Utilizing the Additional Information Section
The Additional Information Section is an optional field that is available to every student who may want to share vital information that they were not able to share elsewhere in their application. It’s a space for you to share important contextual details for admission counselors to consider when reviewing other parts of your application. Know that this section has a 650- word limit and is sent to every school you choose on the Common Application. We hope this blog post allows you to understand how you can use this section. Here are some scenarios where using the Additional Information Section can be helpful for us to understand you better, if you feel comfortable sharing the information with us:
Explaining a dip or concerning trend in grades
We can’t know why your GPA went from a 4.0 to a 2.5 one semester—unless you tell us. You may have had a health concern, a family tragedy, a school switch, etc. and these can all be valid reasons for what we’re seeing on your transcript.
Sharing difficult personal circumstances (someplace other than your main essay)
Your family may have gone through a rough patch, there was a loss in your family that affected you, you experienced financial obstacles, homelessness, food insecurity, etc.— and maybe you don’t want to make this the topic of your personal statement.
Explaining childcare or family responsibilities
You care for a younger sibling, a family member with a disability or physical impairment, you are responsible for a sick parent or others in your home. Know that these can also be mentioned in your activity section, but perhaps you want to give us some more details.
Talking about a long-distance commute to and from school
Your commute may explain why you are not as involved in extracurriculars or struggled in a particular year or semester in school.
Telling us about physical or mental health challenges
Feel free to explain any chronic or short-lasting health or mental health problems that impacted your schooling, grades or involvement in activities.
Letting us know about having to move or change schools
If you have had a significant move or have moved around a lot, lay out a timeline for us to help connect some dots.
Here are a couple of things that the Additional Information Section should NOT be used for:
Links to portfolios, resumes, videos, extra writing samples, albums, etc. If you did not apply to a portfolio major, we do not need these items. In truth, we can’t click on links from our application viewers even if we wanted to check out your latest rock performance.
With the application, it’s always about quality over quantity! We ask for one personal statement and one short answer (unless your major requires more), so no extra essays, please. : )
More activities (or an extra explanation of your activities). Your activity summary was the perfect place to highlight your involvement, so please include that info there and not in the Additional Information Section.
Overall, the Additional Information Section is a place to share any important, sometimes personal, information that has not been shared elsewhere in your application. It can be a space to provide vital context that is critical to who you are and your life experiences.
Written by: Audrey Burba, Senior Assistant Director - USC Office of Admission