<p>Okay, I have something of a strange story to go with my transfer application to the school of my choice (Knox College, actually). I had two separate bouts of depression that significantly affected my grades. When talking to an admissions counselor about it he (actually, two of them), said I would be fine as long as I had a semester of good grades to demonstrate it is over, and perhaps include an additional explanation. </p>
<p>I now have a summer and fall semester of 4.0 gpa under my belt, and am finishing up my transfer application. At this point, I am tackling the main Common Transfer Application essay, which is basically, "why do you want to transfer?" In beginning the essay, I found myself going into the entire story of my two bouts of depression and the resulting two semesters off(which I had to explain anyways at some point) along the way. So, my question is this: would it be better to write two essays, one answering why I want to transfer, and then supplement the application with my story, or should I integrate them, explaining a bit in my introduction why a lot of the essay won't be immediately about why I want to transfer?</p>
<p>Also, any other advice would be eminently useful.</p>
<p>Any advice would be appreciated, even if you don’t have something specific. Knox is my dream college, and I want this to be perfect – I’m worried the effect my bad semesters will have, and really want to be admitted!</p>
<p>Oh, and, with that in mind, anyone have ideas about the chances of getting admitted to more selective school (I would say Knox is upper middle selective, perhaps along the lines of Cornell College (NOT Cornell Uni)) with bad semesters caused by depression? This will also be my second time transferring, if you don’t count the time I spent at the community college. It seems like something an adcom would highly frown upon, yet I feel I am a great candidate in other respects – out of high school, I got admitted to Reed, Amherst, Bowdoin, and UChicago, with Amherst adding a comment about their impression of my spiritual/creative strength to their acceptance letter.</p>
<p>I am really surprised a college counselor advised you to talk about depression to colleges. A friend of mine had a very top college counselor advise her daughter to do just the opposite and that’s the advice that’s been given here too. Use the search function to find other posts on the subject including an adcom weighing in.</p>
<p>It seems depression is lumped in with mental issues, something colleges what to avoid having to deal with. There have been colleges sued when depressed students hurt themselves, the resources for such problems on campuses are overtaxed and colleges are just plain scared of inviting any potential problems.</p>
<p>My advice is not to utter the word depression. You can talk about your health if you must, but that’s as far as I would go.</p>
<p>Oh, well, that’s unfortunate to hear. Both admissions counselors who advised me of that were Knox’s … and one was during an interview. I suppose I should have done my research first, but it seems dishonest to slant such a thing … I imagine it’s already in my file now. Wouldn’t it be? Yet the admissions counselors gave no hint of it severely affecting my application, provided I explained it.</p>
<p>I’m currently taking a year off partially because of depression (not severe, but enough to make me need time off). I’m in psychoanalysis three times a week but I made sure NOT to mention that. I feel like unless you’re applying to Columbia GS,where they want to know like, you’re entire life story, there’s really no need to be negative in your app. If you feel you have to, and it’s the only reason you took the year off, then mention it, but I don’t think you need to elaborate. Focus on what you’ve done in that time off…what you’ve accomplished and how you’ve grown.</p>
<p>oh, and at first it felt dishonest to me to not write anything about it too, but after I got my creative juices flowing, I realized there were SO many positive experiences I could focus on. you can do it!</p>
<p>I saw an advisor at my CC today, and she recommended I not reveal the specific medical condition, like you guys have, although she seemed to feel strongly that it wouldn’t (or at least shouldn’t) affect my chances of admission should I choose to reveal it.</p>
<p>classofidontknow, it’s good to hear you took care of yourself, however serious it was. It’s definitely better to respond to these things right away. Are you working on your transfer application now, then? Love your username, by the way. <em>grin</em> Time off does that.</p>
<p>I just submitted my app to NYU…
yeah I have NO idea when I’m going to graduate at this point.
…nor do i really care haha
I mean I care, just…you know.</p>