Slipping My Senior Year... Help?

Applying to College
1

<p>Hey everyone!</p>

<p>So the good news is I'm into CSOM at Boston College (And completely psyched! It was my #2 school!)... The bad news is I'm still waiting on USC's decision, and my grades are slipping. I really hate to make excuses, and I don't mean for this to be an excuse. I'm simply giving a reason so you all have a better understanding of my situation.</p>

<p>I think of myself as a bright kid, as do many of my peers, doctors, family members, and teachers. I scored a 2270 on my SATs, have leadership positions, and have been generally successful in high school (a 4.2)... Last spring I was diagnosed with ADHD. I was put on adderall over the summer and for the first month or so, everything was going great and just as planned. Then came the adderall horror story... I lost 30 pounds, became more depressed, and everything started just falling apart. After being sent for a psych eval they took me off the adderall and made a second diagnosis of depression, ADD, and anxiety. Turns out the adderall was too much for my system.</p>

<p>I'm not off adderall and am having a VERY bad time trying to take tests... I think having been on it and then being taken off of it really made the difference that much greater. I'm acing all my projects and other activities and have a pretty good grasp on what I'm learning, but my memory and test taking abilities have been severely hindered as I try to adjust to being off the adderall...</p>

<p>My grades are an A, a B+, a B, and a C. I'm doing everything I can to get that C up and will do everything I can to get it up to the B range. In my application to USC I mentioned my ADHD and how I was working on medication and how with the addition of it I would be able to reach my full potential (this was prior to being taken off of it).</p>

<p>Will these grades severely hinder my chances at USC? Do I have to send my mid year grades? (I already sent my first term (A,B+,B,B-); my school has 4 terms). Should I mention this to them? How should I approach the rest of the year given my situation?</p>

<p>Again, I'm really trying not to make excuses. I just feel really lost and hopeless in all of this despite my efforts. My memory and focus in and out of school has been TERRIBLE this past two months. Thank you!</p>

2

<p>None of us can tell you whether or not you will get into USC. The best person to evaluate your chances is your own high school guidance counselor, providing of course that your high school often has students apply to USC. </p>

<p>Please don’t waste your energy worrying about an admissions decision over which you now have no control. Save your strength for pulling your health back together, and mastering the time management skills that you now know that you need to have if you are unable to find an appropriate medication and dosage.</p>

3

<p>If you have to send in mid-year grades, see if you can add a note (or have your guidance counselor do so) explaining the situation and how it will be resolved (i.e. that you just need to adjust to being off the medication).</p>

4

<p>2270 SAT? You’re in.</p>