If I can tie it into what made me passionate about my major, can I write about an eating disorder?

Applying to College
1

I had an eating disorder in 7th-9th grade which was a main factor to bad freshman and ‘okay’ sophomore grades
2.9 / 2.5 freshman year (advanced earth science)
3.0 / 2.9 sophomore year (advance bio)
3.3 / 3.5 (no advance classes, but I got 2 C’s first semester, granted its a lot better than my freshman year, but sophomore year I only got a C in adv bio and once in algebra for second semester.)

Sophomore year I realized I could either have the past hold me back or use it to help me get ahead in life. I was thinking of dabbling in psychology anyways, but I wanted to be an actress or a pianist. (I could also help tie in about how art and music helped me recover, but I dont want to be an art and music therapist.) What I realized is I wanted to help people, not in the way nurses or doctors do, but people who were in the same position as me, and junior year I was set on getting a BS in psychology (to go to grad school after, of course).

TL ; DR, I had an eating disorder which resulted in HORRIBLE grades, this helped me realize what I really want to major in and become in life, if I can get that point across and focus little on the eating disorder, can I add it to the ‘additional circumstances’?

2

Eating disorders are a major red flag in college applications. Please skip this topic and do not disclose it, for your own sake. Colleges will be worried about you relapsing once you get to school, no matter how long you’ve been healthy. Use your essay to give them reasons to accept you.

3

I agree with guineagirl96. Not wise to bring up an eating disorder in your essays.

4

No. I’ve seen similar posts, it seems mental disorders are never a good idea for essays.

5

No.

6

No. Despite what they publicly state, colleges don’t to be saddled w students w “baggage”.

7

Your college essay is NOT a time for true confessions. It’s not a therapy session. It’s not an audition for reality TV. Each of those things has a place in life, but your college essay is not it.

The purpose of a college essay is to “Give them a reason to say yes.”

Look at the prompts, and choose one that will enable you to give them that reason.

8

No, why do you have this deep need to write about it. You can’t explain bad grades otherwise other kids will do it.

9

Another vote for no. You can talk to your GC and ask if they can explain in their recommendation that you had a health issue that affected your grades in 9th grade, but ask them to not disclose the specifics. Find another essay topic.

10

I see the problem as you are stuck having to explain the grades. You really can’t get around having to do something to explain them. I am also thinking an unnamed health problem that has resolved. Then you can get free to write an essay that represents you better.

Congrats to you for managing this horrible affliction. I’m sorry to say that it is very cliche about the eating disorder and psychology ambitions. I have had many kids express interest in psychology because of one personal reason or another and that is fine and it may happen but it is a common refrain and not insightful because it is generic. The last psychiatrist to be has now changed major to math and econ.

Here for your consideration is a student who successfully wrote about eating disorder but it happened early enough that there were no grades to explain as he was valedictorian, which may have helped him get admitted to all his colleges.
http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2001/mar/010326.clayton_kennedy.html