<p>Next week marks the one year anniversary of the night I was raped. Today marks the two month anniversary of my service trip to New Orleans. For my college essay I'm thinking that I'd like to contrast these two events. My own personal rediscovery and renewal as well as the city of New Orlean's. Also, how I learned to overcome the difficulties of the trauma through the spirit of the people I met. I'm not trying to write a 'woe is me' essay. Rather, an essay centered entirely on personal strength and recovery as well as the inspiring service I did in NOLA. Is this too personal?</p>
<p>P.S. My first choice is Tulane</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>If you feel strong enough to write about it, then do it. I’d like to say something profound to offer you support and strength but my heart is just breaking for you and words escape me. I wish you nothing but the best and hope you are able to move past this traumatic event.</p>
<p>As unfortunate and devastating as that night and months following were, I came out of it an entirely different person. And I know now that I am much stronger than I ever thought. The saying, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, has proved true for me.</p>
<p>Any other thoughts?</p>
<p>I agree that you should write about this if you want to.</p>
<p>The colleges say that they want to learn about the real person from the essays, and since this unfortunate event has impacted on your life, I think it is appropriate to write about. To the extent you can get across the point in your essay that you are not writing a “woe is me” essay, as you put it, but are simply writing about what you have learned from the experience, that would be good. </p>
<p>This essay is bound to have a bigger impact than simply writing an essay that you want to go to Tulane because they have a great program in such and such field.</p>
<p>Thank you for you opinions. They’ve been really helpful. Anyone else?</p>
<p>That is definitely a heavy topic. I think if you could write a strong essay on how it shaped you instead of how it hurt you it could be really moving. I think if you really did write about this in your essay the admissions officers could really get to see what makes you tick. If you feel you can handle this essay (as you seem you do) you should go for it!</p>