<p>I’m afraid you have lost me now.</p>
<p>You are the British guy applying to the United States, right? What is your “country of heritage” that you want to return to? The United States isn’t really anybody’s “country of heritage” unless you are an American Indian.</p>
<p>Don’t be “brutally honest” in your application to USA colleges and unis. Use a journalistic style “slant” that focuses on your strengths and plays down (or just doesn’t mention!) your weaknesses. Don’t lie, just “slant” it like a journalist.</p>
<p>You may not have to “apply to a major” like you would in England. Most often in the US, you are admitted to the college and can choose your major later. There’s a lot of talk about being “well-rounded” in American education, and sometimes college students go to college in America and just study lots of different subjects (to be well-rounded) for up to two years before declaring a major!</p>
<p>Use an American style essay for application to American schools, a British style essay for application to British schools.</p>