I am kind of confused what to put there. I have created a list of possible topics to talk about that I will post below. Please tell me what you think should/shouldn’t go there and give examples of what you have put down. Thanks!
My Additional Info Ideas:
-My family’s relation to cancer and how that has impacted my current activities, caused financial hardship, unemployment for my mom, etc.
-My Advanced Science Research project
My love for photography, languages, travel, culture: constantly talking to exchange students and teach each other languages
Heritage? Mother is a immigrant from Italy, live in a home with strict rules and traditions
-Why I could not continue my second language
-Explain what classes I wanted to take in my schedule but had no room
Would it be relevant to put that I am the “unofficial” tour guide for exchange students in the school because I am the first one to contact them and show them around?
We decided to use the Additional info section to expand on some activity info, a few honors that did not fit elsewhere, why son did not take a certain course (not offered this year), etc.
I think for you, given Additional Info can help explain your experiences and anything that might have impacted your educational experience, of your list these might be the more relevant:
-My family’s relation to cancer and how that has impacted my current activities, caused financial hardship, unemployment for my mom, etc.
-My Advanced Science Research project - ok to include an abstract
-Why I could not continue my second language
-Explain what classes I wanted to take in my schedule but had no room – ok if important courses considering desired major, or typical college prep.
Am sure others will have some different suggestions but I hope this helps some.
I think that section is generally used to explain “extraordinary circumstances” that have had an impact on schooling, for example: low grades in a particular semester or year because of illness or discussing specifics about any disciplinary actions, etc. It can also be used to list honors and awards that can’t be listed or discussed elsewhere (e.g., winning a national contest).
It’s not for financial aid, details about your background, your interests, or filler. If it’s not essential to understand you or explain your circumstances, leave it blank. Address what you need to address in your essays and activities sections.
It should be kept short, very brief. I don’t see how all that would fit. If you know what your targets want to see and learn about you, you’d have a better idea what’s important to note. And not. It is a sort of fill in the blanks(in your app/supp,) but not a free-for-all. Top schools will be looking for your judgment.
What matters isn’t your “love” for photog, but what you’ve done with that (which would appear under activities.) Taking to foreign students isn’t a tip. In some cases, it might be an interesting essay, but for tippy tops, would still need to be relevant to them. Likewise, “strict rules” is not a tip. Don’t leave them wondering why you seemed to think it is. Same for classes you “wanted” to take. What matters is what you did take, with one exception: kids taking very advanced math, where the sched conflicted with language.
Like @LoveTheBard says, it is not for the types of things you are listing. It for things like:
If you truly can't fit in all your activities or awards (a few CONCISE bullets are okay if needed for that). So you could put a few bullets about your research project if you need to, but don't put the whole abstract in unless you are applying someplace that specifically encourages that (I think MIT might).
If you have courses to list that don't neatly fit into other categories. For example, one of my kid had a couple of MOOCs they had completed -- not for credit, but they got the certificates at the end. There was no other appropriate place for those.
My kids' high school slices up a lot of elective into quarter credit classes, so a year's classes was more than can be listed in the high school senior list course list. They listed the extra in Additional Info.
If you need explanation for a family health issue that might have impacted your classroom performance or ability to participate in ECs, you should ask your guidance counselor if they can mention that if possible in their recommendation. It is a last resort to do it yourself, as it just can come off like making excuses – it has more power coming from a third party when possible.
@LookingFoward Should I put Advanced Science Research on my resume for summer activities then? Also for Photography I haven’t really done anything but created a blog type account where I post the photos but that isn’t really well known. Should I even put that in activities?
@intparent I don’t really need to put the illnesses as a reason for doing poorly in school, but I thought it was important for them to understand how that has contributed to my life because that is where a lot of my volunteer activities stem from.
And how it affected finances is really something for the finaid applications. UC used to like to hear the challenges, including financial, in their forms, but I don’t know how the new essay questions have morphed and are looked at. And I don’t know if you’re applying there.
Yes, one bullet about the intent of the research project. Adcoms aren’t judging the quality of your research, rarely need any abstract. This leaves one bullet for why you couldn’t continue the second FL. It’s ok to include that a parent was ill and it affected your activities, but be careful how you word it. They review brutally fast and have many pages to cover, most with the main info they need to see. They want to see what you did choose, how you did direct energies, and what that adds up to.
x-posted. You can put the research under activities (school or outside?) Then you can name the topic in Addl Activities, but short. If it’s super interesting, maybe an extra line.
Yes, you can explain the illness, eg, re-focused your activities. Again, short.
So you have to pick and choose how to use the space they give you. If it is that important, did it come up in your essays? Or is it at the top of your activities list (most important items should be at the top)?
@intparent The essay topic I wrote about is completely ambiguous to anything about my activities. I wrote the one about challenging a belief and why so it talks more about my morals and ability to stand up in situations rather than my academia or outside activities.
Also I am applying to Northeastern at the moment for my only EA, so there are no supplements. However, can I keep changing my common app around after every time that I send it to a college? because my research may answer a supplement for one college, and not fit for another and need to be put in additional info
Everything but:
-My family’s relation to cancer and how that has impacted my current activities, caused financial hardship, unemployment for my mom, etc.
should be in your activities section.
Make sure your GC knows about these circumstances so they can include them as well.
Do you guys think I should include Vinted on my activity sheet? It’s an app that I have used to make my own mini “business” where I sell second hand clothing and negotiate with potential buyers. I have a really popular page and have sold well over 80 items in the last year.