Hello there. I am a rising senior in high school, and as many of you know, these few months are a rather pressing time for college applicants.
I have filled out most of my Common Application, but I was wondering about the “Additional Information” space. Many people here advise applicants to use it “well,” but I am still not quite sure to what extent admissions officers expect us to use the “Additional Information” space as well as how applicants usually use this space.
For example, I have a few piano awards (ABRSM, 10 year awards, etc.) that I put in the “Honor” sections (under “Academic”? I believe?), but it does not detail that I had a solo concert my sophomore year. Should I put in the “Additional Information” section that I had a solo concert? Is this what the “Additional Information” is used for?
Also, I have had some serious personal medical problems that prevented me from focusing on school properly. It has psychological and physical effects, and this too is not reflected in my application. Although I plan to mention it in one of my supplement essays, the other colleges will not get an idea of this due to the fact that my common application essay will be on something completely different (music). My counselor, however, has reassured me (this was last year) that she would mention my hardships in her recommendation letter. I’m still wondering whether I should verify this in the common app? I’m not sure where else to put it.
(I am pretty sure about this one, but I’m kind of iffy about the piano one, haha.)
I just want to make sure because I’m not sure if the “Additional Information” space is a space that is often left blank or a space that is expected to be filled to its maximum capacity (where it is applicable).
Also! Does it affect college decisions at all, in the supplement tab, if I mention that I plan to participate in such and such activity? So if I say “I plan to participate in this activity” for too many of the activities that I participate in currently, will they think I am just trying to look good or whatever it is?
Thank you in advance.
(Also apologies if this has already been discussed/concluded in another discussion that I did not see.)
Yes… I have realized too late that I should have posted this in the “Common Application” category; nevertheless, I’d be very grateful if anyone could answer this here ;__;
Solo Concert- If it was anything significant, then put it on your Common App Activities list. Else, I think you can just leave it.
Health Issues-Definitely put this on there. Basically, describe the personal effects that it had on you and how it negatively impacted your academic studies.
For the supplement thing: Do you mean when the Common App asks you if you’re going to continue doing that activity in college? I don’t think it will matter too much. Some people love 1-2 activities that they did in high school and did not like the rest.
For anything that does not fit in the rest of CommonApp but may help your application, you should put in the “additional information” box. It can be non-academic awards, research publication, or any other major or minor achievements.
If your GC is already mentioning your health issues, I probably wouldn’t put it anywhere else. If you can’t fit info like your solo concert in activities, you might put an activity called “Piano”, then say “See additional information” in the space there. The I the Additional Info section, have a header for piano and bullet out awards, solo concert, etc info underneath.
Thank you to everyone who replied! I have another question. I’ve heard from some people that top tier colleges (not necessarily ivys but you get what I mean) do not like to see that applicants had depression at some point in their lives, for fear that the psychological hardships will resurface during the stressful college years (and then lead to worse things that may taint their reputation). Is this true? It sounds ridiculous but I’ve heard of it and I am afraid to include this…
If you want to talk about depression, don’t dwell on the depression, but focus on how you overcame it. This will tel colleges that you are a renewed person and won’t be depressed during college because of bad grades or something.
That’s what I think.
No, do not talk about depression. That is a major red flag on applications.
Ah, okay. Thank you. I think I will not include it, then. /:
Yes, skip it. That is NOT what you want on the admissions officer’s mind as they evaluate your app. Keep the focus on what you have to offer the college.
In my additional information area I’m explaining how being forced to transfer schools affected my course selections. For example, my new school sophomore year did not allow me to take any AP classes because they thought their school was significantly harder than my previous school, and I wasn’t allowed to take any AP classes my junior year either because of a ridiculous incident with my teacher (who was later fired) and because of another teacher submitting my recommendation a week late.
That’s all good and all, but make sure it doesn’t sound like your making excuses because that might be a red flag for the admissions officer. A ton of people decide to make up excuses and mess with sympathy and try to get in, it normally doesn’t turn out very well for them. Good luck!
I think its all about wording. I’m just being very brief in my additional info space and telling them that, basically, my school barred me from taking an advanced classes, and I went so far as to transfer schools so I could take all APs my senior year. Don’t go into great detail, just let them know what happened.
It would be very hard to handle this part without it sound like excuses. No matter how “ridiculous” you think the incident was, it is doubtful that an admissions officer is going to see it as the teacher’s fault. And gotta say… colleges get late recommendations all the time. They will be suspicious that a high school would make this the only criteria to keep you out of an AP class. This all just isn’t going to wash with admissions. Even the use of “barred” implies a conflict (and it is very rare that colleges see that in a good light for the student).
If the counselor can write it in his or her rec, then that would be much better than you explaining the conflict yourself.