<p>I have a special circumstance essay about my dad having cancer throughout my high school career and I don't know how I am "supposed" to write it exactly. Should I write it like my college essay? All I did was say the fact like he was in the hospital, this affected me by ___ ____ and _____. I wrote it with no pizzaz to it so to speak. Honestly, I wrote it like a report, not a ton of adjectives to exaggerate it, I just told it like it was. It's probably a boring essay, but I don't know how to write it. Do I have to make it into a success story? </p>
<p>Here is the question (it's for UT Austin): " There may be personal information that you want considered as part of your admissions application. Write an essay describing that information. You might include exceptional hardships, challenges, or opportunities that have shaped or impacted your abilities or academic credentials, personal responsibilities, exceptional achievements or talents, educational goals, or ways in which you might contribute to an institution committed to creating a diverse learning environment."</p>
<p>Any tips would be much appreciated! Thanks! </p>
<p>@bomerr @stepaul8 ^You should not just change the story to get more sympathy and make it seem like you’ve experienced more hardships!! First off, it is just wrong and disrespectful- especially to someone who might have actually gone through that. Also, if you were accepted (or even if you weren’t) and the college found out you lied, it would most likely be a major problem and affect your future college careers/acceptances. Please dont do this, just write about the truth and Im sure everything will work out in the end</p>
<p>@Bell315 You misunderstood @bomerr. I think he meant that OP should only write the essay if he was the one with cancer, not his father. He later on tells him that if he still wants to write it he should write about helping his father out and how it inspired him to pursue medicine. I really doubt he was suggesting lying. </p>