In “Additional Comments” (not “Additional Information”) under “Personal Insight”, I’ve the following:
“Though I wanted to, I took neither any college courses at my local community college nor many other extracurriculars because I did not have the available time in my schedule: I had to tend to important family and restaurant obligations (my parents run their own restaurant, but we have always been short on staff).”
The GEAR UP advisor who was checking over my UC application said that I should tell the UCs why I didn’t take any college courses in high school. So I heeded his advice, and also threw in a mention of my lack of extracurriculars (I do have some, just not that many compared to other high-achievers). Should I keep it or leave it? Because when I read it over, it sounds like I’m making excuses…
What confuses? They will understand you were needed at the restaurant. It’s fine. We can’t judge the impact, but the wording is not a problem.
Did you include everything that took up time in your activities section and/or your Personal Insight Questions?
You said it was your Gear Up advisor who recommended. You have to decide, not worry everything. It’s a fair description that you have other time consuming responsibilities.
Surely you have some other activities you did include, right? You app meets the basics, right?
@lkg4answers Not really. I’m in HOSA, but I didn’t list it in extracurriculars because we haven’t really done much in there, so I don’t really have anything to say about my involvement in there. Should I just list it in additional comments? I also did community service at my local golf course and library for around 57 hours each, but I didn’t list them either under community service because I don’t remember which summer I served. It’s also too late to contact my school’s Career Center, and I can’t find the papers that I kept for my personal record…should I list them under Community Service anyway and guess the summer, then contact each campus later when I find out I’m wrong, or just put them under Additional Comments? Or not at all?
@lookingforward Alright. And yes, I believe so. I have some awards listed, and I also included French Club and Marching Band, where I’m section leader of the trumpets. I think that’s good…
I think this is important to include in your activities section. I feel if you only included it in the academic section but don’t expand on it anywhere else, it sounds like an excuse. That is just my opinion.
@lkg4answers So I leave it as it is and where it is? (Additional Comments under Personal Insight)