Student Parent applying for transfer

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hi! Wow it has been awhile since I have been on here. I've seen alot of judgment passed on students with children/who are pregnant on here and I would prefer any talk of abortion, adoption, etc be kept in another discussion. I considered putting this in the parents forum just so that I would get more thoughtful answers, but I think it is ok here. </p>

<p>I am a student at the University of Chicago, but during that time I took a leave of absence for a medical reason (which I would prefer not to discuss). During that time, my boyfriend of two years sexually abused me and got me pregnant with my son. He was my first and only boyfriend. He is not involved, not even on the birth certificate. My parents are helping me out while I got to school and I am at the University of Chicago as a single mom. So to those who think that getting pregnant = "failure" and doomed ot work at Walmart, that is SO far from the truth. It is really hard, but I love my son very much and that was the right choice for me. However, I have no intetntion of giving up my dream to get my PhD. </p>

<p>I would like to transfer to the University of Rochester, as it is closer and would allow me to stay with my parents while I finish my undergraduate degree. This way my son could be watched by family while I am in class, in additon to reducing the amount of assistance I need from my parents. </p>

<p>I am wondering how much, if any, of this personal journey should be shared in my application. On one hand, I have many experiences no one else has had, and am a little older and not into the college craziness. On the other, I wonder if the "diversity" schools strive for has more to do with skin color than life experience, and my kind of "different" isn't what they want to model. </p>

<p>Being terrifed while pregnant and having to stand my ground was probably the scariest thing that ever happened in my life, even scarier than the sexual assault. I was being pressured to give him up until the day I delivered. Now my parents cannot imagine life without him. It has ended up so wonderfully, I feel like it might make an interesting essay; however, I wonder if this is too "heavy" of a topic. </p>

<p>This is really hard and really personal, and I almost made another profile just to get some more anonymity. I hope you guys have some good advice! Thank you.</p>

2

<p>First of all, I’m incredibly sorry you got pregnant by someone who was horrible to you. That doesn’t even come close to what you’re feeling, I’m sure, but seriously – you have my support and I hope you have good people around you who can care for you in this tough time.</p>

<p>If I were you, I would write an essay on it and include it in the “additional information” section at the bottom of the Common App. Talk about how it’s changed you or, if it’s driven you in some new way, talk about what you hope to bring to the world because of it. If it’s had a negative effect on your academics, I think that’s even more of a reason to include it, as the admissions committee would notice if there was weird grade fluctuation on your record.</p>

<p>Others may have a different opinion (so I hope you get more than one), but I say share the story. If you’re ready to, by all means, go for it. You’re very brave.</p>

3

<p>Also, if anybody judges you for this pregnancy, shame on them.</p>

4

<p>I’d like to send my consolatory sympathies too.
As expected, very few people here can probably relay that they’ve experienced similar events. But I hope I can give some useful advice.</p>

<p>Since you’re a Chicago student, you were probably very competitive coming out of high school, even if you’re of an older class, as it has been considered good for some time now. University of Rochester, comparatively, isn’t as competitive, even for transfer admissions. You might stand a strongly favorable chance at admission with your academics alone, that is, without mentioning the above.</p>

<p>However, if your reason for wanting to transfer is personal and geographical, you might have to write an essay about some other thing Rochester can give you that Chicago can’t. I’d think that you don’t need your essay to be stellar for you to be accepted. </p>

<p>If you don’t want to risk a rejection, writing about the above in the personal essay makes a very compelling case that would almost guarantee admission. I doubt that there are any significant collateral consequences of having an admissions officer know about your situation, other than the general tendency to closely guard intimate details (which, as your sentence about the Walmart misconception reveals, you’re a bit concerned about what others generally associate with unplanned pregnancies–but the rest of the story defogs this quickly). </p>

<p>In summary, I’d first consider whether you think you can get in without sharing, but if you don’t like your odds or would like to improve them, know that disclosure doesn’t necessarily bear substantial consequences.</p>