I have some context regarding health and family that I feel is necessary for my application. The only problem is, I have no idea how to write about it in the additional information section. Should I approach it like another essay, and make it well written, like a narrative, etc? Or should I just lay out all the information factually? I tried looking online for sample essays but couldn’t find much. If anyone has any advice, I’d be super grateful. Thanks!
Keep anything in the additional information short and fact based. Admissions officers are not looking for additional essays to read.
As noted in your other thread, talk to your guidance counselor and see if they could include some information in the LOR so it will come from an unbiased third party.
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My student kept it brief (well below whatever the word limit is) and factual : this was the issue, this is how it was addressed, this is how you can see the successful outcome. They did also ask the counselor to mention it in their letter, but as some colleges don’t use LORs we felt more comfortable having the info in the common app.
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My kid has a health issue and literally wrote 4 lines. We provided info for the guidance counselor to include in what he sent, as well, because there were absences and also some online classes to explain.
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Facts. Keep it straightforward…only what is needed to place your grades, rigor, activities in context. Avoid excessive emotion or blaming others (family, teachers, etc.)
Agree. And, even if a student asks a counselor to put it in their LoR, the student has no control over how it might be covered, if at all.
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We provided the content for the GC!
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Yes, lots of students/parents do. That doesn’t mean it makes it into the LoR and/or in its original form, that’s all I was saying.
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Get the word “essay” out of your mind. It is not a place to give them another essay. It’s a space to give additional information that is important to understanding your app.
If it’s not actually quite important to your overall picture, think twice before adding it. If you’re trying to explain that you got a B one semester due to health issue (out of school sick for a week), that is probably not worth explaining. If you are explaining that you have a serious health issue that caused you to miss 12 or 18 or 23 days of school, thus significantly affecting your grades, and that the issue is now being managed properly, that is probably worth explaining.
Additional information can also be used to explain something more complex which can’t be fully addressed in the app anywhere else. For instance, you are a primary caregiver for a younger sibling, or a bedridden adult. Maybe you have to work nearly full time job hours to support the family because your parent is chronically ill. Or you are a very serious athlete who travels extensively for your competition.
Don’t use additional information for anything that might come across as sounding like an excuse. As others have said, keep it factual and short.
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Your comment that the space on the application is for “information” and not an “essay’ is the perfect way to frame it.
If you are explaining that you have a serious health issue that caused you to miss 12 or 18 or 23 days of school, thus significantly affecting your grades
My kid was out for a substantial amount of time but still maintained their grades. Just clarifying that it is still worthwhile to put the absence and reason for it (no need to be specific if you don’t want to reveal details do “for health reasons” is fine). And I would avoid explaining a dip in grades. Just give brief info on absences. Admissions can make the connection to a dip in grades or the GC can. You don’t want to make excuses, just provide neutral info.
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