberal arts education. Within the UHP, students take classes in many different academic fields (philosophy, science, history, art, social science, etc.) and hone their critical thinking skills. Explain why, as a member of the UHP, you would value the opportunity to engage with topics outside your major field(s) of study. (500 words or fewer)

The uhp represents a community of scholars at gw. first-year uhp students live and take classes together on the mount vernon campus. upper-level uhp students remain connected to our community for the remainder of their time at gw through courses, faculty mentoring, advising, research, an optional foggy bottom housing opportunity, and our many co-curricular/social activities. how do you see yourself contributing to and/or benefiting from this community as a member of the uhp (500 words or fewer).

General Tips

Each of these essays permit more words than the average college essay. Apart from the Common App personal essay, which has the same word count maximum of 650 words, most college essays tend to be less than 500 words, with most required to be less than 300. Therefore, these essays don’t have to be especially long, but they might be on the higher end.

With longer supplemental essays, students tend to either have trouble writing too much, or not writing enough. To tackle the first problem, it can be helpful to restrict yourself to a smaller word count for the first draft. Then, if you later realize anything essential is missing, you have the space to add it in. In order to keep the word count down, focus on avoiding passive voice, cutting down on your conjunctions (use punctuation marks instead), and using more concise verbs. For instance, “I thought” is more concise than “I was thinking.” Little changes like this one can help your whole essay shrink to fit the space it’s allotted.

To tackle the second issue of not writing enough, look for areas where the reader might have questions. If you have a description in your essay, make that description more vivid. If you jumped through a narrative, consider providing more of the interim steps. Remember, though, as long as you comprehensively answer the question asked by the prompt, you’ll be okay.

Optional George Washington Short Essay Questions

This is a big question for a college applicant to answer in a short essay, but it gives you the opportunity to show who you are as a person and what your vision is for the future. Moreover, it gives you the opportunity to think about how a George Washington education will shape your future.

While working on this essay, consider focusing one just one change (or maybe a few related/interconnected changes) you’d like to see in the world. Once you begin thinking about this topic, it can be tempting to list out everything in the world that you wish would change. However, you only have 500 words to make this essay happen. Thus, it can be helpful to focus on one change, even if that change has a global reach.

The change you decide to discuss can be “in your community or the world,” according to the prompt. Thus, if you see yourself returning to your hometown and making a difference after college, that’s just as valid an essay topic as describing your vision for world peace.

Regardless of what topic you choose to focus on in this essay, it’s important to keep your ideas grounded in specificity. For instance, if you decide to write about solving world hunger, you should probably dive into what particular policies, actions, or movements you hope to see come to fruition in the future.

This essay can also be an opportunity for you to share your academic interests with the reader. For instance, you might hope that your future career has a positive impact on society. If so, discuss how you hope to achieve that goal in this essay. You can even mention how a George Washington education will bring you closer to that goal.

Ideally, you choose to focus this essay on an exchange that did create change, new perspectives, or deeper relationships with those whom you engaged in meaningful dialogue. If you’re having trouble thinking of topics to focus on, consider the times when you have disagreed with others. How has that changed your perspective(s)?

If you’re still brainstorming, consider times when you have changed your point of view on a topic, issue, or person. If civil discourse brought about one of these changes, then you have a potential essay topic. Alternatively, consider the issues that are important to you. When have others civilly challenged these issues, beliefs, or values? Consider writing about one of those occasions in your life.

Remember, this essay should focus on one time when you engaged others in meaningful dialogue. Focusing on just one occasion will keep your essay cohesive and direct. Writing an organized essay will also help; consider whether you want to begin by recounting the event or by describing your opinion(s) on a specific issue. Regardless of what structure you choose, be sure to include some reflection, ideally at the end of the essay (though it can be worked in throughout).

George Washington University Honors Program Applicants Short Essay Questions

This prompt asks you to briefly explore your interdisciplinary interests, as well as your belief in the value of a liberal arts education. The liberal arts educational model is defined by its breadth and depth. While you’re expected to dive deeply into the topic(s) within your major(s) , you will also need to take classes across a wide range of disciplines. Consider what you’d miss out on if you could only take classes in your major(s).

Perhaps you have multiple academic interests that one or two majors can’t possibly cover. Alternatively, you might be wholly STEM-focused but still hoping to improve your writing skills. Or, perhaps, as a future policymaker, you’d like to take language courses outside of your Political Science major. Whatever your rationale, write about it in this essay with clarity and specificity.

If you still need inspiration for this essay, consider looking up GW course lists. Understanding the opportunities available to you as a liberal arts student at George Washington will help you explain why this educational model is right for you. You can make specific reference to courses, professors, and/or other opportunities you’d like to maximize while studying at George Washington.

Lastly, consider how these unique learning opportunities provided by a liberal arts education will help you in your future career. Clearly stating how a diverse course-load will help you reach your goals will provide a strong argument to the admissions team for why they should accept you into this prestigious program.

Many colleges ask you to write about who you will be once you enter their academic community. This essay, more than any of the other George Washington supplemental essays, will benefit from some background research before you begin to write.

In this essay, you will need to specifically explain what programs, values, extracurriculars, social dynamics, or other opportunities in George Washington’s UHP speak to you. Name-dropping these opportunities and explaining how they interest you in particular will show the admissions team how serious you are about your future at GW.

The prompt also mentions some types of opportunities George Washington UHP students can enjoy. These include “courses, faculty mentoring, advising, research, an optional Foggy Bottom housing opportunity, and our many co-curricular/social activities.” Thus, you may want to focus on expressing how you will personally benefit from these opportunities, while also getting more specific than the prompt. Name a few faculty members you hope to receive mentoring from or a few co-curricular activities you hope to participate in, for instance. Doing so will demonstrate your interest in attending GW.

Lastly, don’t forget to discuss how you hope to contribute to the scholarly UHP community. Consider any clubs or initiatives you’d like to start, cultural knowledge you hope to share with your peers, or events you hope to help organize. Do you aspire to reinvigorate a certain organization or spearhead an environmental initiative on campus? If so, mention those aspirations here, and provide details.

If you need help polishing up your George Washington supplemental essays, check out our College Essay Review service. You can receive detailed feedback from Ivy League consultants in as little as 24 hours.

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How to Write the George Washington University Essays 2019-2020

Ranked 70th among National Universities by the 2019 U.S. News & World Report , George Washington University (GWU) is a private research university with a total undergraduate enrollment of 12,546. GWU was chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1821 in accordance with the wishes of U.S. President George Washington, who advocated for the establishment of a national university within the nation’s capital. GWU has three campuses in the Washington, D.C. metro area: Foggy Bottom, Mount Vernon, and GW Virginia Science & Technology Campus in Ashburn, VA.

GWU is best known for its programs in international affairs, government, and public policy. Many prominent politicians, such as Colin Powell, Tammy Duckworth, John Foster Dulles, and J. Edgar Hoover, are GWU alumni. There are over 475 student groups within the university, offering a range of political, social, cultural, and athletic activities. Undergraduates have over 70 majors to choose from with, social sciences being the most popular choice among the student body.

In order to apply to GWU, you will need to chose one of two supplemental essays to complete; applicants to the Honors Program will need to complete additional prompts. Check out this CollegeVine guide to make your essay-writing process as smooth as possible. Want to know your chances at GWU? Calculate your chances for free right now.

Here are the prompts for the 2018-19 application cycle:

ALL STUDENTS:

Please respond to one of the following essay questions in 250 words or fewer:, at the george washington university, our students frequently interact with policymakers and world leaders. these experiences and those of our alumni can shape the future of global affairs. if you had the power to change the course of history in your community or the world, what would you do and why, the george washington university encourages students to think critically and to challenge the status quo. thus, civil discourse is a key characteristic of our community. describe a time when you engaged others in meaningful dialogue around an issue that was important to you. did this exchange create change, new perspectives, or deeper relationships, honors program:, the honors program’s core curriculum is comprised of interdisciplinary courses, discussion-based engagement with complex issues, and reflection. why do you want to make this program a priority for your undergraduate experience (250 words), please write on one of the following two topics (250 words):, please describe an instance when you took ownership of your intellectual growth and molded your education to meet your own goals. what did you learn about yourself through the process, write a letter to the author of a book you didn’t like., school of media and public affairs:, write a profile of yourself in news or news feature style, as if you had interviewed yourself. (500 words), all students essay option 1, at the george washington university, our students frequently interact with policymakers and world leaders. these experiences and those of our alumni can shape the future of global affairs. if you had the power to change the course of history in your community or the world, what would you do and why (250 words).

At first glance, this prompt appears to be eliciting your perspective and critical analysis on historical events or current affairs; however, it is deeper than that. Remember, admissions essays are parts of a puzzle that when pieced together, would ideally show the admissions committee (adcoms) as comprehensive a picture of you as possible. Thus, this question is also seeking to understand what sociopolitical, economic, or environmental issues are important to you personally , and why .

Given the phrasing of the question, this prompt would be essential for applicants planning to major in international affairs or the social sciences.

Here are two interpretations of the prompt:

• If you could go back in time, what critical local, national, or global historical event would you change? How would you inflict such a change? Why?
• Currently, what is a problem plaguing our society that you would work to resolve if you had all the power necessary to do so? What actions would you take, why, and how would those actions alter our future?

Given the deliberate ambiguity of the question, you can choose either interpretation as your springboard. Just be sure to formulate your opening paragraph in a way that makes it clear how you chose to interpret the question.

Regardless of which route you decide on, the objective of your response is to suggest a solution to the problem you deem most critical . You are limited to a mere 250 words, so make sure to establish the context of your chosen issue with brevity and precision in a manner that will frame your solution. Then, get straight to the point: identify the problem or past event that affected the course of human history and suggest a more promising course of action.

A few tips and words of caution:

Don’t pick a topic or a problem that is too broad. If you are considering present-day issues in your response, don’t discuss something vague like “global poverty” or “illiteracy in developing nations.” No one individual is able to provide a concrete and feasible plan of action to such major problems of international significance, let alone a high school student with 250 words at his/her disposal. The strategy is to pick a sub-issue of a larger problem that affects a specific population.

For example, instead of addressing illiteracy in the developing world, you can delineate a proposal to increase literacy in rural schools with understaffed faculty, and connect it to your own background of growing up in a community where access to higher education and associated economic opportunities was inadequate. Or, you can suggest a measure to combat food insecurity for low-income students in Native-American reservations and relate that to your experience of witnessing hunger in your school cafeteria. Make your choice of issue specific, and your response to it personal.

Don’t bring up a historical cliché. If you are taking the historical route, avoid silly or overused instances. For example, don’t write about going back to the 1930s and killing Hitler in order to prevent WWII. Such responses would show the adcom that you are not serious or, worse yet, that your critical analysis is insufficient to provide a more nuanced reflection.

Try to think of historical events that were impactful to your personal or family background, and are under-reported in the media. If you grew up in a community of interracial children raised by single parents, you may want to draw attention to the unique experiences and challenges this demographic faces in trying to grapple with their whole identity while heavily influenced only by one particular side.

Be specific. Give clear examples of actions you would take or policies you would implement in order to affect meaningful change. Don’t write broadly about educating more girls; instead, outline steps the government could take to narrow the gender literacy gap by allocating more funds to local schools or dedicating a certain portion of research grants to under-represented women.

Instead of declaring that you would go back to 18th century United States and eliminate slavery, discuss the logical arguments and personal leverage you would use in lobbying influential generals and statesmen of the time to back a more egalitarian Constitution.

Ultimately, the prompt aims to gauge your personal values and determine your ability to think critically, to focus on worthwhile problems, and to propose realistic solutions. The adcom is looking to admit students who are passionate about examining pressing issues, quick to identify key stakeholders, and able to imagine plausible alternatives.

ALL STUDENTS ESSAY OPTION 2

The george washington university encourages students to think critically and to challenge the status quo. thus, civil discourse is a key characteristic of our community. describe a time when you engaged others in meaningful dialogue around an issue that was important to you. did this exchange create change, new perspectives, or deeper relationships (250 words).

At its core, this prompt determines your ability to thrive in an intellectual environment punctuated by a diversity of opinions, and your capability to enact meaningful change in your community. At a time of increasing politicization, the adcom wants to attract students who are able to listen to each other and who can use their powers of persuasion to promote their point of view.

You don’t need a dramatic example to highlight your abilities to listen and persuade others. Here are some ideas of the kinds of moments in your life that will highlight the qualities necessary for the completion of this prompt.

If you are an active member or leader of a club, you can invoke a situation in which you and other fellow members disagreed on the action the club should take. For example, you can write about the time you convinced your classmates to donate a significant sum to a local soup kitchen instead of retaining it as club budget by appealing to their emotional side with photos of the people the kitchen is helping, and the statistics of the demographic it would reach.

You can also share a story in which you convinced another student of the validity of your point in a classroom debate, formal or informal. For example, write about the time when you used a compelling example that involved someone your debate opponent related to as you advocated for legalizing gay marriage in your U.S. history class, thus convincing her of LGBTQ individuals’ right to marriage.

Alternatively, discuss the challenges of convincing the Board of Education to support your initiative to start a new club. For example, if you tried to start a Girls in STEM club and were rebuffed by the administration on the grounds that the school already sponsored a Science Club, you could outline the arguments you used and the awareness campaign you launched in order to ultimately secure the necessary funding.

No matter what kind of example you choose, don’t forget that the prompt wants you to demonstrate that both you and the other party gained something from the experience . It is not enough to tell the adcom about a fight you had with a classmate who didn’t believe in abortion on religious grounds. You need to demonstrate your ability to persuade others, even those with radically different opinions, so dig deep and pick a success story as the example.

Anyone can argue, but not everyone can express their ideas and exchange perspectives in a respectful and productive way. Perhaps you engaged a fellow classmate in a class debate that led you to form a life-long friendship, despite your political differences. Perhaps you were able to develop a project that others initially opposed and convinced them of its value. Make sure that your response highlights a lesson learned or an impact made.

HONORS PROGRAM ESSAY PROMPT 1 (MANDATORY)

In essence, this prompt is asking you why you chose to apply to the Honors program. Prior to responding to this prompt, make sure that you have done your research, perused the Honors Program website , and really understand the opportunities it offers. Show the adcom what it is that the Honors Program offers you that you would not be able to find as a regular GWU undergraduate.

Here are some unique aspects of the Honors Program you can invoke:

Talk about the option of living within an Honors Program residential community . Tell the adcom that this option would allow you the opportunity to interact with fellow participants outside of the classroom and to continue exchanging ideas by attending cultural programs and engaging in late-night common room discussions.

Study the course offerings only available to Honors Program students and explain why taking a particular course would be an essential part of your undergraduate education. For example, if you are planning to study gender and politics, you could discuss “Gender and Subversion in Ancient Imagination,” a course available to Honors students that would allow you to gain a deeper understanding of ancient philosophy and draw parallels to our own society and the justifications we use to keep women out of the public sphere. Be sure to also emphasize that you learn better in a small, seminar-style environment provided by the Honors Program that you would not otherwise experience in larger, first-year courses.

Don’t forget to mention the co-curricular programming, which allows you to spend time with distinguished faculty outside the classroom, attend field trips to museums, exhibits, film screenings, and theater performances and engage with the material you learned in real time. The Honors Program would afford you unprecedented access to GWU professors and allow you to benefit from their expertise in all aspects of college living. Discuss your commitment to taking advantage of this opportunity by actively engaging in some aspect of the Honors Program you find particularly engaging – for example, monthly dinners with the Honors faculty.

As an Honors Program applicant, the adcom expects you to be well-versed in the unique opportunities the program provides and to be committed to taking full advantage of them. It is insufficient to invoke the program’s prestige as your main reason for applying . Make sure that your response demonstrates how the Honors Program would provide you with an experience unattainable elsewhere in GWU by listing specific offerings that you are eager to take advantage of upon acceptance.

HONORS PROGRAM ESSAY OPTION 1

Please describe an instance when you took ownership of your intellectual growth and molded your education to meet your own goals. what did you learn about yourself through the process (250 words).

This prompt is intentionally vague and allows you to choose the direction in which to take your response. It is important to first think about what the terms “intellectual growth” and “education” mean to you and to provide clear definitions in the opening lines of your response.

It is not a good idea to stick to the narrow definitions, which refer to attending your classes and learning about the required subject matters. Instead, think of intellectual growth and education more broadly: for example, you may define them as taking steps to holistically improve yourself and your understanding of the world around by taking initiative in how and when you learn. Think of your response as an opportunity to show the adcom how you have taken the initiative to further your education beyond the classroom.

The second step in responding to this prompt is to select an example that will demonstrate how you grew and improved as an individual as a result of the experience. This means that you should not use this prompt as an opportunity to discuss how you overloaded on AP classes your junior year, especially if your AP scores reflect the negative impact of that decision. Instead, think of an experience that was intellectually stimulating and challenging and that helped you learn something new about yourself and the world around you.

Here are a few topics you may want to consider discussing in your response:

If you have ever taken extra steps to enroll in a community college course because your school did not offer a class you wanted to take , you can focus your response on having taken active initiative to further your education beyond the available opportunities.

For example, if you have been studying a foreign language intensively for three years, took the AP exam, and realized that your school does not offer a higher level of the language for you to take senior year, write about your efforts to persuade your school to allow to take a for-credit college-level course at a local college.

If you have ever taken online courses or taught yourself a set new skills not offered at your school , this is a chance for you to highlight your motivation and perseverance. Imagine that you are an aspiring web developer, who wanted to learn the skills needed to design your first website. However, your school has no course offerings in web development or graphic design.

So to advance your intellectual goals, you research and find an online program that allows you to attain a web developer certification after 300 hours of registered coursework. If programming does not strike your fancy, perhaps you taught yourself a new language and achieved intermediate written and oral fluency within one summer.

If you ever shadowed a professional or taken on an internship to learn more about a career path that interests you , you can use this as an example of really taking ownership of your learning experience. For example, you may be interested in real estate law and planning to enroll in law school after getting your Bachelor’s degree. You may have found a local real estate firm by drawing on your network of human capital, and convinced the attorney to allow you to shadow him after school every day. Write about the valuable insight that you gained about the profession of your choice and the skills you would acquired that you would not otherwise have obtained until graduate school.

The two key characteristics you want to highlight about yourself in your response are willingness to take initiative in your learning experience and intellectual curiosity. As long as your essay and the examples you use exemplify those qualities, you will be able to make a strong case for your admittance to the Honors Program.

HONORS PROGRAM ESSAY OPTION 2

Write a letter to the author of a book you didn’t like. (250 words).

This prompt option may appear uncomplicated at first glance, but don’t be deceived by this seemingly light-hearted question. This is an opportunity for you to think outside the box and showcase your creativity, not write a boring literary analysis you would submit to your AP Literature teacher.

Don’t pick this prompt unless you are absolutely certain that you have an appropriate idea for a book and enough to say about it. Your critique should offer an interesting take on whichever book you select and not regurgitate the criticisms you find on SparkNotes.

Here you will find some general guidelines for selecting an appropriate type of book to discuss and advice for what not to do when responding to this prompt.

Don’t pick a classical work of literature . Chances are, many American students have read “To Kill a Mockingbird” as part of their school English curricula. You want your response to be creative and refreshing. Everything that can be said about a work of classical literature has already been said by many reputable authors, teachers, and students. There is likely nothing you can add to that conversation in the span of 250 words that will wow the adcom.

Don’t pick any book you had to read in school . Even if you are thinking of a less commonly taught novel that a quirky English teacher assigned in your Modern Literature elective course, try to find a book that you read outside of school instead. This will show the committee that you are someone who reads outside of school , who is able to think critically about a book they dislike without the goading motivation of having to know its content for a test. In short, it will make you seem more impressive. And if you are someone who doesn’t enjoy reading unless required to, you should reconsider choosing this prompt as part of your application.

Your only criticism of the book should not be, “It’s boring.” There are many books that you will read in your lifetime that you simply will not like because of its style or because the subject matter just doesn’t appeal to you. However, that’s not a good reason to write a letter to its author and inform them that what they deem important does not matter to you.

Offer constructive criticism. If you completely disagree with the author’s point of view or think that they are generally a terrible person, don’t write to that author. A crucial part of academic discourse in college is the ability to understand divergent opinions, to listen to those who subscribe to different ideologies than you do, and to be able to talk your disagreements respectfully. This prompt is an opportunity to demonstrate all those qualities by engaging in productive discussion with the author about specific points in his/her book that you disagree with or don’t understand — of course, you will never receive a real response to this letter, but you should still seek to open a conversation.

The biggest mistake you can make with this prompt is to select it solely because it seems easier to write about than the other option. Prompts can appear deceivingly simple, but will necessitate careful examination and critical thinking if you hope to produce a strong response. Of course, if you feel strongly about a particular book and feel confident that you can pen a compelling letter without slipping into the clichés outlined above, don’t be afraid to go for it!

SCHOOL OF MEDIA AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS ESSAY

The most important thing you can do to prepare for this prompt is to spend some time reading newspaper articles. Look for feature articles that provide in-depth interviews with individuals —  movie stars, politicians, or entrepreneurs — on reputable news sites such as the New York Times , Time Magazine , or The Washington Post . Get to know the style used by professional journalists when profiling subjects.

It is important to focus your “interview” on a particular event or achievement in your life. Although the prompt is quite vague in regards to the content of the profile, you don’t want to waste this space by rambling on about a list of your achievements.

Instead, think of one particular interest that really defines and shapes you, then come up with “interview questions” that would allow you to speak to that aspect of your personality. This prompt also gives you an opportunity to highlight an aspect of your profile that the rest of your more conventional application does not showcase.

Here are some suggestions for potential topics:

If you have a unique skill that you have cultivated outside of your academic and extracurricular life, t his prompt is a perfect opportunity to mention it. For example, if you are an expert juggler who practices new tricks every weekend and can captivate an audience of middle-school children, your profile is a chance to sell the adcom on this particular quirk, and the innate passion for the activity that nurtured this skill.

If you have an intense interest or passion , however unconventional, you can use this prompt to demonstrate how it contributes to your skills and personality. For instance, if you have collected every film produced by your favorite movie director, are capable of reciting obscure trivia about his cinematic achievements, and never miss a chance to learn more about the genre of cinema in which he specializes, talk about it in your profile. This way, you can show the adcom that you are intellectually curious and motivated to learn new things about the subjects that inspire you.

If you have had a particular experience that served as a defining moment in your life , the newspaper profile is a great place to reflect on it . For example, if you had spent many months preparing for a half-marathon, working hard to build the stamina and discipline necessary keep running, you can use this response as a place to reflect on the challenges you faced and the things you learned about yourself along the way.

One way to help you develop a strong response to the prompt is to ask a friend or family member to interview you . They may be able to come up with interesting questions that you would not otherwise have thought of, the responses to which you can incorporate in your profile.

Below are some practical tips for crafting a response in the style of a news piece:

Refer to yourself in third person. It may feel strange at first, but it is important to remember that the prompt wants you to write a feature as though you interviewed yourself. Pretend you are a reporter who is writing a story about a famous individual and refer to yourself the way you would to your subject.

Stylistically, journalistic writing differs from academic papers you would typically write in high school. Try to keep both your sentences and paragraphs short and to the point. Each sentence and paragraph should communicate one main idea and include only the information necessary to convey it. Don’t include complicated clauses or overly long, flowery sentences. The purpose of a news article is to convey information effectively and concisely. This prompt seeks to determine whether you are capable of adopting the kind of style necessary to succeed at the School of Media and Public Affairs.

When responding to any of the above prompts, it is crucial to really reflect on what the question is asking you before launching into writing. In addition, it is always a good idea to have another person look over your responses when you’re done in order to avoid any careless errors and make sure that you are getting your main points across in a clear and engaging manner.

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George Washington Secondary Application Essay Prompts & Tips

• Cracking Med School Admissions

George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences cares deeply about serving its community. They want to recruit students who are passionate about improving community health, which is why the George Washington School of Medicine secondary application has a question about public health. The GW secondary application character limits DO NOT include spaces. Make sure you maximize the character count! Read more George Washington secondary tips below!

The George Washington Medical School secondary essay questions have not changed in the past few years. However, because there is a new GW School of Medicine campus, there are new questions related to your campus location preference. We highly recommend you pre-write this short secondary application so that you can submit it sooner.

Our  Cracking Med School Admissions team has a track record of helping our mentees receive acceptances to George Washington School of Medicine year after year. Get our help with writing George Washington secondaries that stand out with our secondary essay editing packages . 

[ Read more secondary essay tips: Chicago Medical School (Rosalind Franklin) , University of Arizona College of Medicine , Georgetown , Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (FIU) ]

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George Washington School of Medicine Secondary Application Questions: 2023 - 2024

• Select the campus you prefer (main campus preferred, regional medical campus preferred, main campus only, regional medical campus only) 
•  If you selected regional medical campus preferred or regional medical campus only, please explain in detail your interest in regional medical campus and how it will be a good fit for your clinical education?  (1,750 characters NOT including spaces) New Question
• Please provide the Admissions Committee with a brief summary of your activities, academics, employment or other occupations to account for full-time activity (approx. 30-40 hours/week) from the point of application through matriculation in 2022. (750 characters max NOT INCLUDING SPACES)
• The MD Program includes substantial content in Clinical Public Health (population health, health systems science, health policy, and community health) to prepare GW graduates for an expanded scope of practice required to be successful 21st century physicians. What are your specific interests and experiences related to that aspect of the MD Program? (350 characters max NOT INCLUDING SPACES)
• What is your most meaningful clinical experience to date, involving direct patient contact? (350 characters max NOT INCLUDING SPACES)
• What makes you a unique individual? What challenges have you faced? How will these factors help you contribute to the diversity of the student body at GW? (1,000 characters max NOT INCLUDING SPACES)
• What is your specific interest in the MD Program at GW? What opportunities would you take advantage of as a student here? Why? (2,000 characters max NOT INCLUDING SPACES)

Tips to Answer George Washington Medical School Secondary Application Essays

GW Secondary Application Pre-Writing Guidance: The George Washington School of Medicine secondary essay questions have not changed in the past couple of years. We highly recommend you pre-write this short secondary application so that you can submit it sooner. 

George Washington Secondary Application Tip #1: From our experience in helping students get accepted to GW, we have noticed that students who receive interviews have niche interests in healthcare. For example, one applicant had an interest in deaf individuals while another applicant had an interest in increasing access to healthcare among refugees. Therefore, we advise students to be specific in how they want to improve healthcare. Because GW is situated in Washington D.C., we advise students to incorporate public policy and advocacy into their responses!

George Washington Secondary Application Tip #2: Remember, diversity does not necessarily mean your ethnic diversity. We recommend students write about their strengths, including exceptional extracurricular activity endeavors. This is especially important to remember for the question “ What makes you a unique individual? What challenges have you faced? How will these factors help you contribute to the diversity of the student body at GW? “

• Read our HIGH-YIELD blog post:   Medical School Diversity Essay Examples and Tips

George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences wants to recruit a class of medical students who are committed to improving community health, not just clinical medicine & research.

George Washington Secondary Application Tip #3: Highlight your leadership, passion to change healthcare, and impact on society. After reading your entire George Washington School of Medicine secondary application, the GW admissions committee reader should understand: what is your vision to improve healthcare?

George Washington Secondary Application Tip #4: Tell stories to convey your impact and leadership, specifically when working in your community.

George Washington Secondary Application Tip #5: For the question, “ What are your specific interests and experiences related to that aspect of the MD Program? ,”

• First, do your research on the George Washington School of Medicine curriculum . What makes it unique? 
• Second, write specific aspects that you like about the George Washington Medical School curriculum.
• Third, integrate GW’s culture and curriculum into the essay. Learn more about how to integrate George Washington School of Medicine’s curriculum into your secondary essays by reading “ How to Answer Why This Medical School? ”  

George Washington Secondary Application Tip #6: For the George Washington secondaries question, “ The MD Program includes substantial content in Clinical Public Health (population health, health systems science, health policy, and community health) to prepare GW graduates for an expanded scope of practice required to be successful 21st century physicians. What are your specific interests and experiences related to that aspect of the MD Program, ” being more specific is better. The most generic and overused answer that Dr. Rishi Mediratta and Dr. Rachel Rizal read is “I want to help underserved populations.” Be more specific. HOW do you want to help underserved populations? Additionally, successful applicants to GW School of Medicine link their response to this answer to interests they conveyed in their primary application AMCAS primary application activities and personal statement. If you have questions about your response, contact us below or email us at [email protected] !

George Washington Secondary Application Tip #7: Get our help to tailor your George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences secondary application essays around community health and George Washington University School of Medicine’s mission. Our Cracking Med School Admissions team can help you through our secondary essay packages . Have questions about how you can stand out? Contact us below.

George Washington Secondary Application Tip #8: In recent application cycles, the GW secondary application character counts do not include spaces. Read the directions carefully and make sure to maximize the space given to you! 

George Washington Secondary Application Tip #9: George Washington medical school added a new campus recently! The new GW School of Medicine campus is located in Baltimore. Read more here .

Here’s a synopsis from the website: The Regional Medical Campus in Baltimore is designed for medical students who desire to train in a clinical environment of an integrated healthcare delivery system committed to population health. The Regional Medical campus is located at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, part of the  LifeBridge Health  system. LifeBridge Health provides the full spectrum of outpatient and inpatient healthcare under one organization and partners with others to identify and address the social determinants of health impacting the communities it serves.

If you choose to prioritize matriculating to the Baltimore campus, discuss why you want to be one of the medical students at the Regional Medical Campus. Conversely, if you want to matriculate with the medical students in the main, Washington D.C. campus, then give your rationale! In the past application cycle , students mainly talk about the extracurricular activities and patient populations in each location. 

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Rachel Rizal, M.D.

Changing the trajectory of people’s lives.

Undergraduate Princeton University, cum laude

Medical School Stanford School of Medicine

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Advising students to attend their dream schools.

Undergraduate Johns Hopkins University, Phi Beta Kappa

Residency Stanford, Pediatrics

Awards & Scholarships Marshall Scholar Tylenol Scholarship Global Health Scholar

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George Washington School of Medicine Secondary Application Questions: 2022 – 2023

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George Washington School of Medicine Secondary Application Questions: 2021 – 2022

• Please provide the Admissions Committee with a brief summary of your activities, academics, employment or other occupations to account for full-time activity (approx. 30-40 hours/week) from the point of application through matriculation in 2022. (750 characters max)
• The MD Program includes substantial content in Clinical Public Health (population health, health systems science, health policy, and community health) to prepare GW graduates for an expanded scope of practice required to be successful 21st century physicians. What are your specific interests and experiences related to that aspect of the MD Program? (350 characters max)
• What is your most meaningful clinical experience to date, involving direct patient contact? (350 characters max)
• What makes you a unique individual? What challenges have you faced? How will these factors help you contribute to the diversity of the student body at GW? (1,000 characters max)
• What is your specific interest in the MD Program at GW? What opportunities would you take advantage of as a student here? Why? (2,000 characters max)

George Washington School of Medicine Secondary Application Questions: 2020 - 2021

• Please provide the Admissions Committee with a brief summary of your activities, academics, employment or other occupations to account for full-time activity (approx. 30-40 hours/week) from the point of application through matriculation in 2022.  (750 characters max)
• The MD Program includes substantial content in Clinical Public Health (population health, health systems science, health policy, and community health) to prepare GW graduates for an expanded scope of practice required to be successful 21st century physicians. What are your specific interests and experiences related to that aspect of the MD Program?  (350 characters max)
• What is your most meaningful clinical experience to date, involving direct patient contact?  (350 characters max)
• What makes you a unique individual? What challenges have you faced? How will these factors help you contribute to the diversity of the student body at GW?  (1,000 characters max)
• What is your specific interest in the MD Program at GW? What opportunities would you take advantage of as a student here? Why?  (2,000 characters max)

George Washington School of Medicine Secondary Application Questions: 2019 – 2020

George washington school of medicine secondary application questions: 2018 – 2019.

• What is your most meaningful community service experience to date? (350 characters max)

George Washington School of Medicine Secondary Application Questions: 2017 – 2018

George washington school of medicine secondary application questions: 2016 – 2017.

• Have you ever been convicted of, plead guilty, or plead no lo contendere (i.e., no contest, I do not wish to contend) to a criminal offense? Have you ever been arrested for a felony or misdemeanor? (If yes, explain) (500 characters max)
• Did you indicate that you were the recipient of any institutional action on your AMCAS application? (500 characters max)
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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, george washington university supplemental essay.

Hello everyone! I'm starting to put together my college applications and George Washington University is definitely on my list. Can anyone who had success with their GWU application share some advice on how to approach the supplemental essay? What specific points or qualities do they seek in an applicant? Much appreciated!

Hey there! Congrats on starting your college applications and considering GWU. For their supplemental essay, GWU generally looks for applicants who can connect their personal values and aspirations to the university and its offerings. To approach the essay effectively, here are a few tips:

1. Research GWU's academic programs, extracurriculars, clubs, research opportunities, and unique aspects that align with your interests and goals. Make sure to be specific by mentioning particular courses, professors, or initiatives that resonate with you.

2. Reflect on your personal experiences, values, or future goals that make GWU an ideal fit for you. Focus on making a genuine, authentic connection between you and the university.

3. Show your passion for being part of the GWU community by discussing how you would contribute to it and take advantage of the opportunities around you. Demonstrate your excitement for engaging with the campus culture.

Remember to stay true to your story, make it personal, and remain focused on why GWU is the best fit for you.

Here's CollegeVine's GWU essay breakdown if you need more tips: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-george-washington-university-essays

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

George Washington University (GW) Supplemental Essays Guide: 2021-2022

Not sure how to approach the George Washington essays? CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the George Washington University supplemental essays will show you exactly how to write engaging George Washington essays and maximize your chances of admission. If you need help crafting your George Washington University supplemental essays create your free account or schedule a free advising consultation by calling (844) 343-6272.

GW Essay Guide Quick Facts:

• With an acceptance rate of 43%, U.S. News ranks George Washington University as a more selective school. 
• The George Washington University ranking is #63 in National Universities.
• We recommend answering the George Washington University supplemental essays thoughtfully.

Does George Washington University have any supplemental essays? 

Yes. All applicants can choose one of two George Washington University supplemental essays to submit alongside the Common Application essay. The GW supplemental essays assess an applicant’s critical thinking, personal values, and motivation to thrive at GW. 

For a list of application requirements aside from the George Washington essays, visit GW’s website.  

How many essays does George Washington require?

In addition to the main essay prompt on the 2021-2022 Common App , there are two GW supplemental essays. We have provided the prompts for the George Washington University supplemental essays below. We’ve also included tips on approaching each of the George Washington University essay prompts.

All applicants must complete one of the George Washington supplemental essays. However, you can choose which George Washington University supplemental essay prompt to complete. 

Need help choosing a Common App essay prompt? Get some helpful advice from our essay guide.

What are the essays for George Washington University? 

The George Washington University essay prompts are listed on the Common App website . We will also list each of the George Washington University essay prompts in this guide.

The GW supplemental essay lets you show your reader how your values connect to GW. The George Washington University supplemental essays also let you show your commitment to fostering change by engaging in civil discourse.

A strong George Washington University supplemental essay will increase your admissions odds. So, don’t overlook your GW essay! 

How do I write the essays for George Washington University? 

First, read the two George Washington University essay prompts. Then, think about what you hope to convey in your George Washington University supplemental essay. We will list each of the George Washington University essay prompts in the next section of this guide. Be sure to remain deliberate as you pick a prompt for your George Washington University supplemental essay. 

Let’s discuss some things to consider when choosing a prompt for your GW essay.

Be a change-maker

GW prides itself on admitting students who will to become agents of change for our world. They look for students who will turn knowledge in t o action by taking advantage of all that GW offers.

Think about how to show your intellect and values in the George Washington University supplemental essays. Use the George Washington essays as your chance to show your interest in GW. Also, try to include specific details in your George Washington University supplemental essays that show how you would enrich campus life at GW. 

As you review the George Washington University essay prompts, which stands out to you? Remember, your George Washington University supplemental essay lets you showcase who you are beyond your grades and scores.

Also, be sure to remain thoughtful when choosing a topic for your George Washington University supplemental essay. Consider each of the GW essay prompts. Your reader will be able to tell if your topic doesn’t matter to you!

Trust your intuition

Finally, if you feel a connection to one of the George Washington University essay prompts, choose that one. Having a personal attachment to the prompt will help you craft strong George Washington essays. 

Not sure how to choose between the George Washington supplemental essays? Start with a writing exercise. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Then, brainstorm talking points for each of the George Washington University essays. As you review your list, what issues stand out to you? Can you link any of those topics to your identity or values? 

For example, are you passionate about a specific social, political, or historical topic? Can you highlight it in the George Washington essays? Or, do you have a personal experience that you can connect to one of the GW supplemental essays? How might this topic showcase your identity and values? Bonus points if you can connect this topic to your future major(s) at GW. 

We have outlined each of the George Washington University supplemental essays below. We’ve also included a breakdown of how to approach the George Washington essays. 

George Washington University Supplemental Essay – Question 1:

Every applicant can choose from one of the following two essay prompts to submit. 

Option 1: At the George Washington University, our students frequently interact with policymakers and world leaders. These experiences and those of our alumni can shape the future of global affairs. If you had the power to change the course of history in your community or the world, what would you do and why? (500 words.)

The first of the George Washington University supplemental essays asks you to choose a historical issue or event. Then, it asks you to show how you would change the outcome of this event. Finally, it asks you to describe how your choice would impact your community or the world. 

You could interpret this George Washington University supplemental essay prompt in one of two ways: 

• If you could travel back in time and change the outcome of one event, what would you change? How would you create this change? Why would you choose this event and create this specific change? 
• Identity a current problem within your local community or our greater society. How would you solve this problem? Why did you choose this problem, and how would solving it change the course of our future?

No matter how you frame this George Washington University supplemental essay, be sure to identify a critical problem. Then, propose a solution to the problem. Don’t limit yourself! The issue you discuss in this George Washington University supplemental essay could be local, national, or global in scale.

Begin your George Washington University supplemental essay by describing the context of your chosen issue. Remember, you only have 500 words in each of the George Washington University supplemental essays. This means, then, that you should pay attention to your essay’s structure. First, you should briefly describe the problem; then, spend most of your essay detailing your solution and how it will change the future.  

Make a list

Not sure what issue to choose for this George Washington University supplemental essay? Start by listing 3-5 potential topics that interest you. Then, narrow your focus down to a specific sub-topic within a larger issue. You don’t want to pick a topic that is too broad, as you only have 500 words for the George Washington University supplemental essays. Instead, choose an issue to which you have a personal connection. 

For example, instead of trying to end world hunger, consider a proposal to start a community garden in your area. Then, connect it to your experience of growing up in an urban food desert with limited access to healthy, affordable food. How might this garden help support your neighborhood?

Focus on a change

Or, instead of declaring that you would eliminate slavery in the United States, consider a bill to renegotiate the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Examine how you would structure your argument to prohibit slavery in this new territory. Finally, describe how this change would shift the notion of slavery in other states. 

As you approach this George Washington University supplemental essay, spend some time describing why you chose this event. This George Washington University supplemental essay prompt lets you showcase your values. It also lets you think critically about important issues within our society. Ultimately, GW looks for applicants who can recognize critical problems and propose convincing and realistic solutions. 

George Washington University Essay Draft Tips: 

• Do you identify an issue that matters to you and relate it to your identity and values?
• Does your essay avoid topics that are too general or too broad?
• Do you use specific examples of how you would implement your solution and how it would change the course of history?

George Washington University Supplemental Essay – Question 2:

Option 2: The George Washington University encourages students to think critically and to challenge the status quo. Thus, civil discourse is a key characteristic of our community. Describe a time when you engaged others in meaningful dialogue around an issue that was important to you. Did this exchange create change, new perspectives, or deeper relationships? (500 words.)

For the second of the George Washington University supplemental essays, you will need to describe a time when you disagreed with others. This George Washington University supplemental essay prompt assesses how you engage with those who disagree with you on serious issues. It also asks what you gained from this discourse. 

With a diverse student body with students from 135 countries, GW looks for applicants who will enrich their global campus. The second of the George Washington University supplemental essays, therefore, evaluates your ability to succeed in a diverse academic setting. In other words, the admissions team looks for confident, dynamic listeners who can engage with others. 

Be authentic

You don’t need to invent a perfect story in which you magically made someone see things your way. Instead, think about some moments when you engaged with others. Then, choose one of those examples for this George Washington University supplemental essay. Additionally, make sure to show what you learned from this experience. 

For example, you could write about how you disagreed with a classmate about a group research project. Discuss how you voiced your concerns and how you came to an agreement. Then, describe what you gained from this interaction. 

Strong examples

Or perhaps, you noticed the lack of healthy snacks in your high school’s café. Explain how you worked with the school principal to include healthier options. Then, describe what you learned from this. How did it help you become more confident in approaching authority figures with your ideas? 

You could also discuss how you persuaded a conservative family member to attend your city’s LGBTQ pride parade with you. Talk about how you convinced them to step outside of their comfort zone after hearing their concerns. Then, describe what it meant to engage with someone who sees the world differently than you. 

Whatever story you share in this George Washington supplemental essay, make sure you include details. Describe how you and the other person learned something from the interaction. Finally, highlight your ability to engage with someone who has a different belief system than you. 

George Washington University Essay Draft Key Questions: 

• Did you choose an example where you successfully and productively expressed your point of view?
• Do you share what lesson you learned or what impact the exchange had on you?
• Does your essay connect this moment to what you hope to accomplish in college? 

Additional tips for George Washington essays

Before choosing a prompt for the George Washington University supplemental essay, reflect on your identity and values. Then, connect your reflections to one of the George Washington University essay prompts. Is there an aspect of your identity that the George Washington University supplemental essays can highlight? Do you have an experience that you can link to one of the GW supplemental essays? Finally, how might this example reveal a key aspect of your identity or interests? 

Consider the fit

Also, think about how the George Washington University essay prompts fit into your application narrative . Your application narrative plays a crucial role in the college application process. It is a direct reflection of who you were , who you are now , and who you will be in college.

Look for themes across your application as you brainstorm for the George Washington supplemental essays. These themes will make up your candidate profile. A strong candidate profile will help you stand out to AOs, so don’t discount it.  

Still unsure of how to write the George Washington University supplemental essays? Read our article for more tips on how to write a great essay. 

George Washington University Supplemental Essays: Final Thoughts

The George Washington University supplemental essays can seem daunting. However, don’t let the GW supplemental essays stop you from applying! Instead, use the George Washington supplemental essays to highlight what matters to you. Keep this guide to the George Washington University supplemental essays handy as you tackle the GW application. Good luck! 

This 2021-2022 essay guide on GWU was written by Claire Babbs , UT Austin ‘12. For more CollegeAdvisor.com resources on George Washington University click here. Want help crafting your George Washington University supplemental essays? Create your free account or schedule a free advising consultation by calling (844) 343-6272.

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Applying to law school requires you to showcase your writing skills in the form of statements, essays, short-answer questions and other documents.

Every applicant must submit a personal statement, résumé and letters of recommendation, and most law schools offer applicants the opportunity to submit additional information about themselves in the form of optional essays. Although these essays are termed “optional,” it is actually in your best interest to submit any essay for which you can articulate a strong, well-drafted response that provides relevant additional information.

The most common two types of optional essays are: (1) a diversity statement and (2) a “Why ‘X Law School’?” essay. Some law schools may provide additional prompts to which you are permitted to respond. For example, Georgetown Law offers applicants the choice among four prompts for an optional 250-word essay (e.g., “How would your friends describe you? Did they miss anything?”) as well as the option to submit a video statement in place of an essay. Michigan Law suggests eight essay topics, and applicants are permitted to submit up to 2. Regardless of the nature of the essays, consider them an opportunity to round out your application and provide another writing sample.

Guidance to the Application Documents

The personal statement is your opportunity tell law schools about yourself and paint a picture beyond your academic credentials. The statement should provide the reviewer with insights about the applicant and the applicant’s interest in pursuing a legal education. Applicants often use the personal statement to provide further insight into their personality, background, personal interests, or matters that are not fully present in other parts of the application.

The personal statement must be the applicant’s original work in their own words. Each school has guidelines that govern requirements for length, but generally it should be no more than two double-spaced pages. The personal statement must be included with the application at the time of submission. The personal statement’s header must include the student’s name, LSAC account number, and be titled “Personal Statement.”

• Purdue OWL - Writing the Personal Statement
• Admissions Essays - Sample Personal Statements

Most law schools will require two letters of recommendation and many show a strong preference for academic references for applicants, unless you are more than five years out of college.

Requesting Letters

In requesting a letter of recommendation, your goal should be to contact someone who knows you over a period of time and thinks well of your work. Try to reach out to professors and supervisors who have seen you in either academic or professional contexts and can readily compare your work with that of other students, including previous and current GW applicants. Settings in which your writing, communication, research, and analytical skills are being utilized and observed are usually best. This person should be both willing and able to take the time to write a thoughtful and thorough evaluation. If the recommender is well-known in his or her field, this can be an added plus, but only if the other factors are there. In other words, it is preferable to have a strong, detailed letter of recommendation from someone who knows you well than a few lines from a famous professor who can say very little about you specifically.

When asking for letters of recommendation, it is important to get a genuine sense whether he or she is indeed willing to write for you. Your request should be phrased in such a way that, if the potential recommender does not feel comfortable writing for you, he or she can gracefully decline. Pressuring someone to write a letter for you is likely to result either in a lukewarm or qualified recommendation, which ultimately may do more harm than good. A tactful question, for example, might be, "Do you feel you know me well enough to write a strong letter of recommendation supporting my applications to law school?" With that in mind, you should aim to make this request in person if possible; if not, then a phone call is appropriate. Only if no other way is feasible should you ask someone by email to write you a letter of recommendation.

Once he or she agrees to write a letter of recommendation on your behalf, it can be helpful to discuss your academic interests and your career plans with your recommender. Letters are most effective when the writer can describe you as being well-suited to a particular goal. Remember that career goals are a work in progress and that you can easily discuss your general interests, as well as specific plans, depending on your situation. Your recommender will also be curious about your background. To that end, providing an updated resume, current transcript, and any other relevant information is usually very helpful.

Once your recommender agrees to write on your behalf, it is always useful to mention your timeframe and, if necessary, a general deadline by which you would like this letter submitted. Giving a recommender at least 3-4 weeks to write a letter on your behalf is a good rule of thumb. Be sure to be as flexible as possible, while still maintaining a realistic sense of when this task must be completed. After the initial request has been made, you should feel free to follow up appropriately, but not excessively.

Sending Letters of Recommendation

Since most law schools give more credibility to confidential recommendations, we strongly suggest that you indeed waive your right to view your letters of recommendation.

All law schools will accept letters of recommendation from the LSAC's Letter of Recommendation (LOR) Service. If your letters of recommendation are being sent directly to LSAC, please make sure to provide your recommender with the corresponding LOR Form and a stamped envelope addressed to LSAC to expedite this process. It is your responsibility to keep track of the status of your letters of recommendation.

Once your letters of recommendation arrive at LSAC, you will be asked to direct your letters on file to individual law schools through the LOR Service; you will make that determination based on each law school's required number of letters, or the applicant's desire to target certain letters to certain law schools. It is not at all necessary to have targeted letters of recommendation for specific law schools, though if it's appropriate in your situation, then it is certainly an option.

Addenda (addendum is the singular noun form) are optional law school application attachments used to briefly explain questionable content or inconsistencies disclosed in the application. In the addendum, you can take the opportunity to explain something in your background that may be perceived by law school admission committees as a “weakness.” Criminal activity or a drastic change in GPA from one semester to another are examples of why a student may consider including an addendum in their application.

Law schools definitely review application addenda. While the addenda can certainly help address questionable items in an application, applicants should not rely on an addendum to cancel out the effect of a low GPA or LSAT score.

Use the opportunity to be honest, transparent, and to show the committee that the issue you are highlighting is not an accurate reflection of your academic potential or character. Show integrity by disclosing the full story of your situation, explain your behavior concisely, and accept responsibility for how your conduct impacted you and others. You may want to speak to what you have learned from these experiences and what changes have occurred that will support your ability to be successful in law school and beyond. Follow the formatting guidelines provided by each school to which you are applying.

• TopLawSchools Guide: How to Write an Addendum

A diversity statement is a common type of optional essay that encourages applicants to reflect on any personal diversity that they may contribute if selected as a member of the incoming class. The most important thing to realize is that “diversity” is interpreted broadly by law school admissions offices and is not limited to race or ethnicity. Diversity includes any element of your identity, circumstances, or experiences that you believe may give you a diverse perspective from fellow classmates or a different lens through which you view the world.

Relevant types of diversity may include (but are not limited to) race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, religious identification, sexual orientation, military experience, single parenting, nontraditional age, underrepresented major (e.g., STEM majors) or first-generation student status. It is not, however, sufficient to merely identify a type of diversity. You should go one step further and articulate (1) how that diversity has impacted you personally and (2) why it may give you a unique perspective that enriches the law school class. It is not easy to articulate why your diversity matters, so it may take significant time to prepare a solid first draft. If you don’t feel that you have a meaningful type of diversity, then don’t submit a diversity statement. More importantly, don’t stress about not submitting a diversity statement! It is truly an optional statement and you will not be penalized for choosing not to submit one.

Many law schools offer applicants the opportunity to use a separate “Why ‘X Law School’?” essay in order to articulate specific reasons why the applicant believes the school would be a strong fit.

Presumably, if you are applying to a school, there were reasons that led you to apply to that school above other similarly situated law schools. If a school permits such an essay, you should make the effort to write one.

Start by identifying your actual reasons for applying, then do more research. What classes would you be most interested in taking? What clinics interest you? Does the school have a particular focus or philosophy that you appreciate (e.g., law and economics, law in action)? Does the school place a significant number of graduates in the area in which you are most interested (e.g., public interest law, “big law”)? Does it have smaller class sizes than the average law school? By providing evidence of your strong interest in a school and of an appropriate fit, you can increase your likelihood of admission. So do your research, but don’t just regurgitate information from the website or other sources. Internalize the information, and reflect on why that information is important to you. If you truly can’t find something substantive to say about the school, reconsider applying there.

Here are some basic suggestions about preparing résumés and some sample résumés to use as examples. Please make an appointment with the GW Career Services Center professionals to review your draft résumé.

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Prospective students apply to the University Honors Program at the same time they apply for admission to the George Washington University (GW). You will indicate your interest by applying via the GW Supplement to the Common Application under Special Programs. Your Honors Program application will be considered after the university has made a decision on your general application. The Honors Program decision will not affect the university's decision.

The Honors Program application requires a set of specific essay questions in addition to the essays required for the general application to GW. You will find these essays in the GW Supplement. 

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For more information about the GW application process, visit the Undergraduate Admissions website .

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You should apply to the George Washington University (GW) as a first-year applicant if you are currently in your senior year of high school, have earned a GED or completed high school, but never enrolled in college courses. The GW Admissions Committee carefully reviews each applicant based on academic background, the rigor of high school coursework, and GPA. In addition, the committee takes into consideration essays, letters of recommendation, and extracurricular activities. Submitting standardized test scores is optional.

The George Washington University (GW) considers anyone who has graduated from high school and completed at least one college course since high school graduation to be a transfer student. Our review of your application package includes an evaluation of your academic background at each institution of higher education previously attended. We also take into consideration your high school record and standardized test scores (if applicable), essays, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities and interest in the university.

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George Washington University Undergraduate College Application Essays

These George Washington University college application essays were written by students accepted at George Washington University. All of our sample college essays include the question prompt and the year written. Please use these sample admission essays responsibly.

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College Application Essays accepted by George Washington University

Why george washington university anonymous, george washington university.

With my French books in hand and my camera slung across my shoulder, I stroll down the narrow street to photography class. Students relax in the alley next to the building, avoiding the scorching Parisian heat. I sit on the curb as we lunch on...

Personal Statement ABC's Kristian Jokisch

(A)mbition, balance and commitment are the three qualities that I refer to as my "ABC's" for achieving "D", my dream. (B)eing successful depends on continual awareness of your ABC's. (C)arefully following this philosophy has guided me through...

A Message to a Terrorist Vetan Kapoor

Confusion and panic were clearly visible. People were running around frantically, shouting and screaming. Everyone was in a hurry. Nobody knew what was going to happen. We were all scared. Fall Fiesta was almost upon us.

The thirty or so students...

Driven Vetan Kapoor

It was an exhilarating moment that set my heart aflutter. I had in my head an image of James Bond, speeding down a foreign highway in pursuit of justice, a dazzling femme-fatale steering the car ahead of him. As soon as the car stuttered to a...

Willow Tree Anonymous

June 4th 2006

The volunteers in the red shirts direct us to enter our corrals. It's race time. Twenty-three thousand of us cram into our assigned areas and stand shoulder-to-shoulder, no room to move. I know what lies in wait—fifty-four...

My life defining moment Anonymous

My mother was diagnosed with cancer. It all started in April of my sophomore year when she complained of exhaustion, nausea, a back ache, and bad breath. I remember the day perfectly. It was Easter morning and my mom was scheduled for a procedure...

The Impact of The West Wing On Me Anonymous

During a trip to the US, my father brought back a boxed set of The West Wing DVDs. While I planned to watch them during my school holiday as amusement, the show instead became an obsession and an education in itself.

My greatest passion has always...

The Power of Exposure Anonymous

It’s 107 degrees and the sun’s hot rays are beating down on a family trekking through the busy streets of Dhaka. People, rickshaws, and goats alike are all rushing off to reach their respective destinations. As the parents of the family encourage...

Political Advocacy as an Intern Anonymous

Shark Day 2011. 100 miles from the ocean, but the fate of the top predator of the oceans, key to the health of marine ecosystems, would be decided right here in Sacramento. The role I got to play on Shark Day was cutting off the tags that said “...

Becoming a Baha'i Anonymous

Despite the bleak November evening, the people around the kitchen table were filled with joy. We had just finished studying the first of the Ruhi books, a series designed to teach the basics of Baha’i, and the tutors, Mary Kay and Chet, were...

The Diversity of Thought Anonymous

To the outside world, my high school is the antithesis of diverse. When my peers considered me a legitimate minority for being a redhead, I assumed “diversity” to be a dirty word within the ivory-skinned social scene. However, I discovered that...

The Backyard Anonymous

I remember when the flowers stopped blooming.

All throughout my childhood there was always one thing that would instantly make me happy. I had a beautiful backyard in my childhood home. The smell of the ripe red mango trees and the chirping of the...

Eclectic Appetite Anonymous

A few Thanksgivings ago, my mom decided to buy a whole pig and roast it herself. Unfortunately, the pig had a ghastly aroma which filled the whole house, and everyone immediately scolded her for the acrid smell ruining their Thanksgiving meal....

Defending Ballet and Beyond Anonymous

I'm not usually one to disrupt a class.

It was a Monday morning in my first-period freshman health seminar. The lights were low, half the class was already asleep, and the 20-year-old television was slowly gearing up to play some low-budget video...

Germany Grace Redford

Studying abroad in Germany, my classmates and I dreaded waking up early and walking to our classroom in the notoriously rainy city of Tubingen. Mr. Schneberger spoke about the anatomy of a cathedral, and we made it clear how confused we all were....

Food & Family Anonymous

“Food is the way to a man's heart.” This surprisingly sexist saying has always been a coveted motto among the women in my large Latino family. The number of times my abuela disclosed what she believed to be the secret to love to me is...

Overcoming Adversity: Strength through Suffering Sarah Marosi

It was only a short bike ride, a temporary goodbye to a town I’d be leaving for a week or two, just there and back I told myself. Little did I know that on June 10, 2007, my life would completely change. The greatest obstacle I have had to...

My favorite place Noelle Simon

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Bittersweet Endings Anonymous

I have an affinity for magnificent endings. The final words of a novel, the last bite of a salted caramel chocolate bar, or the teetering crescendos of a timpani at the end of a grand symphony by Beethoven are just a few examples. When life...

Letting Go of My "Eggo" Elizabeth Tess Thompson

“ Test does not exist! We only think she exists!”

The pale pink room was filled with too-bright morning light. High up on the Himalayan mountainside, the monastery had a sweeping view of the fog-covered village below.

The portly monk continued, in...

Speechtime Revelations Anonymous

“The U.S. and China should work to unify the Koreas.”

Eight minutes left.

As I walk to the podium, I present myself as a confident junior. Yet in my mind, I am still a freshman, stammering through my first speech, unnerved by the seven pairs of...

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Recent Questions about George Washington University

The Question and Answer section for George Washington University is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

What happens to the baron for three days of every week?

Each week, he becomes a werewolf.

Whom does Perceval meet at the river?

I'm sorry Greta, I can't locate a copy of this text.

Write a critical analysis comparing three poems of writers named “I Knew a Woman” by Theodore Roethke , “Two Songs” by Adrienne Rich and “Recreation” by Audre Lorde .

I'm sorry, we don't "write" critical analysis for students. You might want to begin this assignment by googling an analysis for each of these poems separately.

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Seven-Year Dual BA/MD Program with GW Columbian College of Arts and Sciences

A joint program of The George Washington University Columbian College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the seven-year BA/MD program is a small, competitive program designed for high school seniors who exhibit academic excellence, competitive (90%) SAT/ACT scores, leadership activities, community service, health care experiences, and have a strong desire to become a physician. Applicants must be in their senior year of high school to apply for this program. They apply directly to The George Washington University via the Undergraduate Admissions Office. 

A small percentage of qualified applicants will be reviewed by MD Admissions, and a second essay about their motivation for medicine and their interest in GW will be sent to the applicants. The Committee on Admissions reviews these completed applications for the MD program. MD Admissions conduct interviews in late winter. At the interview, applicants can meet with undergraduate admissions, hear formal presentations, and meet current students. Decisions are made by the Committee on Admissions for the MD program in late March. All decisions are final; there is no appeal process. 

The acceptance to the MD program is provisional as program requirements must be maintained to transition into the MD program. These requirements include: maintaining a minimum 3.60 overall GPA, no grades of C or below in any science courses, providing an MCAT practice exam score from an online MCAT review, and participation in medically-related and service experiences. The Dean of MD Admissions provides mentoring and programming. Students in this program are required to create a three-year course plan to complete their undergraduate degree. They are encouraged to work with a pre-health advisor to complete this plan. The Committee on Admissions reviews students each semester regarding progress and maintaining requirements. The bachelor's degree is awarded upon successful completion of undergraduate degree requirements before matriculation in the MD program. The final review for promotion to the MD program is performed by the Committee on Admissions. 

Ready to Apply?

The GW Undergraduate Admissions Office handles the initial application process for the BA/MD program. More information on applying can be found on their website. 

If you have further questions about this program, please email  [email protected]  or call 202-994-6040.

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george washington optional essay prompt #1

the prompt mentions “the power to change the course of history in your community or the world,” and i wanted to write about how living in a rural area leads many kids my age to resort to substance abuse because there’s not really any activities outside of school offered here. i’m a bit torn on the wording of this prompt tho, the issue is that it says “history” and while my community has always had the problem i mentioned, i’m not sure if mentioning something that is ongoing would be considered not answering the question correctly. what do you think?

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12 Tips for Answer Georgia College and State University Personal Essay Questions

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Writing a strong personal essay is an essential component of the application process when you apply to Georgia College and State University (GCSU).  In the personal essay questions , the  themes of career goals, personal growth, and community service are often emphasised. The university asks the students to elaborate on why they are interested in a particular field of study or recount a challenging situation they went through and how they managed to resolve it. 

Students can demonstrate their skills, achievements, and values by using real-life experiences as examples. In addition, the university’s personal essay questions require students to strike a balance between self-reflection and storytelling. Students must also present clear knowledge of how their experiences and prospective goals relate to the institution’s values. 

However, some students do not have enough skills to effectively answer such questions while  applying to university. So, this guide is for such students. Here,  we will provide tips on  writing a personal statement and answering such essay questions in your university application. 

How to Answer Georgia College and State University Personal Essay Questions?

Georgia College aims to extend education outside of the classroom to support students' critical thinking abilities. Thus, they have incorporated such questions into the enrolment applications. Below are the 12 tips that will provide  assistance with your essay  questions and improve your chances of having your application accepted.

1. Know the Best Ideas for Your Essay

The personal essay questions Georgia College and State University are meant to add more insight into your application. In addition, the response to such personal essay topics helps the admission committee to know more about you. To write a strong essay, make sure that your thoughts are coherent and reflect your own experiences. 

Here, we are providing you with some tricks to come up with amazing ideas:

• Understand the prompt.
• Read the question carefully.
• Get the core ideas.

Ideas Brainstorming

• Recall life events that have shaped who you are today.
• Think about how your social, academic or cultural backgrounds have influenced you.
• Remember times when you overcame challenges or achieved milestones in life.
• Focus on strengths or areas of passion for you.

Your ideas must:

• Be relevant to the prompt.
• Be realistic.
• In line with what the university stands for.

2. Reflect on Your Experiences

As you prepare to apply to university, remember the experiences that have contributed to shaping you the way you are now. Your essay should show how these developments, interests, and objectives align with the university's mission and values.

Think about the following points while you reflect on your experiences:

Obstacles and Challenges

What barriers or hurdles have hindered your progress in the past, and what methods did you capitalise on to go beyond them? Which abilities were sharpened from these experiences? How did these experiences affect your outlook towards life and your goals?

Positions and Duties in Leadership

Retrace your steps and recount what you acquired. Restate lessons you learned from playing a leading role.

Academic Accomplishments and Interests

Reverse the positions, think about yourself, and concentrate on your various achievements in class. How did you develop an interest in these areas, and what have they done to help you reach your goals?

Development of the Self and Self-Awareness

Apart from considering one’s personal developments, consider the times when challenges or disappointments were faced and dealt with. When and how did you confront these challenges? What did you learn about yourself while doing so?

As you think about these events, think about the following questions:

• What skills did this encounter assist me in developing or improving?
• What changes has this encounter brought to my ambitions and goals?
• In what way does this experience relate to my aspirations and objectives?
• What values or principles did this experience instil or reinforce in me?
• What precise moments or stories can I draw on?

3. Don't Tell them a Story They Want; Tell them What You Want

When crafting your essays for applications, it is easy to get into the comfort zone of writing in a way that seems pleasant to the members of the admissions committee. This approach, however, often fails to showcase your point. Instead, it is advisable to be unapologetically bold and tell the story you want to tell, regardless of who it will appeal to. Understand that it is very important to be real in your essay.

When writing your personal statement, consider these points:

• Focus on how the engagement aspects of your essay have been drawn from your unique experiences. 
• Explain how being unique comes from expressing yourself on your own rather than what you believe the college would prefer to hear.
• Explain why authentic stories are more interesting as they are true and emotional.
• Argue that for your essay to capture attention, it is important to be free, vulnerable, and take risks in your narrative.
• Expressing your wishes reveals more about your true self, and that is what the college is looking for.

4. Be Authentic

Finding one’s values, beliefs, and passions is the heart of authenticity. This starts in the inner space where you try so hard to know yourself and decide which of your values are the most important. There is authenticity in overcoming the temptation to conform to other people’s expectations or remain true to one’s core beliefs. This offered a foundation of integrity and formed the basis of all other forms of honest living.

Here are some remarkable aspects of authenticity:

5. Keep it Concise

A well-developed statement is probably an important component of your university application. Therefore, this comprehensive guide is an opportunity to demonstrate your unique features, life history and aspirations to the admission committee.

Moreover, when it comes to providing an essay that stands out, there is a need to ensure that it is written interestingly and coherently and let it remain on topic. Here are some of the suggestions that can help you achieve this:

• Ensure that there is no room for ambiguity.
• Provide your readers with relevant examples.
• Avoid needless information.
• Choose simple and straight-to-the-point words.

6. Think Outside the Box!

Do not restrict yourself with commonly known details about yourself but be brave and include little more creativity in your paper.

Here are a few helpful hints that will assist you in doing so:

• Refusal may be miserable, but reluctantly tell the admissions committee your fabulous and unique achievements.
• In ways that are explosive to emotions or stretch one's imagination, draw a picture on the spare part of the essay and tell a story instead of better structuring it.

Most people approach the task of doing something different as a way of trying to succeed personally and professionally.

7. Use Proper Grammar and Spelling

In a personal statement, an applicant must pay attention to the structure of the essay, including spelling and grammatical conventions. To eliminate such mistakes, it is recommended to:

• Carry out a basic form to improve the writing of the essay.
• Utilise online resources for grammar and spell check.
• Seek feedback.

With these guidelines, students make sure that there will be no errors in answers to personal essay questions about grammar. It is also necessary to organise the document properly to be favourable to the admission board. In addition, you can also get samples from  legit essay writing firms in the UK   to understand the structure of personal essays for university applications. 

8. Revise Often and Edit

Here, we are going to look into the need to edit and revise the answers we have written for the personal essay questions. By following these strategies, you can make your essay stand out.

• Remove unnecessary elements and improve the organisation of your work.
• Make your arguments and their supporting evidence stronger.
• Improve grammatical errors and sentence fluency.
• Express more of who you are through words and speech.
• Rectify gaps and inconsistencies in your narratives.

Editing your essay requires you to also look at the spelling, grammar or punctuation of the essay. When doing so, particularly pay attention to grammar, punctuation, length of sentences, word choice, and consistency. 

How to start Editing your Essay?

Essay revision is checking the content, structure, and flow of the essay. While undertaking this process, take into consideration the following:

• Am I clear and focused in my thesis statement?
• Does the flow of my answers make sense?
• Do my anecdotes and examples of work support my points?
• Am I able to use the same voice/tone throughout the essay?
• Is there anything else that I could include to give more details?

9. Highlight Your Strengths

To stand out from other applicants, highlight your strengths in the essay. Before you put your pen on paper, spare a minute or two and try to recall particular events, achievements, and traits. To focus on your academic achievements, ask yourself:

• What are the specific achievements I have attained and the strong skills I possess in university?
• What are the objectives and aspirations I have about my career?
• What factors make me different from other people?

To highlight the strong points in your answer to personal essay questions, you can use examples and narratives. In addition, it is also advisable to highlight your soft skills and let your readers feel your passion and excitement.

10. Demonstrate Your Fit

A powerful piece detailing your personal experiences only works when you show how you fit into Georgia College and State University, its beliefs, and its aim. In addition, add the following salient features to your response to personal essay questions:

Background in Academia 

Talk about your academic history first, highlighting any academic projects that show your readiness for the school you are applying to. Give details of any awards, competitions, or activities that underscore your achievements in your area of study.

Experience That Matters

Mention any planned internships or previous work experience which is relevant to the degree or course you are looking for. Explain how these experiences shaped your career goals.

Link to the University

Why do you want to study at Georgia College and State University? Justify why you believe this particular university is the most suitable for you. Explain how you will be useful to the school community considering the faculty members, research facilities and university culture. 

Long-term Vision

Explain what the future is going to hold for you, particularly how you see the contribution you will make to the field of your choice after you finish the degree. Mention how your university education and experiences will create opportunities for you to achieve these goals and promote positive change as well. You may make arguments that positively reinforce yourself in terms of why you are a strong prospect for the program you are applying to. 

11. Get Started Early

It is very important to start dealing with the Georgia College and State University personal essay questions as soon as possible. If you plan early, you will have sufficient time to arrange and write the essay content and predictably proofread it. This is why it is necessary to commence at the earliest point.

Why, then, should you get started early? Here are some of the reasons:

• Stress is decreased when you start early!
• You'll generate more ideas if you give yourself more time to brainstorm!
• You may demonstrate to the admissions committee that you are serious about attending the university.  
• You are prepared to put in the time and effort to learn more about it by researching it and its core values.
• You'll have more time to proofread, edit, and refine your responses.

12. Seek Help When Needed

Assistance seeking is very important, particularly when responding to a personal essay question. One can feel immense pressure to perform well, and this is understandable. Furthermore, it’s important to recognise when you are stuck and need help. 

A teacher, mentor, or guidance counsellor offers support to craft a good paper. You can also  purchase your essay  from online resources that will lead to successful admission to your desired university. 

How to answer Georgia College and State University Personal Essay Questions?

Here are the tips for answering these question types;

• Do not be afraid of making your voice heard. 
• Structure a clear and interesting essay.
• Make use of the words and writing skills that you already have.
• Write about yourself. But don't try to encapsulate your whole life!
• Answer the question that has been asked.
• Read it over again!
• Write on the internet in a networked word processor.

What should be included in College and State University Personal Essay Questions?

It is best to talk about both positive and negative matters, a humiliating experience, or a quality or interest that exemplifies your values. If you are honest about the issue, character flaws, or sad childhood events, the reader will find it far more credible. 

In addition, it will exhibit your personal life experiences that the admission panel wants to know. So, by including all the information, you can fulfil the true objective of such essay types in application forms. 

The importance of the personal essay questions in the Georgia College and State University application process enables candidates to make the best impression and talk more about themselves. An effective essay can provide a student’s perspective to the admission committees, which are usually standardised, and help to distinguish them from everyone else. 

Moreover, students can show in their essays how well they will integrate themselves into the programs by spinning a good and well-organised narrative. Finally, submitting an excellent personal essay shows that the candidate is open and honest. In addition, the applicant understands what the university is all about and its values. 

Students who follow such practice can write a good manuscript, which allows them to develop their competencies and increase their chances of being accepted into university. Thus, they can begin their developmental, educational, and achievement-oriented journey and fulfil all their academic and career ambitions.

Chris Bates

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GW Welcomes the Class of 2028 at Convocation

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GW President Ellen M. Granberg addresses the Class of 2028 at Saturday's Convocation in the Charles E. Smith Center. (William Atkins/GW Today)

The George Washington University Class of 2028’s arrival to campus comes at a time when all eyes throughout the world are watching Washington, D.C. 

In just over two months, a historic and consequential presidential election will be held to see who occupies one of the globe’s most famous residences and office of power at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.—blocks away from GW’s Foggy Bottom Campus.

At Saturday’s Convocation, President  Ellen M. Granberg encouraged the Class of 2028 and new transfer students to rise up, meet the occasion and live out the innate passion for politics and civic engagement that defines GW. She formally welcomed the students to the GW community, which includes over 120 members of Congress, 79 ambassadors, two U.S. Secretaries of State, two U.S. Attorney Generals and countless journalists, judges, CEOs, athletes and entertainers who have graduated from GW and gone on to change the world. 

Granberg acknowledged that each student was at the start of their own unique journey and challenged them to take full advantage of the many opportunities GW has to offer. 

“Our location in the heart of the nation’s capital is not just a point on a map—it’s an open invitation to participate in history,” Granberg said. “I can’t imagine a more exciting time or place to begin your college journey.”

And based on the palpable enthusiasm circulating throughout the Charles E. Smith Center at the sight of the tubas that would eventually play GW’s fight song, “Hail to the Buff and Blue,” it’s clear the Class of 2028 is ready to answer the call.  

“That’s precisely why we all chose to come to GW,” Granberg said. “You’re here to learn, grow, push boundaries and to become the kind of leaders our world needs. Class of 2028, your journey begins today, and I can’t wait to see where it takes you.”

Convocation is one of two ceremonies that bookends a student’s time at GW—the other being Commencement on the National Mall. It is the formal recognition of the start of academic journeys as new students begin their matriculation at GW joining a long of great scholars at the institution more than 200 years old. 

The morning ceremony included a procession of academic leaders, trustees and staff members. In addition to Granberg, Saturday’s attendees and participants included Provost  Christopher Alan Bracey , newly elected Trustee Camila Tapias and the deans of GW’s five undergraduate residential colleges: Alyssa Ayres of the Elliott School of International Affairs, Lynn Goldman of the Milken Institute School of Public Health, John Lach of the School of Engineering and Applied Science, interim Vanessa Perry of the School of Business and Paul Wahlbeck of the Columbian College or Arts and Sciences (CCAS), each of whom encouraged their school’s students to cheer and applaud when their school was recognized.

Bracey urged students to understand that the university exists not simply for job placement but for a higher calling. He said that GW is a place where free inquiry and expression are embraced and exercised, where truth is pursued, where ideas are generated and tested and where knowledge is created and distributed around the world to benefit society.

“There is no better place—no better university—to pursue truth and explore ideas, to grow and to mature, and to change the world than the George Washington University,” Bracey said.

The event is also paired with Welcome Day of Service as first-year students embark on another important pillar at GW—civic engagement.  

Service is exactly how student speaker Olivia Frankiewicz, a senior in CCAS majoring in psychological and brain studies, found her higher calling at GW. 

A lover of art, Frankiewicz used a blank canvas metaphor throughout her address to challenge her younger peers to find ways to make their own spaces rich and colorful. Her canvas, she said, is marked by her time spent at ThriveDC, a shelter and safety net for people experiencing homelessness. Frankiewicz has since become the director of programming for the Residence Hall Association, is a Civic House program assistant with the Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service and is president of GW Ballroom.

“My message to you all comes down to this: pick up your brush and start painting your canvas. Find what you love—academics, athletics, student orgs or service,” Frankiewicz said. “Use these as your medium to make your mark. Today’s Convocation and Welcome Day of Service is just the first step—an introduction to the many opportunities to engage in service at GW and in the community.”

At GW, where classrooms rub elbows with some of the world’s most consequential land and institutions, the tools are all available to fill that canvas, and the Class of 2028 came from near, far and wide to access them. All 50 states and more than 100 countries represent the first-year and new transfer contingent, and Granberg urged them to listen and embrace each other’s unique experiences and viewpoints that will enrich their own. 

As the world watches Washington, D.C., its newest inhabitants are ready to make their mark.

“GW students are some of the most intellectually and socially engaged on the planet, and your academic experience is part of what will give you the skills you need to take all of that energy and channel it into greatness,” Granberg said. “It is an amazing privilege and an amazing opportunity, and I hope the next four years of your life will be like no other.” 

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Day of Service Sends GW Community Volunteers across the D.C. Area

In Photos: Weeks of Welcome 2024

New Students Come from Far and Wide to Begin Their GW Journeys

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GW considers anyone who has graduated from high school and completed at least one college course since high school graduation as a transfer student. We seek transfer applicants who have succeeded academically at another college or university and have motivation to thrive at GW.

We will evaluate your academic background at each institution of higher education previously attended and will consider your high school record and standardized test scores (if applicable), essays, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, and interest in the university.

Each year we welcome transfer students from a wide variety of colleges and universities. This year, will it be you? 

Start Your Transfer Application to GW

Transfer Credit

We can only provide individual transfer credit evaluations for admitted students. As you consider your journey to GW, you can review historic transfer credits to see what courses MAY transfer over to GW. Equivalencies are not guaranteed, are from one point in time, and may be out of date, thus they should only be used as a guide. Complete the form below to request a guide.

Request Transfer Credit Equivalencies

Transfer Application Deadlines

Transfer Application Steps 

Create an account and complete an application for transfer admission . Prospective transfers are always welcome to create an account, but the application will only allow submissions for the upcoming semester based on the deadline chart above. The application requires a nonrefundable application fee of $80.

This application, built specifically for students interested in transferring to GW, allows you to add your personal information, academic history, and essay. It also allows you to request your college report and recommended faculty recommendation.

Please note:  Your application is not complete and we cannot begin the application review until we receive all required information. Be sure to complete all sections of your application.

Supporting documentation (including a resume, college report, and letters of recommendation) can be submitted via the application, via email to  [email protected] , or via mail to our office:      The George Washington University      Office of Undergraduate Admissions      800 21st St NW Suite 214      Washington, D.C. 20052 Please note that electronic submission is preferred and will allow us to complete your application in a timely manner.

Please allow several weeks from the time the application is submitted to process all supplemental documents and post them in the GW Admissions Portal. During the busy application period, your portal is the best resource, as we are continually updating students' applications and documents. You will receive a link to the portal with instructions on how to log in after your application is submitted.

Please ensure that the applicant's legal name is included on all corresponding documentation. For applicants who use a name that differs from their legal name, please use the Chosen Name field to include that information. All international applicants must provide a permanent, physical mailing address (that is not a post office box).

If you are applying to any of these academic programs, you must submit the required supplemental essay(s) or portfolio and/or schedule an audition. Further information about these programs can be found on our undergraduate admissions website.

• School of Media and Public Affairs
• BFA Programs in the Corcoran School of the Arts & Design

Official transcripts are required for each college or university that a transfer applicant previously attended. These credentials are required (whether or not credit was earned or is desired) and should be sent directly from the registrar's office to GW's Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Email transcripts must be sent directly from the sender's school email address in order to be considered official.

For applicants with less than 30 college credits, transcripts are also required from any high schools attended and should be sent directly from the school to GW's Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

For international applicants , if your original transcripts are not in English, please submit both the original documents as well as certified English translations.

GW is test-optional , meaning students applying for first-year or transfer admission are not required to submit standardized test scores (SAT or ACT). GW  requires SAT/ACT scores from the following groups:

• Applicants applying to the accelerated Seven-Year B.A./M.D. Program
• Applicants who were homeschooled
• Applicants who attended secondary schools that provide only narrative evaluations

Should you submit SAT or ACT scores, please be mindful of GW’s test score codes:

• SAT Code: 5246
• ACT Code: 0664

Note, we consider only the critical reading and math sections of the SAT for admission.

Because we take a holistic approach to the application review process, we have no minimum GPA or SAT/ACT requirements for admission. However, admission to GW is competitive; admitted students are typically strong academic students in their high school graduating class.

Applicants indicate their test option under the Application Information section. Once an application has been submitted,  that selection cannot be changed . If an applicant has previously submitted test scores to our office but indicates on the application that they would not like their scores considered, test scores will not be viewed during application review. Please note that following the release of our admissions decisions, we may ask all admitted students to submit test scores for research purposes.

GW strongly encourages submitting one academic recommendation for transfer applicants. A recommendation can be requested via the Recommendations section of the application. Your recommender will then get an email with instructions on how to submit their letter of recommendation for you to GW.

GW requires a College Report from your current or most recent college where you were enrolled full time. This form should be completed by the registrar or appropriate dean or college official who can verify your enrollment and academic/disciplinary standing.

To request a College Report from your school official, navigate to the Academic History section of the application. The College Report section is at the bottom of that page.

Portfolio reviews are required for our BFA programs, with the exception of the BFA in Interior Architecture. Your portfolio should tell your story in a way that makes sense to you. We have no restrictions or requirements on what should be in your portfolio other than what you believe to be your strongest work. It is important to make sure that this is the best representation of you as an artist, and of your work up to the point of your application. Here are a few portfolio guidelines:

• All students are required to submit 12-20 completed works of art
• The included work should be your best and most recent work
• If possible, the work should be related to your area of interest

IMPORTANT NOTE WHEN SELECTING YOUR INTENDED MAJOR IN THE APPLICATION

It is very important that the majors match in both the application and  SlideRoom . Please take care when selecting the program (ex. BA in Fine Arts vs BFA in Fine Arts), and make sure you've selected the same major in both locations.

After submitting your application, your admissions portal will display your checklist of supporting materials. You'll be able to upload or request some documents directly from the portal. Note that it may take several weeks to process documents and post them to your GW portal.

During the busy application period, your GW Portal is your best resource, as we are continually updating students' applications and documents. Following our application review, you will receive an email when your application decision is ready in your portal. If you have any questions about the application process, please  contact us .

International Transfer Applicants 

If you are an international student looking to transfer to GW, you must follow all of the application steps for transfer students as well as some additional ones.

International Applicant Requirements

Have Questions? 

GW's Office of Undergraduate Admissions is committed to supporting our transfer applicants. Our dedicated transfer team is here to help you navigate the application process and to answer any questions you may have. 

Contact us at [email protected]  or individually: Chris Butler , Associate Director for Transfer and Spring Admissions Ellie Frank , Assistant Director for Transfer and Spring Admissions

Virtual Gilman Writing Workshop - Getting Started on the Three Essays!

Wednesday, September 11, 2024 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Online Faculty, Staff, Students

Gilman Program Application Is Now Open ! 

NOW is the time to start on your essays by opening an application account in the IIE Gilman portal.  You will want to work closely with Katie Jones, the Graduate Assistant in the Fellowships Office and Dr. Brenda Tooley, who leads the GVSU Fellowship Office. In this Virtual Workshop, we will go over the three required essays, talking about the prompts for each. 

You’ll want to copy us on your google doc drafts of your essays – just use my gmail address, [email protected] (we work just like the Writing Center). Definitely DO NOT WAIT until the last minute to begin working on your essays! 

What is the IIE Gilman International Scholarship? It is a US State Department fellowship for US students who are Pell recipients to help defray the cost of undergraduate study abroad. Here is the Gilman blurb:

The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program enables students of limited financial means (Pell recipients) to study or intern abroad, providing awards of up to $5,000 for study-abroad programs. The program aims to encourage students to study and intern in a diverse array of countries or areas and world regions. The program also encourages students to study languages, especially critical need languages (those deemed important to national security by adding a supplement of up to $3,000 for intensive language study of designated critical need languages). Are you planning to study abroad? Are you eligible for the IIE Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship? Join us to learn more about the application process!

AM I ELIGIBLE?

-  I am a U.S. citizen.

-  I am a GVSU undergraduate  in good standing  (not on probation; with no conduct violations).  Spring/Summer Applicants can walk at April graduation but their degree cannot be conferred until after they complete their study abroad program.

-  I am eligible for the  Pell Grant .    Not sure?  Ask  GVSU Financial Aid Office .

OR  —  dependent child of an active-duty military member(s) during the time of application . Parent/guardian must serve in the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, or Coast Guard. Applicant must currently receive any type of Title IV federal financial aid. Study abroad program must meet all other Gilman eligibility. The  Gilman-McCain Scholarship uses the same application as the Gilman Scholarship .

Thinking about study abroad? Receive up to $5,000 to go abroad as a college student if you’re a U.S. citizen and Federal Pell Grant recipient! If you’re studying a critical need language in a country in which the language is predominantly spoken, you can apply for the supplemental Critical Need Language Award of up to $3,000. If you’re interested in conducting STEM-related research while studying or interning abroad, you could receive an additional $1,000 by applying for the STEM Supplemental Award.

The application closes October 10! Learn more at Gilman Scholarship Program - Study Abroad with a Gilman Scholarship . And see Application Overview - Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship (gilmanscholarship.org) for an overview of the application process!

And this is ONLY ONE of MANY fellowship opportunities that help with the costs of study abroad - others include IIE Freeman-Asia, Phi Kappa Phi, Bridging (for study in Japan), Watanabe (for year-long study in Japan), Boren (for intensive language study of a critical need language) and more.

Click here for additional information

RSVP for this event

Location Information

The information session will take place via Zoom. Once registered you will receive a link to the session. 

Contact Information

For information about this and other fellowships, email [email protected] .

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This event was added to the calendar by Brenda Tooley ( tooleyb@gvsu.edu ) on Thursday, August 22, 2024 and was last updated on Wednesday, August 28, 2024 at 8:26 a.m.

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