<p>So here is my situation.
I'm hispanic, five people living in a 2 bedroom apartment. I share my room with my two sisters. I live in the ghettos. A black family at my left, a mexican family at my right. I take honors and AP classes. Studying at my house is almost impossible: ethier one of the four people I live with is making noise, my mexican neighbor was blasting his/her ranchy beats, or the black family blasting his/her rap. And sometimes, ALL AT THE SAME TIME. Since most of the time no one was available to take me to the library, what I decided to do was not get involved in any clubs. I would come straight home, and try to squeeze in my HWs in the small time my community would allow me to concentrate, sometimes I would even put earplugs on to study. Othertimes, when I was trying to do difficult HWs, and all the cacophony was going on, I would just quit, give up, get depressed and think "what's the point, I can't afford a good college anyways". Recently, however, I had a junior meeting with my concelour, and she said "your 'good' grades will not be enough to get into a good school, you neeed ECs", so I told myself, since this community never even lets me do my hw, let me just get involved. I began to get involved, and to my surprise, my grades began to flourish, I was able to block the noise off and concentrate better,and I felt better about myself. However, I believe that I realized the importance of ECs too late, as I am now a junior.
So my question to you is, if I write an essay on this subject, do you think it will make up for the super lack of ECs? Do you think I still have a chance at Harvard, UPenn, UVA and/or Cornell?</p>
<p>No (10 characters)</p>
<p>u think u got it bad? u should go to compton</p>
<p>as if you'd know, wonderbread. <em>yawn</em></p>
<p>frst of all i live in compton so i would no</p>
<p>so hmm...explain how compton is so much worse, when you don't even know where I live, and all the details I left out?</p>
<p>Hey I really empathize with your situation, not that I have anything to compare with. I think this would make a unique essay. Unique in that you explain EC during week days was impossible but you did manage to ------(fill in blanks) on the weekend.</p>
<p>hispanic + low income + great sympathy essay = gold!</p>
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frst of all i live in compton so i would no
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<p>Wow, I live like 5 minutes from you.</p>
<p>Do you go to Compton High?</p>
<p>frst of all i live in compton so i would no</p>
<p>Compton, Maryland doesnt count homes....</p>
<p>ok i think i'm going to make the first serious reply yet. You are lucky that you got involved in ec's at all...so stick with them through next year as well. Today grades are not always a buy-in for college, especially the more prominent ones as i've found out myself. Use your situation as a major advantage. When you write your essays, be sure to focus on how well you did despite your situation. I really have to commend you on doing so well with so many distractions btw. Use your situation to your advantage. I as convinced ther would be no way in the world i'd be able to afford to go to college without a full ride, but in my research i've discovered that there are hundreds of ways to get yourself through college with a lack of parental income so i feel your stress. Let me know how things are going and definitely look into school grants. </p>
<p>p.s.~did you know that there are literally billions of dollars worth of scholarships readily available to students that noone ever even applies for? getting involved getsyou an even higher chance of winning scholarships and even for schools coming to look at you instead of the other way around</p>
<p>From what you have said, "noise" doesn't really seem like a good excuse. Why couldn't you have stayed after school to do your homework, or you could have rode your bike to the library? Or to a friend's house or just go outside and study?</p>
<p>u shuld have just earplugged urself while u did homework, woulda helped</p>
<p>when i was in this situation, very similar, living in south bronx, i would just lock myself in bedroom put in earplugs and do homework and stuff for hours </p>
<p>and my grades were better then, then now when i moved to the nice suburbs</p>
<p>but ya u can write about how tough it was in your neighborhood in ur essay, but u wanna make it like ur telling them a story, not giving an excuse</p>
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So my question to you is, if I write an essay on this subject, do you think it will make up for the super lack of ECs? Do you think I still have a chance at Harvard, UPenn, UVA and/or Cornell?
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<p>No you do not write about it because it sounds like whining and you are making excuses.</p>
<p>There are many low income student living in your same type of situation who are holding down jobs to help their families, taking care of younger siblings and still manage to get stellar grades.</p>
<p>alyssieann- if I stayed after school, that would imply that I would have to walk around with tons of heavy books, and even then, no one could pick me up. I do not owe a bike, (and I can't even ride one, but that's a different story for a different time), none of my friend live near me, and if I go outside, I'd be dead, b/c everyone is smoking (ciggs or weed, either or) and I'm an asthmatic.
Mike99- My next door neighbor whose room is connected to mine, is always fighting with her bf or son, and someone always needs to be taking a nap.
sybbie719- yeah you're right, I'm still debating, but if I do decide to do it, it wouldn't be something like complaining, it'd be about how I believe it has made me a better person (which I truly belive) b/c it's made me want it more, to get out of this cycle of poverty, my mom's coming home everyday from a hard day's work at McDonalds to tell me "study as hard as you can, it's the only thing us poor people have, to get out of this cycle".</p>
<p>You can write about it. Just dont make it seem like you are making an excuse.</p>
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hispanic + low income + great sympathy essay = gold!
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<p>I like this formula.</p>
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No you do not write about it because it sounds like whining and you are making excuses.
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<p>Actually, you write about it, just don't make it sound whiny.</p>
<p>Example of a bad essay:</p>
<p>"I have a pretty low GPA and no ECs in my sophomore year, because where I live the noise gets really bad and it's hard to get involved."</p>
<p>That makes it sound like you're making an excuse. The colleges are looking for peopel who are amazing despite their harsh circumstances. Besides, they already can see that you have no ECs...so don't repeat it.</p>
<p>Example of a better essay:</p>
<p>"My living situation (describe situation) has taught me (insert lesson). After my counselor encouraged me to get more involved, I discovered that I could focus more, blah blah"</p>
<p>Something along those lines. This shows personal growth. You get my point.</p>
<p>ahh, it seems as if I want to make an excuse, but I want to let you guys know that I know that there is no excuse for my lack of ECs/grades/etc, eughhh</p>
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"My living situation (describe situation) has taught me (insert lesson). After my counselor encouraged me to get more involved, I discovered that I could focus more, blah blah"
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<p>These kind of essays are a dime a dozen and admissions committees are not at a loss for reading them. Goodness know I have read my share over the past decade from students going through the admissions process and after while they all begin to sound the same. You cna get your point across in a different way than making it the focus of your essay.</p>
<p>Think about it, your being low income is going to come from a number of places on your application starting with the big colorful fee waiver that will be attached.</p>
<p>The application will ask about the education of your parents</p>
<p>The application will ask what your parents do for a living, if a student put down McDonalds and does nto put down Franchise owner, or manager beside it, then it is safe to assume they are not exactly rolling in the dough.</p>
<p>Your home zip code</p>
<p>Your school and the school profile</p>
<p>Your GC recommendation</p>
<p>Here's the thing though, I live in a place where everyone is filthy rich, except from where I'm from.
But if you are an AdCom, you obviously know more than me, so I'll just take your word for it.
It makes sence now though, thanks.</p>