Hi! This is my essay for the Georgetown prompt. I would really appreciate if you helped me out.
Michael Faraday revolutionized our understanding of electromagnetism. Orville and Wilbur Wright are credited with inventing the world's first airplane. Mark Twain added color to our childhood with characters such as Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. What do these people have in common, apart from being immensely successful in their respective fields? They had minimal education. Does that mean these people don't fall under the category of "educated people?" I believe not. Education is something intangible; it is nothing more than a phenomenon created by society.
I think that with time, we have forgotten the essence, the core nature of education. In this day and age, we believe that it is the responsibility of an educator - a professor, teacher, or parent - to supply our minds with the knowledge they retain. We have reduced the meaning of education to something abstract - to facts, tests, grades, degrees. Education cannot be abstract. It is something colossal, something so powerful it cannot be diminished to a system in which grades win over knowledge.
We are all born with the potential to do something extraordinary, to be extraordinary. This potential is the driving force of education. The purpose of educators is not to fill our mind. Their purpose is to shape our mind in a way that we use it to the fullest. Curiosity, analytical reasoning, the desire to ask questions people were scared to ask before and explore different perspectives - this is what I mean by education.
I once heard somebody say that we, young curious people, can be compared to apple seeds. Small, bitter apple seeds that, when broken, reveal absolutely nothing to the naked eye. But, if you would go beyond the physical, you would see something extraordinary. There, in that small seed, is instilled a whole generation. A whole generation of trees that will give rise to apples, which will, in turn, give rise to many more trees. What is the role of the gardener, or in our case, the educator, in this scenario? It is not to tell the seed how to grow. It is to nurture it with all things necessary so the seed can develop into a majestic tree.
In my scenario, Georgetown University is the gardener. It does everything to ensure vigorous plant growth in a hospitable environment created through a blend of nutrient-rich soil, sunshine, and fresh air. The Georgetown College core requirements - the fertile soil - provides me with courses like French and Sociology to broaden my spectrum of knowledge and prepare me for the real world. The sun - my source of energy - represents the booming student life. Extracurriculars in the fields such as Athletics, Dance, Music, and Art, ensure that every student will find his or her own comfort zone, a place where the balance between rigorous coursework and leisure is restored. Fresh air - of course, I am talking about the beautiful campus of Georgetown. I imagine myself walking through the main gates and seeing the Healy Hall tower over me, falling in love with every inch of the campus.
My small, urban garden of Washington, D.C., is where I want to start growing. It is a place where diversity and individuality are celebrated not only in the student body but also in the academics. Georgetown is the embodiment of everything I ever wished for in an educational institution - a chance to not only pursue my passion for Medicine but also expand on my interests and values by joining the plethora of clubs on campus. It is with utmost honor that I consider Georgetown University to be my potential community, my garden, in which a small seed will grow into a beautiful apple tree.
the place where I want to start growing
Michael Faraday revolutionized our understanding of electromagnetism. Orville and Wilbur Wright are credited with inventing the world's first airplane. Mark Twain added color to our childhood with characters such as Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. What do these people have in common, apart from being immensely successful in their respective fields? They had minimal education. Does that mean these people don't fall under the category of "educated people?" I believe not. Education is something intangible; it is nothing more than a phenomenon created by society.
I think that with time, we have forgotten the essence, the core nature of education. In this day and age, we believe that it is the responsibility of an educator - a professor, teacher, or parent - to supply our minds with the knowledge they retain. We have reduced the meaning of education to something abstract - to facts, tests, grades, degrees. Education cannot be abstract. It is something colossal, something so powerful it cannot be diminished to a system in which grades win over knowledge.
We are all born with the potential to do something extraordinary, to be extraordinary. This potential is the driving force of education. The purpose of educators is not to fill our mind. Their purpose is to shape our mind in a way that we use it to the fullest. Curiosity, analytical reasoning, the desire to ask questions people were scared to ask before and explore different perspectives - this is what I mean by education.
I once heard somebody say that we, young curious people, can be compared to apple seeds. Small, bitter apple seeds that, when broken, reveal absolutely nothing to the naked eye. But, if you would go beyond the physical, you would see something extraordinary. There, in that small seed, is instilled a whole generation. A whole generation of trees that will give rise to apples, which will, in turn, give rise to many more trees. What is the role of the gardener, or in our case, the educator, in this scenario? It is not to tell the seed how to grow. It is to nurture it with all things necessary so the seed can develop into a majestic tree.
In my scenario, Georgetown University is the gardener. It does everything to ensure vigorous plant growth in a hospitable environment created through a blend of nutrient-rich soil, sunshine, and fresh air. The Georgetown College core requirements - the fertile soil - provides me with courses like French and Sociology to broaden my spectrum of knowledge and prepare me for the real world. The sun - my source of energy - represents the booming student life. Extracurriculars in the fields such as Athletics, Dance, Music, and Art, ensure that every student will find his or her own comfort zone, a place where the balance between rigorous coursework and leisure is restored. Fresh air - of course, I am talking about the beautiful campus of Georgetown. I imagine myself walking through the main gates and seeing the Healy Hall tower over me, falling in love with every inch of the campus.
My small, urban garden of Washington, D.C., is where I want to start growing. It is a place where diversity and individuality are celebrated not only in the student body but also in the academics. Georgetown is the embodiment of everything I ever wished for in an educational institution - a chance to not only pursue my passion for Medicine but also expand on my interests and values by joining the plethora of clubs on campus. It is with utmost honor that I consider Georgetown University to be my potential community, my garden, in which a small seed will grow into a beautiful apple tree.