<p>hi, during my high school career i experienced an immediate family member death. Should i tell this to them and if so, would and how would it help me</p>
<p>You can write your essay on it, or incorporate it into your app. It won't hurt, but it doesn't necessarily help unless that was the reason your grades were low or things like that.</p>
<p>Sport,
I believe that it is not whether you mention it or not, but how you treat it. Can you describe compellingly how it affected you? If it hurt your grades for a semester, you might want to mention that. My son had an illness in his sophomore year which caused him to miss 1/3 of the year. He mentioned it briefly in a section of UNC app. which asked for additional information. He emphasized that he had effected his grades somewhat, but he was most proud of the grades he earned during that time and told how if influenced his view of his learning. ( He realized that learning was his responsibility and began to view the teachers as resources rather than the ones who had primary responsibility for his education.) </p>
<p>Don't expect it will help because of sympathy, but because of ways it defines who you are. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>At one of our Carolina visits, the admissions counselor addressed this directly. There's an essay topic that addresses this issue at the end of the Carolina application, and they definitely want you to use it for that purpose.</p>