Should you have this in the additional information section?

As MIT has repeatedly mentioned they don’t want a resume, I am wary of this.

Should I explain more about my summer activities, awards and jobs in the additional information section as I’m afraid that the admissions officer may not understand the context if its just a one-liner?

Why wouldn’t they understand the context?

@justonedad Like if its a selective school or national programme offered to only a number of students that ran for only 2-3 years.

In addition, would adding context such as family financial position/ family member’s health situation be detrimental to chances of admission? Thank you!

I think MIT is very aware of selectivity of summer programs. In fact, they have a list of selective summer programs on their website.

Your guidance counselor should include information about your family’s health and financial situation in your LOR if it presented challenges to your academic situation.

If they have a question about it, they have the ability to look it up and make inquiries. Let me point out that adcoms are not going to admit you just because you got into someone else’s “special” program.

@rothstem I haven’t spoken to my guidance counsellor or in fact anyone about this situation because it’s very personal but I did think of writing it in the significant challenge essay.

@justonedad I think you may be mistaken on the context.

Interesting theory.

I wonder if it is correct.

You can use it for the additional activity info. Not a full blown resume. But some concise bullets with information. For example, if you have some top individual performances in an activity, or some accomplishment as part of the activity. For example, my kid’s small project team at an engineering camp solved a problem
that other teams had failed on for several summers previously. She put that in a bullet in the additional info section.

I would not put info on family situations or things like health issues in there. Discuss with your GC, see if it makes sense to put in their recommendation. The GC likely will keep it generic and protect your privacy. If it is too sensitive to discuss with your GC, don’t write an essay about it. Essays are not therapy sessions or places to make excuses. You want to give admissions reasons to bring you to campus.