I was adopted from Russia and was wondering if that might not be something to mention on my college applications. Is this true? What should I do about mentioning in my applications? Thanks in advance!
No. If it’s something that is so central to your life that you want to write an essay about it, feel free. But if you get accepted or rejected, the strength or weakness of your essays will play more into the decision that your adoption, IMO.
I think it is slightly interesting. Certainly won’t hurt you, but isn’t really helpful either.
Agreed, being adopted will have zero impact on your admission decisions.
Thank you guys @happy1 @intparent @skieurope
Absolutely not. Grades and test scores held equal, being adopting is a powerful story you can tell in your admissions essay to set yourself apart. Grades and test scores are the steak and potatoes of your application…but a powerful visceral essay is really the beautiful cherry on top. Let’s say they have candidate A who has a 4.1 and 2400 SAT but comes from an overrepresented group. Then there’s candidate B with a 3.9 and 2150 who was adopted. Who do you think they will pick?
It’s not one of the traits or qualities colleges tend to look for in building the class. Not a tip.
It isn’t a good essay story if most of it took place when you were really small.
It could be a great essay regrardless of the OP’s age when adopted. Depends on the circumstances and how the story is told.
“Great essay,” sure. But maybe not for a college admit review. The app writing needs to be relevant to what the college targets look for- not just a rousing bio.
Our children are adopted and we are a multi-racial family. That may be an interesting factor, depending on how you frame it.
The one thing I would suggest strongly is that, if you don’t already have one, you get either a passport or a Certificate of Citizenship before applying. You shouldn’t need one, since the odds are pretty good that you became a citizen when you adopted, thanks to a law change in 2000. But the paperwork still hasn’t caught up, and you’ll need it.
As to your essay, the odds are good that you were adopted almost 2 decades ago. I’m not sure that it plays a lot into what makes you, as an 18 year old, a good addition to a college campus.
My son was one of 3 adoptees in his kindergarten class, one of 2 international. It’s not nearly as unique a circumstance as you might think.
That said, none of the 3 had any difficulties with college admission, nor have any of the adopted kids I’ve taught over the years. It’s a total non-issue.
It could be part of one of your essays if you bounced around from orphanage to orphanage or if the adoption happened during your HS years.
You may decide to write about adoption in your essay…it really depends on you. Here’s an article about how adoption may play a part in your college process.