<p>Throughout HS, I have dealt with a chronic illness. This year (junior year) it became severe and I had a 6 week hospital stay. I have more surgeries scheduled for the coming year. I plan to write about in my essay my grandma who also has it, my mother who is a refugee, and my grandfather who is a holocaust survivor influenced me to persevere and how my determination against adversity comes from this family background.
Is this categorized under "extenuating circumstances?" Also, what impact does this have when they are considering my application?</p>
<p>This is the sort of challenge that is considered, and it’s probably a good idea to write about it if it affected your grades and/or your ability to participate in extracurriculars. I would suggest focusing on your own challenges and what you did to overcome them, rather than on the actions of relatives. You can mention the relatives as having inspired you, but make sure the essay is about you, not about them.</p>
<p>Where would I mention these things in my app?</p>
<p>In an essay, or in an “additional information” section</p>
<p>^^ Actually, the OP shouldn’t mention it, as it might come across as too “woe is me.” The OP’s guidance counselor should definitely write about the illness and the absence from school in their Secondary School Report (SSR). See page 2: <a href=“https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/Docs/DownloadForms/2013/2013SchoolReport_download.pdf[/url]”>https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/Docs/DownloadForms/2013/2013SchoolReport_download.pdf</a></p>
<p>Gibby, what do you mean by “woe is me?” … I actually typed up a draft of a personal statement, and I think it is pretty good. Would you like to read it?</p>
<p>^^ Thank you, but you should show your essay to one of the teachers who will be writing your recommendation letters or show it to your guidance counselor who must fill out the SSR. The first rule of college applications: No matter what the topic, essays should “sound” like you. The writing should be so authentic and real that it should sound as if the author is standing in front of the admissions committee reading it out loud. As I don’t know you, I cannot possibly know whether you have captured the true essence of who you are in your essay. Only people that know you well can make that judgement.</p>
<p>With essays about a challenge (illness, death in the family, difficult upbringing, etc.) there is always the pitfall of having it sound like you are soliciting sympathy rather than showing some aspect of how you have dealt with the challenge and what that says about you. It’s very important to tell your story in a unique way and not sound like a generic ‘I’ve had it tough’ essay.</p>
<p>For instance, my D1 wrote an essay about how the poetry of Pablo Neruda helped her to deal with the memory of her deceased father and relate to his family who live in South America.</p>
<p>“With essays about a challenge (illness, death in the family, difficult upbringing, etc.) there is always the pitfall of having it sound like you are soliciting sympathy rather than showing some aspect of how you have dealt with the challenge and what that says about you.”</p>
<p>^^ That’s why it’s sometimes better to have an objective third party, such as a GC or your teachers, bring up how you overcame your challenge, rather than write about it yourself.</p>
<p>For an example on what an objective third party can do on behalf of a student, please see the sample GC letter about “Jane” on MIT’s website: <a href=“http://mitadmissions.org/apply/prepare/writingrecs[/url]”>http://mitadmissions.org/apply/prepare/writingrecs</a></p>