Personal Statement: Hardships

Transfer Students UC Transfers
1

<p>I underwent financial hardship throughout my academic career, I am hoping for advice on how to approach the UC transfer application this October.
I do not have any immediate family, so I was living in unstable housing from 2007 – 2010.
From 2010 – present I've had to maintain my home/living expenses while attending college. I have never received a federal loan, only FAFSA fee waivers, since I have over 90 units.
3. I have petitioned my Federal Loan app and hopefully I will receive the funds during this current semester.</p>

<p>I will mention my hardships in my personal statements but I feel as if the admission officers won't take into account the hard work and time I've put into maintaing a home while continuing as a full time student. </p>

<p>My average GPA for the required major courses is ~3.4, relatively low for a Computer Science major.</p>

<p>Any advice will be appreciated.</p>

2

<p>Your hardships matter, but only if you mention how you overcame them to succeed.</p>

<p>I.e</p>

<p>“I have ADHD, which made it very difficult to get a 3.4 GPA as I found myself distracted all the time”</p>

<p>vs.</p>

<p>“My ADHD became an ongoing detractor to my education. Not being able to concentrate on homework became much easier, which made it harder to study. But by taking extra time to focus on school, developing a system of time management, and getting into the habit of setting-and-achieving goals, I was able to hurdle this obstacle and get a 3.4 grade point average.”</p>

<p>Read examples of personal statements and college essays to get an idea of how to get your message across.</p>

3

<p>Great, thank you.</p>