As you are filling out the Common App, you will come across an unassuming question, which reads:
- Do you wish to provide details of circumstances or qualifications not reflected in the application?
WHat does that mean exactly? It’s marked optional, but is it really? What should you put here, if anything? Is this another “surprise” essay?
Many students grapple with the additional info section, both whether they should answer it, and how to go about doing so. In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, and explain everything you need to know about the Common App’s additional info section. Let’s get started!
What the Additional Information Section is For
The additional information section is a place for you to tell colleges about any extenuating circumstances which have impacted you or your education which did not fit elsewhere in the application, or to cover qualifications you have that could not fit elsewhere. To put it more simply, the additional information section is a place to put relevant information that will help admissions officers make an informed decision about your application.
Admissions officers only have the information in your application to judge your readiness for college. While they work hard to make sure these applications are comprehensive, they cannot cover every possibility. This is why the additional information section exists, to cover all of the relevant details which would otherwise slip through the cracks.
This section is truly optional however. We will cover in the next section what information to include here, but do not feel compelled to write something. Only fill out the additional information section if you have relevant info to include; this isn’t an opportunity to submit a second personal statement.
What Should You Include in the Additional Information Section?
Generally, the additional information section should be used to discuss the following topics:
- Activities you participated in or awards you won you were unable to fit into the activities and honors sections of the Common App.
- Medical issues you experienced which impacted your education severely. Note that there is a separate section specifically for Covid; we discuss this further below.
- Explaining and giving context for academic setbacks you experienced.
- Discussing extenuating or remarkable circumstances which impacted your education or extracurricular activities.
- Discussing learning differences which impacted your education.
We’ll cover each of these in more detail, to explain what this looks like. First however, here are the things you definitely should not include in this section:
- Additional writing. This is not a place to put a second personal statement, and doing so will not help you.
- Anything included elsewhere; if you already tell colleges a piece of information somewhere else, there’s no need to include it here as well.
- Anything college specific. As with the rest of the Common App, the additional information section goes out to every college you apply to, and should not contain individualized information.
- Portfolios. If you want to include a sampling of your artistic work, there are other places provided by colleges for doing so.
Finally, check out the examples to see what these statements should look like.
Additional Activities and Honors
The ten activities and five honors are sufficient for most students, but some high schoolers have done more that they want to share with colleges. In these cases, you can use the additional information section.
Do not feel bad if you do not have overflow activities, or don’t fill out the activities list completely. Most students will not need to use the additional information section this way.
If you add activities here, try to format them similarly to the activities list; including the name of the activity, when and for how long you participated, and what your involvement entailed. These can be very brief, just as they are on the activities list. Do not repeat activities between the list and the additional info section.
Medical Issues
If your academic achievement or participation in extracurriculars was negatively impacted by health circumstances, you can include that information here. This can include your own injury or illness, or those of a family member. If you touch on these circumstances in another essay, it’s less important to include them here.
This should be written as an essay response, but not as flowery as the personal statement. It should be brief, factual, to the point, and include all relevant details. Did you miss school? Are there ongoing health concerns? How were your academics and extracurriculars impacted? These are important questions to consider and answer if writing about health events.
Example
My unusual academic progression was the result of severe medical challenges that forced me to adapt both the timeline and methods of my schooling. In this section, I hope to provide some context for these events.
Numerous diagnostic visits and tests with medical specialists and physical therapists provided no clues to the cause of my ill health. I returned in the fall with the hope that accommodations in classes and minimal extracurricular involvement would allow me to, at the very least, complete the year. However, my symptoms flared up with a vengeance. Fatigue and constant infection once again impaired my ability to keep up, and by November, I had only attended around one third of classes. At this time, no treatments had yet been started and I was not improving. At the suggestion of the principal, I went on indefinite medical leave as a means to rest and recover before completing my courses.
The strong side effects of the antibiotics and the adjustment to the infusions left me unable to accomplish any coursework during the spring. However, by the summer, I was beginning to see steady improvement. At the end of the summer, I was ready to recommence my classes. However, given that my condition was still unpredictable, and that returning to school for regular class would place me in a high-risk environment for illness, my family and I decided that my best option would be to complete my classes online, from home, while coordinating college preparation with faculty. I postponed college applications to ensure that I would be ready to give my all when accepted.
Academic Challenges
Many students face academic challenges in high school. Colleges are aware of this, and are willing to give students the benefit of the doubt, but an added note in the additional information section addressing this is helpful. Admissions officers only know what you tell them.
A succinct essay describing the academic challenges you faced, and how you turned them around, is the best approach. Note that this should not be used to try and explain away every bad grade, but instead to address trends, like low grades in a year or semester, especially early on in highschool if you showed marked improvement since then. Owning up to past mistakes and showing the maturity to advance past them is something colleges can appreciate.
Example
By the time I accepted I had fallen behind in my other classes, I was paralyzed with dread. Instead of doing what I would now-reach out for help, go to tutoring, organize myself better-I withdrew and kept my struggles to myself.
I felt like I was barely keeping my head above water: there was such a backlog of missed assignments that I couldn’t catch up. And because my school only offered pre-AP and AP courses, I could not drop down a level to get a handle on things.
By sophomore year, I felt like I’d dug myself too deep and my ego would not let me admit I was struggling. At that time, a C and an A felt the same to me as I felt like I was not in control of my academic life. Everything seemed to be going downhill during that time, and I constantly felt out of place.
Extenuating Circumstances
This is the broadest category, as it encompasses anything which impacts your situation, and your ability to complete your school work and participate in extracurricular activities. Colleges evaluate applications in context, and if your circumstances precluded you from participating fully in the opportunities available to you, they want to know, so they can evaluate your application accordingly.
If you had to change schools, deal with extenuating personal circumstances, or were otherwise interrupted in your education, describe how here. Here are some examples from students we have worked with through our Laurel Scholars program:
- If you were a primary or secondary caregiver for your siblings because your parents had to work, or had other obligations.
- If you had to work to financially support your family.
- If you were unable to participate in certain extracurriculars due to financial constraints or family obligations.
- If your education was disrupted due to unusual circumstances (school closures, teachers being fired, or other disruptions).
- If you had to change schools or countries to continue to be able to pursue your education.
- If you had to learn English during high school.
Admissions officers want to see what you have accomplished in light of your circumstances; the more opportunities you have the more they expect of you. Conversely, the more setbacks there were between you and success, the more impressive your achievements become in context.
You should describe these in a straightforward and factual essay. This isn’t the personal statement, and there is no need for flowery language. Instead, simply describe your circumstances as they were, and explain how they impacted your education.
Example
While I have not participated in as many extracurricular activities as I would like, I have taken care of my younger siblings. Since my father passed away last year, I’ve taken on 10 hours per week of childcare duties, including feeding, bathing, changing diapers, and taking my siblings for medical appointments. These commitments took time I would otherwise use to advance my academic standing.
Learning Differences
This includes any difficulties you have in the classroom due to documented learning differences. As with medical issues, you should explain these succinctly in a factual essay, and explain how they have impacted your academic career thus far. This isn’t a chance to explain away every bad grade, but to put what may otherwise be perceived as poor performance in a more complete light.
The Covid-19 Additional Information Section
There is a second, shorter, additional information section which allows you to describe any impacts the Covid pandemic and the associated lockdowns had on your education. As with the regular additional information section, this is completely optional. It is not mandatory to fill it out, and there is no harm in leaving this section blank.
The Covid pandemic impacted almost everyone, and in similar ways. You do not need to report that your school went remote, or that grades or activities for 2020 may have been disrupted. Instead, use this to report on any disruptions caused by Covid which are outside of the general experience.
This can include personal illness, or that of a family member, extended disruptions caused by Covid, or unusual circumstances which you underwent due to the pandemic. As with the other additional information section, this should be presented as a factual recounting of events in essay form, describing what happened and how it impacted you.
Final Thoughts
College admissions officers at top schools evaluate your applications holistically. This means they consider your entire application to see what you have accomplished, and weigh your achievements in light of your circumstances. Just as you won’t lose points for not taking AP classes at a school that doesn’t offer any, so too will you not be penalized for other circumstances outside your control – as long as admissions officers know about them.
We hope this article has given you the insight you need to properly explain your unique circumstances to admissions officers. While the additional information section is truly optional, it can allow you to provide colleges with much needed context for your achievements in high school.
Applying to college is always a challenge, but it’s easier if you know what admissions officers are looking for. Our experts have a long experience helping students prepare, and we’re always happy to help them achieve their collegiate goals. Schedule a free consultation today to learn how we can help you!
