Guide to Writing Georgetown Law Optional Essays

Some law school applicants wrestle with choosing whether to write optional essays for the applications they submit. If an optional essay provides similar information as your personal statement and/or diversity statement, it won't help your application. However, if you show personality, creativity, and express a new side of yourself, you increase your chances for acceptance and scholarships. You should always put in the effort to write a strong optional essay. If a committee has two application packages, the person who submitted the optional essay will get accepted. Georgetown Law is unique to many other programs because its optional essay provides fun prompts. Here is more information about Georgetown law optional essays and tips to follow to ensure you submit a strong one.

Georgetown Law's Optional Essay Prompts

Georgetown Law regularly changes up their optional essay prompts, so you need to check their website for current prompts when you apply. In 2021, they provided these prompts for applicants to write an optional essay:

The optional response is another way for the Admissions Committee to get to know you. If you wish, we encourage you to submit a 250-word statement for any of the following questions:

1. What is something important that you have changed your mind about?
2. What unpopular opinion do you have, and why?
3. Tell us about a time in the last five years when you stood up for yourself.
4. Share a Top Ten List with us.
5. Prepare a one-minute video that says something about you. Upload it to an easily accessible website and provide us the URL. (If you are using YouTube, we strongly suggest that you make your video unlisted so it will not appear in any of YouTube’s public spaces.) What you do or say is entirely up to you. Please note that we are unable to watch videos that come in any form other than a URL link.

Bonus: Optional Video

If you want to avoid writing an optional essay for Georgetown Law, consider submitting a video instead. In lieu of a written essay, Georgetown also offers applicants the chance to create a one-minute, personal video. The same advice applies to the video as for the essay—tell the admissions committee something that they cannot learn by reading your personal statement or diversity statement. They have no restrictions on what you do or say, but you do not want to bore them with things they already know from reading your application package.

Composing Your Georgetown Law Optional Essay

Choosing to write the optional essay for Georgetown is in your best interest as long as you put effort into writing a great essay. In some ways, the school's prompts make it easier for you to get started. You have some choices and don't have to feel boxed in by one prompt or overwhelmed by choosing any subject that you want. These tips will help you compose a strong essay that adds value to your application package.

Brainstorm Topics Within the Prompts

Take an hour or so to brainstorm and come up with a few topics for each of the prompts. Don't hinder your creativity by overthinking. Instead, put down anything that comes to your mind. Once you've compiled a list of potential topics, now it's time to narrow them down. I cannot stress enough how important it is to let your personality and creativity shine through in your optional essay. Use these guidelines to help you choose your final topic:

• Does This Topic Cover Anything Already Mentioned in My Personal or Diversity Statements?

  • You can mention your ethnic or religious background in your optional essay. However, be careful of overlapping with your diversity statement. Instead, tie your background to the prompt by showing how your distinctive personality, background, and experience inform your answer to the question.

• Does This Topic Show a Special Side of Me That I Sometimes Hide or Feel Vulnerable When Sharing?

  • Whether writing, painting, creating music or engaging in another creative pursuit, vulnerability is often the key to creating authentic and compelling work. Don't be afraid to go deep on these topics and let your emotions shine through. This separates you from the pack and shows committees what you're made of.

• Is This Topic Trite to the Extent That It Covers a Subject That Many Others Have Covered?

  • Avoid territory that plays into common stereotypes perpetuated about diverse candidates in law school, med school, and grad school. It's okay to write about growing up with a single parent, in poverty, or in a rough neighborhood. However, you can be sure the admissions committee has read similar essays. If you choose these types of topics within the constraints of the prompt, make sure you focus on what specifically about those experiences are unique to your situation.

Be Authentic and Truthful

It's natural to want the admissions committee to like your optional essay. Some applicants get so hung up on this that they spend time thinking about what the committee wants to read in their essays. Even worse, some applicants write answers to prompts to conform to what they think committee members want to read. Admissions committees have multiple personalities from various backgrounds, so it's impossible to write a response that tailors to each person's likes, dislikes, etc. More importantly, catering to what you think someone wants to read can make your essay seem disingenuous.

Instead, be authentic and truthful. The optional essay is another chance for you to showcase your writing skills. Some committee members might not like your response, and you have no control over that, but this does not mean it's a "bad" essay. Ultimately, committee members look for your personal perspective communicated in an honest way.

Don't Overwrite

Georgetown Law asks for 250 words from those who submit an optional essay. You might think more is better, but this is a mistake. Do not go over the word count. Committee members must read many essays, so assuming that they should read more of what you have to write does not give you a leg up. Take the time to remove the "fluff" and ensure that each word of your essay counts so that you can stay within the allotted word count.

Learn More About Writing a Georgetown Law Optional Essays

Applying and preparing for law school is an exciting time that overwhelms some applicants. If you have additional questions about composing your Georgetown Law optional essays or any other aspect of your law school applicant package, the team at Barrier Breakers® Admissions Advising is here to support you through this law school application cycle! Whether it's through discounted advising for BIPOC, first-generation, and LSAC Fee Waiver applicants, our essay review services and courses, or just downloading our free Essential Guide to Applying to Law School, we're here to help make this process easier.

As always, feel free to reach out to us at hello@barrier-breakers.org with any of your questions! You can also submit a question to be answered on our weekly Break Into Law School® Podcast, streaming wherever your favorite podcast service is.