Struggling to write your Georgetown admissions essays?
We made a Georgetown Application Essay Guide for you!
Georgetown University is ranked #24 in the nation by US News and World Report, and is a top choice for many college applicants. However, unlike other top schools, it was founded in the Jesuit tradition, and continues to promote Jesuit values in its education and community. So what does this mean for you, a student who was not raised in the Catholic or Jesuit faith?
Exploring Georgetown’s website, we learn there are 10 Jesuit values that are part of the school’s mission. Each one enjoys an individual description that applicants with plenty of time and interest can read through at their leisure. For the tl;dr, these values can be grouped together into broader secular themes.
As a leading university, Georgetown places a lot of emphasis on its world-class education, which is also a tenet of the Jesuit faith. This includes the school’s faculty, students, courses, research, and all of the other educational offerings they provide. Applicants will be very familiar with this idea, as you have surely written lots of Why Essays for other schools. As you write about your desired major, courses, professors, and other attractions, you can also cite the Jesuit value of academic excellence.
Beyond the classroom, however, Georgetown also values educating their students spiritually, artistically, and socially, integrating academics with extracurriculars, study abroad experiences, volunteerism, and lots of other campus activities. Highlighting Georgetown’s mission to educate the whole person, applicants can write about the non-academic aspects of Georgetown’s offerings that attract them to this school.
Finally, one of Georgetown’s values is contemplation in action, which can mean prayer or it can mean intellectual inquiry. Students are encouraged to keep an open mind, think analytically before acting, and conduct research to address questions that arise. For students with a broad background in research, this value is a great one to cite in your essays.
Interested in working with a College Essay Advisor? Explore our service options!
Like many schools, Georgetown seeks to admit students who are diverse and who will enrich their campus community. You have definitely encountered Diversity Essays and Community Essays in your various applications, so by now you must be an expert on writing about these values in general; but read on to learn how to incorporate these three Jesuit values into your Georgetown essays.
First and foremost, Georgetown is interested in fostering a campus rich in diverse faiths, races, ethnicities, gender identities, cultures, and interests. As you describe what unique perspectives you would bring to their campus community in Essay Prompt 3, research the clubs, cultural and volunteer groups, and other aspects of Georgetown’s offerings that you would engage in, citing their community in diversity value.
Rather than focus only on your own campus experience, think about how you would care for the other students in your cohort, as per Georgetown’s care of the person (cura personalis) value. How would you build community among the students? What skills or gifts would you use to help others flourish? This can be a great value to incorporate into your response to Prompt 1.
Secular students may be concerned that Georgetown’s strong religious background might be exclusive or limiting. However, through the Jesuit value of interreligious understanding, Georgetown is committed to fostering a welcoming environment for students, faculty, and staff of all different faiths. For students who do not affiliate themselves with any religion, this value can be translated into openness, a commitment to diversity, and a promise to ensure everyone is welcome as part of the Georgetown family. Students with special skills in community-building can use this value in response to Prompt 1.
A whopping four out of 10 values fall into this theme: changing the world. For Jesuits, working for the greater glory of God (ad majorem Dei gloriam) means doing good in the world. As the Spirit of Georgetown website states, “Discerning what is better is always an important principle of Jesuit decision-making.” Jesuits keep their eyes trained on the larger picture, a value that even secular students can incorporate into their essays.
More specifically, Jesuits strive to promote the common good through care for our common home, which means taking care of the Earth. Georgetown is particularly committed to advancing environmental sustainability and environmental justice, issues that inspire students of every (or no) faith.
In that vein, Georgetown aims to serve the marginalized and vulnerable through the value of faith that does justice. Students who are committed to addressing the social realities of poverty, oppression, and injustice in their communities and in the world can cite Georgetown’s centers for research and dialogue, community-based learning courses, and social justice immersion experiences as strong draws to the school.
Finally, alumni of Jesuit schools are expected to engage with the struggle for justice to protect the needs of the most vulnerable. Applicants who want to change the world can cite the value of people for others as they outline their excitement for Georgetown’s service projects, 40+ student-led service and justice organizations, and commitment to a lifetime of service.
Georgetown considers itself a place for all faiths; whether you are religious, nonreligious, or seeking spirituality, the school wants to guide students to lead lives with deeper meaning, belonging, and purpose. Georgetown’s Jesuit mission means exploring the ways in which the heritage and values of Jesuit education can complement and enrich student work. As you state your case for why you would make a great addition to Georgetown’s campus, think about how the school’s deep Jesuit tradition reflects your own personal values.
And, as always, if you’d like to work one-on-one with a College Essay Advisor from our team on your Georgetown application essays, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
