I have this one award that I’m extremely proud of that I earned in 6th grade, so much so that I believe that it would be a great thing to mention on my application. I probably cannot mention it in the common app’s awards section, but would this be an appropriate addition to the additional information part? I really want to find a way to include this somewhere on my app.
And another question: do you think that this will be weighed as important at all on my app if I do include it?
Unless it was a Nobel, a Pulitzer, an Oscar, a Grammy, or an Olympic medal I’d say no.
Is there a way to work it into you essay without looking like you’re still focussed on what you did 6 years ago?
@Sue22 Congressional Medal of Honor might make the cut as well, but just barely
@simeonss maybe you can work it in as an anecdote in your essay/supplement to explain your passion for whatever you got an award for, but something you did in 6th grade is irrelevant for the most part
Agree with others. It’s a thing to be proud of as a child, but colleges probably want to see more “mature” achievements on an application. Plus, it might raise eyebrows if you haven’t recieved any awards since.
Another vote in agreement. Unless it was some kind of truly monumental award I would not include in on a college application. Perhaps if you said what the award was you could get more meaningful opinions.
@happy1 I got first place in a Scholastic Magazine Essay Contest
^ Agreed that this is something that could be mentioned in an essay, perhaps, if you are writing about your interest in writing. The Scholastic essay contest website lists 25 winners or so each month for some of their contests.
That’s a nice award, but it really doesn’t belong on your college app, sorry to say. My D also got an award in the Scholastic competition in 8th grade. She did not list it in her college apps.
Agree, I would not list it on your college application. Your writing should have evolved a great deal since sixth grade so the award would not be all that meaningful in terms of explaining who you are or what your skill set is today.
In the end it is your application and you decision.
You might be able to mention it in passing in an essay.
Do you have anything else that has been commendable since then?
Please focus on current accomplishments. This award could “start” your essay in how you became interested in writing, but listing it as a college level award isn’t helpful and makes it look as though you are grasping for awards.
My DS won a major national award as a middle schooler. My DD2 won an athletic award at the state level in middle school-she later was an athletic recruit. My DD1 won a significant award at a MS/HS science fair in middle school. None of these were listed on their apps. These results evolved into later skills in high school.
Current HS awards.