How to Deal with Mental Illness/Therapeutic School on College Apps

Parents Forum
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<p>Here’s the situation: my S suffered from severe depression and anxiety in 8th and 9th grades and attended a therapeutic school during those years. In 9th grade, he attended the public high school part-time, taking 3 academic courses there. He began attending public school full-time in 10th grade and has made enormous strides, both emotionally and academically. He is now a junior, is involved in many school activities and is getting straight A’s.</p>

<p>He wants to put that dark phase of his life behind him and does not want to discuss it in his college applications. In addition, the consensus on CC seems to be that one should not reveal a history of depression on one’s college apps. His transcript does not reveal that he attended therapeutic school in 9th grade; it just lists his courses and grades. However, the transcript does have some abnormalities which might require explanation (e.g. he was not able to take science or foreign language in 9th grade and instead took courses like Film Studies). In addition, discussing his history would give him an opportunity to explain why his courses in high school were initially less demanding regular-level courses and have progressively become more demanding – now all honors and one AP course.</p>

<p>So, what do you all think we should do? I’ve thought about having the counselor discuss his history in her recommendation, but focus on the anxiety rather than the depression. It’s the “D-word” that seems to be most feared by ad coms.</p>

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<p>I’m not sure why revealing depression would be worse than anxiety. My S has bipolar disorder and was suspended twice in 9th grade for meltdowns. College applications required an explanation for all suspensions, so S described the circumstances of the suspensions and also wrote about how he was given a “chill pass” to go see the school psychologist when he felt he was about to lose control. He then stated that he never had any more suspensions and didn’t even need to use the “chill pass” after 10th grade, showing an improvement in how he handled his condition. Every college he applied to accepted him.</p>

<p>I don’t see a need to mention the therapeutic school if it’s not on the transcript. Did he start taking honors classes in 10th grade? Since he’s shown steady improvement and I’m assuming will have 3 years of science and 3 years of foreign language by the time he graduates, he should be okay for all but the most elite schools. Is there any way he could fit two science classes in his schedule for senior year?</p>

<p>I don’t think colleges are nearly as concerned about 9th grade courses as 10th-12th grade. Unless the college won’t consider anyone who hasn’t taken the most rigorous curriculum available, I don’t think an explanation is necessary. The counselor can discuss your S’s steady improvement in her recommendation without indicating the reason for his slow start.</p>

<p>Your S deserves congratulations for digging his way out of the black hole (I’ve been severely depressed myself, so I know how hard it is). Although he wants to put that dark phase of his life behind him, I hope he is still getting some professional support or is at least staying alert for any sign of a relapse.</p>

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<p>Stevensmama – Thanks for your thoughtful response. Yes, my S is still getting professional help, both in and out of school. He has a “chill pass” and goes to a Resource classroom one period a day. I think depression carries a stronger stigma (at least for colleges) than anxiety does because it carries with it the threat of suicide, and because some of the perpetrators of school shootings had been suffering from depression. Just curious – what accommodations, if any, is your S getting for his bipolar disorder, now that he is in college? How is he handling it?</p>

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<p>I sent you a PM. I would not discuss the depression unless absolutely necessary. Congrats to your son!</p>

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<p>I agree with MoWC. In my case, it WAS absolutely necessary; I had to explain a bunch of F’s on my transcript. If the transcript looks clean, then there’s nothing to explain.</p>

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<p>He’s not getting any accomodations because he decided not to register with the Office of Disability Services. Besides, I really can’t think of any accomodations that he would need. Other than having to put up with a jerk for a roommate, he appears to be doing fairly well. I have my doubts that he’s taking his meds every day (there were a lot more pills left in the bottle at Thanksgiving than there should have been), but the dosages need to be reevaluated anyway. He can discuss it with his psychiatrist during his appointment this month.</p>

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<p>Steverino, I have to assume your son is not headed for a pressure cooker school so see no reason to disclose unless he plans on asking for some sort of accomodations or support upon entering college. Even then, that discussion can take place upon acceptances. Given what you’ve said about his current classes it sounds like he’s doing well and if he’s asking to put that behind him and you are confident in his stability then give it a try. Some colleges barely glance at freshman grades and at least as of last year places like U of M didn’t even consider freshman year. There are many threads in the forums and on the LD forum about colleges that are more accomodating than others.</p>

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<p>Hi Steverino, I wanted to clarify something that momofthreeboys said. If students who plan to seek accommodations or require certain kinds of medical support when they are in college wish to reveal their physical challenges, medical conditions, psych histories, LD’s etc. during the admissions process, fine. </p>

<p>But if they don’t want to reveal, they don’t have to. </p>

<p>Let me repeat: In order to receive accommodations in college, there is NO REQUIREMENT that the student reveal this info in the admissions process. It happens all the time; it is both legal and ethical; and colleges do not think that the substantial number of students who show up at their disabilities support offices never having revealed in the admissions process that their asthma requires that they be in one of the school’s airconditioned dorms, or their hearing imparement requires that they be allowed to sit in the front row so they can lip read, or that they will need access to books on tape or assistive technologies the college has on hand, or that they have documentation showing that they require extended time on exams, are pulling a fast one.</p>

<p>For me, what is key here is that the OP’s child doesn’t want to discuss his history of depression. He really doesn’t have anything to explain either, assuming that having taken film studies instead of French in 9th grade is not going to torpedo his application at the vast majority of colleges. Moreover, his transcript doesn’t say anything about 9th grade therapeutic school. </p>

<p>From my perspective, if a student like the OP’s son chooses not to reveal a serious personal health issue, that should be his prerogative. I would have a slightly different perspective if this was a child who blew 10th grade because of a health problem, got treatment, recovered, did beautifully after that, but still didn’t want to reveal the health problem. This would leave colleges wondering, what the heck?, with no explanation. </p>

<p>But unless the OP’s kid was chomping at the bit to write an essay about his experience grappling with depression, or if this was the basis of a career or research choice and he wanted to share the entirety of his process, it is hard to see a benefit in directing him to tell strangers (who are about to judge his desirability for their school) something he prefers to keep private.</p>

<p>(Momofthreeboys-- I’ve just reread and I want to make sure this doesn’t come across as an attack. I was just concerned that parents unfamiliar with issues related to health and LD in college admissions might go, Oh no, if S or D wants accommodations, we have to let the folks at admissions know up front, which might not be what their student wants to do, or even in the student’s best interest – even though you added that the conversation about accommodation could “take place upon acceptance.”)</p>

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<p>The “even then” is wimpy in my sentence… You are much clearer and direct! Thanks anonymom.</p>