<p>Hey all-
I have struggled with an Eating disorder (ED) for my entire life. I know it sounds weird, but even as an infant and child I refused to eat and the thought of it made me sick. Because this has been an unwavering, life long standing... I have no diagnosis and no REAL treatment besides therapy/psychiatry. (no medications, can't see a nutritionist, etc) I've been hospitalized due to it a few times (not within the past 4 years at HS, but I have been receiving treatment for it the last 2 years). It has undoubtably affected me and the person I am. A prompt I am writing for is "tell us about your arch nemesis, either real or imagined." I wrote, what I (along with my college counselor) think is a very strong essay. I wrote that my ED is my arch nemesis. The essay was not a pity party, I gave very little details outside of the fact it is undiagnosed and why. I turned it around and talked a bout how instead of weighing me down, it fuels my drive to learn. I tried to subliminally make it CLEAR that I would not be at a disadvantage academically. I note that it has not affected my academic record (which reflects on my transcript and 4.3 gpa) and that it never well.</p>
<p>I am comfortable sending it and confident with my writing skills, but it is the ED topic I am worried about. Is the way I talk about it appropriate? Is it still too risky? Should I email my rep asking about this for this Univ. for my area? I have met him twice, and he knows who I am. It is U Chicago, so I know they don't not see EDs on campus, but I am worried about them disqualifying me. Does my academic record show enough reassurance? (Outside of academia, I have strong clubs, letters of rec, etc). I just really need some reassurance before I can submit this app. Thank you!</p>
<p>I think it’s a good topic. It’s not your stereotypical response to such prompts, but it does showcase how you can overcome a great adversity by yourself. It seems like the tone of your essay and the other factors of your application should show that it hasn’t made you give up, etc. Are you worried that it’s too controversial, or that universities would look upon you as likely to fail?</p>
<p>I’m worried about both More so that it’s controversial. I’m almost certain my history will show that I am a strong student. I just don’t want them to be worried I might be overcome by stress or my ED (despite it not happening to the point it affects my academics before) and it will lead to poor achievement and bad liability on their part…</p>
<p>Well, you give the impression that you have a pretty strong transcript/ECs/etc., so it shouldn’t be a problem. I hear of people writing about disorders or traumatic experiences and whatnot all the time, and if it’s well delivered, it seems like a stronger statement than something with a “safer” topic. So long as you’ve shown that your efforts have more than made up for any disadvantages your ED might have given you, you should be better off than most, especially since your problems aren’t a shortcoming that you developed later in life due to a faulty life choice of yours or something.</p>
<p>I’m wondering if perhaps you’re better off referring to a medical condition that you’ve had since childhood, for which you receive treatment, without getting into the specifics of an ED. Schools are justifiably concerned about admitting a student with a psychiatric condition that might be triggered by stress. Freshman year is stressful for everyone. If you don’t want to raise a red flag, but still talk about the challenges you’ve faced, this might be a better way to do it.</p>
<p>Thank you! I’m worried it might be to vague… I linked to to a genetics internship I took on where I found the gene that predisposed two people to their ED and reflect on it back to myself and what I thought it meant. Wouldn’t including this internship with such vague details appear strange?</p>
<p>Have you overcome your ED or are you still struggling with it?</p>
<p>I normally don’t read or respond to threads in this subforum, but I also have a history of ED’s so I know what you mean and how you feel. </p>
<p>While it definitely is a huge part of who you are, I recommend that you don’t write about it unless you’ve also explained how you’ve overcome (or are in the process of overcoming) it.</p>
<p>Trust me, I know that having an ED is a huge part of who you are, whether you like it or not–but unless you can signify that you’ve recovered (more accurately, that you won’t bear the risk of relapsing/being triggered in college), I would shy away from this topic.</p>
<p>Then again, this is just my opinion. And as someone who has experience with ED’s, I know how easy it is to be triggered.</p>
<p>I think it may be risky if you just described ED because of the lack of your attempts to overcome it. But you did tell the way it motivated you to learn so it would be much better. Good luck!</p>
<p>To any people who may see this forum in the future because they’re in the same boat, or if anyone is curious - I did end up writing about my ED. I was admitted to almost all the schools I applied to, two with full tuition scholarships. I was wait listed to my top school - U Chicago - but the competition this year was crazy. Berkeley did contact me for more information, which I found very kind - they wanted to know how it had affected me academically and personally, how I expect it will in the future, and a letter of rec. I ended up being rejected from Berkeley - not sure what to “blame” it on. Regardless, that they asked for more information really meant a lot to me. I do not regret writing about this.</p>
<p>Something like this is real and part of what has been your life experience. I commend you for including it your applications to the colleges you had applied to. It’s honest and it took courage!
Congratulations on your acceptances and Best Wishes to you!</p>
<p>OP, I recognized the prompt you wrote on as one of the extra U of Chicago prompts this year. Where you were waitlisted along with thousands of other students… did you write about it in your common app essay or in some other essay for your other colleges? It sounds like you did something for Berkeley… and they rejected you. Based on U of Chicago and Berkeley’s final results, I would not take that as a lesson that people should use that topic in an essay… it did not actually bring you admission (or realistically very close to it, given U of Chicago’s massive waitlist). It may be honest, but schools that can afford to be very picky are reluctant to admit students with a problem like an ED. If it were my kid… I would encourage them to find another topic.</p>
<p>Yes, I was wait listed. I do not believe it was because of my essay. It is one of the best pieces I have ever written and every teacher I had proof read it was moved to tears. My parents KNOW how much this has affected me. They have struggled and fought the battle with me. They supported my decision to write about it, and I love them so much for not telling me what not to do throughout the whole college process. My SAT score was not great. My clubs weren’t as strong as I wanted them to be. There are SO many factors that played into the decision, and it’s not far for me or anyone to blame it on writing about an ILLNESS that I did not have control over. I was also rejected from many other schools that I did not offer this information to. I was accepted to schools that I did and offered full rides to two of those. It really depends on how you present your situation.</p>
More so that it’s controversial. I’m almost certain my history will show that I am a strong student. I just don’t want them to be worried I might be overcome by stress or my ED (despite it not happening to the point it affects my academics before) and it will lead to poor achievement and bad liability on their part…</p>