Depression in Essay

Applying to College
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<p>Vicki:</p>

<p>My advice is that the main essay topic should be the single biggest "thing" about you that would make an adcom at the college of your choice say, "You know, I can really picture this girl making a real positive contribution to our campus community".</p>

<p>If writing about your depression is the most positive thing you can come up with, then knock yourself out. Personally, I'm with Northstarmom. I'd try to find something else. Essays don't have to be about "heavy", earthshattering topics, filled with deep meaning. In fact, they are probably better if they aren't.</p>

<p>The only way I would touch this topic would be if working as a peer counselor in a suicide prevention clinic were one of your major ECs. Then, I would write about THAT experience (like one specific counseling event that shows your personality and interaction). The most I would go into about your own depression might be "Having successfully overcome depression myself, I decided to share my experience and help others..." I'm not even sure I would add that part, but that's about as far as I would go.</p>

<p>Honestly, adcoms have to read thousands of essays. Essays that put them to sleep. Essays that make them want to scream. They want to read about happy, vibrant, well-adjusted young people. They don't want to read about depression and alcoholic mothers. It's...uhhh....depressing. Do 'em a favor.</p>

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<p>"The only way I would touch this topic would be if working as a peer counselor in a suicide prevention clinic were one of your major ECs. Then, I would write about THAT experience (like one specific counseling event that shows your personality and interaction). "</p>

<p>I strongly agree. If you are now volunteering, raising $ to help support mental health, or doing research or something else related to depression, that's what you should focus on in your essay.</p>

<p>If you haven't been doing anything like that, then perhaps you should write about some things that you actually are doing. Otherwise, your essay will fall into the category of, "I have big dreams, but I'm not doing anything to attain them," which is not impressive.</p>

<p>It's wonderful that you've overcome depression. I've been there, so I know hard that can be. </p>

<p>What colleges will get excited about, however, is what you're doing now to make a positive difference in the world or to put your dreams into effect. That's what I think you should concentrate on in your essay.</p>

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<p>Check out recent issue of The Atlantic with article on A. Lincoln's depression and how it contributed to his greatness.</p>

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<p>I personally think it's wrong that it does make some people feel uncomfortable or prejudiced, but it's the truth. The fact is that some people still don't take depression seriously. Like 1Down said, depression is likely to recur and a college doesn't want to take that chance with its students. It's basically a "don't ask, don't tell" policy. </p>

<p>I'm not trying to marginalize your feelings about your illness or tell you that you don't have the right to be angry about the low tolerance, but if you want to get into your dream school, you should probably steer clear of a personal story about depression. Now, that's not to say that you can't write about depression in general. Maybe you could write an essay about how you want to alleviate the epidemic of depression that seems to be plaguing America without referring to yourself.</p>

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<p>Vicky, if you're going to mention it, make sure you have another essay that tells more about you and what you enjoy to counter a more serious essay on how you overcame/struggled w/ depression. Also, mention what you would do if it happened to you again--show them you're a fast learner. Mention different ways to cope, so that they know depression is still in your control and that you can take care of yourself.</p>

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<p>Vicky, I agree with you about the need for people to be more upfront and comfortable with discussing not just depression but all mental disorders. And I think it's wonderful that there are people like you who want to change public perception and help others who have struggled. </p>

<p>If that is "who you are", then I think you should write about it. But "who you are" is not primarily someone who has recovered from depression. It is a person who has a personal interest in psychology, and empathy for and a desire to help others who struggle with mental disorders. Depression is just one of many mental disorders that you will be learning about in psychology. Having experience with just one is perhaps not necessarily all that important except as it relates to empathy and interest. </p>

<p>I think you need to take a step back and try to view the application essay more objectively and try to see things through the eyes of the essay readers in the admissions offices. You have no idea what their personal biases are or whether they share your open-minded views. You must consider the possibility that you might be unlikely enough to have your essay read by the one individual who has had a recent bad experience and is now gun shy about admitting students who might need a great deal of support. </p>

<p>I think you can successfully write about your passion for the subject matter, including your compassion and desire to help and enlighten without revealing your own personal struggle with depression. Perhaps you have had a friend or relative who has struggled with depression. If so, you could communicate most of what you want to communicate by speaking to their experience rather than your own. In this way, you are still helping the adcoms see "who you are" without risking setting off alarm bells with anyone.</p>

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<p>Thanks for all the suggestions! I think I will change to a more positive topic. I've considered asking my counselor for a letter about depression-related downward grade trend during junior year but I figure that could be just as likely to get me rejected as writing an essay relating to it. The idea that I can't explain why my grades dropped is infuriating to me and the fact that I might not get into the colleges of my choice because of it is extremely disappointing. But thanks again for the advice. By the way, how important are grade trends to adcoms? Enough to get a rejection even with straight-A's first semester senior year? Thanks</p>

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<p>Yes, it is frustrating, isn't it? If you'd had a bad case of mono junior year, nobody would think twice about mentioning it. And being depressed can be a lot like having a bad case of mono as far as grades go. If you trust your GC, perhaps you should discuss this with him/her.</p>

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<p>Depression really is different than a bad case of mono. First, someone who is depressed is likely to get depressed again. Second, even for very mentally healthy people, going to college can cause stress and depression. This can be exacerbated if one lives away from home and moves to a new region.</p>

<p>For people with a tendency to be depressed, going away to college can cause serious depression problems. That can be dangerous because the student is away from home and in a new environment where no one knows them so doesn't notice that they are depressed. In addition to being at a physical distance from their family and friends, the student also is away from their therapist and doctor. This can lead to serious problems that can be fatal.</p>

<p>I do understand why adcoms are cautious about admitting students with a history of depression, particularly a recent history of depression. When I went to college, I knew people who ended up being hospitalized for severe depression. I also knew a student who killed herself by jumping in front of a subway. The year after I graduated, someone killed themself by jumping from the 18th floor dorm room of the suite where I used to live. </p>

<p>Anyway, adcoms are cautious when it comes to people admitting mental health problems because a misjudgment in terms of a student's emotional stability could lead to a fatality.</p>

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<p>The thing is, most people looking at top schools do not get into the college of their choice. So many things go on in our lives that effect our performance. Boyfriend issues, family problems, physical illness-, mental illness-all we can do is write the best app we can.</p>

31

<p>I still think it's disgusting how people have trouble tolerating mental illnesses. Most of you are acting like those suffering choose to have it - that's definitely not true. I don't view it as advertising. Maybe I am pathetic, but depression has been a major issue of my life. It sounds really whiney, but the other aspects of my life that have shaped me aren't exactly "pretty." There are plenty of other physical illnesses (cancer, weak example, but it's there) that colleges don't "shy" away from. They think "wow, this person got through it, the treatments, etc. good for them." </p>

<p>This whole mindset annoys me. The whole mindset surrounded by colleges annoys me...all the generalizations, political aspects, etc. Colleges want to know the real you, but you tell them about the real you and it's "oh no, they might kill themselves. oh no, denied!" No college wants a suicide, but the fact that I admit it is and seek help is better than people that shy away from it, get overstressed later on come exam time, and then jump out the window. Colleges admit thousands of kids with depression every year. Wouldn't they like to know which kids those are to encourage them to do on-campus counseling rather than have unsuspected suicides later on?</p>

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<p>I am also afflicted with clinical depression, and I've made great progress since my diagnosis during my grade 10 summer. Right now as a senior I am also debating whether or not to even mention this on my app. As you've pointed out our illness is generally one of the most misunderstood illnesses in the world.
Despite that I am considering to write about my experience with depression, w/o concentrating on how it felt (I felt like crap, sad, lonely, etc), but by expanding on the efforts that it took me to recover and how challenging it was to do better in school and in my social life, and also how it has motivated me to start a mental health awareness campaign at school.</p>

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<p>JaiJai12,
Listen to Northstarmom and find something else to write about.</p>

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<p>JaiJai, I'm completely am in the same place as you. The system SUCKS, ugh what are we to do?!</p>

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<p>Actually, I have the same problem you do, Vicky -- I had a problem with depression in addition to physical illness my sophomore year, and now I'm paying for that by repeating classes. I'm still in all honors/AP courses and I'll probably do pretty well on standardized tests, but my GPA looks terrible. If I had my way, colleges would only see my standardized test/AP exam scores. The only way I can make up for my sophomore year (and my freshmen, too, since I had only B's) is by getting perfect A's in all of my classes from now on, and that's not gonna happen since I never get higher than a C in gym. Damn gym!</p>

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<p>I like JaiJai's idea, that's the way we should focus our essays. If I write about something else, the college will find out I have depression anyway. I plan on contacting a psychiatrist near whatever university I plan on attending (or seeing a psychologist at the health care center at the university I attend) just so I have someone incase something does happen.</p>

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<p>As far as grades go, depression <em>can</em> be like a bad case of mono. Mono, in fact, in some cases brings on depression. Mono can be very debilitating, extreme fatigue can make it very difficult to concentrate, it can be difficult to get up in the morning, it can be difficult to make it through the day, class time is lost, students get behind, very much like depression. And, like depression, once the storm has passed, people can and do get back up to speed, they are not permanently scarred for life, although they can be behind the curve at first. And people can and do recover from depression in high school and go on to be successful in college and beyond. I've known quite a few who have. Statistically, yes, there is a high chance of recurrence. And that's why depression stories are risky for the college essay and also why it's very important to choose the right college and the right environment. </p>

<p>The difference between depression and mono, again as far as grades go, is that there is usually a great deal of sympathy and support for the student who is physically ill -- students can get "incompletes" and teachers and administrators are often quite accommodating in helping the student make up missed work and catch up. Not so with depression. If you have missed school and missed classwork and homework because of depression, you're on your own in most schools. Even pushing the school under Section 504 can backfire -- we have known teachers who have treated kids worse after finding out they are under Section 504 for depression. </p>

<p>To those of you here despairing over your gpa, please remember that what you do when you get to college is so much more important than the name on the window sticker. There is a great college out there for all of you if you look in the right places.</p>

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<p>I see questions here as being very similar to my own, except in my case I am a transfer applicant, and a few years removed from my symptoms. If anyone could hop on over to <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=102171%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=102171&lt;/a>
and give their opinion on my case, please let me know. Thanks.</p>

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<p>"I plan on contacting a psychiatrist near whatever university I plan on attending (or seeing a psychologist at the health care center at the university I attend) just so I have someone incase something does happen"</p>

<p>Check out the mental health facilities on the campus and in the college's area BEFORE applying. No reason to waste your time and money applying if a college doesn't have medical/psychological support that you may need. </p>

<p>" still think it's disgusting how people have trouble tolerating mental illnesses. Most of you are acting like those suffering choose to have it - that's definitely not true. "</p>

<p>I don't see any of the above going on. I see lots of people, including me, saying that if you have had a serious illness (depression) that also has a strong likelihood of recurring particularly under the stressful conditions of being away from home and in college, it makes sense for colleges to take this into consideration when they review your application. It's particularly important for colleges to do that since depression can be fatal.</p>

<p>It's unrealistic to assume that colleges can follow you around and notice if you're getting depressed. That's simply not the way that colleges operate. Depending on where one goes to college, one's professors may not even know you. The administrators won't see you. If you have a resident assistant, the person is not likely to be a trained mental health practitioner who could recognize the signs of serious depression in a person whom s/he barely knows and may seldom see.</p>

<p>Most college students get very stressed and somewhat depressed their freshmen year as they adjust to an environment that's different from h.s. This particularly is true for students who attend college away from home.</p>

<p>When I read CC, I become alarmed when I see students posting who have had serious bouts with depression and are applying to colleges all over the country without taking into account their medical concerns. Often the students' main college worries are about whether they can gain acceptance to a prestigious college. There are other issues far more important!</p>

<p>The first thing they need to be concerned about is making sure that they are mentally healthy enough to be able to leave home and go to college. This is something for them to determine with their therapist.</p>

<p>Then, they need to consider how far away to go, and how to select a place that has the kind of medical help available that they need. If they are currently seeing a therapist or psychiatrist, they need to make sure to apply to a place where they know they can see a therapist/psychiatrist whom they feel comfortable with and who is experienced in treating their illness.</p>

<p>To ensure this, they may need to see someone off campus. </p>

<p>I have friends who are mental health practitioners and who have children who have had mental illnesses. My friends' main consideration in helping their kids find colleges are the type of considerations that I mention. They want to make sure that their kids are stable enough to go away from home to college. They also check to make sure that good mental health treatment is available on the campus and in the community where their student may go.</p>

<p>In some communities, it can take 6-8 weeks to get an appointment with a psychiatrist or therapist. This is something also to take into consideration when looking for colleges. If one plans to use the college counseling center, it would be important to find out the training of the people who are there. I heard of a college counseling center where the director lacked licensure in a mental health field. There also are counseling centers where most of the therapists are graduate students.</p>