<p>On the common app and on most of my applications there is an optional section where you can write any extra qualifications or information they should know about you. I was wondering if it's even worth putting down my personal issues about why i struggled through my sophomore and begining of my junior year (3.2,3.2,3.3). FYI, my father lost his job four years ago and our income has been ONLY 3K, 6K, and 9K consecutively and we still make under 10K. In addition, my mother left out of state to take after her sick mom so she's been gone for 2 years which really shook me and affected my education. Does this sound to whiney? I want them to know my situation and how i grew out of it during my last semester of junior year which i got 3.67 gpa. I want to prove to them that i am a better student. Should i mention my struggles and how i slowly grew out of it? Thanks guys.</p>
<p>Bump. Hope i can get some input on this soon!</p>
<p>My son had the same problem. he didn’t know if he should mention that in his Jr yr we had a HUGE family issue which really affected the 4th quarter grades. He discussed it w/ his guidance counselor & she made 2 good suggestions. 1. use it for your essay (there is a ‘your own topic’ choice. 2. let her address it in her recommendation.</p>
<p>This can be a positive. You’ve obviously been through a lot, but you turned it around. What schools are you looking at?</p>
<p>@ libeach, So far my big schools i’m shooting for are NYU Tisch and Chapman University. I’m also looking at University of Washington, Syracuse, and Boston University. I already wrote an easy about my struggles about my mom leaving home and the money situation so i think i will attatch that essay with the common app in addition to my regular essay.</p>
<p>I just saw this webinar yesterday that was all about how personal is too personal and when it goes into the whiney zone…</p>
<p>and what they said was that its quite alright to show that you’ve had a hard time with things, it might even explain things, BUT, the way to do it is to not end it as a pity statement, and give them the ‘what didn’t kill me made me stronger’ feeling… As long as it doesn’t go to the pity side, i think it’ll be a good idea…</p>
<p>I actually had something of my own that had caused my grades to slip a little… I had to move from one city to another, and i wasn’t living with my family, so the adjustment had gotten me. I didnt mention it on my app myself, instead i talked to my counselor about it, and she made a small slight mention of it somewhere, i think in my recommendation or something, but i think that was a good way to deal with it, since it didnt make me whiney, and it made the point more valid since my counselor was the one getting it across… You cud try something like that… Gud luck…</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses guys. I have one more question…how would i NOT make it whiney. Pretty much i talk about grappling with independence and during this time period learning how to take care of myself alone and how i brought myself together. Does anyone want to read this short essay? Thanks</p>
<p>it all basically depends on the ending paragraph… make that sound like its made you stronger and its going to be ok… but sure, if u want i cud read it for u… you cud pm me or something…</p>