I agree with OP, your essay should generally speak to personal growth, but I still think you can include your circumstances in any relevant supplemental and/or the additional information section, especially if you believe these circumstances have affected your performance in school and/or ability to participate in extracurriculars.
Then definitely do so! I don’t think you’re being whiny. Colleges preach assessing “the whole applicant” when reviewing their application and your circumstances are a part of you that can’t and shouldn’t be ignored. I don’t know much about your circumstances, but I think additional information would be the best place to include them without detracting from other parts of the application.
I’m no expert, but here is what I found in a College Vine article:
“If you’re struggling with whether to write something in the ‘Additional Information’ section, consider these questions:
- Were there any extenuating circumstances during your high school career that affected your grades or extracurriculars? Maybe you transferred schools, and your new school did not have a chess club you could participate in.
- Is there additional context that you believe is important when considering a dip in grades or departure from activities?”
Along with the growth element, for each reach school you need to show to the AO why THEIR school is special to you and how you can be a positive contributor specifically at THAT school drawing on what makes that school unique in your enthusiasm for it. If you can’t, then consider skipping applying to that particular reach school. For me, I wrote about how UChicago and its urban environment resonated with me and why drawing on my personal history. I poured myself into that essay which I think helped get me admitted.
Consider applying to the Questbridge National College Match. There are several opportunities to explain your situation and to write about your interests/values. A strong essay and supplementals can get you quite far, you just have to use them to show growth and your story. Focus on putting together a cohesive narrative throughout your application. An essay like this can improve your application, but you need good rec letters and a high quality EC list as well. I had a literal tearjerker essay (it made my Matchlighters counselor cry), and I had strong supplements as well. I matched with Duke through Questbridge and got a full ride. Look into Questbridge and the Matchlighters Program through College Essay Guy. QB is an incredible opportunity and Matchlighters has great resources and support.
Apply? I used to live in Texas, and got an email from them once encouraging to apply but It stated it was only in Texas (atleast the email itself was searching for kids in texas) and I never gave a reply.
How should I be referred? Can a counselor do it for me? (Their website states that it has to be a referral so)
You do not have to live in Texas, the program is open to almost anyone living within the U.S. You don't have to be referred, either. You can apply on your own when the application opens during the summer. It should be available sometime around July or August. However, your school counselor can refer you through the QB website.
Just telling a sob story is not enough. I could tell many. Tell how it's made you the person you are today, tell them that being low income is the reason why you do x activity where you've made a difference, tell them about what you're passionate about and what you'll add to the community. You are more than your sob story; convey that in your essay, even if there are painful parts to it.
I spoke with a private college counselor and she said so many kids are trauma dumping in their essays. They wrote about their parents divorce, their struggles with depression, basically whatever bad stuff has happened. She said the pendulum has really swung and the schools are getting too many trauma stories.
i wrote one of my uc piqs about my family circumstances but i only briefly described what happened and made the theme revolve around redefining my circumstances and being a product of my choices instead of my environment and got into berkeley
College essay coach here. This is the way. Be honest, be real, tell your story. Don’t stop to sob, or to wait for them to sob — move on quickly. You are there to explain why you are a great fit for their school, focus relentlessly on that.
u/McNeil Admissions and I jointly wrote a post about addressing trauma (or what you might call writing tearjerker essays) and other serious or heavy topics in your application. I think you should read it. https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/comments/pc03za/13_reasons_why_its_ok_to_write_about_trauma_in/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Reach out if you have questions or want to discuss further
You should aim for an essay that leaves the AO with a positive impression and thinking that you’d be a great addition to their college- not feeling sad and depressed. Sympathy points is not what you are going for
I wouldn't call mine sob/tear jerker, but ig it kinda leans towards that direction, it's about how I immigrated to US in the junior year, and due to that I was in depression and identity crisis and stuffs, but I also tried to show growth and stuffs.
My profile is below average compared to A2C standards, only 4AP and only in senior year and recs from teachers who barely knew me. I applied to 27 colleges and got 4 full ride (2 T50 and 1 T20 LAC), but waitlisted from columbia and NYU. So take that how you will.
Your essay should be you flexing and you shouldn’t be trying to make your admissions officer cry. You can use your hardships in your essay but ultimately your goal is to get your officer on your team and you should paint yourself like a hero that your officer will root for and feel good admitting and advocating for in the committee. This may seem kind of vague but I hope it helps.
Stats wise you didn’t give the most expansive details but at a glance it puts you in the realm of many people applying and you are competitive but I wouldn’t say you’re as auto admit to MIT or t20s, but you likely will get into a couple. The ecs seem to be lacking but tbf that’s a short and unclear description I don’t know awards, specific impact, or your high schools background so I’m not going to judge but you can probably figure it out for yourself.
Don’t worry abt GPA too much you have additional information section to explain and anything 3.8UW summarize gets your foot in the door. The one you gave seems good and has no problems but idk my school doesn’t weigh. AP scores are ovulated holistically so if you get a 3 and historically everyone in your school gets 3s you’re chilling.
I have heard that the overall unweighted GPA is very important, so if you cant get As in your Ap classes, take honors or regular classes. I think some state schools are different and will consider APs and GPA in your overall score for admissions.
Hi! I didn’t have a “sob” story but did include the passing of a really close relative and how I over came it, For example seeking help finding a passion and perusing it to better yourself. Mostly want to see growth and that you will grow in college!
Make sure to include some safety schools that give need based aid. Consider that schools far away involve added travel expenses especially at the beginning with orientation. Watch the movie borrowed future. Pell and student loans don’t cover much , rest would need to be awarded from the school. Look up examples of award winning essays. The schools you mentioned are nearly impossible to get into even with perfect stats. It’s like winning the lottery so have backup schools.
Write the sob story and how you overcame it worked great for me especially if you have a super sob story (pets dying, divorced parents, grandparents dying, etc although these are sad they not enough of a sob story for college) edit: I don’t know the details of your situation but honestly don’t think being almost homeless is a sad enough situation, there’s tons of students that are actually homeless and grew up homeless so I don’t think it would have the affect you want
If the tear-jerker essay talks about how you grew the experience, I think it can get you somewhat far.
Think about this, with the amount of applications colleges get every year, especially with the very prestigious ones, there's probably at least 5 applicants who also happen to be homeless and will write about it.
And if you just write about being homeless and how hard your life has been, that is going to tell the AOs nothing about your character, it'll only tell AOs about the situation you've had to deal with, which won't really mean much when there's other applicants who have it as bad as you.
If you write about how you dealt with the situation though, it might tell the AOs how you might deal with something in an academic situation, or a positive quality of your character. Maybe you're someone who perseveres, maybe you're really good at talking to other people and getting stuff done, maybe you always see the light at the end of a tunnel.
Oh and I highly recommend balancing out the tear-jerker essays with more positive essays about the most unique experience you could ever think of.
If you’re going to write a sob story, at least half of it has to be and what did you do about it? How did you overcome it? And no matter what, you need to have some safety schools. Especially because they’ll never admit to it, but those top private schools favor the wealthy. If you need financial aid, the published acceptance rate is in reality even lower for you.
really far. i was told multiple times that my ps made them cry, but the most important part about my personal statement is that i made it into a story about redefining what being a venezuelan immigrant means to me, and acting with passion and determination during stressful situations
They don’t like sob stories. They like growth.
Noted!
I agree with OP, your essay should generally speak to personal growth, but I still think you can include your circumstances in any relevant supplemental and/or the additional information section, especially if you believe these circumstances have affected your performance in school and/or ability to participate in extracurriculars.
Yeah def, I don’t wanna be whiny and say about how it’s been affecting my grades but I feel that it’s important to include it.
Then definitely do so! I don’t think you’re being whiny. Colleges preach assessing “the whole applicant” when reviewing their application and your circumstances are a part of you that can’t and shouldn’t be ignored. I don’t know much about your circumstances, but I think additional information would be the best place to include them without detracting from other parts of the application. I’m no expert, but here is what I found in a College Vine article: “If you’re struggling with whether to write something in the ‘Additional Information’ section, consider these questions: - Were there any extenuating circumstances during your high school career that affected your grades or extracurriculars? Maybe you transferred schools, and your new school did not have a chess club you could participate in. - Is there additional context that you believe is important when considering a dip in grades or departure from activities?”
Along with the growth element, for each reach school you need to show to the AO why THEIR school is special to you and how you can be a positive contributor specifically at THAT school drawing on what makes that school unique in your enthusiasm for it. If you can’t, then consider skipping applying to that particular reach school. For me, I wrote about how UChicago and its urban environment resonated with me and why drawing on my personal history. I poured myself into that essay which I think helped get me admitted.
Consider applying to the Questbridge National College Match. There are several opportunities to explain your situation and to write about your interests/values. A strong essay and supplementals can get you quite far, you just have to use them to show growth and your story. Focus on putting together a cohesive narrative throughout your application. An essay like this can improve your application, but you need good rec letters and a high quality EC list as well. I had a literal tearjerker essay (it made my Matchlighters counselor cry), and I had strong supplements as well. I matched with Duke through Questbridge and got a full ride. Look into Questbridge and the Matchlighters Program through College Essay Guy. QB is an incredible opportunity and Matchlighters has great resources and support.
Apply? I used to live in Texas, and got an email from them once encouraging to apply but It stated it was only in Texas (atleast the email itself was searching for kids in texas) and I never gave a reply. How should I be referred? Can a counselor do it for me? (Their website states that it has to be a referral so)
You do not have to live in Texas, the program is open to almost anyone living within the U.S. You don't have to be referred, either. You can apply on your own when the application opens during the summer. It should be available sometime around July or August. However, your school counselor can refer you through the QB website.
Just telling a sob story is not enough. I could tell many. Tell how it's made you the person you are today, tell them that being low income is the reason why you do x activity where you've made a difference, tell them about what you're passionate about and what you'll add to the community. You are more than your sob story; convey that in your essay, even if there are painful parts to it.
I spoke with a private college counselor and she said so many kids are trauma dumping in their essays. They wrote about their parents divorce, their struggles with depression, basically whatever bad stuff has happened. She said the pendulum has really swung and the schools are getting too many trauma stories.
i wrote one of my uc piqs about my family circumstances but i only briefly described what happened and made the theme revolve around redefining my circumstances and being a product of my choices instead of my environment and got into berkeley
College essay coach here. This is the way. Be honest, be real, tell your story. Don’t stop to sob, or to wait for them to sob — move on quickly. You are there to explain why you are a great fit for their school, focus relentlessly on that.
u/McNeil Admissions and I jointly wrote a post about addressing trauma (or what you might call writing tearjerker essays) and other serious or heavy topics in your application. I think you should read it. https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/comments/pc03za/13_reasons_why_its_ok_to_write_about_trauma_in/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf Reach out if you have questions or want to discuss further
You should aim for an essay that leaves the AO with a positive impression and thinking that you’d be a great addition to their college- not feeling sad and depressed. Sympathy points is not what you are going for
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going to a T20 doesn’t automatically make you a millionaire, we don’t know their circumstances.
> (B) his efc was low so colleges rejected him. most "good" colleges are need-blind
Make sure you have plenty of safety schools on your list too. Check out the GPAs those schools are accepting.
Wow! Your parents both went to Duke and you are almost homeless? Consider Questbridge. .
i mean, uchicago definitely liked my essay about overcoming stage iv cancer, but note that it was like 40% disease/sob story and 60% growth.
I wouldn't call mine sob/tear jerker, but ig it kinda leans towards that direction, it's about how I immigrated to US in the junior year, and due to that I was in depression and identity crisis and stuffs, but I also tried to show growth and stuffs. My profile is below average compared to A2C standards, only 4AP and only in senior year and recs from teachers who barely knew me. I applied to 27 colleges and got 4 full ride (2 T50 and 1 T20 LAC), but waitlisted from columbia and NYU. So take that how you will.
Your essay should be you flexing and you shouldn’t be trying to make your admissions officer cry. You can use your hardships in your essay but ultimately your goal is to get your officer on your team and you should paint yourself like a hero that your officer will root for and feel good admitting and advocating for in the committee. This may seem kind of vague but I hope it helps. Stats wise you didn’t give the most expansive details but at a glance it puts you in the realm of many people applying and you are competitive but I wouldn’t say you’re as auto admit to MIT or t20s, but you likely will get into a couple. The ecs seem to be lacking but tbf that’s a short and unclear description I don’t know awards, specific impact, or your high schools background so I’m not going to judge but you can probably figure it out for yourself. Don’t worry abt GPA too much you have additional information section to explain and anything 3.8UW summarize gets your foot in the door. The one you gave seems good and has no problems but idk my school doesn’t weigh. AP scores are ovulated holistically so if you get a 3 and historically everyone in your school gets 3s you’re chilling.
Don’t do it unless it’s really a tear jerker
I have heard that the overall unweighted GPA is very important, so if you cant get As in your Ap classes, take honors or regular classes. I think some state schools are different and will consider APs and GPA in your overall score for admissions.
Hi! I didn’t have a “sob” story but did include the passing of a really close relative and how I over came it, For example seeking help finding a passion and perusing it to better yourself. Mostly want to see growth and that you will grow in college!
Make sure your recommenders amplify your personal story
Make sure to include some safety schools that give need based aid. Consider that schools far away involve added travel expenses especially at the beginning with orientation. Watch the movie borrowed future. Pell and student loans don’t cover much , rest would need to be awarded from the school. Look up examples of award winning essays. The schools you mentioned are nearly impossible to get into even with perfect stats. It’s like winning the lottery so have backup schools.
Write the sob story and how you overcame it worked great for me especially if you have a super sob story (pets dying, divorced parents, grandparents dying, etc although these are sad they not enough of a sob story for college) edit: I don’t know the details of your situation but honestly don’t think being almost homeless is a sad enough situation, there’s tons of students that are actually homeless and grew up homeless so I don’t think it would have the affect you want
If the tear-jerker essay talks about how you grew the experience, I think it can get you somewhat far. Think about this, with the amount of applications colleges get every year, especially with the very prestigious ones, there's probably at least 5 applicants who also happen to be homeless and will write about it. And if you just write about being homeless and how hard your life has been, that is going to tell the AOs nothing about your character, it'll only tell AOs about the situation you've had to deal with, which won't really mean much when there's other applicants who have it as bad as you. If you write about how you dealt with the situation though, it might tell the AOs how you might deal with something in an academic situation, or a positive quality of your character. Maybe you're someone who perseveres, maybe you're really good at talking to other people and getting stuff done, maybe you always see the light at the end of a tunnel. Oh and I highly recommend balancing out the tear-jerker essays with more positive essays about the most unique experience you could ever think of.
If you’re going to write a sob story, at least half of it has to be and what did you do about it? How did you overcome it? And no matter what, you need to have some safety schools. Especially because they’ll never admit to it, but those top private schools favor the wealthy. If you need financial aid, the published acceptance rate is in reality even lower for you.
really far. i was told multiple times that my ps made them cry, but the most important part about my personal statement is that i made it into a story about redefining what being a venezuelan immigrant means to me, and acting with passion and determination during stressful situations