Hi! I am in the midst of the college application process, and I am debating weather or not to use the extra information section and covid essay. I am doubling up on sciences this year (advanced computer science physics and AP Enviornmental Science) at the expense of foreign language – Chinese. I know many schools prefer 4 years of language, but I would have been taking it solely for that purpose, which would have cost me one of my two science courses, both of which I find important/interesting. Could/should I explain this in the extra information section of the common app? Also do you advise against using the Covid essay?
Thank you!!!
FYI, you have 3 science courses? Depends on what you are thinking of majoring in college? If you are applying to the UC, they have a section for academics and other info. You could use those. For Common App, you can certainly explain it in the extra info section. As for Covid essay, it’s only 250 words right? Use it if it’s applicable to you.
@nomorecoll96 No I have 2- a physics course and an environmental science course. I want to study kinesiology/exercise science. I thought that a Chinese class (AP Prep) wouldn’t be as beneficial to me as physics, and I find ES to be important for everyone. Is that a good enough reason? Thank you for your input on the Covid essay. I think I will use it.
What does that have to do with Covid?
IMO, the covid question is for people who have genuine problems due to Covid. Death in the family, family member suffering serious illness, loss of income due to family job loss, inability to do online schooling because there is one cellphone between all the kids in the home, etc…
If you feel this is very important, ask your counselor to perhaps mention it, otherwise, I don’t think your idea is a good one.
@Lindagaf Could using that section be used against me if it isn’t about death/income?
@momofsenior1
They are 2 seperate questions. I wanted to know if I should use the extra information section to talk about my course selection, and I wanted to know if I could use the Covid essay if I don’t have family members suffering. I do have experiences to share on that essay though, just not death.
Don’t tell them what they can easily figure out unless there’s a darned good reason. Something exceptional.
Don’t think that, as in hs, you have to answer every iota of a prompt or you lose points.
Everything you present either adds to you as a compelling applicant to that college or can deflate. Make the right choices.
If you have nothing to say of value about covid to an admissions review, then don’t just fill space.
I would not use the covid essay unless the pandemic has had an unusually heavy toll on your or your family.
Also I would strongly suggest that you take Chinese 4 rather than AP Environmental Science. First APES is considered one of the less rigorous AP courses so taking it as an extra science course won’t impress anyone. But more importantly, HS is not the time to specialize, college is. Admissions officers want students to get a well rounded education in HS (hence the recommended/required courses). Writing an essay on why you disregarded the school’s required/recommended courses and took what you liked better will not help your application.
Yes, use the covid for something important - only you can decide what that is. Just remember everyone, including ao has been impacted by it, so they dont want to hear about inconveniences. If you said that no one is suffering, then think it through wisely.
@happy1 Thank you so much for your input. It is actually too late to continue Chinese, as I am a month in to school now. But I agree with your insight about “writing an essay on why you disregarded the school’s required/recommended courses” won’t strengthen my application. Thanks!
@uniresearch3 , it isn’t that a Covid supplement has to be about death or employment. It’s that the space should only be used if there has been some profound negative impact on your life. Yes, I think if you fill it out as you asked about here, your AO is going to give your app an eye roll, which is the same as the reject pile.
I’m struggling to word this. Imo, just the negative impact of covid won’t add points. Always a good idea to have some positive in mind. That is, a positive that’s meaningful to reviewers at your particular targets.
They won’t say, eg, “Johnny got a C in an important class because he struggled with x aspect of home schooling. Let’s take him anyway.” That C would be speaking for itself.
Despite the wording of the prompt, you need an idea what will impress positively. Imo, that’s also more than maintaining top grades in a challenging context.