This definitely impacted both their grades, and their Regents scores (listed on their transcript) were abysmal. They have a decent upward trajectory since. I know some schools don’t even look at Freshman year grades, but their guidance counselor has 300+ kids to cover and doesn’t know my kid THAT well enough to write about it on their behalf.
Your situation seams unique so IMO yes, but you write it as a fact, not an excuse.
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Thank you. They wrote a draft, and they certainly injected some humor into it too so hopefully it hits the right way.
Just to clarify…first year of HS would be fall 2021 through spring 2022, correct? So Fall 2021 being 18 months or so after start of pandemic, after vaccines were available? Why was your DS living in a hotel at the start of HS? And for how long?
If he must write about this in the community disruption essay, I would keep it short and focused on how many days he missed school due to illness…to me, it’s more of a medical reason for missing school/assignments/class discussion/quizzes/tests rather than a pandemic disruption, especially if the second bout of covid impacted finals and/or he missed finals/regents at the end of freshman year. I would keep in mind that most students have missed some HS days because of covid.
I understand the HS counselor has a high caseload, but if they are writing a LoR, I would let them know your S wrote about this, and ask them to also include in their LoR.
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If you want specifics, yes, they were vaccinated twice (as was I but also had COVID twice). We were in a hotel because of job loss due to the pandemic. We made it through for a while using savings and then had to leave our apartment (we live in a major city and rented). We were in a hotel starting in August before their freshman year and then through their first semester freshman year. It was a very, very tough time for all of us, but we are in a much better place now.
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I am really sorry your family had to go through this. It sounds like you did a wonderful job holding down the fort best you could.
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Happy to hear this.
I would definitely address this somewhere in his app…doesn’t matter if it’s in the community disruption essay (250 words max) or addt’l info section (650 words max)…if he needs more words don’t hesitate to put it in addt’l info section. Not sure I see how one could use humor to address this if staying focused on the facts…no need to share more details of his essay, just my thinking of someone who reads lots of apps.
It’s definitely appropriate to also discuss the covid case at the end of the year as well, as it sounds like it impacted finals and/or regents testing. I wasn’t saying to not address it, but I wanted to point out that most HSers have missed some school due to covid and/or other illnesses, that’s all…the key for your S seems to be in the end of year timing and impact on grades.
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Clearly there’s adversity here - and perhaps it’s a great essay topic - more along the lines of lost job, parents couldn’t afford to pay rent, and in addition to all I had to do school wise, our family had to move several times, including into a hotel.
Not sure I’d bring covid into that - one truly doesn’t know why a job was lost and covid actually helped with job security because the government was paying employers to keep employees on the payroll - so I might separate that part out.
Of course if having covid impacted tests - that to me is a different topic.
For covid, I’d be brief and factual.
I could see the hotel living a great adversity issue.
Most importantly, if your child came through all these challenges, they’re going to be fine in life - and if their grades are decent (not outstanding), there’s going to be great schools regardless.
Good luck.
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I would keep Covid out of it. Focus on the living in hotel etc. Almost everyone has had Covid multiple times so that’s not unique. From what I’ve read and heard colleges don’t want to hear about Covid.
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That’s not necessarily true. If Covid impacted finals/tests/quizzes grades it’s ok for a student to address that, same as any other illness.
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Address it briefly but don’t write the whole essay on it. It would be better to focus on the hardships that a job loss caused. Living in a hotel for a period of time is definitely a unique experience that most students won’t have. All of the college essay tutors I’ve watched say to steer away from covid.
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I stand by my rec above to address the covid and grades in the community disruption essay which is only 250 words. The hotel and living situation is better suited for the additional info section, where there is 650 word limit.
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I am sorry for these struggles of the past and wish everyone well.
There are also places in applications to indicate your family was displaced or homeless at any time. The FAFSA application also asks about this.
Make sure the counselor also indicated this occurred during high school.
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Meet with the counselor and ask her to address it in her cover letter. If there is still a Covid impact essay space available, state the facts of the matter there in a non-creative, stark manner. “My parents lost their jobs at the beginning of the pandemic. We had to move out of our home, into a hotel room. The four of us all lived out of a single hotel room for the first semester of my freshman year. I had difficulty finding a private or quiet space to do schoolwork. In addition, I was sick with Covid twice during my freshman year.”
When there is true adversity, you don’t want to joke about it, embellish it, or write creatively about it. The plain facts are striking enough.
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This makes sense. Thank you.
What constitutes abysmal? If your child has WA’s those are state waivers because no exam was given. If your child has WGs that means that an exam was given, he scored between a 50-64, and was given a special appeals waiver. if you think they can benefit from a retake, have student retake the exam in summer school. WHen they run the transcript only the highest scores will show
Thank you. They have two WAs from the year prior when they were in middle school, and scored in the upper 60s on the two given freshman year. I was told they could have their regent’s exam scores removed from their transcript if they wish. Any thoughts on pros or cons about that?
This sounds like a situation that your counselor should be writing about in his/her letter; the family was in transitional housing, 2021/22 student was just starting high school, adjusting to high school while dealing with possible learning loss from the pandemic (how did your son fare through remote learning?)
I would not have it be the main essay because most students in the country were on remote learning during the school year 2020-2021 (when your child was in 8th grade and returned during 2021-2022).
Schools provided AIS and resources upon return to school (tutoring for everyone increased compensatory services for SWDs etc.). What will differentiate his COVID story that will be different from students who lost parents/grandparents, families with job loss?
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I would agree with everyone who said to leave “covid” out of the essays.
IMO, unless you are from outer space, it will be assumed any hardship experienced during 2020-2023 will be in some shape or form related to covid/pandemic.
In OP’s case, job loss and homeless already will make compelling adversity topic without even explicitly mentioning covid in the essay.
Also, as you know, people have varied experiences during the pandemic and last thing you want is to trigger a negative emotion in the Reader and get rejected.
Like the story “The Death of Ivan Llyich”, so much can be written on the pain and suffering of cancer without ever mentioning the word.
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