When I think of Georgetown University, I think ofWashington and world affairs. I do not know yet exactly what type ofprofessional career I will pursue after schooling, but I do know that I wish tobe inter-nationally aware and involved, and that Georgetown would provide mewith a solid foundation for that goal.
I am glad I do not know specifically what I wantto do later on, because it should be an adventure choosing which course I willtake in life. Thus, I have time to experiment and learn from a wide variety oftopics. At Georgetown, I am present with the opportunity to take any classes Iwant and to be taught by some of the most learned and dynamic professors in theworld. I was once told that in college, I "will take classes in subjects I hadnever thought or heard of, " and I am very excited to do this.
If I were required to pick a major at thisinstant, I would choose history. If history were only studying, memorizing andregurgitating events, facts, and dates, I would be just as uninterested as mostpeople. However, in studying history, I get a chance to contemplate ideologiesand the nature of human beings. I believe that Georgetown University is the bestplace in the world to study history. It is a school located in Washington, D.C.,the capital of the country, of outstanding academic reputation and recognition;my resources would be absolutely unlimited. Living in Washington, I would feelthe pulse of our world today. The United States is the world's dominant powerand every issue of great global importance is brought to the country's capital.
I have been told that although Georgetown hasapproximately 6,000 undergraduates, the students and faculty alike feel as ifthe school is a small, interwoven community. I believe that this sense ofcloseness is a vital aspect in an outstanding college experience. We learn mostfrom interactions among other people, and the fact that this reputation offaculty accessibility and student involvement-both in the immediate Georgetowncommunity and in Washington, D.C.-exists, is very attractive to me.
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SAMPLEESSAY 2: Johns Hopkins, School Target
The college admissions and selection process is avery important one, perhaps one that will have the greatest impact on one's future. The college that a person will go to often influences his personality,views, and career. Therefore, when I hear people say that it doesn't matterthat much which college you go to. You can get a good education anywhere, if youare self-motivated, I tend to be rather skeptical. Perhaps, as far as actualknowledge is concerned, that statement is somewhat valid. Physics andmathematics are the same, regardless of where they are taught. Knowledge,however, is only a small piece of the puzzle that is college, and it is in therest of that puzzle that colleges differ.
At least as important, or even more important,than knowledge, is the attitude towards that knowledge. Last year, when myengineering team was competing in the NEDC Design Challenge, held at Hopkins,after the competition I and a few friends talked to a professor of civilengineering. What struck me is the passion with which he talked about his fieldof study. At Hopkins, everyone-the students, the faculty, theadministration-displays a certain earnestness about learning. This makes Hopkinsa good match for me, as I, too, am very enthusiastic about the subjects I study.I love learning, and when those around me do too, it creates a great atmospherefrom which everyone benefits.
My enthusiasm and activeness extend not just toacademics, but to other aspects of life as well. I am very involved inextracurricular activities, participating in my school's engineering club andmath team, and I love sports, having played on the varsity soccer and tennisteams for three years. This makes Hopkins, with its great sport traditions and amultitude of clubs and organizations, a great choice. Further, while in collegeI intend to explore new activities. Because of my school's small size and dualcurriculum, there is a relatively narrow spectrum of activities available forme. Hopkins affords a great opportunity for me to branch out and participate inorganizations to which I previously had no access.
Another aspect of Hopkins that attracts megreatly is its student body, diverse and multicultural, but at the same timeuniformly strong academically. Since I myself am a refugee from Russia, where Iexperienced social and cultural anti-Semitism, multiculturalism and acceptanceof different groups are very important to me, not to mention that it allows meto meet people of different backgrounds and learn of their varying perspectives.And this summer at the U.S.A. Mathematical Talent Search Young Scholars Program, I experienced the thrill of working in a group where everyone is on thesame, or higher, intellectual level as I. I think that, given my academic andcultural background, I would fit in well with the student life at Hopkins andcontribute to it.
Academically, too, I believe I would fit Hopkinswell. Though Hopkins is most known for its medical program, its engineeringschool is also one of the best, and that is the general area of study I intendto pursue. In high school, I've most enjoyed my mathematics and sciencecourses, particularly physics, and I have participated in the engineeringschool, so attending Hopkins engineering program would be a natural extensionof my high school interests. However, my interests are not confined solely tothe sciences. I enjoy courses from all areas of curriculum, particularlyunorthodox and thought-provoking ones. Therefore, Hopkins, which according tothe viewbook "is geared toward educating students in the fundamentals of theirfield of interest while illuminating wider possibilities throughinterdisciplinary study" is perfect for me.
Of course, none of those aspects of Hopkins,neither their great student body, their world-renowned faculty, their researchcenters, nor their clubs and extracurricular opportunities, are worth anythingunless one takes advantage of them. That, however, is exactly what I intend todo. While many people find the transition to college overwhelming, therefore notparticipating in the student life fully the first year, I hope to plungeimmediately into the full array of possibility and make as much use of them aspossible. Though my soccer and tennis skills might prove insufficient to earn mea place on Hopkins' varsity teams (though I hope that's not the case,) Inevertheless want to play sports at least on the club level. Other than that,however, nothing is set in stone except for one thing-to take as full and broadadvantage of what Hopkins has to offer as possible.
COMMENTS:
Both of these essays do a good job of showingthat the writers know the schools and have some specific reasons for wanting toattend them. The first focuses more on the academic environment and surroundingcity. The second combines several aspects such as academics, extracurriculars,and a diverse student body. Both applicants also use the opportunity to showthat they would fit in by highlighting their own interests and activities (aninterest in history in the first and math, tennis, and soccer in the second).