As my senior year approaches, I’ve begun to think about what I’ll write for my common app essay. The one glaring topic I can think of to write about is my anxiety disorder, something that I’ve struggled with (but overcame) for years. It doesn’t affect me anymore, but it was a huge part of my life freshman and sophomore year. I’ve heard that mentioning any kind of mental illness can be risky on an application essay as it labels you as a risk to the school, or as someone who may not adjust well.
Obviously, I do not plan on focusing on the dark times of my disorder, but more so how I overcame it, how it taught me valuable lessons, and how it has influenced what I want to do with my life (I will be majoring in psychology, hopefully. I want to be a psychologist or psychiatrist). I will be more apt to discuss how it spurred me to write for an online anxiety magazine, rather than how it dragged down my grades my first two years of HS. My main goal will be to focus on the positives I have pulled from my struggles.
Aside from this topic, I’m not really sure what else I could write about as there has been nothing that compares in terms of growth and personal impact.
If it makes any difference, I will be applying to BU, BC, Providence College, Salve Regina University, UNC (Wilmington+Chapel Hill), possibly Elon or Furman, and College of Charlesron.
Would this be too risky? Or would it instead show perseverance? Thanks for any advice
As prior threads have indicated, this is risky. Your second paragraph, however, aims at the right note. It is still a risk but I would not discourage an honest “this is who I am now and this is where I want to go” essay. Others may diagree with me. Good luck, ATS
If you want comments on what you write, feel free to PM me. I’ve worked with a few students in similar situations previously.
The fact that you want to go into psych (as I do) is pushing me slightly towards saying go for it, but even that could go either way. Honestly, it’s all gonna come down to how much emphasis you put on the positives versus the negatives. I’d be careful about taking the route of, “I went through this and therefore I want to help people,” but I think it’s okay if you use your experience to explain why you’re interested in psychology as a field of study, you know? In other words, put emphasis on psychology academically, not as a career.
Anyway, talking about the online magazine sounds like a great idea to me. It’s unique and a good way to show your initiative.
I would not. Although it seems like you are past this, adults (like admissions officers) know better. It can come back, and a couple of years without the issue does not translate into having conquered it. Ignore the prompts for the moment – write something that makes a college want you on campus (“possible mental health relapse” is not in that category). Most people I know don’t want to be defined by this type of issue – there is so much more to them as people. You want to pick something that helps them see that person. An essay can be about something small. Don’t think in sweeping terms about the prompts. Think of incidents or experiences that reveal other things about you. Worry about how to fit it into a prompt once you have decided what story you want to tell the admissions officer.
As the parent of three adult children with mental illnesses, I agree with intparent. Each of my kids has SEEMED fine at times, but then each one has relapsed unexpectedly, even while taking meds and seeing counselors. Colleges see this happen a LOT. I wouldn’t go there if I were you.
