Addressing Community Disruptions In Your Application
In June of 2020, our Dean of Admission, along with hundreds of other Admission leaders, signed a letter in support of college applicants prioritizing taking care of themselves and others during the COVID-19 global pandemic. More than two years later, we are still battling COVID-19, not to mention working to combat racial injustice and inequities as well as facing bigger and more powerful fires, storms, and floods. While many of us have started to engage with school, work, and activities in ways that are reminiscent of 2019, we are still feeling the weight of the last 2.5 years. Now, more than ever, it is important to remember what was in that letter. It is important to remember to take care of yourself.
By now, you have likely started working on your Common Application, your personal statement, and maybe even your USC supplement. Just like it was in the pre-COVID era, USC’s application review process is holistic, and we take each applicant’s individual context into account. Our Admission Officers work hard to consider your entire application which includes where you come from, opportunities available to you at your school and in your community, and any other information you share with us about your background. The more you are comfortable sharing with us, the more we can understand your unique situation, because chances are if you don’t tell us, we won’t know!
When it comes to understanding the context of the last few years, we will read every application knowing that it potentially has been a tough period for everyone. Even if you choose not to say a word about it in your application, we’ll still do our best to figure out how you may have been impacted by the pandemic, by racial inequities, and/or by natural disasters, for example. To provide contextual information about your high school, your counselor will send us a School Profile with any changes to class scheduling, instruction modes (virtual/in-person/hybrid), and grading procedures (pass/no pass, credit/no credit, etc.). While these changes have no doubt been frustrating at times, know that they are not something unique to just your transcript. We have seen many pass/no pass (P/NP) grading systems on transcripts due to COVID teaching adjustments and will look at your academic performance before and after this sudden change. With that said, you may feel that your college application would not be complete without addressing some of your experiences during this time.
The team over at Common App added an optional question to the application to help you talk about the impact of these events:
“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? Yes/No
Please use this space to describe how these events have impacted you.”
This short answer question addressing community disruptions is optional, and will appear in the Additional Information section of the Common App tab of your application. If you choose to respond, you will have up to 250 words to describe how you were impacted by any such events without having to use your Personal Statement to do so.
You may choose to share how your academic goals were disrupted. Was there a class you really wanted to take, but couldn’t because your school switched to a block schedule? Perhaps going to school online surrounded by family members made it challenging to focus on your work, or it was difficult to find a quiet space to study. Or maybe you were just exhausted and needed that extra free period to keep yourself together.
It’s not just your academic life that has looked different, but your extracurricular experiences as well. We know that these opportunities have seen drastic schedule changes, and perhaps avenues to engage are fewer. It’s completely fine if your Activities Summary is not as robust as it looked a couple of years ago. Maybe those changes helped you find new passions, or maybe they were able to continue in new virtual ways. This is information we’d like to know, too.
We also know that your home lives have looked quite different than they have in the past. Perhaps you’ve held a job to help support your family? Or did you or a family member get sick and distract you from school? If you are comfortable sharing, please tell us about any of these unforeseen occurrences.
Overall, if you choose to answer the Common App “Community Disruptions” question, ask yourself: “What information would help someone better understand my personal experience from the last few years?” Know that anything you share with us will assist us in understanding how unforeseen events have affected your experiences in and outside of the classroom.
Remember though, this question is optional. If you feel that you don’t need or want to share anything with us, that’s okay too. As we always do, we will review all parts of your application in context. We have all been impacted by the events of the last 2.5 years, and whether you choose to respond to this question or not, we will assume that you are doing your best to make the most of the current situation that affects us all.
Written by: Cal Jensen, Assistant Director - USC Office of Admission