<p>I spoke to my guidance counselor today and I was going to ask her to write a letter to go along w/ my transcript to the schools and she told me I have to wrtie it.
My GPA is low and I missed a few months of school for eating disorder treatment, and even when I returned to school My life was so hectic with doctor and therapy appointments that school became second in my life. My main focus was recovery. i am now full recovered. I was going to write about that.
and I just need advice about it.
How long should it be?
What should I say?
or anything else that would help me
My personal statement is about me overcoming bulimia, so i dont want to repeat the same things.
Do you think this will increase my chances??
THANKS.</p>
<p>I was a serious depression two years ago when I was a senior. I didn’t have to write my own essay to supplement my conuselor’s letter. I, however, wrote a college essay for several schools on what i went through… i guess that count?</p>
<p>I think increasing chance is a lie. I would rather say it’s useful so that they don’t reject you just because you had a low GPA, or what. But if you did bad before you were sick, then that’s a different story.</p>
<p>What schools are you interested in? Are you a senior now?</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>My grades gradually increased after treatment. I was done w/ treatment the winter of junior year. From 9th grade until then, it was all eating disorder, either recovery or relapses. I mean, I’m just so discouraged like my eating disorder robbed me of so much of high school and now im so scared it is going to seriously effect my future with my GPA. I just want to tell colleges that I’m fully recovered and that my gpa does not reflect my abilites.
Yes, Im a senior.
I’m applying to 9 schools
My favorite schools are Penn State University Park and the University of South Carolina</p>
<p>If your schools are Common App schools, there is an Additional Information section in which you can briefly summarize your issue, then advise them to turn to your GC rec and personal statement for more information.</p>
<p>Yes. That is what I plan to put on the common app. But, is it to my benefit to also attatch a note to my transcript about the ED? I’m nervous the schools are going to look at my low GPA and reject me w/out looking at any of the other stuff, and this is kind of a way to ‘force’ them to read about the ed.</p>
<p>any advice??</p>
<p>If you don’t and you are rejected, you will upset because you didn’t attach the note (and because you have a low GPA).
If you did and you are still rejected, you will be upset only because you didn’t have a good GPA.</p>
<p>The logic is simple: It is your education. For your own sake, attach it. If they don’t read it, that’s their decision.</p>
<p>It might seem odd to attach a note asking the person to read the personal statements. But I think good school (which one are you applying to) will give fair evaluation, so the note is not necessary at all.</p>
<p>People might think this hurt your chance of being admitted because you are “forcing” them to read it. I think it’s totally up to how you write it. Again, it is the job of the admission staff to READ your every material you submitted. The note is not necessary. But if this “note” decision is bothering you, attach it to the transcript. </p>
<p>Another method which I recommend is to outline what you have submitted. Say you have transcript, GD’s letter, other LORs, your personal statments, your SAT and AP scores, whatever.</p>
<p>On Microsoft Word 2007, say…
- My Personal Statement (Myth Buster: Why is my GPA so unnaturally low?)
- GD’s Letter
- Letter of Recommendation from my English Teacher
- Letter of Recommendation from my Football Coach
- …</p>
<p>Do you see the point? Instead of making a note, make something even more odd. If you have the ability to package everything into the big brown envelope, consider my recommendation!</p>