@bestmom888 - My daughter used the additional information section to explain several medical issues that she has dealt with since early childhood (not life threatening - thank goodness) - but can be painful, required surgeries and still some to come. She briefly talked about the condition, how she has learned to manage it etc. She kept it brief, factual and used a little humor.
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Thank you @coffeeat3. All the best to your daughter as she goes on to college.
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Hi, welcome back! My D21 used the Additional Info (not the Covid section) for two brief sentences that didnât fit anywhere else - one was a link to her website with her portfolio (she is in STEM so the portfolio was just extra) and then the other was a quick explanation of the independent research project she is doing for her IB Extended Essay.
Interesting. My D21 already had a few links in this section. But suddenly, for RD, she wants to add a couple sentences about a recent (failed) experience as a leader. But sounds like your D21 also used the section for things other than extenuating circumstances, which I was told was what the section is for.
It is confusing because there are no shortages of opinions on these sections! 
From what I have read, I have taken away is that the Covid section is for difficult, extenuating circumstances and the regular Additional Info section is completely optional and should either provide context (drop in grades, health, etc) or additional substance that couldnât fit elsewhere (but shouldnât be more than one sentence). The strongest message I heard is that it should not be a place to continue your main essay and should not be another essay. For your D, I would only have her explain a failed experience if they already know about it another way - I wouldnât introduce it as a new essay.
@smiles2122 What a great idea! I wish my D21 had thought to do that.
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I agree with you. Hopefully D will listen to me. Idk why sheâs so proud of her failed attempt. 
My son asked our school college counselor about where to put some things on his app and she said in the extra info section. The covid is for something related to covid that occurred. I wouldnât use that section to say, I didnât take the SAT because of covid, but perhaps, the SAT was so important to me so I drove 10 hours away to make sure I could take itâŠ
All my son put in the extra section was litterally one short line mentioning a quick statement about a summer program at Northwestern and a link to the repository where his computer science projects are because there was absolutely no other place to put a link or list this. He couldnât list this as an activity since it really wasnât, so where else do you stick this? They could take it or leave it if they want to look. For his ED school he also provided an expanded resume but that was on the common app as an optional upload. Probably doesnât add much but allowed for greater explanation of some of the activities/awards and some additional ones that werenât on the app.
My other kids needed to have resumes for clubs they applied to freshman year so it was just a good thing to have completed and on hand anyway, so something all kids should have prepared summer before college regardless.
I wonât get into the use of the additional info section, but I do want to applaud your kiddo for embracing a failed experience, learning from it and finding some humor. The pressure our kids are under in general but even more so during the college selection process⊠that is to be celebrated and says much for your kid and the way she was raised. Kudos to you.
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Haha thank you!
I have a D19 and this is my second college go around with D21. I have no idea how to access the common app, let alone a portal for any college where my kids applied toâŠ
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My D applied UMASS EA as well. Thanks for the info! We are not the parents that access the common app or college portals so my D might have waited awhile to tell us:).
Same, my oldest insisted on doing herself (wouldnât let me read her essays), the next applied ED to his top pick and never filled out another application, my college sophomore is super organized, type A, and loved the college application process, so with my twins, they can ask their siblings for help. One is super organized and her brother has her to help him.
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@smiles2122 I was told the same thing. I know people who used those sections to talk about other extracurricular activities that I was warned could be used against you as that is not what those sections are intended for.
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I donât have access to common app or any portals, but I wish I did!
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No access to my sonâs CommonApp or Apply Texas, but he did set up his portals on my laptop and saved the passwords so that I could view them and be on the lookout for acceptances and communications.
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Neither of my kids gave me access to their portals or Common App. I was able to convince them to let me be in the room when they open their admissions decisions. Iâll take it! 
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We donât even get that, S21 wants to open his decisions alone.
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Same with my son. I havenât had access to his common app and havenât read any of his essays, other than one original rough draft. But he wanted me to have access to his portals on my laptop so I could check them for him if needed. I hope he wants us with him when he opens his decisions, but who knows. It may be school dependent since heâs anxious about some more than others.
This is my situation. My first go around and D21 initially wanted to open decisions on her own. We have conviced her otherwise. Thankfully.