<p>As I finalize my app, I was struck by a sudden thought and I thought I should ask for some opinions before actually clicking the submit button For the "most significant challenge you've faced" question, I wrote about how I was diagnosed with a fairly uncommon intrusive thought form of OCD when I was around 5 or so. Basically, I would lie wide awake at night because I was afraid I'd die in my sleep and go to hell, etc. I then went on to explain how I was able to overcome this problem and haven't had intrusive thoughts for the last 7 years.</p>
<p>My question is, would this subject matter be a bad idea? I could see adcoms being apprehensive about admitting someone with past psych problems. I guarantee this problem is completely gone from my life and I'm not "abnormal" in any way, but I'm not sure if MIT would see it like that.</p>
<p>It’s a valid concern. I don’t know the answer to this question. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t send that essay to any other college. And though my opinion is that MIT is more understanding of personal faults, this type of thing (mental illness or even just perfectionism) is what they are trying to get away from. Suicides used to happen there somewhat frequently (one a semester, in fact), and I think the personality profile they look for has changed in the last 10 years because of it.</p>
<p>Also, keep in mind that MIT or Caltech can be extremely stressful compared to peer schools (or any school) and not just because of the workload. I’ve seen people go off the deep end or almost off the deep end. It may actually trigger mental illness in people prone to it. I suspect that the campus environment (lack of trees, etc.) has something to do with it as well. It’s not my place to say you shouldn’t go there, but I’m saying that you may want to choose a healthier environment. Some people love it there, but others really don’t.</p>
<p>Have a nice holiday, and after you make your decision don’t second-guess it.</p>
<p>I think it would be inappropriate for MIT or any other school to discriminate against someone who discloses they have OCD. I think MIT expressly says that they do not discriminate against people with disabilities. </p>
<p>I think you ought to be viewed favorably as someone who faced real adversity and overcame it.</p>
<p>In the interest of full disclosure, my son has OCD and wrote his essay about how he faced and overcame the challenges of OCD during H.S. while still taking a challenging math and science curriculum. He was rejected EA by Cal Tech and MIT, perhaps because he got some B- and C+ math grades his freshman and sophomore year when he was working through the OCD. We had hoped that his upward trend (all As in AP math and AP science classes his junior year and so far this year) coupled with a 36 ACT (single sitting) and 2400 SAT (super score, two sittings) would overcome the freshman and sophomore grades.</p>
<p>Mental illness is not well-understood or accepted by the general public in the same way that physical disability is. And I don’t think an admissions staff is necessarily any more well-informed about this issue than the general public. It could be interpreted as a personality defect rather than a disability. For instance, do they evaluate someone with Asberger’s syndrome as an anti-social kid with high academic ability who won’t “contribute to the campus” or as an academic star with a disability? From MITchris’ post, it looks like MIT doesn’t discriminate. However, you would be naive if you think that all schools or future employers are as enlightened about mental illness, even ones which are relatively benign such as OCD.</p>
<p>To be truly fair, applicants with OCD should be evaluated on a different scale as far as standardized test scores. It really isn’t fair that they are evaluated by the same standards as other non OCD applicants even though they get 1.5 times as much time for most standardized tests. Don’t get me wrong, I believe that people with OCD can definitely succeed at MIT and other good schools. However, they should be required to state that they took time and a half on their standardized testing. Just my two cents.</p>
<p>our associate director of admissions, who oversees our admissions process, is a physician. when competitive applicants are physically or psychologically atypical, we have exceptional expertise in-house to evaluate it. and we treat it fairly.</p>
<p>Well, this got me to sign up, since I’ve been a regular forum stalker. :)</p>
<p>
That’s really comforting, especially being that I’m applying with disabilities.
So question that I’ll end of asking more seriously around April, but hey, the topic is here.
At MIT, are most professors open about making reasonable accommodations? Is it fairly easy to get school approved if you have all the same high school stuff? </p>
<p>As for the other discussion, I think it’s honest for applicants to disclose their disabilities and situations. (I also think that if you’ve really overcome something that it’s different than what others may have done or be able to do.) As far as tests go, I personally feel like it should be up to the applicant to disclose them. If accommodations are made to overcome a disadvantage, then that individual’s test is now equal to another’s, as there are a variety of many different types of polices for accommodations and it’s not easy to get them. If you specifically designate only a small portion of tests overall, it ruins the equilibrium. That said, aside from writing a bit about my disability, I also disclosed that I used testing accommodations and have had them available for a long time. I think a little leeway is important in some cases when you consider the overall rates of those with disabilities attending four-year institutions. I realize there’s no way for me to be entirely impartial, but I think I’m reasonable.</p>