<p>Ill try to keep this short and to the point. The summer leading into my senior year i was diagnosed with a sever eye condition called Keratoconus and it has been progressing extremely quickly, my vision for the last couple months has been terrible I can hardly see what teachers write on the board, even if I am sitting at the front. This has impacted my grades significantly, especially in my math classes, one of which i got a D in. I am scheduled to get corrective surgery in a couple weeks, I was wondering if I should write a letter to my colleges (mostly B range schools) explaining to them my condition? My concern is I don't want it to come across as a sob story. </p>
<p>You (or your counselor) should let them know. It won’t come across as a sob story if you don’t present it as one. Just lay out the fact that you have an illness, and emphasize that is being corrected. </p>
<p>In the meantime, are there other pro-active steps you can take to raise your grades? I know high schools sometimes don’t have good support services. But, is there someone you trust who can take notes for you and help you study? Can you arrange with your teachers to meet occasionally? Are there other ways you can learn the material that don’t rely on your vision?</p>
<p>Do your teachers and your counselor know what is going on? Have you had any meetings with your school’s Disability Services officer? Did you get a formal 504 plan drawn up? Even though you expect to have surgery soon, you may need assistance for a while yet. Sit down with your counselor and find out what is available in your school district.</p>