George Washington University supplemental essays

• Prompt 1Optional500 words max

  Changing the course

  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?

  How to approach it

  Community and identity prompts reward specificity over significance. A small, true community described from the inside beats a broad label described from the outside. End on what you carry from it into a campus, not on a moral.

• Prompt 2Optional500 words max

  A conversation that mattered

  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?

  How to approach it

  Community and identity prompts reward specificity over significance. A small, true community described from the inside beats a broad label described from the outside. End on what you carry from it into a campus, not on a moral.

Program-specific prompts

These apply only if you are applying to the named program or school.

• B.A./B.S.-M.D. ProgramRequired

  Ten years from now

  George Washington University's location in Washington, DC places students at the intersection of medicine, science, policy, innovation, and public service. Imagine yourself 10 years after graduating from the B.A./B.S.-M.D. program. What impact do you hope to have on your patients, your profession, or society? Describe how specific opportunities at GW and in the DC metropolitan area would help you develop the experiences, relationships, and perspectives needed to achieve that vision.

  How to approach it

  Community and identity prompts reward specificity over significance. A small, true community described from the inside beats a broad label described from the outside. End on what you carry from it into a campus, not on a moral.

• University Honors ProgramRequired500 words max

  Beyond your comfort zone

  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. Include an example of a time when you successfully tackled an intellectual challenge outside of your personal comfort zone.

  How to approach it

  An academic-interest prompt wants the origin story and the evidence, not the resume. Pick the moment the interest became yours, show one or two things you did about it on your own, and let the school see how you think when nobody assigns the work.

• University Honors ProgramRequired500 words max

  Your place here

  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. Describe a time when you have personally benefited from being a member of a tight-knit community. How do you see yourself contributing to the UHP community inside and/or outside the classroom while at GW?

  How to approach it

  Community and identity prompts reward specificity over significance. A small, true community described from the inside beats a broad label described from the outside. End on what you carry from it into a campus, not on a moral.

• Cisneros Hispanic Leadership InstituteOptional500 words max

  Building comunidad

  How would you contribute to a sense of comunidad in your cohort if you were selected as a Cisneros Scholar?