Disadvantaged Statement + Secondary "Obstacle" Question?

[TwitchBeGone]

I understand that we're not really supposed to repeat information between the Primary and Secondary application... My only problem is answering that "Obstacle/Challenge" question. Typically, they are worded like "Tell us about a significant challenge or obstacle you've had to face and how it has shaped you."

I feel that for me, the situation that I described in my Disadvantaged Statement (immigrant parents, poor, ESL, abuse, on welfare) would be a great answer for this type of "Obstacle/Challenge" question. Of course, I would be adding a lot of new information (since I didn't have much space to expand in my Disadvantaged Statement anyway).

Would be acceptable to expand on this information? I've definitely had other challenges in my life and ECs; however, they pale in comparison to the situation that I touched on in my Disadvantaged statement.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[nwts]

It's not bad to bring up the same general themes. Naturally, we all have specific life experiences that were very important to us, and these experiences tend to keep coming back up as we are asked multiple questions about important aspects of our lives. I think it would actually be bad if nothing ever came up more than once in all of somebody's various secondaries, interviews, their primary, etc. That would make me wonder if there was really nothing that was important enough in that person's life to come up twice throughout all of the different aspects of all the different applications. The important thing is not to regurgitate. You should add new information, as you said in your post, instead of merely repeating stuff you've already told them.

 

[TwitchBeGone]

It's not bad to bring up the same general themes. Naturally, we all have specific life experiences that were very important to us, and these experiences tend to keep coming back up as we are asked multiple questions about important aspects of our lives. I think it would actually be bad if nothing ever came up more than once in all of somebody's various secondaries, interviews, their primary, etc. That would make me wonder if there was really nothing that was important enough in that person's life to come up twice throughout all of the different aspects of all the different applications. The important thing is not to regurgitate. You should add new information, as you said in your post, instead of merely repeating stuff you've already told them.

Thank you for the response! It was definitely reassuring. I shall go in depth with my situation and how it has made me the person that I am today. 1325 characters simply wasn't enough on the disadvantaged statement.

 

[felixthegirl]

Something I focused on when I applied last year was a "smaller" experience in my life that was unique. I touched on the struggles of growing up in poverty etc. in the disadvantaged statement, but I talked about something completely unrelated in an obstacles/challenges prompt. I wrote about my experience with my rescue dog who has severe anxiety and agression and the challenges that presents. I think it was an unexpected topic and I was able to talk a lot about who I am as a person when faced with a challenge, both good and bad. I think that delving deeper into your experience is not a bad thing, but make sure you are saying something new.

 

[nwts]

Thank you for the response! It was definitely reassuring. I shall go in depth with my situation and how it has made me the person that I am today. 1325 characters simply wasn't enough on the disadvantaged statement.

You're welcome! Best of luck on your applications.