what am I supposed to do? HELP!!

College Essays
1

<p>I'm a senior in HS, and I'm starting my college essays. For the common app, I'm writing an essay about the most influential people in your life. The only essay that I can write, passionately, for this prompt is about my parents. But my parents were not a positive influence. I grew up in a home of CONSTANT violence & arguing, and because of that, I have grown to be independent and developing my own values based on experience, rather than being taught by my parents - because our family was definitely dysfunctional.</p>

<p>BUT, the problem is. My parents - my dad especially - are really involved in the college application process. They're going to proofread my essays before I upload them. They definitely cannot read this essay, or I will be in so much trouble. They simply won't let me submit an essay, partially because they refuse to acknowledge that we're a dysfunctional family. They don't realize that I have actually hated growing up in that household. They'll just call me ungrateful, a *****, etcetc. How do I send in this essay - moreover, for the commmon app (which my parents have access to my acount)- without them finding out?</p>

<p>I still have a few weeks to figure this out. My first deadline is Oct 31. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>You’re not independent, calm down. Why focus on all the negativity? Surely you can draw from role models outside of your family. Nobody else in your life has inspired you thus far?</p>

3

<p>**Passion doesn’t matter. Results do. The admission officers can’t stare into your soul; they can only infer from what you write. Just make what you write dominant and powerful.</p>

<p>And in general, colleges don’t care about your eternal frustrations if they’re unresolved issues. That raises red flags. I care about legal liability if I was the guy who accepted you. Anything negative must end with a happy ending, or at least a strong ray of hope.**</p>

4

<p>If your parents will not permit the essay you have in mind, then you must come up with something different.</p>

<p>If you can’t find an appropriate “influential person”, then choose a different topic, or make up your own and use topic of choice.</p>

5

<p>Any reason why you must choose that prompt?</p>

<p>You could also switch the essay at the last minute, if you really need to write about that. But writing about pure negativity is usually a bad thing.</p>