<p>Hey, I'm writing my essays for regular decision and there's a part where it says write about something that's influenced your life greatly, and you won't be you without it. I used to self harm, I was bullied and I had deep depression plus my parents were not supportive at all. Do I write about it or will it look as though I'm creating a sob story to get accepted?</p>
<p>Write about something that shows who you are, but also makes the reader want to have you around. I’d pick another subject.</p>
<p>It is a question that comes up an awful lot. Try doing a search (‘cutting’, ‘depression’) and read past opinions. Also online I see ‘experts’ saying no to that. I am always struggling with an answer. I think it is really tmi and crosses the line of appropriateness in the context of this exercise, which is your college admissions letter. Of course it is a big deal to you , no one argues with that. It can bring up a question about your stability. It is likely a bummer for the admissions officer who gets stuck reading those essays. Can you write it more from the point of having to be self sufficient when dealing with life’s problems, since your parents didn’t seem to be there for you? </p>
<p>I’ve posted an essay that dealt well with a related subject, this was on NPR as well as in an ‘essays that worked book’. Key points are that is is exceptionally well written, he was valedictorian, and that some number of years puts this firmly in the past.
[Morning</a> Edition - College Essays](<a href=“http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2001/mar/010326.clayton_kennedy.html]Morning”>Morning Edition - College Essays)</p>