Covid question on the common app

Groundwork2022
Wed, 05 Aug 2020 17:21:56 +0000

No, it will not look bad to leave this blank.

It appears to be a question for those whose learning was deeply impacted, whether because of special circumstances or lack of access to the appropriate tech services or equipment. In fact, I would use this space carefully, if at all. By all means, use it to report the covid-caused death of a loved one or how you had to e-learn on your cell phone… very serious stuff. You don’t want to use it to render an excuse for poor grades or lack of/stoppage of extracurriculars and why you couldn’t earn X award as you had planned. That could backfire.

For those unfamiliar with the question, it reads as follows:

Community disruptions such as COVID-19 and natural disasters can have deep and long-lasting impacts. If you need it, this space is yours to describe those impacts. Colleges care about the effects on your health and well-being, safety, family circumstances, future plans, and education, including access to reliable technology and quiet study spaces.

Do you wish to share anything on this topic? Y/N
Please use this space to describe how these events have impacted you.
The question will be optional and will appear in the Additional Information section of the application. The response length will be limited to 250 words.