For anyone who knows about therapeutic boarding schools, which I realize is not many of you, how terrible would it be if I wrote my essay on my experience at the school and the leadership positions I took there? I know it’s a sensitive topic and I don’t want to make it sound cheesy, pessimistic or maudlin, but I also learned a lot about myself and gained more self-awareness that might be an asset? Also, the school only offered 2 AP classes, so my transcript seems extremely average which I might want to subtly explain.
No, please don’t. No doubt adcoms will be familiar with your school, or they will be informed by the profile. A school profile will be submitted along with your app, so adcoms will know that you only had two AP choices. Your app will be assessed in the context of what courses were available at your school. What your goal should be is to get the best grades in the courses available. Your leadership positions will be listed in your activities section, that’s a very good thing.
You want your essay to allow adcoms to put a person to the stats. You want them to read the essay and think “I now know something about this person and I like her.” Writing about your problems will make them focus on your problems, and you don’t want that. If you choose this topic, be sure its focus is on how you changed for the better and what you learned. Don’t spend half the essay talking about the issue, the background, etc…
Finally, a counselor, especially at a school like yours, is a great resource. His rec should include info about whatever challenges you faced and how you have developed at school. This kind of info is always best coming from a counselor because it is credible. Good luck.
Your essay should not be an apology.
When there’s a cute girl/boy you want to impress, upon introduction to her/him do you launch into an apology for your shortcomings?