My general answer to this is no for multiple reasons. First, the essay should reflect who you are outside of this short period of time in your life (unless it greatly impacted your life in an indelible way). We should get a snapshot of your personality and character separate from the past 6 months. Second, there is a risk of trend saturation as many students will feel tempted to write about this. 

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. To find out if you should write about Coronavirus in your personal essay, see how you’d answer the questions below.

Has Covid-19 impacted your life in a major way that was unique to you?

Yes.

If you lost someone close to you, faced a dire hospitalization, or experienced another life-altering result from Corona, I would encourage you to write about it. Even if you don’t end up using it as your final Common App essay, writing about your traumatic experience could prove healing. Remember to show us how you overcame (or are in the process of overcoming) the hardship so the essay isn’t solely focused on the negative.

Not really. 

Because the pandemic has hit communities so differently around the world, you want to be sensitive to the scope of tragedy and mindful of how many other people may have had the same exact experience. There’s no doubt Corona impacted everyone’s lives on a certain level, from disrupting your education to exacerbating mental health issues. If you felt isolated at home and miss your friends as a support system, that sucks certainly and merits talking to a therapist, but has that experience changed who you are or your plans after Covid-19? If not, it’s better to choose an experience that encapsulates who you are rather than your brief circumstances.

Has it changed how you see the world? 

Absolutely.

If so, consider writing about it for a supplement. Maybe you discovered a passion for baking or realized you want to be on the front lines of healthcare. These revelations make for better shorter essays that can work well for a supplement like “Why this Major?” I don’t recommend this for the Common App personal essay because the tricky part of writing about something so recent is you might come across as wishy-washy. Admissions officers want to see commitment, and that’s difficult to show when you just discovered this new passion and haven’t had enough time to devote to it long-term. 

No, but I’ve started an amazing non-profit inspired by the tragedy in my spare time.

Nice, that sounds impressive! But maybe because it’s so recent that type of accomplishment might work better in the Common App Activities List, especially if it’s brand new and you don’t have enough to say about it for a 250-word supplement.

Did it impact your grades or raise any other red flags on your application? 

Yes.

If yes, consider writing about it for the Additional Information section in the Common App, which is an underutilized 650-word extra essay opportunity primarily created to explain any discrepancies in your application. That way, you can keep your Common App essay as a separate topic altogether that is more reflective of who you are as a whole versus this one critical time everyone is going through. 

The Final Answer: It Depends

I urge you to not let these extenuating circumstances define you. You are an individual and admissions officers want to see you highlight all your unique traits and experiences that would make you the perfect fit for your perfect school. Not only is it just a better way to present yourself, but you will be more likely to stand out too. While this time of Covid-19 may be rife with unexpected frustrations, twists, and turns, your story risks becoming a part of the masses as the admissions officers will gloss over another essay about quarantine.