<p>Yes? No? Thoughts? I'm applying to a Christian college and idk if I should be too personal or not.</p>
<p>Essays in general, probably not.
College essays, definitely.</p>
<p>If you’re writing a personal statement definitely yes because it’s the chance where you can express yourself and one of the ways colleges know more about you and hear your stories</p>
<p>The essay is at bottom a marketing tool. The applicant hopes to distinguish her/himself is a positive way from other applicants so as to increase chances for admission.</p>
<p>Given that the essay is a marketing tool, it behooves the applicant to consider how well the essay will be received. You must always be honest in your essay, but you need not reveal every fact or detail in the misplaced intention of submitting an exceedingly personal essay. For example, someone who showers monthly, or has never heard of Churchill, need not disclose these details about themselves in their application.</p>
<p>With regard to your specific question, consider that there is a wide range of Christian colleges out there, some being more fixed in their viewpoints than others. The viewpoint of your particular college(s) must be considered in the crafting of your essay.</p>
<p>For example, no matter how insightful and well-written an essay might be, it would be folly to disclose sexual promiscuity, drug use, criminal activity, atheism, homosexuality, etc. in an essay being submitted to a rigidly fundamentalist Christian college to which one hopes to gain admission.</p>
<p>Put it this way - would you be comfortable bringing your story to a friend and showing it to him or her? How about a stranger? </p>
<p>Some students do use the personal statement as a kind of cathartic release or as an opportunity to air out dirty laundry. It isn’t the place for that. </p>
<p>If you present thoughts that obviously conflict with the leanings of the particular institution, you might want to watch out. Otherwise, just use your common sense and get some friends/family to chime in on the matter.</p>
<p>Could I talk about a family members drug/alcohol problem and how I changed because of it? Or will that idea make colleges not want me.</p>
<p>Any idea you choose is fine, it’s just the way you execute it that matters. Remember that the essay is about YOU though, so if you do use that idea, the main focus has to be how it affected your life.</p>