<p>Alright, so this is kind of a long story.</p>
<p>I'm a rising senior, I've had depression and anxiety since I was eight and I got diagnosed when I was thirteen. I skipped a grade, so I was thirteen in the ninth grade. That year was also the year my mother found out I was queer and she became mildly abusive. I spent the next two years extremely depressed, to the point where I just refused to leave the house for days and I started getting tangled with the wrong people. I had A's in classes I liked, but I got some C's and a D that have caused my GPA to suffer heavily. In February of my sophomore year we moved and I had to spend the rest of the year at a Title I, inner city school. The year after (last year) I moved to a small arts magnet school that has done wonders for me academically. Socially I'm still not faring well but that's irrelevant.</p>
<p>All this moving on top of the mental, familial, and social issues I face on a daily basis have taken a serious blow to my GPA. Currently I have a 3.44 and a 29 on my ACT, but I'm taking it again in a week and I'm positive it'll be in the thirties, as opposed to the 21 I had at the beginning of my junior year. This past year and the final semester of my sophomore year, even though my mother forced me out of therapy, I found the strength to try harder. I have an obvious upward trend but I'm concerned the people concerned with admitting me and giving me financial aid aren't going to care if I had some issues. Do colleges take things like that into consideration? How do I even cite a medical issue? Would it be a good idea to write about it for my essay or is it overdone?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>If you can do it well, go ahead and write about it. If you can show that you had a serious problem in your life and overcame it despite the odds, that shows that you are dedicated, hardworking, and won’t give up. You must be careful not to sound woeful or depressed while writing. The number one rule with essays like that is to remember that admissions officers are looking for a success story, not a sob story. It’s so important I’m going to say it again:</p>
<p>Admissions officers are looking for a success story, not a sob story.</p>
<p>A sob story about depression will make you seem weak and needy. On the other hand, a story about overcoming depression would not only be compelling, but also would distinguish you from everyone else and make your application unique. Colleges look for unique, well-rounded individuals who overcame a struggle in their life and came out as a better person. Balance it right, and your essay might hit all of those marks. Good luck!
Help me out? 
<a href=“Should I transfer? - College Search & Selection - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1656409-should-i-transfer.html</a></p>
<p>Eh… From my own personal experience and those of friends, plus advice from other CC users, I say DO NOT write your essay about it. Even if you’ve “overcome” a mental illness / substance abuse problem, college admissions officers WILL develop a bias against you as someone who might be unable to handle the stress of college and relapse. Then your admission is in jeopardy. </p>
<p>Let your guidance counselor explain these issues in his/her recommendation letter, maybe to mention it vaguely as a “long-term illness” or as a “health issue.” And explain it as such Additional Information section, saying that you have received treatment and that your later performance is a better indicator of your abilities.</p>
<p>Only thing I’m unsure about (maybe ask your GC) if he/she needs a doctors not to be able to mention a health condition…</p>
<p>sarahelicox -</p>
<p>Have you had the money conversation with your parents? Do you know whether or not they will be able to help you pay for your education, and whether or not they can commit to filing the financial aid paperwork for all four years? Do that now please.</p>
<p>Then, ask your parents to help you run the net price calculators at the websites of several places that interest you. Find out whether or not your parents feel that the final costs are do-able or not. Hint: if they would expect you to take on more debt than the federal student loan limits, the place is not affordable.</p>
<p>Your GPA will get you into a lot of places. So will that 29 ACT score. If you can get your ACT score to 30 or above, you will have a lot more options. Spend some time in the Financial Aid Forum, and read the threads on automatic merit-based aid. Some of those places could be good safety options for you.</p>
<p>Leave the health discussion to your guidance counselor. There’s no need for a physician’s statement. </p>