<p>In 10th grade, a member of my family got a lawsuit, and it almost tore my family apart. I want to let the colleges I'm applying to know, because it really affected my grades since all I could focus on was the problems I was having at home. However, would colleges discriminate upon hearing that someone close to me got in trouble with the law? Should I let them know, or should I just be vague about it and state that i had a "family problem?"</p>
<p>Ask your counselor to write about it in her report. Never make excuses for grades in an application.</p>
<p>Do NOT be vague. Either explain the problem fully or don’t. If you merely allude to problems, admission officials may question your level of involvement and wonder if you will be bringing the problem to campus with you.</p>
<p>If the problem really had a huge impact on you, on your family life, and your grades, then the “Additional Information” section that you’ll find on many applications is a good place to explain it. If there’s no “Additional Information” section, a supplementary brief essay or letter would do the trick, too.</p>
<p>However, before disclosing this “problem,” do keep in mind that some of your “competitor” applicants will be using that Additional Info section to discuss their battles with life-threatening illnesses or the loss of a parent, a stint in a homeless shelter, etc. So do ask yourself how your family “problem” will be viewed by admission folks in this context. If a parent went to jail–or nearly did–and the story was plastered all over the local newspapers, it’s probably worth explaining. But if you cousin got nabbed for snatching CD’s from Wal-Mart, it may have been stressful on the homefront but not something you want to share with admission officials.</p>
<p>^ It sounds like it was a civil suit anyway. And I agree that it looks bad to make excuses. Even if your excuse is valid, EVERYONE is making them, and the adcoms just get sick of them. It’ll have more credibility if it comes from an adult guidance counselor.</p>
<p>I have worked with a number of students who have endured personal or family problems during high school. The current wisdom is: colleges dislike applicants who preface their credentials with sob stories or excuses. However, there are differences between EXCUSES and REASONS for drops in grades, activities or scores. </p>
<p>I have learned that, if there is a legitimate reason for poor performance - illness of student or family member, trauma or personal tragedy (I worked with 2 students last year whose close friend was killed in a car accident the week before junior-year finals), unforeseen circumstances (moving or changing schools and consequent inability to continue certain courses, sports, ECs, etc) - colleges seem to look for two factors: (1) the REASON (not excuse) is explained in the school counselor’s or college advisor’s letter, not by the student; and (2) provided there was adequate time prior to the college application, there is evidence of recovery from whatever caused the drop in performance (improved grades, resumption of sports, ECs). Resilience is a quality most ECs respect. But: do not advertise or belabor the adversity or your recovery. Let your achievements speak for themselves. No one likes a tale of woe or a tale of triumph over adversity to explain deficits; just present your information.</p>