If you are not applying through Questbridge and are attending a private school in the Bay Area, your background story will need some validation from school counselors. Your story, if it were to help, needs to be verifiable.It will not make up for less than average stats. A difficult background is fairly common in many students who apply- and some students cannot even afford computers or lunch or books. So, don’t dwell on your family difficulties because the application right before you might have been someone who is in a worse situation. Instead, focus on how you prevailed in the face of adverse circumstances! For example, the today show featured this black Compton guy, who has an incarcerated father and no money and lives in a neighborhood prevalent with gun violence. He still managed to travel hours to go to school everyday and be the valedictorian with a 33 ACT and strong leadership positions throughout his school (a top private school where he was receiving full financial aid). THAT is a success story and a compelling applicant to the Ivy League.
You need to expand on what you mean by being independent and explain how your able to afford a top private school. Your hook cannot be “I’m not the typical Asian applicant,” because there are many Asian applicants who do not fall into the admission stereotype.
Good luck and I wish you the best in your college aspirations.