The Additional Information Section
Caution indeed. The additional information section of the Common Application is not to be taken lightly. Too many students misuse it to their detriment. It is not the place to complain about your teachers, give your political hot takes, make excuses for past grades, or extend answers to supplemental essays which already provide you a word limit. If they give you 250 words to explain why you want to attend a school, it would not be wise to add on to that answer in the additional information section an extra 650 words. It is certainly not the place to pitch to admissions officers why they should admit you or your hot new business idea. Nor is it the place to include quirky things about yourself.
There are three valid usages of the additional information section:
1. Including Additional Significant Activities
If you participated in non-trivial activities during high school that couldn't fit in the 10 slots provided in the activity list, you can include them here. These should be activities with quantifiable achievements, such as:
Winning prizes or awards
Raising substantial amounts of money
Being accepted into selective extracurricular programs (even if you couldn't attend)
Doing supervised research
Important: This should not be written as an essay. Instead, replicate the exact format of the activities list by indexing your first additional activity as activity 11, and including:
150-character descriptions for each activity or prize
100 characters for organization names
50 characters for leadership positions
Hours per week and weeks per year
Grade levels of participation
2. Elaborating on Exceptional Achievements
You can use this section to provide more context about truly significant accomplishments. This might include:
Details about research that led to publication in a legitimate academic journal (not a high school publication)
Abstracts for different papers you published
Information about major competitions you won
Context for nationally recognized achievements
If you accomplished something truly exceptional for a high school student, you can use this section to explain it in a straightforward, factual way. Provide the information admissions officers need to fully understand the significance of your achievement without being boastful. In other words, if you have a truly well developed strength which has manifested in significant accomplishments, you can use the additional information section to lean into it.
3. Explaining Unusual Circumstances or Challenges
If you experienced serious life events that affected your academic performance, this section allows you to provide context. Such circumstances might include:
Death of a parent or close family member
Serious illness or prolonged hospitalization
Chronic health conditions
Other exceptional hardships that impacted your education
The key is to be factual and straightforward. Admissions officers aren't looking for an emotional essay here, they want a clear explanation of what happened and how it affected your academic record. Be incredibly specific and unambiguous.
Using the Additional Information Section Effectively
The additional information section should be used judiciously and only when truly necessary. Remember these guidelines:
Be concise: Even though there's a 650-word limit, use only what you need
Be specific: Provide concrete details rather than vague statements
Be honest: Don't exaggerate circumstances or achievements
Be relevant: Only include information that gives important context not found elsewhere in your application
What NOT to Include
To avoid misusing this valuable space, do not include:
Redundant information already covered in your application
Minor excuses for grades or test scores
Personal statements that belong in other sections
Creative writing samples
Lengthy explanations of every activity you've done
You can include in the additional information section information pertaining to not just one of these categories, but all three of them.
If you want to ensure you aren’t doing anything that will hurt your chances of getting into your dream college, schedule a complimentary consultation with an admissions expert today.
