<p>I need to know how to organize this huge adversity in 650 words or less. I have been working very consistently but it never summed up my adversity in a positive way. <em>Note this all happened during my junior year</em></p>
<p>Parts of my adversity:</p>
<p>Academically:
-never given the opportunity to challenge myself with upper-level classes they offered due to my late arrival at my previous high school
-The administration placed me in just regular college-prep courses, which frustrated me because I was hoping to actually learn and not just get an “A” in the class.
-The guidance counselor assured me that I would be a good candidate for the colleges of my choice, and I would have plenty of opportunity for upper-level classes, particularly for my junior year.
-During the end of my sophomore year, I signed up for four AP classes and one honors class, being assured I will get in.
-Throughout the summer, I studied rigorously preparing myself for my junior year while I was volunteering at local my local hospital
-When receiving my schedule I witnessed that I was not placed in any of classes I signed up for.
-The guidance counselor retired and an annual meeting was conducted by the Dean of Academics. She informed me that with my lack of upper-level classes, I would never come close to becoming a candidate for the colleges of my choice.
-Felt really sucky</p>
<p>Athletically: This heavily affected my academics
-First year of wrestling
-Told to loose 25lbs from 195 to 170 to fill a weight class
-The current wrestler at 195lbs broke his arm and I was told by the coaches to fill in the 195lbs weight class while being 170lbs
-I had to wrestle people who were 25lbs heavier than I was
-Cracked Teeth
-13 stiches on my lip-Waited in the hospital for 3 hours and did not get home until 1:00 in the morning where I had two tests that affected my academics harshly
-11 staph infections-Was on antibiotics for 6 months-Had to take over 360 pills (this is the actual number)-Including two life-threatening MRSA staph blood infections
-Got abused by my coaches psychologically, never took into consideration about my health, and they will face charges soon by my state’s High School Athletics Association
-Faced thoughts on depression and suicide while loosing against people who were 25lbs heavier than me</p>
<p>Positive outlook on adversity:
-I changed high schools-after junior year
-Have as much hours as someone who is doubling their major in college by doing dual enrollment-right now
-Much healthier than I was today-right now
-Much happier than I was today-right now
-Developed a passion for medicine while volunteering at my local hospital-right now
-Want to become a pediatrician because I do not want other children my age to face the treacheries I have been through-right now
-Became a state qualifier my first year of wrestling, placed 6th in a national tournament my first year of wrestling as well</p>
<p>I need help please</p>
<p>I also been a victim of identity theft as well.</p>
<p>It sounds like you had some bad experiences, but to me the phrase “brutal adversity” sounds a bit overstated. You will have to be careful to discuss your experiences without sounding too self-pitying. </p>
<p>Some of the questions you leave me wondering about are, what steps did you advocate for yourself when you were placed in regular rather than honors classes? Your description leaves the impression that you were rather passive about the entire thing. On what basis was this placement made? What did you do to further your education outside of the classroom considering that you weren’t getting challenged in class?</p>
<p>And if the wrestling coach was abusive and you were placed in danger and repeatedly injured, and became suicidal because of being asked to wrestle larger kids, why didn’t you just walk away from that situation? </p>
<p>I was just giving bullet points on what happened is all. There were family problems associated with it as well for wrestling. My dad was a student athlete in college and he wanted me to get a scholarship in college like he did. His job sucked, his dad fell and he had to take care of him, he made half the income he used to make, and he did resort to drinking as well. My dad had no intention on any verbal abuse to me, he really cares for me it is just that he needs to find another way to cope with his stress. Plus, I tried in my power academically to get into honors and AP classes but I was reassured by the guidance counselor that I would get in them, but she did no effort to put me in them. @mathyone</p>
<p>“I was reassured by the guidance counselor that I would get in them, but she did no effort to put me in them” Did you talk to anyone else about this? Did the GC explain why you weren’t placed in them? (Did you meet the requirements? Did you ask your teachers if they recommended you for them?) Did your parents meet with the GC and then with the principal to ask why you weren’t being placed in appropriate classes after you were unable to resolve this?</p>
<p>All your questions are answered with a yes @mathyone </p>
<p>So what is your explanation for the fact that you were qualified for the classes, you were told you could take them, and then no one would actually let you take them? And this happened every year? And you and your parents appealed this and could not get anywhere? It just sounds very odd.</p>
<p>I’m also puzzled by the wrestling. I would have pulled my child off the team long before it reached the point you describe. Your parent allowed you to undergo unhealthy weight loss, to be injured repeatedly by bigger kids, to be abused by coaches, to become suicidal and no one ever said, hey it’s just a high school sports team, drop it and get out of that terrible situation?</p>
<p>I’m sorry my bullet points were not clear at all. I changed schools from the transition from middle school to high school, I was not evaluated properly and the administration affirmed me that I was, and I listened to them, and I qualified for those classes after freshman year, with a 3.9 GPA . My parents were going through tough stuff as well. My parents had to go through surgery, that went terrible, and their parents were being diagnosed with cancer and falling down, having to take care of them directly at our house, and having to pay for my sibling’s education including mine. They were quitting jobs and looking for new ones as well, paying high amounts of insurance, ss, etc. My parents ended up having not enough money for college, and I hoped to get a scholarship in any sport to help pay off for any college expense that may happen. So I joined the football team but the kids on the football team, note this was a school with pre-k, elementary, middle school, and high school together, have been together at since kindergarten and had their parents literally sponsor them on the team, by paying more for the booster club. There was even one kid who was 4’11 and had no muscle on him whatsoever, and he was starting ahead of me on the team because his parents put more money in the booster club. So I looked for any other sport that I could play. I tried out for the school’s baseball team, didn’t make the cut as they took in kids who have been together since kindergarten. So it was suggested to me that I should join the wrestling team by some wrestling coach, who said I could be a stud in that sport. So I did join. Also for my academics, I tried to challenge myself outside of the classroom by trying to take any honors course I could in the summer, but at that school, which was a private school, they said no because they were outside of the government and they could not take any classes that were offered by public education.</p>
<p>But I know now that wrestling has literally no money in that sport @mathyone </p>
<p>Also @mathyone sorry if I was labeling it brutal adversity I just had no idea how to put. I mean I understand that there are other kids who have gone through worst stuff than I have probably. I just had no idea what to call this summary at the time.</p>
<p>I think it is just way too much stuff. It overwhelms. Take one piece of it – let’s say the wrestling issue. So you were moved down in weight classes, dropped a lot of weight to do it and then suddenly moved back up to a much higher weight class due to circumstances out of your control (other kid broke arm). So what about talking about what that experience taught you. Maybe how to keep trying even when the odds are against you? What it is like to face up against kids that weigh 25+ pounds more than you and how you tried to overcome the mismatch? How that experience changed you for the better? Maybe talk about how showing up at meets even though you knew the odds were firmly stacked against you? That is just off the top of my head – but I think there is a really good essay in your experience – you just need to structure it to explain how you came through this experience more prepared for college/life. Does that make sense?</p>
<p>@Ramon712 Yeah I understand perfectly, explain the triumph and what I have learned from it is all.</p>