I have a lot of stuff that could go into the additional information that shows me overcoming adversity but I don’t want to come off as damaged goods to colleges. Should I put all this stuff in my college application or really pick and choose? I’ve had to live with bullying (homophobia), a disabled mom, helping my brother with learning disabilities, etc. etc. The list goes on and on. I don’t want to paint a super bleak picture for colleges to see but I also want to put my application in context. What should I do?
Talk to your guidance counselor. Ideally this kind of information should go into their letter so you don’t have to spend a lot of valuable application ‘real estate’ on your situation. That way, you can keep your explanation brief and factual and avoid sounding like you are a risky admit (too much family stress and baggage to cope).
It can really come off as making excuses if you write it. It has more credibility from a 3rd party (GC).