<p>So a few of the essay prompts that I've been reading ask about "challenges that you overcame" (ex. USC). Should you write about your family problems in an essay or attempt to give off an image as a "perfect" student?</p>
<p>Did you learn something from them? I mean, I wouldn’t start going on about illegal activity that they won’t already know about…I guess it depends what you mean by “problems.”</p>
<p>Why would you think any college wants you to “attempt to give off an (inaccurate) image”?</p>
<p>You’re over-imagining this. Write about what’s meaningful to you. For some it’s family challenges. For others it may be other things. There’s no right or wrong.</p>
<p>You can mention family problems in the Additional Information section, but they can be tricky to address in an essay. This does not, however, mean that you should to pretend to be perfect. No one is, and attempts to appear that way are painfully transparent.</p>
<p>In general, no. Let your counselor address any such issues.</p>
<p>Things to cover here would be personal challenges. Students have artfully done this with situations such as dyslexia. You never have to pretend to be the perfect student (urban myth btw), however I would leave anything you have had to overcome due to family to your guidance counselor.</p>