The rise of the "trauma essay" in college applications

Name: The rise of the "trauma essay" in college applications
Uploaded: 2023-04-07T14:57:25Z
Duration: 12 min 47 s
Description: As if college applications aren't stressful enough, disadvantaged youth are often encouraged to write about their darkest traumas in their admissions essays, creating a marketable story of resilience that turns "pain into progress," says politics student Tina Yong. She brings this harrowing norm to light, exploring its harms and offering a more equitable process for colleges everywhere.

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Tina Yong |

TEDxUBCStudio

• March 2022

As if college applications aren't stressful enough, disadvantaged youth are often encouraged to write about their darkest traumas in their admissions essays, creating a marketable story of resilience that turns "pain into progress," says politics student Tina Yong. She brings this harrowing norm to light, exploring its harms and offering a more equitable process for colleges everywhere.