Challenge/Failure Essay - is it okay to use high school?

[smileyfacegirl27]

For many secondaries, prompts asking about a time you failed or a challenge you overcame are quite common. I was wondering if it was okay to use academic failures from high school (such as failing everything freshman year of high school and being expelled then having to go to another school and learn to become a better student). Would talking about high school seem immature or talking about past academic failures make me seem like I'm a bad student / is it too far in the past that I need to "just let it go"?
I know using high school experiences is generally frowned upon but does this include the secondary essays?
Any advice would be much appreciated!
Thanks

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[Catalystik]

For many secondaries, prompts asking about a time you failed or a challenge you overcame are quite common. I was wondering if it was okay to use academic failures from high school (such as failing everything freshman year of high school and being expelled then having to go to another school and learn to become a better student). Would talking about high school seem immature or talking about past academic failures make me seem like I'm a bad student / is it too far in the past that I need to "just let it go"?
I know using high school experiences is generally frowned upon but does this include the secondary essays?
Any advice would be much appreciated!
Thanks

I think it's a good choice for a Secondary essay, especially if you express how you carried over the lessons learned to the college setting when you were faced with far more rigorous academic expectations.