<p>I am currently a soph. I already have a 2200 SAT and I am ranked 4/128 in a school that usually sends 15% of the class to Ivy League schools, so the rank is
good. I don't have a problem talking to people, but I do display a few autistic tendencies in my personality. Would a diagnosis help me get into college? Or would they be wary of having an autistic person on campus? Would it affect my career in the future(ie companies discriminate against the mentally impaired)?
I really am not sure whether or not to follow through with the diagnosis because
I can pass as a normal person if I choose to, the only reason would be college.</p>
<p>I know a person who has those exact same characteristics you mentioned... very bright, but slightly autistic</p>
<p>I don't want to say that it will help get you in, but if you mention it in your essay I'm sure that the adcoms will take it into account... I don't think it will be a negative</p>
<p>... I don't think I said anything meaningful there...</p>
<p>I don't think you should use Austism as a hook...that just sounds kind of disingenuous</p>
<p>im not worried about being disingenuous, do you think it would be a good hook?</p>
<p>I agree with oldflowerchild: mention it so it gets noticed, but don't make it a hook or make a big deal out of it</p>
<p>It is definitely not a good hook. Whether it would impact you negatively is debatable, but there is no reason to put it on an application unless you need to explain some behavior.</p>
<p>I would mention it if it had a significant impact on you and your performance in high school. It could have impacted you in a positive way, inspiring you to get that high rank/gpa. If you are simply throwing it in there as a "hook," it will probably be seen as such. Be sincere and try to represent who you are. You WANT the school to be a good fit.</p>
<p>"hi i think i act kind of autistic sometimes so i should get into college"</p>
<p>If you were autistic, it would be an obstacle and you wouldn't be on CC asking if you could exploit it.</p>
<p>get in by showing yourself and nothing else.</p>
<p>any other excuses you bring up that you think will help you are just that, excuses. I seriously doubt adcoms enjoy those.</p>
<p>I should add that my dad went to grad school at UPenn. Am I a legacy now, or did he need to attend for undergrad?</p>
<p>Look, if you're ranked no 4 and your school sends about 15% then you're already kinda in. You're a soph so you've got time to do good EC's and whatnots and you're legacy. So I don't think this is something you really need. But if you want to get diagnosed to get some help (I'm sorry, I don't know anything about treating autism) then I don't think you should let college stop you.</p>
<p>^^^ legacy status varies from school to school. call and ask.</p>
<p>
[quote]
but I do display a few autistic tendencies in my personality
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I display several OCD tendencies. But I don't have OCD. We all have our crazy tendencies.</p>
<p>Besides, it's very unlikely you'll find a doctor who will diagnose you with autism (the common age for diagnosing autism is around 7-8). Most doc's are pretty wary on this and you have to be clear cut autistic for you to be diagnosed as such.</p>
<p>Besides, if you're wondering whether or not it will help you get in, the adcoms will probably see right through that and it won't help you at all.</p>
<p>
[quote]
"hi i think i act kind of autistic sometimes so i should get into college"</p>
<p>If you were autistic, it would be an obstacle and you wouldn't be on CC asking if you could exploit it.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>THANK YOU!!</p>
<p>I grew up with an autistic person and I have friends with various mental health problems. They are not hooks. They are obstacles, and I very much admire the people who have dealt with them and still manage to suceed. Showing that you have succeeded in the face of adversity can be useful for colleges, of course, but you're not even trying to figure out how to do that, you just want to exploit your personality quirks that tons of other people have.</p>
<p>You might want to read up on Asperger's syndrome, which is considered to be a mild disorder on the autism spectrum, but not at all comparable to autism. Lots of people have Asperger-type tendencies, which can actually be helpful in some scholastic pursuits such as test-taking, memorization and math ability. </p>
<p>I recommend learning about Asperger's because it can give you insight into your behavior, whether you fit the mold or not. Please don't think of your personal tendencies as "hooks for college." It's what you do with your abilities that is important.</p>
<p>Oh no. Please dear lord don't let Amb3r see this thread........</p>
<p>Anyway, I have a few as well (Aspergers traits), but it will NEVER help. Also, for the uninformed people who may read this (just in case) Aspergers is a very mild form of autism, and is in no way the type seen regularly on the news.</p>
<p>For me, I mentioned I had "a learning disability" in my essays, but never named it. Also, I have a very obvious upward trend, but never took many AP classes because I started HS fresh out of remedial classes. This explanation helps explain that, and hopefully it will help me. However, if that is not the case for you, your disability is in no way a hook.</p>
<p>With your stats, I'd say only mention it if you were in the same situation I was in. Otherwise, there is no need, and it could only hurt you.</p>
<p>I wrote about a psychological problem I had when I was a kid. Then I talked about how I got out of it and what i learned....
If it has had a huge impact on you and is worth mentioning, then go for it. Otherwise, if you just want to mention it to get in, don't even bother. Talk about something that REALLY REALLY REALLY matters to you and that can reveal something about yourself in a couple of paragrpahs.</p>
<p>Check this out:
Newsweek</a> Interactive: The Autism Quotient</p>
<p>Wow. </p>
<p>If I were a college admission officer reading this, I would attempt to get your IP address, browse your application for anything redemable, and auto-reject.</p>
<p>the title of this thread is so aggressive and twisted. it seems like you would use a "potential" mental disorder to get you into a college? it seems like people on college confidential are so crazy nd uptight about the admissions process, that they would do anything or write anything to get into a school..i have autistic relatives, but i wouldn't say i'm as offended as i am disgusted...i could be wrong about what you were intending with this thread, and if i am, then sorry</p>
<p>lol i suppose my post went in a large circle</p>