Does this sound too negative?

College Essays
1

There’s this ‘family background’ section I’m filling out on the brag sheet. The prompt is “Is there anything unusual about your family (cultural background, shared interests and activities, travel, size, crisis, etc.) that has had a significant impact on your personal or academic life?”

I was thinking of writing about my Muslim background, and how I grew to be a reserved person because of the conservative environment. This section is on the first page. Is this topic going to give a negative impression? Or should I talk about how I had financial troubles after moving to the U.S?

2

No

3

I personally would not discuss religion unless your family had an unusual situation like mixed religions (dad Muslim, mom Christian, for example). The topic of financial troubles and showing how your family persevered would be safer, in my opinion. Explain what you learned from the experience and how those skills will benefit you in college.