So I was adopted at the age of ten from a pretty rough background, would it be a good idea to write my common app essay about it? The prompt was “Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.”
If this is a story that you want to share, then yes, it would be a very good idea.
Remember that admissions readers want to learn about you, the future student. A narrative about rough times eight years ago will be very interesting but make sure the essay shows how those times and events shaped the person you are today.
Agree, it could be a great topic. Just be sure to not make it sound like a “woe is me” essay – keep the emphasis on you, what you have learned by going through the process, how it has shaped you as a person, impacted your goals, etc.
Emphasizing the importance of where you are now & where you are going. To quote another poster responding to a similar question, this isn’t therapy: the adcomms want to know who they are getting, and an origin story should bring who you are now to the fore.
I think you should absolutely give it a shot-- write a rough draft and see how it looks.
So many kids, like my son, were adopted as infants. But your story is different. I would imagine you have a real appreciation of family and of nurturing that so many kids take for granted. And I would imagine that the rough background you came from might give you an appreciation of the need for education-- for so many kids from those rough backgrounds, education is the only way out.
I would absolutely at least try this essay.
But remember, the focus is not on the past, it’s on giving the reader a reason to say yes to your application. Show them how your history has made you into a person they want on campus.