<p>I just read a thread on here that was full of people telling this one person that the topic of overcoming addiction/ alcoholism was taboo for admissions essays. Granted, it was in the general essay writing forum, and Ms. Sun posted in it saying that UCs might be some of the universities that would look at overcoming that in a positive light, but there was a 95% consensus that it was a bad idea, almost sure to get an application tossed in the garbage.</p>
<p>I used it in prompt 2, as my greatest accomplishment. I mean, the instructions said they wanted to hear about hardships if you had them, I figured this counted for that category. I had mentioned it in one of the threads here in the UC transfer sub-forum, and received some positive feedback. I just didn't realize that it was so universally held to be bad idea. </p>
<p>Perhaps its different, that I'm 26 and a re-entry student? Maybe the topic would sound worse if I were applying as a freshman or something? How else could I have explained the gap between HS, the Ws in my first attempt CCC attempt in 2004, and not returning until 2008/ 09? Yeah, I TAGed into UCSD, even though I have yet to hear back from them, but Cal and UCLA are my 1st and 2nd... what will they think about this? </p>
<p>**** this is stressing me out now, why did I think about searching for "addiction + college admissions essays"? I guess there is nothing to do about it now but wait for the decisions to come out during the next couple weeks, but I feel much less optimistic than I was, even though, with just a 3.75 overall, I was borderline to begin with. At least I had a 4.0 in my major work, maybe that'll carry me through for one of them. Or I guess I could have got lucky with a sympathetic couple of readers, that would help. I need to sleep, this is going to kill me.</p>
<p>“there is nothing to do about it now but wait for the decisions to come out during the next couple weeks”</p>
<p>Yup</p>
<p>I read an article a few years back about a man that attended the CCC I do who wrote about his drug addiction in his personal statement, and he got into Cal.</p>
<p>Truthfully, it surprises me that so many think writing about a drug addiction is really bad. I would think that if you wrote about your drug addiction and also spoke about what you learned from that period of your life and how it made you more focused, that it would be a sign of a strong character, especially since you are an adult. I can see how a freshmen with a drug problem in high school would seem like a “liability” since they are still young and they might still easily fall prey to peer pressure. I don’t think you should spend your time freaking out about it though – it won’t help. What’s done is done. In the end, if you are not accepted to Cal or UCLA, SD is still a great option.</p>
<p>just hope for the best we’ll be here to keep our fingers crossed for your admission!</p>
<p>I don’t think there is ANYTHING wrong with writing about addiction in your personal statement. Go back to your key question here, “how else would you explain all the gaps in your past?” The truth is always the best policy and that is a HUGE accomplishment. A decent amount of people are fairly educated about the disease of addiction these days, everyone knows SOMEONE in recovery. It’s not as taboo as it used to be.</p>
<p>On that note, my PS included addiction but was not limited to that. I used my whole life as my accomplishment; Getting clean, being a mother, going to college, etc. </p>
<p>You tagged with a 3.75 to UCSD, STOP TRIPPIN’!!! :)</p>
<p>I know you want to go to Cal or Berk but when I start to stress on not getting in I go- “I’m going to a UC either way, and that’s a pretty big deal”. It sounds like maybe you come from where I come from and I hope you find some peace of mind in the next week or two. Keep your head up- you told the truth and at least your integrity is in tact at the end of the day.</p>
<p>i dont think theres anything wrong with it at all…maybe the thing you read saying it was bad was super outdated…like circa 1950s.
in my opinion, you could write about any topic as long as you took it a. seriously, and b. you wrote WELL. <==which i think is the maiinn thing they are looking for.</p>
<p>relax brah, theres only 2 weeks left til CAL :D</p>
<p>UCSD does not read personal statements don’t trip</p>
<p>I wrote about it too…My friend did too and got in to UCLA a couple of years ago…my girlfriend is getting in to law school’s with it as her personal statement…im really not worried…</p>
<p>don’t drive yourself nuts over what some random students have said in forums - they are NOT the admissions officers. keep in mind that 3.75 is still good GPA. Cal and UCLA use the holistic process, they won’t base their decisions solely on your topic choice. i can see ivy leagues doing this…but youre not applying to those…we are all anxious, but stressing over little details you can’t control is only adding to your anxiety.</p>
<p>Most of the UC’s don’t read the personal statement at all .
Problem solved .</p>
<p>Thanks guys. Yeah, after sleeping on it, I don’t really care. Well, thats not exactly the right choice of words… I DO care, I just don’t care if they judge me for it. I’ve had to deal with the same stuff in other areas of my life, and I need to look at where ever I go as a blessing. Shoot, it might be better going to UCSD anyway; I’ve heard it is more difficult to get into grad school at Cal if you got your bachelors there. Not to say I wouldn’t jump at the chance to go there still ;)</p>
<p>And who knows? Its still up in the air at this point. While if I don’t get in to either UCLA or Cal, I’ll probably be second guessing myself about whether it was the PS or not, I suppose my chances are not terrible. I am right in the middle, GPA-wise, for political science. I suppose only time will tell; this just made the wait a bit more, eh, exciting for me.</p>