<p>I am having doubts about the quality of my first of two essays for Georgetown. I kind of felt like the questions were identical. The first asked me to talk about myself but at the same time talk about why i wanted to go to Georgetown. The second asked me to relate my future goals to going to Georgetown. Here is the first essay:</p>
<p>Response to Essay Question 1</p>
<pre><code> I may never know if human beings have free will, but I like to believe that we do. My first two years of high school were difficult for me because I had little academic freedom and no say in what classes I took. However, a visit to Georgetown University at the start of eleventh grade helped me realize that learning was not meant to be mechanical. This inspired me to spend my last two years of high school refining my study methods and exposing myself to subjects that previously failed to captivate my interest.
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<p>I am majoring in political science and would like to focus on American foreign policy. Whereas UMBC lacks a foreign policy curriculum, Georgetown University is recognized around the world for its foreign policy courses and international relations programs. I believe that my need for depth and challenge could be better fulfilled at Georgetown University because of the variety of courses offered in my field.</p>
<p>Georgetown University has a comfortable feel and an established community, and I would love to be a part of it. There is a life to the campus that I have not experienced elsewhere. Many students at my current institution are commuters and almost all live within two hours of campus. As a result, many choose to spend their time outside of school. I seek to join an enthusiastic student population from across the United States and world. I have found Georgetown University to be the ideal melting pot of culture and ideas. It is one of the few places where I can discuss the political climate of Florida with someone from Florida and the Indian software industry with someone from India while sitting at the same table for lunch. Georgetown University brings the world to students. It is a place where I know I will not be the only one raising my hand in class, and I will not have trouble finding someone who will present an alternative viewpoint to mine during a discussion.</p>
<p>There was a time in my life that I held steadfast to my beliefs and opinions. However, I now realize the necessity of having my views tested. The community at Georgetown University is one of the brightest in the nation, and I expect to find students and teachers who will challenge my beliefs. Although the processes of having my views put to the test can be difficult at times, the growth from repudiating false beliefs is well worth it. </p>
<p>I have decided to pursue a second major in philosophy for the purpose of maintaining my ability to think outside of the box and to broaden the scope of which I can ponder a certain issue. I have studied a variety of philosophies ranging from Taoism to the works of Immanuel Kant. The Philosophy Department at Georgetown University is highly revered, and the depth of the courses offered is more than enough to help contribute to my quest for knowledge. </p>
<p>Although it is clear that I can be academically successful at my current school, I seek more than good marks on my transcript. Georgetown University has the course selection, academic rigor, and student population to help promote my intellectual growth. The opportunity to learn in such an environment is what I seek in my college education, and I believe that Georgetown University would be a wonderful fit for me.</p>