Hey everyone,
I posted a new thread a while back asking about how to choose which Common App to choose. I have a topic I want to write about in the first prompt, which says:
Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
I am thinking of writing about my ADHD and how it sometimes brought me down to my worst times, but it also brought me to love myself more and persevere more throughout my battle (or that’s how I think of it). Overall, I want to write about my ADHD with a positive ending, and show how it has shaped me to the person I am today.
Thoughts? I know mental illness is a touchy topic with colleges; they don’t really want someone who has a mental illness and could cause potential problems… Also, how long should the Common App essay typically be? I’m starting to write a draft and have my GC and friends read my essay.
If any of you guys have written about mental illness/health in your Common App essay, would I be able to read it? There aren’t many examples of this kind of essay and I’d like to see how other people have portrayed it. PM me please!
Thanks so much
There are different types of mental illness, and fortunately ADHD is one of the more common ones. So common in fact that writing about it won’t really put you in a bad light. This is quite a bit different than writing about schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Admissions committees are sometimes uneasy about admitting someone with unstable mental illness.
So whatever you write about, focus on how you overcame your obstacles (ADHD) and learned from them. Make sure to explain how you control your symptoms (or work around them).
Good luck
Mental health is NOT the topic- go re-read the prompt: YOU are the topic, writing about something that is so key to knowing you that it is the most interesting / important thing about you. That’s one of the reasons that people are cautious about mental health essays: does it really define you? Is it really the most interesting thing about you? (I’m not saying it is or it isn’t- just asking the question for you to think about).
Here’s the thing: about 10% of hs students (and I’ve seen estimates as high as 20% of hs boys) have an adhd diagnosis. Your challenge will be to write an essay that is original (adcoms people read a LOT of essays, and 100% they will all have read many versions of an add/adhd essay), and NOT about ADHD, but about YOU. You should almost be able to substitute another label or life event and still have the heart of the essay stay the same- b/c the heart of the essay is you- and not just what you have overcome in the past, but where that is taking you in the future.
The best way to find out is to try a draft or two and see how it reads 