The additional information section is such a small (optional) portion of the college application, and yet still, if used strategically and correctly, it’s actually one of those things that can play a big role in how your application is reviewed in context.
While reviewers receive information about your school’s academic and extracurricular profile before encountering your application, there are often situationally specific details left out that could make a difference in a reader’s understanding of you. This could mean the teacher of a higher level course going on maternity leave, a house fire that rocked your world, the death of a loved one, or anything that changed your plan in a major way. Admissions officers won’t know unless you tell them, and in some cases, it may help your case to tell them.
Still, students ask us all the time if there is a “wrong kind” of answer to the additional information section, and the answer is yes! Unless you have something meaningful to contribute to your application through this section, don’t use it! This is not the kind of situation where colleges are expecting a surprise personal statement. The additional information section is purely a place for students to briefly note extenuating circumstances or include anything important that just wouldn’t fit elsewhere in the application.
As a team that prioritizes an understanding of every student’s unique circumstances in advising, we’re well aware that this blog couldn’t possibly address the full spectrum of reasons to use the additional information section. In any case, we still hope it answers the initial questions you have and opens the door to a free package consultation with a team member to discuss your unique circumstances and how we might help.
How Colleges Use The Additional Information Section
One major way the additional information section is used is as a bridge of understanding between your transcript and your choices. When evaluating your transcripts, admissions officers examine course progression and grade trends by year. They notice when core subjects disappear, when rigor changes dramatically, or when there are unexplained gaps. The additional information section can help them understand these patterns within the broader context of your life, and as a result, gives them the tools to advocate for you in the admissions process.
When Not to Use the Additional Information Section
Every now and then, students come to us feeling the need to use the additional information section to explain why they, a perfect straight A student, had a B+ on their transcript, and we’re here to tell you to resist the temptation. While this experience tends to feel deeply significant to the student, in terms of the broader application pool, it isn’t and actually might just annoy an admissions officer. They don’t need some long-winded explanation about how rounding ruined your perfect GPA, how you just barely didn’t do as well as you’d needed to on a test, etc.
Colleges read this section looking for explanations of transcript anomalies, not excuses. They don’t want to hear about how close you were to an A over a B, how harsh a certain teacher was, or how you couldn’t take challenging coursework because of your extracurricular schedule. Admissions officers expect normal challenges. Colleges know that families have crises or health issues, that schools experience changes that impact their students, and that’s why they give you the space to acknowledge how your personal circumstances have been influenced by outside factors. Not to whine about commonplace issues.
You should also never use this section to make excuses or play the blame game. Additional information sections that criticize teachers or sound like complaints are actually more likely to hurt your application. Similarly, you should avoid listing every challenge you’ve faced. You don’t want this to be a laundry list of hardship because it often just sounds like excuses rather than meaningful context. Remember, admissions officers expect normal teenage challenges and grade fluctuations; they don’t expect your house to burn down in your junior year, your parents to suffer a medical emergency, or for you to experience a major life-changing event. Context helps when you’ve experienced real challenges.
Best Practices
When filling out the additional information section, it’s important to keep your tone neutral, professional, and most of all, brief. This isn’t the time or place to write another essay. You should present the facts of your situation clearly and concisely, and always avoid airing personal grievances. The best responses to this section are those that follow this pattern: brief explanation of the circumstance, acknowledgement of its impact, and a description of how you addressed the challenge.
Especially in the case where you’re discussing a school-specific note— like for example a potential scheduling conflict that prevented your enrollment in a second desired course, a teacher retiring, or going on maternity leave— it helps to discuss how you worked around the problem. Did you find alternative ways to pursue your interests? Did you develop new study strategies? Keep a 300-day Duolingo streak, or enroll in an outside course? Sharing this information shows your resilience and passion for learning. It turns what could’ve been a weakness into a chance to demonstrate character. You’re showing you don’t just accept setbacks, and that you actually find ways to move forward and grow.