<p>So I have had a really rough life since I was about 12 years old. My parents have been on-and-off since I was 8, and have been going back and forth through divorce processes since. My mother is mentally gone, was a former alcoholic and drug addict, and is mentally abusive to my father and I. She stole money from my dad a long time ago and put him into a lot of debt. I have also faced two family deaths during my high school career. My parents are finally getting a divorce by the time I am a senior and I am moving out with my dad in two months.
Unfortunately, her antics rose during my sophomore year, which negatively affected my GPA (I also transferred schools right after freshman year to a WAY more rigorous school). I'm wondering how I am supposed to write about this in an essay to gain understanding from admissions. I have an upward trend this year, but idk. I have low self-confidence. Haha. </p>
<p>Freshman: UW: 3.6 / W: 3.6
Biology: B, B
GATE English: A, B
Woodshop: A, A
Adv. Algebra 2: B, B
Band: A, A
Spanish Year 3: A, A
Marching Band: A (one sem. only)</p>
<p>Sophomore: UW: 3.1 / W: 3.3
Marketing: A, A
Honors Pre-Calc: C, C
Chemistry: B, B
AP World: B, C
Honors English: B, B
Aerobics: A, A</p>
<p>Junior (sem. 1 only): UW: 3.57 / W: 4.2 (I went a little hard-core on the classes this year to make up)
AP Psych: A
AP English Lang: B
AP Stats: B
APUSH: A
AP Environmental Science: B
Work Experience: A
Internship: A</p>
<p>SAT: 1820, ACT: 27
I'm planning on retaking the ACT again, this time with extended time. </p>
<p>ECS:
Dentist office internship: Throughout 2nd half of freshman year until the very beginning of sophomore year
Job at Greek Cafe: April 2012 - Nov. 2012
Job at Aldo: Nov. 2012 - Present
Internship at Diving Company: January 2013 - Present
Marching band freshman year
Key Club all four years (Freshman representative also)
Invisible children club freshman year
Vice President of Unified Theatre Club
California Scholarship Federation Club (2nd semester junior year old)
I also play tennis outside of school, but I don't know if I should put this on an app because it's not really part of a club or anything. </p>
<p>My top choice was USC and I fear I won't get in now. Other choices include Northwestern, NYU, Fordham, UMichigan, Emory, and Occidental. They're all kind of reaches, I know.</p>