From Preschool to fifth grade, I had an IEP for speech development. It was because I could not be understood when I talked and had a difficult time enunciating words. However, I overcame that impediment and now I speak as well as the next person. Would it be helpful to disclose this information in the Additional Info Section in the Common App or will it hurt me? Thanks
It will neither hurt nor help. It would not be considered and I wouldn’t include it.
If it didn’t impact your high school career, I would not mention it.
Why would you mention it? Do you not participate in public speaking because if old issues? Does your academic. or EC history have any issue that needs an explanation? Unless there is a strong reason for that, then no.
Having the speech impediment and going to speech therapy for 7 years has shaped my character. For example, keeping at it even when it got difficult helped me develop my tenacious and persevering character. Also, to this day I still have to think about how I speak to be understood which has been a struggle when I have to do public speaking for my leadership roles but has pushed me to be more conscientious about what I say and do.
So talk about that without mentioning the IEP. The IEP is irrelevant to the story.
There is no reason whatsoever to mention it in the additional information section. Admissions officers look at student’s HS record and your speech issue was resolved in elementary school.
If overcoming the speech impediment had a huge impact on your life, your personality traits, your goals etc. (ex. if you want to be a speech pathologist or something like that) and you mention it as part of an essay that is fine.
If you want to write an essay about overcoming a speech impediment, fine. But the IEP. No!
Do not disclose. I agree it could be an essay though.
Agreed… write about your struggle in the essay, and forget the IEP (unless you still have one). Colleges do care about things that shaped your personality, but they don’t care about anything that happened before 9th grade.