Is it too risky to write about mental
health in a college essay if the point is to describe how you overcame the
struggles associated with it and are
living a healthier life. I want to have
something to explain why my grades
were so bad freshman and sophomore year but got alot better junior and senior
The explanation for your grades is that you had health issues that you have successfully resolved. Details are not required. You can safety discuss the healthier lifestyle you decided to adopt and the positive changes that brought to your life, including your grades (and how that has impacted your future goals and objectives, if it has), but be very careful about raising the red flag of mental health issues. The college application isn’t a good place to talk about this. Not because there is a stigma with asking for or receiving help: Hopefully we are past that. But schools are very risk averse. They are justifiably concerned about their liability if a vulnerable student doesn’t stay healthy once they arrive on campus. The application is an opportunity to talk about your interests and goals, how you hope to contribute to the school’s intellectual and social life and/or diversity, and why you are a good fit.