Advice Needed: Common App Transfer Essay

Hi guys!

This is my first post, so bear with me.

I attended a four year university in Washington State for my first year of college (2014-2015) and ended up hating it. As a result, my grades slipped and I moved to Los Angeles (where my sister lives) at the end of the year and am currently attending community college to work on my grades. Now, I am in the middle of submitting transfer applications and need advice on writing the essay.

The whole reason why I left my university in Washington is because of cultural differences with the students which caused me to have really bad depression. The essay asks you to explain your reason for transferring and I want to be as honest as possible. So, how do I go about explaining such a difficult topic in the essay without being negative towards my previous institution?

Also, I have already explained the circumstances in the “Additional Information” area.

Thanks for your input!

Maybe if you can put a positive spin on it like you believe you will love being a student here and as a resident you like people here etc. I’d be cautious about anything that might come off like you just don’t get along well with others, not saying that’s your situation. whst do you mean by cultural differences?