Yes! It would be a good essay topic! Essay is already done, though. Thanks
Thanks! Itâs a process and I will certainly send the link to the headmaster for future!
So the additional section then - what is it specifically for?
It is likely that some supplemental essays will give her a chance to expand on how it changed her perspective. Or, she can creatively try to find a way to squeeze it into the activity description, such as using the âPositionâ box (50 characters) and âOrganization nameâ (100 char) to describe the activity itself and the activity description box (150 char) to add something else about what it did for her.
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We will take a look at that, thank you! I think the activity section is already full, though, with extracurriculars. We will look at the individual schools as well. Appreciate your comments.
Extenuating circumstances. E.g. health issues, financial circumstances
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Yeah, we donât have those. Is there actually a description in the common app explaining what it is for? I will check - I donât mean to take up your time! Thanks.
A few more thoughts. Ultimately, she would need to decide how important it is to her that she communicate this particular thing to colleges. Option 1, leave it out - no app includes every experience the student had.
Option 2, tighten up the activity section (combine a couple of like activities) to make room for one more. Side comment, I would put the activities in order of importance, i.e., how important it is to her that any particular activity is communicated to the app reader.
Option 3, submit a resume to those colleges that have a resume upload spot in the app or portal. A resume would allow more space to explain activities. However, perhaps a resume is not a great place to include what amounts to an essay type of response (the impact of the activity on her perspective or whatever else she learned).
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There isnât a requirement for what can or canât be be used communicated in Additional Information, but the prevailing wisdom is that AOs donât want to read anything there that isnât truly additive to the existing application. If properly utilized, the application can accommodate most information elsewhere. Additional Information is usually reserved for something extraordinary that canât be found elsewhere.
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I like the resume idea. I would add that the Activity section is very limited in space requirements. I know these folks read thousands of apps, but could be redone in the computer world to more of a bullet point format that would be easier to read. Thanks.
Truly additive is the key, yes. We are not reiterating information.
View the PDF preview of the activity section, button in upper-right corner - Iâd even suggest printing it out - for a full context of what the section ends up looking like. Also, I may be old, but truly prefer on-paper editing for this. Try to make the activity descriptions as concise as possible.
A resume may be good for explaining more complex activities if she has them, but I have doubts about a resume being appropriate for expressing the impact of service activities on the student. Good luck to her 
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Great info on the PDF, thank you! Agreed the service is only a component of the resume. Iâm old, too 
Thanks again!
I agree with those who suggest making sure these 100 volunteer hours are detailed in the Activities section. Use all the character length allowed, sentence fragments are appropriate (starting with an action verb, like on a resume). Activities should be in order of most important (to the applicant) to least important.
You can add a resume, but only send that to schools that specifically say they want it.
Additional info section: I donât believe there is any âprevailing wisdomâ on this. One t20 AO remarked about this section âwe give applicants another 650 words to tell us more about themselves, why wouldnât they take us up on that opportunity?ââ
So, I encourage all my students to write something here, generally shorter rather than longer, but some students have written another entire essay. Some students include more detail on one or more of their important ECs (assuming thatâs not addressed elsewhere in the app). I rarely encourage using it to discuss health problems, or grade drops, etc.
With all that said, do remember the average time an AO spends on an app is 6-10 minutes.
Well said, thank you!
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Not sure if itâs correct today - but two years ago, Common App asked not only for the activity/description but hours per week - so thatâs where youâd put it.
Some get confused as some activities are during the school year, etc. so itâs hard to say hours per week over 12 months when you did something for 8 months - but then youâre guessing and thatâs what you have to do.
But unless Iâm missing something, youâd simply put the activities in the activity section and list the hours per week via a provided drop down (if I remember correctly).
So they seem to have this topic covered.
I would not use the additional info section for this unless an activity needs further explanation or was so impactful further detail as the common app limits are harsh.
As for this comment:
Well, thatâs a flaw in the system, because our kids apply to the best schools they can for what they offer. Overlooking that as part of the high school experience is a poor reflection on admissions.
I 100% disagree. Some schools care about ECs and others (most) donât - itâs their right as to how they handle them. And while most schools donât incorporate service into their curriculums, kids that are service or otherwise activity minded get involved - whether for themselves or to stand out.
Itâs wonderful you found a school that you feel is right for your child and that you feel is best but most, if not all locales in this country and colleges donât agree and for those that do want to see âextra curricularsâ, they do measure them.
Whether they are inclusive of the curriculum or not doesnât change their impact. And some donât serve society but rather their family or themselves via a job or sports - that most will see as equally impactful.
Best of luck.
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Appreciate your comments, thank you. I think the key here, in our case, is that these were not âextracurricularsâ. They were mandatory as part of the schoolâs mission, took the place of classes on Fridays, and - in the end - I believe the best choice is not to infer these hours were âextracurricular activitiesâ. They could be listed there and then expanded in the additional section to highlight their importance.
But they are the same.
Your school mandates them - and incorporates them.
Some kids have no ECs. Your kids do - built in.
But schools are looking for academic courses in regards to transcript evaluation.
Your kids serving is wonderful for them and for society. And for many colleges it will help.
But they are still activities -whether or not the word extra curricular is relevant.
I know a kid at a Classical school - I get it - and heâs now at Lipscomb but the reality is, whether or not the education is good, itâs not what the colleges are going to evaluate as âacademic.â
Anyway, good luck to your kid - Iâm sure you can incorporate it. 100 hours is greatâŠbut think about a kid working 15 hours a week - thatâs 780 if they worked all 52 weeks - so while 100 is great, itâs not going to stand out as off the charts.
Whatâs most important frankly is that your student is enjoying the activities and enjoys contributing to society. For those that enjoy it, itâs great. And for those that choose not to or to spend their time on individual pursuits - thatâs ok too.
At many colleges, it will still help the student - but I disagree that Common App doesnât have a place for this or that colleges are missing the boat in how theyâd evaluate this.
Thatâs all I was trying to say.
Good luck to your student.
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Okay, thank you. I have taught in schools where the amount of homeless students in shelters are numerous. So, I understand what you are saying. So in the activity section, âlife outside of the classroomâ can still incorporate service trips during school hours. If that is the understanding.
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The only thing that would make me second-guess whether to include this in the activity section would be if it were printed on the transcript with graded course credit.
For what itâs worth, my older kidsâ high school had a large service hour requirement, some of which was done over a couple of weeks off from classes during junior and senior years. My kids put it in the activity section.
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