So, in the “Additional Information” section of the CommonApp, I’ve opted to use that space to try and explain, in prose, my lacking GPA in freshman and 3 quarters of sophomore year. I was diagnosed with severe ADD shortly before the beginning of the 4th quarter of 10th grade, and I’m writing on how practicing chess and the newfound responsibilities that accompanied becoming the president of my school’s team helped me to overcome my learning handicap. My grades from 4th quarter of sophomore year on have been 3.8+ (UW, school doesn’t weigh), and I finished junior year (heaviest courseload up to that point) with around a 3.9, cumulatively. Also, I took the SAT again this year, and received a score of 1600, a result which I’m hoping will help present me as a changed student with an improved work ethic. If it means much, my subject test scores were a 750 and 790 in Chemistry and Math II, respectively.
I also mention that I didn’t take any of the time accomodations or medication I was offered. Is that something that may call into question the severity of my disease, or will it (as I assumed it would) lower the chances that colleges will perceive me as a risk/burden to accept? Furthermore, is this essay a good idea to attach to my applications, at all? Most importantly, will this combination of elements help in closing the GPA gap between other applicants and myself?
Any advice or experience is greatly appreciated,
Matrix.
P.S. sorry for all the parantheses
Your GPA was 3.8, and is now 3.9. And 1600, 750, 790. What’s the problem? Why on earth do you need a changed and improved work ethic with stats like that? I think your essay idea sounds like a humble brag, honestly.
@Lindagaf
Sorry if this wasn’t clear, but my GPA was only 3.8+ after the 4th quarter of sophomore year. The average GPA of my freshman and sophomore year is a 3.2. This Additional Information essay seeks to explain this discrepancy and upward trend.
I just realized I said I had a 3.9 cumulatively in my OP. That’s misleading, my bad. 3.9 cumulatively for JUNIOR YEAR only. Overall, I’m stuck with a ~3.4, and a 3.5 or 3.6 discounting freshman year. And again, my school does not weigh GPA.
Hopefully this makes it a little easier to understand why I’m a little confused as to what I should be doing. Sorry again for the confusion.
My student last year had thought about the same thing: highlighting not taking accommodations they were eligible for. Our student was talked out of it by the College Counselor. Reason being: taking accommodations and being a self-advocate are what schools are looking for. Not taking them, means a student doesn’t know how to be a good advocate for themselves.
@happy1
I felt mentioning it would help reinforce the idea that I strove to overcome a major obstacle myself. Even if that’s a bit self-congratulatory, like I said in my OP, I’m worried some institutions would see me and wonder if I’m a burden who will need to stay medicated or receive special attention. I know adcoms aren’t infallible objects of moral perfection, who give mercy to those who receive the short end of the stick, so I’m trying to reduce that risk.
If you just worked your way up to a better GPA without the accommodations, then you probably could have been a better student earlier if you had been more motivated. I don’t think your argument is meaningful.
Colleges like upward trends. Ask your counselor,to address this in his or her rec. Your essay should really be about who you are as a person. If that means you are a chess player and can use chess to paint a compelling picture of yourself, go for it.
@Lindagaf
Yeah, I wrote the CommonApp essay about chess. This is just for the Additional Information section also provided in the CommonApp, separate from the actual essay.
If you write anything about your learning disabilities IMO the story is what you have done to recognize and overcome them (leading to your improved GPA) – but that would be better handled as part of your guidance counselor’s recommendation as opposed to your including it in the additional information section. IMO there is no negative attributed to using appropriate accommodations and there is no positive attributed to not using them. That is my opinion. But it is your application so in the end, you should put in what you see fit.
@intparent The story could be that the OP was diagnosed with ADHD in sophomore year, took (fill in the blank – I don’t know details) steps to deal with the condition once it became known, and his/her grades improved thereafter. I would not mention unused accommodations. And I agree with you – I don’t think it will make a meaningful difference in terms of college admissions but I do think if the story is told it would be better coming from the GC than from the applicant.
@happy1
The issue with this is that our guidance counselors don’t know us. This might be hard to believe, but every single year, I have had a differenct college counselor, because each one I’ve had has left the school (for many different reasons) one year into counseling. I’ve mentioned that I have a LD to my newest counselor (the one responsible for writing a letter) but their actions thus far haven’t inspired much confidence in us, in terms of their competence. I am not sure what they’ll say about the LD, so I’m trying to make sure there’s something here to account for a spike in GPA.
Its your call. As I noted, IMO if you put in anything at all I would write about your diagnosis and what very specific steps you have taken to improve your academic performance as a result of the diagnosis. I would still not mention unused accommodations.