Chronic Illnesses Increase Chances?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Postural Orthastatic Hypertensive Tachycardia Syndrome, and Fibromyalgia Syndrome at the end of eighth grade, because of this I could not attend school my Freshman year. I was always a good student and participated in several EC's until I got sick. During my year off I took three courses over the internet (Math, English, and Theatre). </p>

<p>There isn't a cure for any of the chronic illnesses I have so the only option I have is to learn to live with them. I have been very successful with this. I returned to school "sophmore" year (classified as a freshman) with a full course load taking genrally difficult classes. I finished sophmore year with strait A's and participated in the drama club. I'm just starting my junior year (as a junior) taking generally difficult classes (Honors but not AP because of conflicts). I participate in the Drama Club and the School Literary Magazine. I also volunteer at a Hospital.</p>

<p>My psychologist of mine (who knows alot about CFS, POTS, and Fibro) said that my illnesses actually look WONDERFUL on a college app. Is this true? I want to apply to Yale and Brown (I didn't plan on applying to Ivies but I love these schools) but I know my stats don't shine like many of the other applicants. I put all the energy I can into school and I know I'm smarter than average. I practically graduated High School in 3 years. Would admissions see that I've worked really hard and give me slack because of my illnesses?</p>

2

<p>I have never heard that chronic ailments or disabilities help. Schools do not want to discriminate, though. You should select school based on your interests and preferences, and choose a range of reach, match, and safety schools, same as anyone else. If you would not be a good candidate for Brown and Yale without the ailment, it doesn't make any sense to apply. They are not currently treating people with ailments like URMs or hooked candidates to my knowledge.</p>

3

<p>It can look wonderful- or, depending on the school- it could screw you over because colleges do not want to have to deal with it. My friends who had physical limitations got denied from a few strongly match schools that made no sense that they suspected was due to their disabilities- but they never pursued it further. I know personally that I would not disclose to my school my celiac disease, severe food allergies, or chronic fatigue (though I tell individual professors). Don't have chronic fatigue syndrome though, so that's a bit different, but my celiac disease can be really debilitating. </p>

<p>Though, since you'd gone through so much, it might be different than me. When I was applying for colleges, my GP just told me that my symptoms were from stress. It wasn't until the process was over that the diagnoses started coming.</p>