Junior year my grades were terrible. a C in AP chem and a C in pre calc first semester. I got them up second semester because I got better. Should I mention this at all in my college application? Everyone says no, but they’re usually talking about anxiety or depression issues. Start of junior year I got diagnosed with severe OCD, depression, sleep deprivation and suicidal ideation. Caring about school was hard while I was there at night planning my suicide attempt. I know colleges want to you the real you in essays, but this kind of is. I’ve been struggling all my life with OCD without ever knowing it. Only once I got treatment was when I finally was able to find some happiness. In the past all I ever did was listen to my parents (immigrants), only when they dismissed my mental issues as “teenage thinking” did I snap and finally stand up for myself and what I want. My mental illness journey was something absolutely terrible yet something that ultimately made me realize what I wanna do in life and helped me finally move on. The bad part is during the deathly cocktail of 3 AP classes, trying to stabilize my drugs, fighting my parents non stop and a bunch of near suicide attempt my grades suffered. Is there any chance of me getting into the colleges I want at all? (U of Chicago, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UCLA, Northwestern,Notre Dame, UW Madison)
No, no, no. The LAST student colleges want on campus is one that is a suicide risk. Sorry, but that is a fact. If you were hospitalized or missed a lot of school due to it, you could ask your GC to talk about a health issue junior year without going into detail.
However, I’d also say that if 3 AP classes were too much, you should carefully consider your college list. For example, UChicago is a pressure cooker.
All but Madison are pressure cookers, IMHO. Davis maybe less so, but do yourself a favor and think about low stress schools. Believe me there are plenty of opportunities in schools that have a more chill atmosphere.
Have you considered a chilled-out LAC?
- Knox
- Earlham
- Hampshire
- St. Lawrence
- Hobart and William Smith
- Ithaca
- Occidental
- Pitzer
- Lewis and Clark
- Boulder
- Colorado College
- Vassar
- Sarah Lawrence
- Bard
- Austin
- Southwestern U
- Santa Barbara
- Santa Cruz
- UVM
- Have you considered Quest in Canada?
All of these schools have produced Ph.D. candidates and candidates for professional schools at the highest level. And yet, they are relatively chilled and calm and good for your mental health.