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This 200-year-old private research university is a forward- and outward- looking institution working to create a socially-conscious and civically-minded student body. Located in the heart of Washington, DC, The George Washington University also offers students a unique range of opportunities, from summer internships at the Smithsonian and Library of Congress to access to political leaders and government officials. If this one-of-a-kind college experience appeals to you, we’re here to help you ace The George Washington University’s supplemental essays.
But before we dig in, you may want to get a better sense of what The George Washington University is looking for. If so, you’ll find an extensive, by-the-numbers look at its offerings, from enrollment and tuition statistics to student life and financial aid information, on its Common Data Set. For deep insights into how this private university envisions student success (and how it wants to grow and evolve), read through its strategic plan.
What are the George Washington University supplemental essay prompts?
The George Washington University Supplemental Essay Prompt #1
Every applicant can choose from one of the following two essay prompts to submit.
- 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 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)
How to Write each Supplemental Essay Prompt for the George Washington University
how to write the George Washington University Supplemental Essay Prompt 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)
Both GW supplemental essay prompts center around core values like community engagement, leadership, civil discourse, and social justice. Each asks you to think critically about your own values (check out our Values Exercise if you’re not sure what these are) and how they might guide you to take action on the political, social, or cultural scene.
It’s easy to get intimidated by such heady topics, but know going in that GW doesn’t expect you to save the world at 17, so don’t overthink this or convince yourself you don’t have a big enough “issue” to be a worthy applicant. You don’t have to find the formula to world peace for your reader to care. Something local can be just as powerful in an essay as something global here. Start with a topic you’re genuinely interested in, and go from there.
Still stuck? Here are two ways to brainstorm for this prompt ...
Issue → History:
Think about general issues you care about or challenges you feel you can improve through some kind of action. Past students, for example, have written about climate change, LGBTQ+ rights, gun restrictions, access to water, the criminal justice system, and the gender wage gap. Think of topics that inspire you to want to take action. Even better, think about why that issue means something to you. Does it connect to your identity in some way? Has it affected your life or your friends’ or family's? Was it something you were passionate about in high school?
Narrow the topic down to a specific aspect that seems extra important. If you were writing about climate change, that could be something like fast fashion or toxic rain runoff. Basically, get into the nitty gritty.
After you’ve identified a more specific issue you care about and you’ve connected it to yourself in some way, research its history. Think about what you’d want changed about the issue in the present moment and then go back in time to identify how you’d achieve that change retrospectively. In the case of fast fashion, maybe you’d make it so that a big clothing brand like H&M never burned its excess clothes, or make it an industry norm that clothes were upcycled through congressional regulation. The world is as wide as your imagination. Think big, but also don’t be afraid to think small and local.
History → Issue:
Think about a historical moment, figure, event, or choice that intrigues you. Perhaps it was the “dancing plague” of the 1300s, the Kent State Vietnam protests, the unregulated rise of social media platforms like Facebook, or the Chinese Exclusion Act. Nothing is too big or too small.
Start tying the history to values and issues. So, for instance, the Chinese Exclusion Act was deeply rooted in institutional racism and anti-Asian hate in the United States. It’s tied to issues of power, immigration, and equity over who qualifies to be a “worthy” American. At this point, you should start to see how the history you find interesting is connected to issues we still face today.
Last, connect the issue back to you. Keeping with the Chinese Exclusion Act example, it could be about how countering anti-Asian discrimination speaks to your values or life experiences. Perhaps you identify as Asian, or you're from a family of immigrants. Or perhaps you’re a community-oriented person who’s benefitted from your involvement in organizations with lots of different perspectives, teaching you to value diversity in problem-solving.
Notice, as you do your brainstorming, how the natural progression of each approach can provide a solid structural outline for your essay that you can follow when you start writing. Guiding yourself through the process will help you guide your reader as well.
Now, let’s take a look at a great example essay. Note that this was written for an older version of GWU’s prompt with a 250 word count, so this is far shorter than it can be, but the overall content and execution are great to emulate.
Example:
Growing up, I was fascinated by Robin Hood. Yeah, I guess he did the wrong thing for the right reason, but what if we could apply that framework to guarantee food security to millions of people around the world?
During a discussion on GMOs, I was introduced to the relationship between food security and poverty. The connection between the two fascinated me. And, after witnessing the plight of migrant workers in Saudia Arabia, I found my calling as an advocate: laborers left at sunrise in date farms, forced to sow earth that can’t provide them with basic necessities.
Capitalism and its allies are exploiting the Global South, undermining its development and hurting vulnerable bread and butter workers. These tenets, which are heavily rooted in slavery, colonization, and forced labor, have equipped multinational corporations to stand as new colonizers who exacerbate poverty globally.
Rolling back the corporate monopolization of biodiversity and giving farmers seed freedom are key to eradicating poverty in developing countries. If I had the power to change the course of history, I would regulate the privatization of seeds. By returning native seeds to their rightful owners and equipping individuals with resources to farm independently, we can generate local sources of income, feed millions of families, and take one step forward towards a more equitable world.
And some day, in addition to holding corporations accountable Robin Hood-style, I hope to become the first hijabi U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, a journey I embarked on at George Washington.
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Tips + Analysis
Start with a great hook. Ideally, you’ll keep the reader engaged from your first line. In this piece, the writer uses the Robin Hood analogy to conceptualize how she wants to hold corporations accountable. Notice, too, that she briefly references Robin Hood in her final paragraph as well, coming full circle and connecting start to finish (we call that bookending). When you write, try to quickly hook your reader with something unexpected that allows them to visualize the complex ideas you may have baked into the rest of your response.
Explain the “why.” It’s critical that you elaborate on why an issue or part of history is important to you. Get your reader to care by showing why you care. In this essay, the author explains how discussions about GMOs and the plight of Saudi Arabian migrant laborers led her to her calling as an advocate. Even better would have been for her to have gotten a bit more personal by adding details about the context for this discussion and how/why it resonated with her. You don’t have a ton of room for long explanations, but including details that answer the why is super important.
Elaborate on impact. Remember, the prompt asks about how you’d change the world. Don’t assume people know how, why, or what it would change. Lay that out for the reader. This student, for example, chose regulating the privatization of seeds. She explains what this would do (give seeds back to their rightful owners rather than to corporations that may not have farmers’ interests in mind) and briefly touches, in a broad sense, on what impact this could have (feeding more people, providing local sources of income, making things more equitable). But the essay would have been even stronger had she elaborated on why the change would have had such sweeping impacts. That why connection can be key to showing your command of the topic while also demonstrating your critical thinking skills.
And here’s another nice example essay:
The movement to overthrow Iran’s Pahlavi Dynasty began as an attempt by the Iranian middle class to fight social injustice. But the exiled Grand Ayatollah Khomeini saw the Iranian Revolution as an opportunity to overthrow the government. He started spreading his sermons, encouraging the Iranian people to revolt while also creating alliances with secular anti-government movements. Upon his triumphant return to Iran on February 1, 1978, he declared an Islamic theocratic state, enforced Shia Islam and vowed to expand the revolution across the Midde East, changing the geopolitics of the region and destabilizing the world I grew up in.
Saudi Arabia and other neighboring countries responded to the threat by solidifying their Sunni identity, fueling political friction and sectarianism in the region. The rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia intensified, sparking historical crises and proxy wars, from Iran’s support of Hezbollah to the emergence of Al-Qaeda. My home country, Bahrain, also suffered from Iran’s toxic influence when its regime encouraged a Shia uprising, threatening the stability of our economy and security.
If I could turn back time, I would build a coalition of allies to persuade the Shah of Iran to invite Khomeini back as the Supreme Head of Religious Affairs, allowing him to reimplement some Islamic traditions. That way, the government would give Khomeini the power he craved, and the revolution for justice and peace had a better chance of continuing without being hijacked into a reign of terror, with limited influence from Khomeini.
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how to write the George Washington University Supplemental Essay Prompt 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)
In many ways, this question is very similar to Prompt 1, except it’s asking you to think about a more directly personal, rather than historical, experience. Again, at its core, the question is asking you to engage with the recurring themes—leadership, discourse, justice, and advocacy—that George Washington cares about and prioritizes. One way to approach this essay is to connect your values to a community you’ve been a part of and conversations you’ve had in/with that community. The key to that approach is good brainstorming.
Here are some steps you can take before you start writing:
Start with our Values Exercise. This will give you a sense of what motivates you and what you might want to highlight in your supplemental essays.
Spend a little time mapping out which communities you’re a part of and which are most important to you. Our guide on How to Write the Community Essay is a great place to start. Keep in mind that communities can be defined in a variety of ways, including place, culture, interests, political beliefs, hobbies, even your favorite sports team. Get creative.
Use the BEABIES exercise to generate your essay content for 2-3 of these communities, jotting down notes to these questions:
What kinds of problems did you solve or work to solve (personally, locally, or globally) in that community?
What specific impact did you have?
What did you learn (skills, qualities, values)?
How did you apply the lessons you learned inside and outside that community?
Strong essays will have three main components: community + actions/dialogue within community + guiding values/values instilled.
To offer some inspiration, let’s take a look at another great example. This one was written for a similar Princeton supplemental prompt, but would double nicely here.
Example:
A racist culture pervades my small town of Maryville, Tennessee. To outsiders, we seem complicit in this racism through our mascot: the Rebels. In August, my school voted me as Miss MHS: awarded to the student who contributes the most to the school and community through extracurriculars, academics, and community service and embodies the “Rebel spirit.” I was grateful for the award but appalled when the latter label was bestowed upon me. So, the girl who embodied the Rebel spirit rebelled.
“Our mascot has foundations in racism. Changing the mascot is the bare minimum that we owe to the students that have been affected by the racism this mascot fuels,” began my (now infamous) social media post.
My post was reposted, sent in groups, and met with intense hatred.
“The snowflakes won’t let us have anything these days. It’s literally a mascot,” read the most popular comment, insinuating that I was being overly sensitive. The student who wrote this, leader of a group called “Save the Rebels,” ensured that I was alienated as one of the few local supporters.
I messaged him and transformed an argumentative discourse into a healthy, multiple-day discussion about the roots and depiction of the mascot. We researched each other’s sources and began to understand the opposing side’s perspective. Yet, as we made progress, his friends pulled him away from breaking the barriers of polarization with me.
In an effort to apply the lessons I learned from this experience to make future dialogues more constructive, I want to create a safe space where individuals can exchange differing perspectives and attempt to understand each other’s position without fear of social pressure. In my next discussion of the mascot (because the struggle is far from over), I believe it will be impactful for the defenders of the mascot to hear the testimonials of students of color to substantiate my claim that the mascot brought about pain.
At Princeton, I hope to contribute to an environment free of judgment, where I can use the tools that I’ve gained to pave the way for a more effective, respectful dialogue. (349 words)
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Tips + Analysis
Start with the issue at hand. This student wastes no time setting up the conflict that led to the discourse at the heart of the essay. This is helpful in orienting the reader because it quickly establishes the meaning behind the issue at hand, allowing room for her to elaborate on how the dialogue evolved and how it turned out.
Build a compelling narrative. The author here does a nice job of showing rather than just telling us how this dialogue impacted her. She could have easily summed up the online conversation in a sentence or two, but by establishing her role at the school and narrating the exchange she had with her classmate, she adds more life to her essay. We feel the experience in real time and get a clearer sense of the emotions she felt. We also have more appreciation for her interest in crossing polarizing political boundaries and striking up productive discourse. Quick anecdotes, distinctive sensory details, dialogue, and good pacing all help to engage your reader and make you relatable (and, thereby, more memorable).
Address the impact. A big aspect of this prompt is the last sentence, which asks about the impact the dialogue had. The author here does a great job of speaking to both the "civil discourse" and "issue that's important" angles of the prompt. But, if she had written her essay for this GW prompt, she likely would have elaborated on how the interaction influenced her own perspectives and relationships. Your answer doesn’t need to be neatly tied into a nice little bow as if everything were resolved or major changes resulted. Real life is often messier than that. But we still want to know—and this prompt specifically asks for—your takeaways. For this essay, for example, the author could have explained that, even though she didn’t change the other person’s mind, she may have planted a seed that led to more questioning down the line. Or she could have spoken to how it changed her approach to dialogue with more conservative classmates about another issue. This would have helped establish the impact of her actions in a more relevant way.
How to Write George Washington University Cisneros Scholars Essay Prompt
Note: This essay is only required if you select that you’d like to be considered for admission to the Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute.
At the Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute, community is central to our approach to leadership. Therefore, Cisneros Scholars are selected as a cohort that navigate their four years at GW together. How would you contribute to a sense of comunidad in your cohort if you were selected as a Cisneros Scholar? (500 words)
If you’re thinking of applying to the Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute, chances are you might’ve already done some research into who they are and what being a Cisnero Scholar entails. However, if you haven’t, we highly recommend spending some time reading up on the program, their values, and what they offer. Broadly, Cisneros Scholars are chosen “based on academic achievement and a demonstrated commitment to service and leadership in the Latino community” where “cohorts are typically tight-knit groups who also participate as summer counselors and mentors for the Caminos al Futuro summer program for rising high school seniors.”
Conducting some extra research into the program will not only better inform your response and help shape which experiences you want to write about for this essay, but you may also find specific opportunities within the institute that you’re excited to include in your essay. You can find more information about the Cisneros Scholars on their website.
Back to the prompt, important things to note are…
That community is central to their approach to leadership
That scholars are selected as a cohort to navigate the 4 years of college together
The question: How would you contribute to the sense of community in your cohort?
There’s a lot to unpack here, but you’ll basically want to include some background or an experience about a community you’re a part of and how you have contributed to that community (even better if you’ve contributed in a leadership capacity). Once you do this, you can then talk about how you would contribute to the community of your Cisneros Scholars cohort at GWU.
Essentially, a way to think of this kind of “how will you contribute” prompt is that it’s a combo of “community/identity/background” and “why us” prompts: use some of your response to show how you’ve become who you are, and then show how those experiences shape what you will bring to the college through linking to specific opportunities/groups/details. Connect your unique upbringing, in a very broad sense of the word, with what the school offers and how you will make a great team.
While there are many things outside of “community” that might fit this prompt, if you’re looking for a way to brainstorm ideas, that’s a good place to start. (But keep in mind that you’ll want to include some “how will you contribute” details in your essay—this isn’t just a “tell us about a community” prompt.)
For a full guide to “community” essays, head there, but here’s the short version, plus how to add “how will you contribute” elements:
STEP 1: DECIDE WHAT COMMUNITY YOU WANT TO WRITE ABOUT
Create a “communities” chart by listing all the communities you’re a part of. Keep in mind that communities can be defined by...
Place: groups of people who live/work/play near one another
Action: groups of people who create change in the world by building, doing, or solving something together (Examples: Black Lives Matter, Girls Who Code, March for Our Lives)
Interest: groups of people coming together based on shared interest, experience, or expertise
Circumstance: groups of people brought together either by chance or external events/situations
STEP 2: USE THE BEABIES EXERCISE TO GENERATE YOUR ESSAY CONTENT
You’ll find detail on the BEABIES Exercise + a chart you can use at that link.
STEP 3: DO SOME “HOW WILL YOU CONTRIBUTE” RESEARCH
You’ll want to offer a few specific ways that show how the experience/s you’re discussing in your essay will allow you to contribute to the college. The easiest way to do this is to do some “Why Us”-like research and find ways you’ll engage with and contribute to the school’s community.
STEP 4: PICK A STRUCTURE (NARRATIVE OR MONTAGE)
STEP 5: WRITE A FIRST DRAFT!
One important component to remember is that this prompt specifically asks about contributing to a sense of community in your cohort. Consider that the website mentions that cohorts are tight-knit groups—this is a community of people you’ll get to know really closely, so you might want to think beyond values that are typically tied to community, like inclusivity or acceptance (though you can also include those). For more ideas on this, be sure to take a look at the Tips + Analysis below.
This example was written for a similar prompt from Rice. While it doesn’t fit the Cisneros Scholars question perfectly, it could be tweaked to work well, and should give you a good idea about how to go about crafting this essay.
Example:
“I'd like a veggie bowl please. And would you mind changing your gloves?”
That got me several weird looks. Some from customers around me, others from Chipotle employees across the counter. But I was used to it. Over the years of asking for a change of gloves or to cut with a clean knife, the weird looks have become normal. My strict vegetarian diet follows the principles of Jainism that run in my family, a direct result of my Indian-American identity.
From a young age, I’ve been questioned for wearing a sacred rakhi thread on my wrist, or bringing in homemade Indian vegetarian food for lunch. The Indian side of me is omnipresent. In explaining these differences, I’ve sometimes felt as though being different has made me less than those who were “normal.” This obviously isn’t true, but it’s taken me a while to realize that. Meeting friends who embrace and value my ethnicity has helped me understand that what makes me different actually makes me a more complete person. Like in language classes, where I’ve been able to use my struggles to communicate effectively in a second language while visiting family in India to bolster my ability to communicate in Spanish during class.
As a result of my experiences as an Indian-American, I’ve been committed to advancing inclusion in society. In addition to taking small, personal actions, I’ve participated in numerous activities that seek to understand and help alleviate social injustices, like Junior Leadership Dayton (JLD). Through JLD, I witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of the opioid epidemic in a city with one of the highest rates of overdoses in the nation, and the struggles associated with rehabilitation. Talking to people in homeless shelters whose daily struggles exceeded what I had experienced in a lifetime, and helping underprivileged kids who grew up deprived of access to an education in the arts, I began to understand the magnitude of the issues that plague our society.
I seek to include those around me regardless of their background, welcoming new freshmen in Science Olympiad, for example, or talking to the violist who might have otherwise sat by himself during rehearsal breaks. My experiences with those who have accepted me for who I am have led to my desire to promote an acceptance of others, something I’ll bring to Rice’s campus.
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Tips + Analysis:
Give us some background. You can say a lot with 500 words, especially if you focus on specificity and directness. Guide the reader into your world by dedicating a little bit of that word count to showing us how a community experience has shaped you to be who you are. This will then pay off later when you talk about how you can contribute to your cohort’s community in the future. This student’s experiences as a Jain and Indian-American have helped them embrace their differences and become a better communicator, which we later see shaped their values of inclusivity.
Pick a strong example. Since leadership is both a core part of the Cisneros Scholars program and is mentioned in the prompt, including an experience that combines leadership and community would make for a strong example. Though the essay was written for a different school and prompt, this student picked a strong example where they combined community and leadership. They wrote that “as a result of [their] experiences…[they’ve] been committed to advancing inclusion in society” and elaborated on this by talking about their leadership experience within a community they are a part of, in this case, Junior Leadership Dayton.
Feel free to write about a vulnerable moment. If there’s a moment like this for you in your journey, it’s a great detail to include—it’s what makes you more human and you can create a point of connection with the reader. Not only that, but we can see how you were able to grow and learn from a vulnerable moment. This student wrote: I’ve sometimes felt as though being different has made me less than those who were “normal.” This obviously isn’t true, but it’s taken me a while to realize that (vulnerable moment). Meeting friends who embrace and value my ethnicity has helped me understand that what makes me different actually makes me a more complete person (learning moment).
How can you contribute to a sense of community in your cohort? As mentioned before, this prompt specifically asks about how you can contribute a sense of community in your cohort—the people you will become very close with over your four years of college (as opposed to, for example, contributing to a community you volunteered at for a day and might not have close ties to). In addition to things like inclusivity, acceptance, and other values that are normally closely-tied with community, try thinking about unique aspects of yourself and your perspective that you could bring to a tightly-knit group that might already exhibit these values. For example, could it be your ability to motivate others and inspire positivity? Your ability to empathize and create strong connections? Your ability to be logical and consider all possibilities before making a decision? The possibilities are endless.
With all these tips and examples in mind, you’re ready to start writing!
Special thanks to Elica for writing this post.
Elica (she/her) is a college essay specialist who has a love of language in all forms; she has degrees in linguistics, has taught academic writing at the university level, and has been coaching students on their college and graduate school admissions essays for over 7 years. When she’s not working with students or writing, Elica can be found reading, printmaking, and exploring nature.
Top Values: Collaboration | Curiosity | Patience
