I got a concussion in early August but I recovered before school started, but then I got rear ended by a truck in September and it gave me a much more severe concussion. I’ve missed two months of school and I’m currently failing all my classes. I hope to get my grades back up before the end of the semester–I know I can pass all my classes, but I’m not sure they will be all As like I usually get. I also had to write my University of Washington and UC essays while concussed. I normally consider myself a strong writer, but I’m not that confident about these essays. I also had to take the ACT with a concussion and got a 30, which is not the score I wanted. I mentioned in my applications that I am currently in a lot of pain and struggling with essays and in school. Will colleges actually care? Is there any chance it will sway their opinion and the admissions will read by essays with a kinder eye? Please I am hurting so much
There is a section of the UC application where you can explain special circumstances. You should definitely use this section to explain your situation, and if possible, say that you are expecting a full recovery. Your UC GPA is calculated on your 10th and 11th grades only. You are expected to “maintain” the same high level of performance in senior year but with your special circumstances there should be leniency.
Ask your Guidance Counselor to contact the colleges for you, especially if you have medical evidence of the concussion. If you don’t get the results you want this year, you might consider taking a gap year to help your recovery, and testing again when your symptoms have abated.
I agree with the above.
If you go ahead with applying, you really need to involve your guidance counselor. Are your teachers aware of the accident? In your shoes, I would take a gap year. Give yourself time to fully recover.
You were rear ended. It’s not your fault.
- You need to withdraw from school and take a gap year.
- You need a good personal injury lawyer who can quantify and recover the damages you sustained because you will start your professional career at least one year later. This should be at least your first year professional starting salary which you will receive one year late, along with he associated compounding. This is a lot of money! The lawyer will take your case on a contingency basis.
If you fail your classes this year and write sub-par applications your chances for college will take a huge hit. I agree that a gap year may be in order. Talk to your guidance counselor and let him/her know that you are not well enough to make up the lost months and you are not well enough to do you best this year as you still are suffering effects of the concussion. Get doctor’s back-up. See if it is possible to withdraw from HS this year for medical reasons and complete it next year when you are healthy – if the school says “no” I’d consider getting a lawyer involved. That gap year would also give you time to recover fully, re-take the ACT when you feel better and to put your best foot forward in your applications. In the scheme of life starting college one year later won’t hurt you one bit.
Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery.
OP has already applied to colleges for fall 2018. We don’t know his/her full medical condition, but he/she has gotten well enough to go back to school after missing two months. He/she is also confident that final grades for the semester will be passing. To me this indicates a good chance that OP could be fairly recovered before next fall. We don’t know OP’s grades and other records, but getting a 30 on the ACT is a good score for being injured–so probably the overall record is strong. I hope OP was able to include an explanation in the UC application, in addition to the essay. The cards that were dealt are not the greatest, but if I were in this situation I would try to graduate with my class and see if I’m well enough to go to college next year. Don’t know if OP is a CA resident or a WA resident, but if CA, then there’s a good chance he/she will get into a middle UC or better (if my assumptions about your overall record are correct). If you had your sights set on Berkeley and you get into UCI or UCD instead, you might be disappointed. But these are great schools, and maybe they fit you better anyway. If the alternative is missing a year, I would at least strongly consider going forward with college.
Those apps could be withdrawn.