<p>I'm in the midst of my supplements right now, and I wrote this sentence:</p>
<p>"A school can only give you so much information and knowledge to apply to the world around you; it is what that world impresses upon you that shapes your character. "</p>
<p>I then remembered that my teacher once told me that under no circumstances should I use the word "you" in a college essay. Is this true? Does that apply here? I feel this is an important statement that adds to my essay and I'm unsure of how to reword it to the same effect.</p>
<p>A school can only give so much information and knowledge that applies to the world; it is [what that?] world impresses upon you that shapes your character.
I’m not sure what you are trying to say in the second clause. </p>
<p>But regardless, you can use ‘you’ in your college essay. ^^</p>
<p>Damn didn’t catch that blunder, thank you for that.</p>
<p>I think changing “that” to “the” would clear it up. If how I’m reading what you wrote is actually what you’re trying to say.</p>
<p>Also, like the person above me said, you is totally fine in college essays (:</p>