My daughter has ehler’s danlos and dysautonomia which means she get fatigued really easily and can’t do much physical activity or walk up stairs or very far. This has impacted her high school life greatly, but she still managed to get excellent grades and SAT scores (first in her class and 2260 SAT).
Is this something we should mention, or avoid as it might hurt her chances of admission?
Just adding that she has a 504 plan at her high school if it makes any difference.
Maybe it is something the counselor could mention in their recommendation.
Agree that this info needs to be mentioned by the counselor.
Thanks. I just hope it doesn’t hurt her chances.
At least in our HS (in NY) parents had to sign a form to allow a guidance counselor to disclose a child’s disability in their letter or recommendation. If you don’t want it included, you should talk to the guidance counselor and let him/her know your stance. I believe that it is your daughter’s and your call to include the disability or not as part of the admission package.
As a student with a disability (in my case, visual) I’d say that this is something only you and your child can really decide. I personally think that a personal statement focused on a disability can be very powerful if written correctly. Amidst the sea of “my summer abroad” and “the time I got appendicitis and decided I wanted to be a doctor” essays, a well written essay about how a disability has shaped someone’s life - how it has made a person stronger, more determined, more aware of themselves, etc - could really stand out. However this can be a very personal topic and you may not be comfortable being the personal with a stranger reading your application.
In terms of being disclosed by the counselor, I doubt it would hurt your application. It’s possible, but I’m of the opinion that the fear of a discrimination lawsuit (and all the bad press that would entail) would make rejecting someone because of a disability unlikely. You should also keep in mind that the disability may inadvertantly show up on a teacher rec letter.
@saif235 , not to downplay your disability in any way whatsoever, but there are many students who wrongly believe that their disability gives them some kind of boost. Disabilities don’t provide a boost, nor should they count against you. It is best for the counselor to discuss the disability because it gives credibility to the issue the applicant faces. I think that many students have a hard time discussing their disability without sounding like they are either making excuses or looking for sympathy, which is why a school counselor can be important. Your idea in regards to an essay about a disability is correct. However, a student needs to be careful to ensure the essay doesn’t say “I’m a disabled person” rather than , “this is who I am, despite my disability.”
@Lindagaf I agree with everything you said - if my last post conveyed anything to the contrary that wasn’t the intent.
She has no sports or PE classes and her ECs are pretty weak, but she does have a lot of volunteer hours.
I agree that her counselor should mention it in their report. It hasn’t affected your D academically.
When she picks a school, you should schedule a meeting with the disability services center. Your D might do better with a room on the ground floor, for instance, so if the elevator isn’t working (or if there are only stairs), she isn’t stuck in her room, she might need to have access to a motorized scooter for getting around campus if the distances are great, etc. The disability services office isn’t just for getting extra time. You may also need to work with them to see how she can meet any PE requirements the school might have - can she take a health based class, can she swim, do archery, etc.