College Spotlight: Georgetown University
If you have been reading the blog for the past few weeks, then you’ve seen the college spotlights on UChicago and Rice. This week is another installment of our college spotlight series, in which we ask B2A instructors about their undergraduate experiences. Today we hear from one of our Gateway counselors and essay specialists, Shira Hecht, who attended Georgetown University.
The following is an interview that we conducted with Shira:
General
How would you describe the experience in a single word?
Growth.
Why did you choose Georgetown?
I was looking for a school in a city, and DC seemed really cool. Georgetown had a good linguistics program, which I was very interested in at the time. I visited the campus and fell in love, mostly.
What did you like the most about Georgetown?
I felt like it was a place that polished people, that made them grow up and become citizens of the world. It wasn’t just about being at college--it was training to be a person who really participates in the world.
What is one thing you didn't know about Georgetown before starting there but was pleasantly surprised?
I was delighted to find out how quirky Georgetown was. There was the culture of the school overall, but there was also little pockets devoted to all the weird things I was into.
Academics
What do you think makes Georgetown’s classes, professors, and academic resources unique?
Georgetown has a really global focus, and that is true in its departments, professors, specializations, and the culture in general.
What was your favorite class and why?
Young Adult Literature! We read novels like Twilight and Ender's Game and talked about what they were doing, how they worked, what they were saying about society or about teenagers. Really fun.
What was your hardest class and why?
Probably the Liberal Arts Seminar--this was an interdisciplinary class that counted for a few credits--in which we discussed 19th century Europe. It involved A LOT of reading--a book over two days, and then write a paper on it. Things like that. But it was fascinating and I made some of my best friends there too!
What kind of student would you recommend this school to?
I think Georgetown is a great place for anyone who is interested in politics, or in international affairs in general. I also think it’s a good place for people who are serious about philosophy, or religion, or anyone who wants to be more poised and polished in the world. I will say that it is a bit more of an independent kind of place--there is maybe less support and hand holding than other places. That worked for me, but it may not be for everyone.
What is one thing you wish you knew about the academics when you applied?
I changed my mind a lot! I was a linguistics major, then English major, then art history, then philosophy....I ended up majoring in English and minoring in Linguistics.
Student Life
Did you live on campus, and if so, how was dorm life?
Yes, for my first 3 years, then off campus as a senior. It was fun! I lived in one of the less 'nice' dorms my freshman year, that was a bit further away, but I think it was a bonding experience. My best friends from college all lived in that dorm with me.
Did you participate in any student groups, and if so, which one(s)?
Yes! Astronomy club, ha, and the Jewish Students Association, and the Georgetown Voice, which was a campus newspaper. That was my most intense organization--I wrote a lot, I spent a lot of time with those people.
What are some places worth checking out on campus?
Healy Hall is beautiful, especially Gaston. The rooftops of Village A are lovely, you can see all of campus. I would check out the observatory, which is a little off the beaten path. The campus chapel.
Where was your favorite hangout spot?
I spent a lot of time at Wisey's, the sandwich place --their Oreo cookies! AND I spent A LOT of time in Lauinger Library, which is not a beautiful building, though the third floor reading room is quite nice.
What was one fun thing to do off campus?
Georgetown is in Washington DC, which is an incredible city to be a young person in! I loved going to the Smithsonians, cool restaurants, concerts. I could talk about good places to go in DC forever!
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Want to go to Georgetown (or a school like it) and not sure how to set yourself apart from the competition? Consider taking any of our test-prep classes for SAT and ACT. Or are you already working on your application? Don’t worry! We have you covered with our college admissions services.
