<p>Well, Incognito17, that was cryptic, but I’ll take it as a yes. Maybe it was also a “duh, of course, you idiot” to me because it seems obvious you were really weighted down by a really sad situation.</p>
<p>People on these fora are always recommending that you work with your Guidance Counselor to get the truth out to colleges about this kind of thing. I guess they write letters explaining the situation to the colleges.</p>
<p>I think it’s one thing to have wavered in your classes and grades because of a big life event such as was happening to you. It may be quite another in the eyes of a college to miss so many days. That may require some really pointed explanation, if the school reports this turn of events to the college. I think you are going to have to rely on your confidential privilege that I believe all GCs have to operate under and come completely clean about what happened to you with him/her. Then he/she’ll have to explain to the college if the college learns a lot of detail.</p>
<p>Good luck. It sounds like this was a really tough time. Sorry to hear that.</p>
<p>In concluding, I think you are going to have to be realistic about the schools you apply to. I think, on balance, this event is going to be a potentially big mark against you.</p>
<p>My parents divorced when I was in school; it caused some major turbulence in my life, but I don’t think I missed one day because of it. And I think there are a lot of people who don’t miss days after something like, so explain to your GC if there was anything unusual about what happened that caused such an absence.</p>
<p>If you really learned from the experience and grew as a person, you might work something about the experience into an essay. But make sure it doesn’t look like you are whining or making excuses; and be really careful if you try to do this, by having someone read your essay.</p>