One of the possible essay topics I am considering is overcoming my tendency to self harm. I understand that it is risky, but my issues occurred in middle school and I received treatment. I would like to discuss it because it shaped who I am. I would not focus specifically on the self harm itself, but how my experience with it has enabled it to grow as a person (i.e. becoming more empathetic and learning how to be in tune with my own emotions, etc.). I would also mention my experience volunteering with organizations to address the issue of mental illness. Would you guys still advise me to avoid this topic even if the issues occurred and have been resolved years ago? I don’t really want to write about accomplishments because I feel like I am more than that and those are conveyed through other parts of my application. I have strong test scores and ecs but I want to display my emotional maturity and the growth I have experienced. What do you guys think? Thanks in advance for all the advice!
I would not. Definitely not. Surely there are other things about your personal growth that aren’t self-destructive or “just” accomplishments.
@bodangles I see what you mean and I will probably steer clear of it as a topic for my main essay. However, in one of my essays about community service I discuss how I volunteer to help run support groups for those with mental illness. I briefly mentioned my past with self harm (literally a sentence I do not go in depth with it or anything like that) because I felt it was relevant in why the volunteering has been so meaningful to me. Would you advise taking out that sentence? Thanks
Yes, I would take out that sentence. When you get to that college, perhaps you could continue to help others using your past experience. But your goal is to get in there first.
I too would recommend taking it out. Never give the admissions officer a chance to put up a red flag.As mentioned above, you want to maximize the chances of acceptance and not do anything that can derail that process.
Once on campus be an advocate for that cause you are so passionate about.
Good luck and congrats with overcoming your own issues.
I’m not suggesting you should or shouldn’t, but I will tell you this. My child chose to write about his time in the city mental hospital for a supplemental essay to get into the honors college of a large public research university. I worried as a mother because I didn’t know how Adcom would interpret it. He got in with a good scholarship. With that said, if he had not gotten in I would have always wondered if it was his choice of topic that soured his application.
No doubt that if your illness was cancer, less people would try to dissuade you from writing about it. It saddens me that illnesses of the brain are not viewed the same as illness of the body. But there is still a stigma and you will have to weigh that in before deciding your essay topic.
Best of luck.
Say a “family member” had this mental issue.