Junior here. Can I start the essay using a personal quote from people I know? Should I include personal/family details? Can I talk about learning English in 2 years after moving to the US? Can I talk about the challenges I faced in class (going from alg 1 to calc and translating simple math vocabs, going from eng as a new learner to ap lang, managing ap class grades in a whole diff language etc.) or would it sound weird? Is it ok to make the essay a bit depressing instead of spreading fake happiness?
I am still learning English, sorry if I made any mistakes. Thanks for reading.
You can talk about anything. You can start with anything.
But first, back up and look at your overall application in terms of the schools you are applying to, and what you want them to know about you . Real estate on your application is valuable, so you want to use it carefully. Consider each part of your application as a part of a puzzle, and think about what each adds.
For example, a teacher LoR that mentions how impressed they are with your jumps in math or english adds a level of credibility to that achievement, and leaves you room to talk about something that you took from having succeeded managing that jump that will help in future big jumps you take. I.e, linking what you have done to what you will do. Look at what you write in terms of what it adds to the picture of who you are, and by implication what a great addition to their college community you will be. Showcase elements of your journey that speak to the larger points you want to make about yourself.
@collegemom3717 Thanks a lot for your suggestions!