Essay theme: chronic illness

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your kid is not their illness. Many kids have medical conditions. Unless your kid writes about the time they were the subject of grand rounds because they are a zebra, and then they helped deliver a baby when they got lost trying to find the restroom, and they found their passion for obstetrics and learned to always bring a spare outfit when they leave the house, it’s really not great source material.

what an ableist response.

[Anonymous]

Our college counselor discouraged DC from writing an essay like that. It shows weakness. They are not looking for that type of diversity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine did. She’s type 1 diabetic. It’s why she picked her major-biomedical engineering.

+2 My T1 diabetic kid also mentioned it in their essay. It is huge part of who they are and they wanted to talk about it.

[Anonymous]

Yes my kid wrote about how they hid it for years from classmates and how it hurt their self-esteem, and then decided to share and it helped them bond and grow. It probably wasn’t the best essay ever but it was very “them”.

[Anonymous]

My DC was diagnosed and missed over 5 weeks of school this year. Are people not advising to address that in the common app? Over 25 missed days of school and numerous half days. I assumed that would be adressed somewhere so that absences (which show on transcript) and the fact they will have 2 b's this year. Not for pity, but to explain? Disheartening to hear that shouldn't be mentioned

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our college counselor discouraged DC from writing an essay like that. It shows weakness. They are not looking for that type of diversity.

which is really sad..because this real adversity isnt the politically correct one...sorry but id rather be poor and healthy than the opposite

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our college counselor discouraged DC from writing an essay like that. It shows weakness. They are not looking for that type of diversity.

Then your CC needs an update because this is the new diversity and you and your kid need to catch up. "weakness" is a state of mind or character, not a consequence of suffering or illness. You total fecking moron.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC was diagnosed and missed over 5 weeks of school this year. Are people not advising to address that in the common app? Over 25 missed days of school and numerous half days. I assumed that would be adressed somewhere so that absences (which show on transcript) and the fact they will have 2 b's this year. Not for pity, but to explain? Disheartening to hear that shouldn't be mentioned

Explanations of reasons for missing school etc. are supposed to go in the additional information section in the Common App

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC was diagnosed and missed over 5 weeks of school this year. Are people not advising to address that in the common app? Over 25 missed days of school and numerous half days. I assumed that would be adressed somewhere so that absences (which show on transcript) and the fact they will have 2 b's this year. Not for pity, but to explain? Disheartening to hear that shouldn't be mentioned

Explanations of reasons for missing school etc. are supposed to go in the additional information section in the Common App

That is what I was thinking. But many other post so far say that indicating a chronic illness (similar to lupus) would be harmful in the application process. I mean I think it shows overcoming adversity to finish a school year with 5 A and 2 B or B+ after all this

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC was diagnosed and missed over 5 weeks of school this year. Are people not advising to address that in the common app? Over 25 missed days of school and numerous half days. I assumed that would be adressed somewhere so that absences (which show on transcript) and the fact they will have 2 b's this year. Not for pity, but to explain? Disheartening to hear that shouldn't be mentioned

That’s different from a chronic illness.

A 5-week absence should be included in counselors letter (preferably) or special comments.

But chronic illness is something else. Bottom line is colleges are in business for themselves. If a student is bringing an issue with them to college - physical or mental - that’s a potential concern? Will this student have needs we can’t meet? Does our health care system have capacity for this student? How will this illness affect a roommate? It’s easy to put a kid in the deny pile and move on.

But an absence 18 months ago because of mono? You have to see that that’s different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC was diagnosed and missed over 5 weeks of school this year. Are people not advising to address that in the common app? Over 25 missed days of school and numerous half days. I assumed that would be adressed somewhere so that absences (which show on transcript) and the fact they will have 2 b's this year. Not for pity, but to explain? Disheartening to hear that shouldn't be mentioned

Explanations of reasons for missing school etc. are supposed to go in the additional information section in the Common App

^ Most schools would want to see you center your narrative in resilience, recovery coping ability etc. College admissions are still crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our college counselor discouraged DC from writing an essay like that. It shows weakness. They are not looking for that type of diversity.

which is really sad..because this real adversity isnt the politically correct one...sorry but id rather be poor and healthy than the opposite

This. You are right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our college counselor discouraged DC from writing an essay like that. It shows weakness. They are not looking for that type of diversity.

Then your CC needs an update because this is the new diversity and you and your kid need to catch up. "weakness" is a state of mind or character, not a consequence of suffering or illness. You total fecking moron.

Wait - is chronic illness or other disability really “the new diversity?”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our college counselor discouraged DC from writing an essay like that. It shows weakness. They are not looking for that type of diversity.

Then your CC needs an update because this is the new diversity and you and your kid need to catch up. "weakness" is a state of mind or character, not a consequence of suffering or illness. You total fecking moron.

Wait - is chronic illness or other disability really “the new diversity?”

I don't think so... I think comment at 19:10 is accurate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC was diagnosed and missed over 5 weeks of school this year. Are people not advising to address that in the common app? Over 25 missed days of school and numerous half days. I assumed that would be adressed somewhere so that absences (which show on transcript) and the fact they will have 2 b's this year. Not for pity, but to explain? Disheartening to hear that shouldn't be mentioned

That’s different from a chronic illness.

A 5-week absence should be included in counselors letter (preferably) or special comments.

But chronic illness is something else. Bottom line is colleges are in business for themselves. If a student is bringing an issue with them to college - physical or mental - that’s a potential concern? Will this student have needs we can’t meet? Does our health care system have capacity for this student? How will this illness affect a roommate? It’s easy to put a kid in the deny pile and move on.

But an absence 18 months ago because of mono? You have to see that that’s different.

Missing 5 weeks and many many partial days was due to diagnosis of a chronic ilness.