The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped the educational journeys of millions of students. For applicants working on their Common App essays, the question is not whether the pandemic mattered—but how to talk about it effectively. Admissions officers already know that COVID-19 disrupted school, sports, testing, and daily life. What they want to understand is how you experienced it and what it reveals about your character, growth, and perspective.
TLDR: If you mention the pandemic in your Common App essay, focus on personal growth rather than general hardship. Be specific about your experience, avoid clichés, and show reflection instead of simply describing disruption. Use optional sections strategically if COVID-19 affected your academics. Above all, remember the essay is about you—not the pandemic itself.
Should You Even Mention the Pandemic?
Before diving into phrasing and structure, start with an important question: Is the pandemic central to your story?
Because COVID-19 affected nearly everyone, simply stating that classes went online or activities were canceled will not distinguish your application. Admissions readers have reviewed thousands of essays referencing lockdown, Zoom fatigue, and isolation. To stand out, you must offer something more personal and specific.
Consider mentioning the pandemic if:
- It significantly changed your academic trajectory.
- You assumed new responsibilities at home.
- You launched an initiative in response to emerging needs.
- You experienced measurable growth or a shift in perspective.
- It deeply influenced your intended field of study.
Avoid centering your essay on the pandemic if your story would be equally strong—or stronger—without it. Sometimes the best essays focus on smaller, more personal moments that reveal depth and introspection.
Shift the Focus: From Global Crisis to Personal Insight
The pandemic is a global event. Your essay should not read like a news recap. Instead of writing broadly about lockdown statistics or nationwide challenges, narrow your focus to a specific moment.
Less effective:
- The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the world and caused unprecedented hardship.
More effective:
- On a quiet April morning, my debate team disbanded over a glitchy Zoom call, and I realized how much I relied on that community.
See the difference? The second example brings the reader into a personal experience. It uses vivid detail and shows emotional impact.
When discussing COVID-19, remember this guiding principle: Colleges are not evaluating the pandemic—they are evaluating you.
Highlight Growth, Not Just Struggle
Struggle alone does not make for a compelling essay. Growth does.
Many applicants describe feeling isolated, unmotivated, or anxious during lockdown. These feelings are valid—but your essay becomes powerful when you explore how you responded or changed.
Examples of growth-oriented framing:
- When my robotics season was canceled, I began teaching myself coding through open-source projects.
- Supervising my younger siblings during remote learning strengthened my patience and leadership.
- The uncertainty of 2020 prompted me to keep a daily journal, which reshaped how I process emotions.
Notice how each example points toward development: new skills, increased responsibility, or personal reflection.
If your academic performance declined during COVID, avoid defensiveness. Instead of blaming circumstances, briefly explain and emphasize recovery:
- My grades dipped during virtual learning as I adjusted to caring for my grandmother, but returning to in-person classes allowed me to rebuild strong study systems and regain focus.
This kind of statement demonstrates maturity and accountability.
Use the Additional Information Section Strategically
The Common App provides an Additional Information section specifically for context. If the pandemic disrupted your transcript, testing schedule, or extracurricular involvement, you may not need to devote your personal statement to it.
Use this section if:
- Standardized tests were postponed multiple times.
- You lacked access to reliable internet or technology.
- Family illness significantly affected your time or emotional capacity.
- You had to relocate or work to support your household.
Keep this section factual and concise. Save reflection and storytelling for your main essay.
Sample phrasing for the Additional Information section:
- During my junior year, my school operated remotely for eight months. Limited internet access required me to complete many assignments asynchronously.
- My father’s hospitalization due to COVID-19 led me to assume increased caregiving responsibilities from October through December.
No dramatics. No embellishment. Admissions officers appreciate clarity.
Avoid Common Pitfalls
Even strong writers sometimes fall into predictable traps when addressing the pandemic. Here are common mistakes to avoid:
1. Overgeneralization
Avoid sweeping claims like “Everyone struggled a lot during COVID”. Focus on specifics. What did you personally feel, do, or learn?
2. Excessive Negativity
An essay centered entirely on what was lost can feel heavy. While it is okay to acknowledge difficulty, end on forward momentum.
3. Cliché Language
Phrases such as “new normal,” “unprecedented times,” and “we’re all in this together” are overused. Choose concrete imagery instead.
4. Making Excuses
Context is appropriate. Excuses are not. Take ownership of your journey wherever possible.
When the Pandemic Sparked a Passion
For some students, COVID-19 shaped academic interests in profound ways. Perhaps you became fascinated by public health, data science, psychology, or education reform.
If the pandemic influenced your intended major, connect personal experience to intellectual curiosity.
Example:
- Tracking infection rates in my county became more than a daily ritual—it introduced me to epidemiological modeling. I began analyzing trends using spreadsheet simulations, ultimately leading me to pursue biostatistics.
This approach moves beyond emotional reaction into intellectual engagement.
Colleges respond positively when students demonstrate initiative sparked by real-world events.
Balancing Honesty and Perspective
Authenticity matters. If the pandemic was painful or destabilizing, you do not need to minimize that. However, balance honesty with perspective.
Ask yourself:
- What did this teach me about resilience?
- How did my relationships change?
- What did I discover about my learning style?
- How did uncertainty shape my future goals?
Your answers will form the foundation of a reflective essay rather than a reactive one.
Sample Phrases You Can Adapt
Below are adaptable phrases that maintain specificity while emphasizing growth and reflection:
- The stillness of quarantine forced me to confront parts of myself I had long ignored.
- When my orchestra rehearsals shifted online, I learned to practice independently rather than rely on group momentum.
- Balancing remote school with part-time work at my family’s store reshaped my understanding of responsibility.
- Although isolation felt suffocating at first, it eventually became a space for experimentation—coding, painting, and questioning who I wanted to become.
- The uncertainty of 2020 taught me to value adaptability over perfect planning.
Notice that each phrase connects experience with insight. That connection is what admissions officers seek.
If Everyone Writes About It, Can You Still Stand Out?
Yes—but only if your essay feels deeply personal.
Remember that admissions officers read for voice and self-awareness. Two students can describe the same canceled event, yet one essay may feel vibrant and introspective while the other sounds generic.
To stand out:
- Use sensory details (sounds, images, sensations).
- Focus on one defining moment rather than an entire year.
- Show internal change.
- End with forward-looking momentum.
An essay that concludes with renewed purpose leaves a stronger impression than one that ends in unresolved frustration.
Final Thoughts: The Pandemic Is Context, Not Identity
It is tempting to frame COVID-19 as the defining event of your high school years. In many ways, it was. But colleges are not admitting a “pandemic applicant.” They are admitting thinkers, leaders, creators, and learners.
Whether you mention the pandemic briefly or build your narrative around it, ensure the essay ultimately answers a deeper question: Who are you becoming?
The strongest Common App essays demonstrate reflection, growth, and a sense of direction. If the pandemic played a meaningful role in shaping those qualities, then write about it with clarity and purpose. If not, trust that your story contains other powerful material.
Either way, your essay should leave readers understanding not just how you survived a global crisis—but how you evolved because of it.
