<p>As someone who advises college applicants, I have an extensive questionnaire to get to know them and one of my questions asks what is the most difficult thing they have ever had to do. I also am an alum interviewer for a selective college and this is the type of question I might opt to ask too. That is why I was saying that you don’t have to have a major life obstacle to answer such a prompt.</p>
<p>The OP has not indicated if this was an optional question. Based on the quoted prompt, it comes across as required. It is not worded like the optional prompts about extenuating or unique circumstances that may have affected someone’s academic performance. The OP’s prompt asks the student to “discuss” obstacles and how they have been handled. It doesn’t ask, “have you had any extenuating cirucmstances…”</p>
<p>Unless you’ve really overcome something significant, I’d answer as suggested that there haven’t been many hardships or obstacles that seem significant. Some of the other suggestions as to “finding” something to write about seem to me to be more of a “trap” than anything else. We already know from Michelle Hernandez’ and other admissions officers publications that a lot of making fun of privileged young people takes place in that environment. Unless you are a very skilled writer, and unless you’ve had some true hardship to “overcome”, I’d leave it alone.</p>
<p>In job interviews, candidates are sometimes asked about their biggest weakness. The well coached ones usually say that sometimes they can become impatient regarding progress, or that they neglect their personal life for the sake of their goals. Lousy as that sounds, its a lot safer than giving someone ammunition to kill your chances. I think the same thing applies to that application question.</p>
<p>I agree with Marite. If you do choose something that can be trivialized by some admissions officer, write it carefully so that its not overly dramatized. The book on “Writing the College Essay” by Bauld will give some insight into things that admissions officers tire of. (and tell you how not to end sentences with prepositions.)</p>
<p>One student told me about how budget cuts and class sizes in her district had impacted her education by way of reduced staffing, fewer extracurricular programs, library hour cutbacks and teachers who were spread too thin in their responsibilities.</p>
<p>I’ve had extensive conversations with the regional rep from my alma mater and feel certain of my recommendation that people do not leave this question blank or answer it as some have suggested here. It may not derail an otherwise strong application, but it will not be a positive.</p>
<p>Use any question to provide more info to flesh out the applicant. Sure, the question is meant to dig out hardships and challenges that an applicant has faced. But if you haven’t had major life challenges, then use the space to tell the adcoms more about you.</p>
<p>My D hasn’t faced any major life challenges like many others at her school have. She wrote about doing her absolute best at something, still always coming in last place–and learning how to measure “success.”</p>
<p>All I can say is that my two highly privileged kids did not answer the questions about challenges and obstacles. And they did not suffer in the admissions sweepstakes.</p>
<p>I don’t recall my kids having this question on their apps. However, I was just saying that even with OTHER prompts, some of their essays could be classified as having faced a challenge or obstacle and these were not significant life obstacles. </p>
<p>They did not answer prompts such as any extenuating circumstances. However, D2 did attach a statement of a rationale for what she was graduating early (as it was different and something to explain).</p>
<p>“Discuss any obstacles and/or hardships you have encountered and how you dealt with them.”</p>
<p>Obstacles and hardships … hmmm. Both parents disabled … yup, that would be a hardship. Falsely arrested, resulting in expulsion from school … yes, that would be an obstacle. District funding cuts resulting in the annual school play being cancelled? Is that really an obstacle or a hardship?</p>
<p>I agree with the posters who say “You need to take advantage of every opportunity to communicate positive things to the adcom.” But having a bad teacher isn’t hardship … that’s just life. All I’m saying is, be careful what you choose as a “hardship” or “obstacle” due to the risk of sounding really whiney (or really shallow).</p>
<p>No advice, OP, but I can relate. My son has Asperger’s Syndrome…while his essay was not about Asperger’s, it gave him an advantage. I could have picked his essay out of a stack of 10,000 because he truly has a quirky brain. My next child is a conventional pretty girl, never awkward, always good grades, no disorders…Wonder what obstacle she’ll write about?</p>
<p>I’d be tempted to say the hardest obstacle is answering questions like these.</p>
<p>missypie, don’t count count your chickens yet. Your D still has to get through a whole year of cheerleading :)…inevitable drama,lol.</p>
<p>I agree with JessieHL (post #17). The crux of the question is “and how dealt with them.” My son wrote an essay in response to a similar prompt at age 16 that impressed me tremendously – he wrote about how he had made a promise to a friend and then faced a dilemma when something else came up and he had to choose between doing something for his own benefit or carrying through on his promise. It had to do mostly with school work - I don’t remember the details, just that my son wrote about the internal thought process he went through in choosing what to do.</p>
<p>I do think that you have to consider why the question is being asked. If it is a scholarship application aimed at giving money to the most “deserving” needy kids around that the scholarship committee can find, then writing about a minor life setback isn’t going to win any points. But if the goal is to show a college ad com something about the student’s resiliency, resourcefulness and strength of character – then shrugging off the question sends the message that the student has none of those qualities. After all… the hardship doesn’t have to be personal – there are many young people around who, after recognizing and acknowledging their own personal good fortune at having an obstacle-free life, have put tremendous effort forth to help others in need. The question didn’t ask about obstacles the writer has “suffered” — it asked what she had “encountered”.</p>
<p>I know S never had to answer this prompt, as he chose other options. However, from working with hundreds of adolescents over the years, so many have had to stand up to friends and peer pressure, or help a friend navigate thru a difficult time.</p>
<p>On reflection, I remember talking to my S about a friend whose FA died on 9/11, a girl who has getting abused in her first relationship,… Others have spoken of friends who developed eating problems or drug problems, or whose parents divorced.</p>
<p>Missypie, you answered a question I was wondering about-- should a child write about a learning disability or is that a red flag? My D has NVLD and it’s a huge frustration for her–the visual/spatial side of her brain is a kind of ball-and-chain pulling against all her verbal abilities. But I’m not sure about calling attention to it. I’d love to hear any viewpoints on this.</p>
<p>^ Gwen - I’m torn. My heart says overcoming obstacles is a good thing that should be celebrated. My gut says the risk is too great. And my head can’t decide whether celebration or risk aversion is the better course here. If I had to choose I’d say logic dictates that getting into the college of choice is already risky enough.</p>
<p>Thanks, NewHope-- that pretty much seconds my sense of it.</p>