Thus, this question is also seeking to understand what sociopolitical, economic, or environmental issues are important to you , 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. 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 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. 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.
If you are taking the historical route, avoid silly or overused instances. Such responses would show the admissions committee 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. 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.
At its core, this prompt determines your ability to thrive in an intellectual environment punctuated by a diversity of opinions, as well as your capability to enact meaningful change in your community. At a time of increasing politicization, the admissions committee 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.
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 part of the 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. 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.
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. Or, maybe 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.
This prompt should immediately stand out to you if you love to read or discuss literature. Simply put, admissions officers will be able to see through an essay response that rewrites the plot of a book or spits out standard interpretations of the text. However, if you can think of a book you truly love, and if you hold a unique perspective on that book, then you should definitely take this opportunity to share your thoughts.
Do not fall into the trap of picking a book you are not actually passionate about. The admissions committee is not looking for hundreds of essay responses about the radical nature of Pride and Prejudice or the scathing insights into the human psyche in Art of War.
Realistically, most high school students will not have picked up these novels unless prompted by educators, so admissions officers will be expecting not always with excitement these basic responses. Instead, you are applying your own thoughts and perspective to what you read. You can also think of a book that has shaped your outlook on life or changed your personal goals. For instance, if you are a politics major and happen to love the young adult novel Divergent , you could write a letter to the author, Veronica Roth, discussing how her take of modern dystopian literature has enabled you to identify some concerning trends in current geopolitical strategy.
Try to avoid wildly popular books like Harry Potter , unless they had a significant personal impact. Do not feel forced to connect the book you loved back to your intended major or pre-professional track.
While this connection could offer you the opportunity to talk about resources at GW, do not forge an inorganic connection. Writing about a book you truly love should feel natural and allow your voice and personality to shine through your application.
Finally, offer an opinion and your personal thoughts on the novel. This essay is not meant to be a literary analysis, like you would write for an AP or other English class in high school. Instead, talk about how the book made you feel, your reactions to certain scenes, and speak directly to the author while employing the respect they deserve as a creator of literary art. The biggest mistake you can make with this prompt is to select it solely because it seems easier to write than the other option.
Ben Davis May 4, Does GW have an honors program? Why do you want to be in the honors program? Are honors programs worth it? What are the benefits of an honors degree?
What does it mean graduate with honors? Do you put honors on resume? What does with honors mean? How do you write an honors degree? Is George Washington University hard to get into? Is GW a party school?
Does GW have a campus? Is George Washington University worth the money? Is GW Ivy League? Does George Washington University give merit scholarships? How much is a presidential scholarship at George Washington University? How much money is the Presidential Scholarship? What is the Presidential Academic Scholarship? What GPA do you need to get an academic scholarship? Is a Presidential Scholarship good? Is the Presidential Scholarship the highest?
How Presidential Scholars are chosen? Is the President a scholar program? If you have any questions feel free to email uhp gwu. Policy About your internship at the State Department, how hard is that to do?
What do you think distinguished you? I met a few current students there and saw the optional honors housing. Vernon campus, it has 4 singles attached to a larger common area with a fridge and a couch.
Outside of that, every floor has a kitchen that anyone can use. The Honors advising seems very good, and they seem like they will work with you extensively to help you with anything you need. It seems to me that the Honors college and GW have an immense advantage from the connections you can make both in and out of the school.
I got rejected 5 times before I was accepted to State Department, for the same position. Its a bit of a crapshoot to get in.
I am a pathways intern which is the only option available at your age. Nonetheless, it is extremely competitive. I think the big thing is that you have to show your maturity.
In the interview I was able to discuss my experience learning, doing research. I killed myself in high school and did research my senior year, average like hours of sleep a night. I read about hours daily about current events and worked with a mentor of mine who was a Ph. So I really know my stuff. That meant that I had confidence during the interview. I am happy that you visited GWU and enjoyed your time.
I look forward to hopefully seeing you on campus next year. I can also attest to the honors program and why I love it as a current member, but for totally different reasons!
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