I currently go to a small liberal arts school that is not meeting my needs academically. I don’t feel challenged and I want to have access to better resources.
A little background about me: I was an excellent student until my junior year of HS. My grades dropped due to severe depression and undiagnosed Borderline Personality Disorder, along with trauma and abuse I was experiencing. In college, my depression became more severe, so much so that I had to go to the hospital for attempted suicide. After getting help and being diagnosed with BPD I wanted to turn my life around. I traveled the world for a year and interviewed people along my journey about their experiences with mental illness: the help available in their country, the stigma they faced based on culture and religion, the education they received about mental health. I wrote a book about their stories and mine which I published when I returned. While abroad I also had the opportunity to talk to international psychologists and participate in research at a few universities.
Upon returning I reenrolled in my college and switched my major to psychology because of my new found passion for advocacy and research. I created a program in my community for individuals with personality disorders and other severe mental illnesses that allows for a group support system and advocacy in the community. I also participated in research on my campus and I volunteer with a program that provides animal therapy to the mentally ill.
I really want to go to a school that engages students academically because the classes I am currently in do not provide any challenges, the professors simply put a PowerPoint on the board. I believe Stanford is the best option because they have a wonderful psychology program, access to great resources for psychology, and the school is in California which is where I planned to eventually move.
Stats:
HS:
GPA: 3.49
SAT: 1910
ECs: Girl Scouts, PFEW leadership winner, gymnastics
Volunteer experience: Food pantry: 2 years, Variety Club (camp for students with intellectual disabilities), Habitat for Humanity
College:
GPA: 3.9
ECs: Dance club
Volunteer experience: Animal shelter, summer camp for students with disabilities, K-Pets animal therapy non-profit, my mental health advocacy program
Field experience in special education classrooms: 200 hours
Job experience: Supervisor for summer camp, Assistant Pre-K Teacher in MDS classroom, Support staff at group home for adults with disabilities