I wanted some advice about whether or not I should write an OIE essay. For context my mom has bipolar disorder and was incarcerated once during my childhood after assaulting my dad. Additionally, my dad also went to prison before I was born for a very violent crime. I am considering including it to add more depth to my personal statement as I have a focus on volunteering in a juvenile detention center and how my dad’s long-term smoking led to a serious illness I helped care for. however, I’ve heard that OIE essays can sometimes be viewed negatively, and I don’t want to come across as sounding overly dramatic or self-pitying. Also, one of my activities is running, which originally started as a way to escape my home life. Someone suggested I mention that as a tie back in the description of the activity, but again I don't want it to overpower everything else. If I don’t write the OIE essay, I definitely won't include that because I do not plan to bring up my mom’s mental illness or go deeper into my dad’s background anywhere else in my application. Also if it is any context I am not disadvantaged and not URM.
Should I write an OIE essay?
- Thread starter Lyd543
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