Should I include this in a COVID secondary essay?

[futureMD2321]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I'm writing the secondaries for Cornell and was wondering if this would be something beneficial to include in the optional COVID essay.

Prompt: If applicable, please tell us about any special circumstances related to COVID-19 that could help us understand you better (1525 character max)

I started college in Fall of 2020 (basically when COVID was still just beginning) and I couldn't get any volunteer activities cause all the hospitals still weren't letting them back into the hospital. Then I was planning to start volunteering sophomore year when the hospitals "reopened" but I had very significant health issues that started in September which prevented me from actually beginning those activities until very late in my sophomore year (around April).

Would it be a good idea to explain that this is why my activities look very junior/senior year heavy and mix the impact of COVID/health, or is it not really something I should include?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

If it's the truth, there's no reason why you shouldn't include it. What is your concern?

 

[futureMD2321]

If it's the truth, there's no reason why you shouldn't include it. What is your concern?

The prompt highlighted circumstances related to COVID so I just wasn't sure if it would be something that applied since only the first year of not being able to participate was due to COVID.

But I guess it makes sense that it would still be applicable cause it was stemming from COVID

 

[futureMD2321]

I'm conflicted for some of the essays that give you space to write anything else you'd want to include.

I was initially thinking of using some of them as a "why us" essay (only for the ones that didn't include one of those prompts in the main secondary), but I was also thinking it could be a good idea to include an explanation for why my volunteer and clinical activities began in junior year.

For context, my freshman year was 2020 when COVID was just starting and all the hospitals were closed off to volunteers as well as many other organizations that I was interested in. Then right at the start of sophomore year, I had significant health issues and surgeries that prevented my involvement throughout the entire year. Over the last two years I have had 150 hours of clinical volunteering and 100 hours of non-clinical volunteering

Would one of these be better to include than the other? My only concern was that it would potentially seem as if I was making an excuse for not starting activities sooner.

 

[deleted929944]

Well... if that were a legitimate concern, all of us career changers are/were doomed. I didn't start doing any of the stuff till I was 24. 26 when I matriculated. Got into several places. So in my case, it didn't hurt me any. YMMV.

 

[chilly_md]

OP, I have merged your threads. Please do not make multiple threads on the same topic in order to allow posters to best help you.