ASD for diverse pov essay

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In general, people have an unconscious bias against autism. I would not disclose this diagnosis when applying for admission. I say this as a parent of an autistic child.

Yes- the harsh replies here confirm that.

AO here again, with fka-Aspergers diagnosis myself. Do not disclose autism before admission. It’s far too risky. Do feel free to disclose how your child has assisted other autistics, that’s fine and very nice. But don’t out your child unless you’re 100% sure he’ll get in anyway (like, you have a named building or endowed chair). That’s not to say it never works, but it is RISKY and the neurodivergence awareness/insight essays are overdone. I pass on every single one. They read like lazy ChatGPT.

You pass on every one? Are autistic students not allowed to bring their authentic selves to their essays?

I agree with you and have advised my smart, autistic student not to write about this important aspect of their identity. They understand why which is sad.

I am bummed out that autistic kids can't "out" themselves as the note above states without worrying that it will ruin their opportunities. But what is really sad is the AO who herself has ASD has drawn such a firm line against it.

Exactly. Austistic AO sounds like an a$$hole denying the validity of the struggle for those with autism while lapping up all the other diversity essays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS wrote thoughtful essay about how Autism has given him a different way of looking at things for the diversity essay at a few schools. We are not going for top 20 schools but UMD is a reach/ target. DH thinks this will hurt chances as AO may assume Autism = struggle to succeed at school. Strong grades and rigor. in HS Has not taken opportunity to use accommodations in HS.

Has anyone heard anything on these situations?

The essay only exists to see if you can help them check any illegal (racial) or unsavory (wealth) discrimination boxes they want to check.

[Anonymous]

People don’t like the truth?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In general, people have an unconscious bias against autism. I would not disclose this diagnosis when applying for admission. I say this as a parent of an autistic child.

Yes- the harsh replies here confirm that.

AO here again, with fka-Aspergers diagnosis myself. Do not disclose autism before admission. It’s far too risky. Do feel free to disclose how your child has assisted other autistics, that’s fine and very nice. But don’t out your child unless you’re 100% sure he’ll get in anyway (like, you have a named building or endowed chair). That’s not to say it never works, but it is RISKY and the neurodivergence awareness/insight essays are overdone. I pass on every single one. They read like lazy ChatGPT.

I hope you get discovered and fired and sued for your unconscionable and illegal discriminatory behavior.

Everyone else, observe that this is the ghouls "holistically" evaluating applicants. Keep that in mind next time you consider how "prestigious" a school's student body is, when the AO is just looking for people whom write to match the self-hating AO's own prejudice and make her feel better about herself and her failure to get a real job by rejecting people who remind her of herself.

Plenty of other reasons they’re rejected. It isn’t illegal to reject poorly written essays because they’re poorly written. And AOs aren’t all “job” positions; mine isn’t. It isn’t that kids remind me of me; they don’t. I reject their essays because they’re irritating copycat themes that are poorly written. Claiming expertise on your own special brain at 17-18 is off-putting. Everyone hates those essays. Don’t hate me for being honest about the process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS wrote thoughtful essay about how Autism has given him a different way of looking at things for the diversity essay at a few schools. We are not going for top 20 schools but UMD is a reach/ target. DH thinks this will hurt chances as AO may assume Autism = struggle to succeed at school. Strong grades and rigor. in HS Has not taken opportunity to use accommodations in HS.

Has anyone heard anything on these situations?

The essay only exists to see if you can help them check any illegal (racial) or unsavory (wealth) discrimination boxes they want to check.

+1. You want to write about diverse experiences such as YOU helping people who are diverse, not you being diverse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS wrote thoughtful essay about how Autism has given him a different way of looking at things for the diversity essay at a few schools. We are not going for top 20 schools but UMD is a reach/ target. DH thinks this will hurt chances as AO may assume Autism = struggle to succeed at school. Strong grades and rigor. in HS Has not taken opportunity to use accommodations in HS.

Has anyone heard anything on these situations?

The essay only exists to see if you can help them check any illegal (racial) or unsavory (wealth) discrimination boxes they want to check.

+1. You want to write about diverse experiences such as YOU helping people who are diverse, not you being diverse.

But other people are allowed to write about their own experiences not as helpers? GTFO. What a joke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hannah Gadsby wrote a whole book about it. Autistic self-insight as monologue is within the zeitgeist. I wouldn’t do it for fear of being MeToo/PickMe, but maybe a male applicant can. As an AO, I’d be annoyed and wouldn’t choose him. And I am autistic.

listen if Tim Walz as a white male can lie about his military service and not be called out by the press, this kid can certainly write about this as a male applicant. Think this is a home run

Sure! Lean into the white male privilege and mansplain how your unique and special brain works, and how you know this already at age 17-18 before any college education, .. might impress a male reader! I’m an autistic female AO reader and I would skip this candidate. Just being honest.

What I would endorse though would be a “show, don’t tell” approach. Like, show me how you’ve learned how to communicate and socialize: what have you done and how have you learned how to use the strengths of your autism to connect and be part of a community (like you’ll have to do at college). Bonus points if you can tie in research or alum from that college who is ASD, how and why you think you can benefit the college other than just your big snowflake brain and how much you know about yourself.

DP. My white, male, ASD kid is still a year away from college admissions. He's been working on social communication for years. Last year he volunteered with MCPS for their summer ELO program. He wants a job as a math tutor this year and I told him he had to get some "teaching experience" So under the direction of the teacher, he worked with younger kids on math and science projects. He was quickly able to connect to a few kids who were quirky like him. Is this the type of "show, don't tell" that you're referring to?

Bonus points if he can say that he helped the quirky kids fit in with their peers, or translated their quirkiness to the teacher, or someone aided in INCLUSION without needing supports (it’s legal to need supports of course, but discrimination is real). The most effective essays show that the writer is an advocate, not someone who needs something. Show how he will help the college, not that he knows what he will need from the college.

Thank you for this. He enjoyed the experience and plans to do it again next summer. When he tells me about his day, I'll document when he tells me about helping a kid fit in or being able to help the child in some way. Then we'll have it when it's time to write the essay.

That’s a good plan!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS wrote thoughtful essay about how Autism has given him a different way of looking at things for the diversity essay at a few schools. We are not going for top 20 schools but UMD is a reach/ target. DH thinks this will hurt chances as AO may assume Autism = struggle to succeed at school. Strong grades and rigor. in HS Has not taken opportunity to use accommodations in HS.

Has anyone heard anything on these situations?

The essay only exists to see if you can help them check any illegal (racial) or unsavory (wealth) discrimination boxes they want to check.

+1. You want to write about diverse experiences such as YOU helping people who are diverse, not you being diverse.

But other people are allowed to write about their own experiences not as helpers? GTFO. What a joke.

Yes. A very serious joke.

[Anonymous]

Exhibit A: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/09/how-they-wrote-and-rewrote-their-harvard-admissions-essays/

No one writes about needing accommodation. They all write about what they can OFFER to colleges.

Do that. Mention ASD if you want (I wouldn’t), but make it about how you can give, not what you’ve learned to take or why your special brain works in special ways. Saying what you’ve learned to GIVE is what they want to hear.

That’s all from me. Hate me all you want.
-ASD AO

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS wrote thoughtful essay about how Autism has given him a different way of looking at things for the diversity essay at a few schools. We are not going for top 20 schools but UMD is a reach/ target. DH thinks this will hurt chances as AO may assume Autism = struggle to succeed at school. Strong grades and rigor. in HS Has not taken opportunity to use accommodations in HS.

Has anyone heard anything on these situations?

I think your DS's essay topic sounds wonderful. I think neurodivergence is an asset to a college class. If a college doesn't see it that way and assumes it is a negative, then that's information you want to have in advance before your son goes there.

Fwiw, our DS's friend in our private school disclosed his autism (saw it as a superpower, not disability) when applying to private high schools and had multiple schools to choose from.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If he doesn’t need accommodations and can get into a top college, claiming autism seems like it could either be seen as “stolen valor” or as more of a struggle than it is. Not worth it.

Those who would’ve formerly been diagnosed as “Asperger’s” are stereotypically more on the gifted side of things academically while having true struggles with social communication. That’s not stolen valor. If the OP’s kid is writing about their experience, that is in no way stolen valor.

OP here. thank you PP! Although I think some of the other posters have confirmed my suspicions that people really can be very clueless about the topic so including might be a bad idea. What if AO is as stupid as "stolen valor" comment or?

Neurodivergence can be an asset depending on the individual and where they are in learning about themselves. Not just in terms of some atypical, useful capability but in terms of life lessons engendered. If it can be presented in a way that adds to the school, great. I suspect some schools are more likely to appreciate it than others. I would imagine smaller ones that emphasize community, undergrad student-prof relationships, and personal development are a more natural fit more than very large universities where the profs and administration are focused on graduate programs, publishing, and high revenue sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Exhibit A: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/09/how-they-wrote-and-rewrote-their-harvard-admissions-essays/

No one writes about needing accommodation. They all write about what they can OFFER to colleges.

Do that. Mention ASD if you want (I wouldn’t), but make it about how you can give, not what you’ve learned to take or why your special brain works in special ways. Saying what you’ve learned to GIVE is what they want to hear.

That’s all from me. Hate me all you want.
-ASD AO

ASD AO, I don't think people are reacting to your advice so much as to the personal investment they have in ASD as a subject of discussion. Dismissing the essay topic is not the same thing as dismissing the human being and their experience. Most young people in that age group crave the sense of fitting in even as they revel (or wallow) in the feeling of being different, whether they are affected by ASD or not. So they naturally tend to feel that _their_ ASD journey is unique - because, to them, it is. You have given some good tips on how to keep the essay itself focused on how the ASD student fits into a wider community (since they are making a bid to fit into the community of a college), and in fact that advice holds true for pretty much any essay topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In general, people have an unconscious bias against autism. I would not disclose this diagnosis when applying for admission. I say this as a parent of an autistic child.

Yes- the harsh replies here confirm that.

AO here again, with fka-Aspergers diagnosis myself. Do not disclose autism before admission. It’s far too risky. Do feel free to disclose how your child has assisted other autistics, that’s fine and very nice. But don’t out your child unless you’re 100% sure he’ll get in anyway (like, you have a named building or endowed chair). That’s not to say it never works, but it is RISKY and the neurodivergence awareness/insight essays are overdone. I pass on every single one. They read like lazy ChatGPT.

Oh please. Here is DCUM’s resident “AO”
chiming in again with offensive commentary. Please tell us again what college you work for?

[Anonymous]

I think most essays on personal health/mental health are probably duds and also likely to open the door to prejudice. So no, do not write about your ADHD, depression, anxiety or autism. Particularly if you weren’t actually disabled by any of it. If you believe your neurodivergence gives you a unique perspective *write something unique.* Otherwise just too many pitfalls. If you’re autistic and you love trains, write about trains. If you have ADHD and you never want a desk job write about your goals. If you have anxiety write about a time you conquered a fear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Exhibit A: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/09/how-they-wrote-and-rewrote-their-harvard-admissions-essays/

No one writes about needing accommodation. They all write about what they can OFFER to colleges.

Do that. Mention ASD if you want (I wouldn’t), but make it about how you can give, not what you’ve learned to take or why your special brain works in special ways. Saying what you’ve learned to GIVE is what they want to hear.

That’s all from me. Hate me all you want.
-ASD AO

That was nice. The Korean American kid’s essay sounds lovely. I’d love to read an essay about a kid on the spectrum’s special interest and what it means to him. I imagine readers want authenticity foremost, and an essay about “autism is my superpower!” doesn’t really seem to be that.