The goal of measuring degree of difficulty at the individual level isn’t to advantage people who face adversity. It’s to make sure we don’t disadvantage people for navigating adversity. It seems that personal essays would give us a window into college applicants’ challenges, but students who have experienced extreme suffering are understandably distraught at the thought of advertising their trauma and marketing their pain. Meanwhile, those who have been lucky enough to avoid significant setbacks often feel pressure to exaggerate their own struggles. Ultimately, the key indicator of potential
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