I’ve been experiencing numerous personal issues within the last year or so.
I’ve been doing well GPA wise but not as well extracurricular wise.
To what degree do Ivy Leagues take hardships into consideration?
If they feel that your hardships will continue to affect you in college it will likely result in rejections.
Highly selective schools can fill their classes many times over with students who have excellent grades, test scores, recommendations and ECs. Why admit someone whose hardships made them a less attractive candidate in some way?
What they do pay attention to is ‘distance traveled.’ If you come from a disadvantaged environment, that is taken into account. If, as a result of your life experiences, you can provide a unique perspective or come from a unique background that would enrich the student body, that is taken into account. If your ‘hardship’ is something that has required exceptional fortitude or other personal qualities to overcome, that could make a difference But a tough year that impacted your ECs? Not so much.
That said, your guidance counselor is the person to address your personal situation in their letter of recommendation so set up an appointment to talk with him or her. By letting them address your issues in their letter, it frees you up to present the most positive picture of yourself in your application.
And certainly you should apply if you are very keen on a particular school even if it’s a reach. But assume that you aren’t getting in, focus on your matches and make sure you love your safety. (And that advice goes for those with perfect records too.)
“But a tough year that impacted your ECs? Not so much.”
I don’t agree. If your mom’s been in the hospital all year, and you quit hockey and student council to spend all your time with her, that’s highly germane to your applications. I would explain that in a brief supplemental essay.
Guess it depends on the “hardship”. If it is along the lines of “my mom was bedridden and I went home every day to care for my younger siblings” then I’d add it in as a supplemental comment. If it was more along the lines of “I was having a tough time” then I’d leave it out. Without knowing the details, it is impossible to opine.
- Parents divorcing is not a hardship.
- Breaking up w BF/GF is not a hardship.
- Being middle class in an expensive zip code is not a hardship.
- Parents supporting extended family in the home country is not a hardship.
- Parents having big car & mortgage payments is not a hardship.
- Having a teacher who grades hard is not a hardship.
So do you have a hardship?
The situation is complicated and I do not wish to discuss the issue, if I did then I would have included it in the main post.
I just wanted the general question answered.
Thank you.
Yes, AdComms do take socioeconomic hardship into consideration. But for the most part, the “hardships” that many posters cite on CC are not really hardships.
Ultimately depends on the issue so since it’s personal we can’t help you there.
Perhaps you can ask your counselor about this? Having the counselor write it in his or her recommendation letter will add further validity to your story.
It’s hard to advise whether the colleges will cut you some slack without having a clue what the issue was. But if you are comfortable sharing with the GC he or she can mention it in their letter. Otherwise it will be up to you to explain the circumstances in a supplemental essay and hope for the best. In cases like this, it’s fine to keep your reaches, but have some safeties that don’t care about your lack of ECs.