There are two OPTIONAL writing sections on the Common App beyond the main essay, and for the first year in a long time, changes were just announced. First, these are TOTALLY OPTIONAL. You do not have to answer these questions. For school-specific supplements, I rarely say “optional”; I say opportunity! However, the Additional Information & new Challenges & Circumstances questions (explained below) are DEFINITELY optional! In general, admissions officers tell us that if there’s something they SHOULD know about you to consider your application, tell them! If there’s additional information – good or bad – that provides important context, you can include it. Don’t use these sections to reiterate what you’ve already shared elsewhere in the application.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION question – previously 650 words, you now have 300 words max. For transfer students, the limit is now 1,500 characters max (previously 3,500 characters). Again, this is additional information – one grade you earned that doesn’t represent your potential; an activity where the limited space provided doesn’t allow you to fully explain; special learning programs you’ve completed, like Dual Enrollment or IB; etc.
COMMUNITY DISRUPTION QUESTION RENAMED “CHALLENGES & CIRCUMSTANCES” (still 250 words max or 1,250 characters for transfer apps) – During the pandemic, they added a “COVID-19 Question” – basically, the pandemic happened, were you significantly affected? That morphed into the “Community Disruption Question,” expanding to natural disasters, etc. This year, they’re calling it “Challenges and Circumstances” and listed a bunch of things that may apply. Personally, I wish they’d left this open-ended OR just combined it with the Additional Information question for a number of reasons. First, when students see a list, they take it literally and wonder if their reason is good enough or serious enough. Also, these optional questions FOLLOW your main essay in the Common App, so why not just make it ONE optional space to explain anything additional you need to share? My advice: If there’s something significant that challenged you and affected you academically or otherwise, talk about it!
That’s all for now. Join me at an upcoming FREE Intro or group class to set your writing into motion! Click here to grab your spot!
