Indicating hardships (plz help!!!)

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
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<p>When I immigrated w/my parents to US when i was 8, my parents didn't earn income for almost three years. after that, my mom went back to school and my dad had to support both her studies and my music studies.</p>

<p>should i include this somewhere in my app?
the problem is, for my main essay on common app, i wrote about the one-of-a-kind experience of living at the art school my dad studied at when we came here.....but nowhere does the essay mention any of the hardships (including my mom's depression because she basically had to give up everything after coming here). If i include the hardships part in my essay, I feel that it would lose its focus and tone (very optimistic, curious). </p>

<p>Do you think I should somehow embed the hardships into my essay....or....add that as part of the additional info (which i've already used to elaborate on activities and list college courses) section in the common app?</p>

<p>I would really appreciate any advice. Thanks so much!!
Good luck everyone!!</p>

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<p>This information is extremely important, but it would be best if it were part of GC recommendation or that of another involved adult. Sit down with GC and explain your background. I am sure the GC will understand that it is better for an outsider to make these point about you. Offer to send summary of early life experiences to GC if that would be helpful. I work with many GC's and if they were given this info they would be happy to include it in their letter. </p>

<p>I think you made an excellent decision not to include it in your essay - as you said - it would have distracted from focus.</p>