Essay Topics: Rape, Abuse

<p>I am having difficulty picking a topic to write about for my college personal statement. For me, I come from a very difficult background and home life. Despite these adversities, I have overcome them and made the necessary adjustments to be successful in school.</p>

<p>Yet I don't want my college essay to be a pity story or to come off as excuses. Because, generally my home life and background has not really affected my education- I've done well. I didn't let those adversities hinder my education. These challenges at home only motivate to work harder inside and outside of school as I truly believe that my education will be my salvation to my future.</p>

<p>Would it be appropriate to write a college essay about childhood rape, abuse or parent leaving my life? Or are those topics too risky?</p>

<p>This is the type of info I would ask a high school guidance counselor to possibly provide to the colleges… it is hard to handle them in an essay, I think.</p>

<p>Yes, it is very difficult to not make it a “pity story”</p>

<p>Well yea that’s the only concern because I don’t think you will benefit from making the reader feel pitty for you.the only way I can see this becoming a non pitty essay,to some extent, is to let the reader know how you grew as a person from those experiences and how you overcame those obstacles.this can really reflect what type of person you are,which is what colleges are looking for.</p>

<p>If you cram it in a way that shows how you grew and became a strong individual through it, rather than one that tries too hard to incite pity, it could be very good</p>

<p>I’m writing my essay about a time I was hit by my father, and how it changed my life for the better. I was wondering though, would this provoke college admissions officers to call state authorities, or will they not care becuase it happened two years ago (which I said in the essay).</p>