Featured Supplemental Essay Prompt For George Washington University Applicants:

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 Word Maximum.

Successful Supplemental Essay Example From Our Accepted Alumni Student:

Not only did my magnet school build my confidence—this community taught me diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and challenges. We unite not due to zip code, appearance, or culture; we unite over our passion for learning.

There, I’ve united with others who embrace difference—and challenged the status quo. In many spaces, we’ve been able to begin unpacking social inequities and systemic drivers of injustice.

Even with these inclusive experiences, I’m aware I can’t erase local inequities with the snap of my fingers. If given the power to alter my community’s history, I’d eradicate redlining—the discriminatory housing policy that has caused cascading inequities.

When I began sixth grade at my Title 1 magnet school, I made new friends with diverse challenges. While many [State] communities have immense privilege, many of my friends face significant hardships. They told me of parents who worked two or three jobs to barely afford rent, a horrific result of community inequities. I tutored and mentored younger students who voiced that “there was no point in trying,” explaining to me they would always face barriers to opportunities.

I motivated them to work to be the best they could be—but I can’t say their feelings were unfounded. With opportunity for our neighborhoods to be truly equal, we wouldn’t see widening financial gaps, extremely limited opportunities in certain locales, public schools that are deteriorating, and ever-growing unequal opportunities between students of different races.

My magnet school, and many others, were made to help these issues. I’m grateful that my peers and I have the opportunity to learn together, against the barriers embedded into housing policy’s history. But magnet schools are far from a remedy, as the diverse communities we all come from remain unequal, with ever-widening gaps.

Those barriers were created by discriminatory design—but I believe my generation has the potential to break them.

I plan to do my part. At GW, I would unpack drivers of inequity and channel leadership toward change. Through uniting business leadership with social impact, I hope to enhance opportunities across all communities.

With lessons from mentoring peers with diverse challenges, I’m determined to increase opportunities for all. During my time at GW, I look forward to working hands-on with NPOs to foster equity across communities. I’m interested in promoting support for local businesses, microfinance abroad, and more. With the GWU Debate and Literary Society, I’d join peers across disciplines, tackling issues both local and global—and envisioning solutions.

Building upon the inspiration from my magnet school, I look forward to channeling leadership toward uplifting diverse groups. With hands-on opportunities such as Business Leader Launch, I can learn to grow and sustain business that drives social change. I can also collaborate with peers and socially-impactful local NPOs with the GWU Undergraduate Consulting Group. I’d love to assist initiatives supporting entrepreneurship for DC youth, creating opportunities for future change-makers.

At GW, I can join a community that works toward breaking barriers. Together, we can shape a future in which safe communities and equal opportunities are accessible to all.