<p>I took a three year break after graduating hs mostly due to depression, general lack of apathy towards existence. I rarely left the house mostly due to my body (I was 365 at my max) and just hatred of being human, if that makes sense. However, since then I 've lost half my body weight and have a new lease on life. I've excelled at my local community college(30 credits 4.0gpa at the moment) and am currently applying to some of the best schools in the country. Anyway, I'm questioning whether or not I should lie about what I did during those three years off. It doesn't have to be an extravagant lie. I just want to tweak my application a bit. I'm worried it'll look horrendous that I didn't do anything during my three year "vacation", especially compared to other non_traditional students who seem to have done some amazing things during their time off. And folks, when I say I didn't do anything, I mean I did not do a single productive thing. Anyway, what do you guys think I should? Should I tell the truth, tweak my app. a little so it won't look so bad, or blantly lie on my app. risking possible future expulsion from whichever school I end attending? Or maybe I shouldn't mention it at all?</p>
<p>Well, first off; congratulations on losing the weight and bouncing back. I know what you’re talking about. </p>
<p>Couldn’t you say that you had health problems and needed time to recuperate/heal? I know you feel weird because other students did “amazing” things during their time off, but those people weren’t home-bound due to mental illness.</p>
<p>Thanks alot! :)</p>
<p>I could say that. However, I’m worried they’ll somehow get a hold of my medical records and prove I’m lying. I have had health problems in the past and my family has had a bad stretch healthwise during my time off. My grandmother died of pancreatic cancer, my grandfather unexpectedly had a stroke, and my mom had major knee surgery and needs help walking. I feel bad trying to “milk” these unfortunate circumstances just to bolster my own chances of being accepted into a top school. I don’t want to come off as being too “whiny”, especially considering their are people who have it alot worse than I do. On that note, do you think I should mention my depression, or is discussing mental illness a taboo when it comes to the college application process?</p>
<p>Lying is the worst thing you could do! Odds are it will get found out eventually and that will for sure wreck your acceptance chances.</p>
<p>“Health problems” works. Colleges do have students who are currently fighting depression. If pressed, say you were doing just that and say that you lost weight, sought counseling or whatever you have been doing to get past those days. And you are looking forward to your new life.</p>
<p>well, on the “medical records” front; coming as someone who’s worked in a record office, your medical records are CONFIDENTIAL and colleges have NO way of getting them. your medical records are not linked to transcripts and you are over 18, so they would not be able to get them without your permission. all the colleges will see are academic transcripts, financial aid records from the government/your school and any materials YOU provide them. there is no possible way for them to see your medical history. </p>
<p>stating that you and your family experienced medical problems during your leave of absence is fine. college admissions isn’t a “who has had it worse?” content. all colleges want to see is that you did the best with what you had to work with at the time. you sound like a driven student; i’m sure you WOULD have done something more productive with the three years, had you been able to. </p>
<p>in any case, your 4.0 shows colleges that when you have your life together, you excel. </p>
<p>in my opinion, i would make it general and say “medical problems” instead of “mental illness”. i just think “medical/health problems” ‘reads’ better than “mental illness”. but that’s just my opinion.</p>
<p>You can be honest and say that you were coping with an illness (obesity). But make the explanation short, do not gloat.</p>
<p>You could just say basically what you said in your original post, it’s a very valid reason to take time off in my opinion.</p>
<p>Drek’thar, the illness is not obesity. It’s depression. </p>
<p>OP: health and family issues are a good, vague way of honestly describing what happened without going into detail. You should mention that in a single sentence, then devote the rest of your explanation to how you have reclaimed your life and ambition, how excited you are to have left that part of your life behind.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Actually, obesity is considered a diagnosis (though perhaps not an “illness”). Even Medicare now pays for bariatric surgery for obesity. If Medicare considers it a diagnosis, thats good enough for many other insurers! Sounds like the OP has depression and obesity.</p>