1.   Imagine you are applying to a college you really wish to attend.  As Margaret Lysy, the Associate Director of Admissions at Georgetown University, informed us today, the mission of our interview and essay is to convince, WITH CONFIDENCE AND HUMILITY, the University’s Admission staff how our special attributes, talents or skills can enrich their University community.   IN A WELL WRITTEN PARAGRAPH with perfect spelling, grammar and punctuation and exceptional sentence structure (no run-on sentences!!!), identify your special attributes, talents or skills.      Explain, WITH CONFIDENCE AND HUMILITY, how your talents, attributes or skills will enable you to contribute to their college community and, in the process, enable other students potentially experience a more fulfilling, educational experience.   For example, Alexander Solzhenitsyn Romanov is a high school senior from Jersey City, New Jersey, with a 3.25 high school GPA, fluent in English and Russian and is the lead violinist in the school orchestra who wishes to major in computer programming and Russian (language).  Alexander was born in Russia and emigrated to the United States when he was 12 years old.   Alexander’s essay COULD begin as follows:

I appreciate the time taken to consider my application to Georgetown University.   I truly believe my background and skills will enable me to contribute to Georgetown’s student community during my undergraduate studies and after as a successful alum.   I spent the formative years of my life in Russia which has often found itself in an opposing position to the United States on the Security Council of the United Nations.   In every class, dormitory conversation or community service project I find myself, my knowledge of Russia’s culture, language and history will enable me to offer a unique and credible perspective for thought provoking conversations with fellow students and professors.  I have learned Georgetown appreciates the value ethnic, political and cultural diversity brings to the education of its students.  My life experience and perspective can highten empathy within the student body and provide greater diversity in collaborative activities.   Secondly, my research of Georgetown’s extracurricular clubs revealed a Georgetown Coding Club which I would love to be part of if fortunate enough to be admitted to the University.   Finally, I also plan to audition for one of the school’s instrumental groups.  I performed in the Jersey City Russian Junior Symphony during ………………………………..      Thank you for taking the time to consider my application for admittance to Georgetown University.  ”

 

I hope you get the idea of what I am looking for in your essay.   This assignment is due NO LATER than Friday, April, 24th.  Thank you.   I look forward to reading your well written paragraph.

Margaret Lysy (center), the Associate Director of Admissions at Georgetown University, is escorted into Friday’s Life Skills class by the class’s host of the day, Hafzat Akanni (left in the red blouse).