The first college I attended right out of high school was highly selective and elite. While I was there I started experiencing symptoms of schizoaffective disorder leaving me to have a psychotic break, C’s in all my classes and an F in one class. I only spent that one semester at the school before moving into a mental hospital. There is no account of medical withdrawl on my official transcript I just left the school. 7 years later after years of working hard in recovery I am now enrolled at a new university with an almost straight A average with a few B’s and two withdrawls. I am completely stable and highly functional. I am wondering when applying to grad school if it would be helpful to explain my failures at my first college by telling them about having an undiagnosed psychotic disorder and talking about how I overcame that disorder to have an almost 4.0 gpa. Will it be hurtful or helpful? I don’t want them to hold my disorder against me.
Thanks for your time reading this
Were you formally diagnosed?
Can you talk to the old school about a retroactive medical withdrawal?
Yes I was formally diagnosed. I don’t know do schools do that?
No, no need to share details. The admissions committee is more likely to question the time gap than your one disastrous semester seven years ago. To address any possible concern about the time gap in your studies, you might consider mentioning that your education has taken a non-traditional path due to an unexpected serious health issue that has been resolved, and then let your recent academic accomplishments speak for themselves. The admissions committee is not permitted to ask for details, and you should not offer to share - it was long ago and has been resolved.
I do not believe it would be helpful to be that specific. Agree with @dazedandbemused on this.
@Ams1990 - Welcome to the Forum! I completely agree with the previous two posts. I have done a lot of graduate admissions at my university and if the applicants says medical issue and then has an excellent academic record, I have no qualms nor do I wish to know any more.