Valedictorian With ADD - Good or Bad Topic?

College Essays
1

<p>I have read several threads on writing a personal statement essay on having ADD/ADHD, but none of them seem to help with my specific situation. I was diagnosed with ADD last year, but my academic performance has always been solid, unlike most situations I have read. I am currently ranked 1/900 students, scored a 35 on the ACT, and have gotten straight A's in many AP classes with the exception of one B my sophomore year. I am looking at some very selective schools and am working on my Common App essay right now.</p>

<p>From what I have read on other threads, some say writing about having ADD is not a good choice, because it is often used as an excuse for poor performance prior to being diagnosed. In my case, I have always felt that having ADD but still managing to become valedictorian is a huge accomplishment.</p>

<p>Can anyone offer their experience/observations on this situation? If I write an essay on having ADD, will it be a negative because of the stigma it has or a positive because it makes my academic accomplishments even more worthy? My essay would not focus on the struggles of ADD, but rather the different way I view things and the creativity and determination that it has taught me.</p>

2

<p>I think it would be positive because, judging from your accomplishments, you’ve achieved more than the average, non-ADD student.</p>

3

<p>i’d suggest you not write about that for:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>that’s a personality type thing, aka. pseudoscience and no real proof about if you really are suffering or not. (I would never write about myself having NPD for any essay)</p></li>
<li><p>your essay would be focused on your status as valedictorian in contrast with the “usual” ADD users. Well, I don’t like reading boastful essays that lists your accomplishment.</p></li>
<li><p>try writing something that would show your character through a significant event? Colleges could see your accomplishment as they are and I doubt they care if you suffer from ADD or DPD. (ADD does show character, but the judge would most likely look at it and go “god, another ADD feces” or you might impress them with “damn, that’s an unusual ADD feces, i wonder if he really suffer from it… maybe that was last year”)</p></li>
<li><p>How about you write how being diagnosed with ADD led you to work harder and achieve the status of valedictorian?</p></li>
</ol>