Anonymous wrote:

Like nearly every other subject about which a 17-year-old can write (virtually none of which will be unique in and of itself) it’s all in how it’s done. Why is this different?

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.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think T1D is different from MS or Lupus (which my daughter has). Usually (!) the issues w well known and understood treatment protocols are okay. Every reader will say, oh, like my brother or my bestie from high school. Shows personal health management and reason for career interest.

But I worry OPs daughter is like mine. It’s all a giant question mark. Monthly labs that can be routine or can send her straight to the ER w liver biopsies, total med change, hospital stay followed by more questions. She needed a single room because she really needs to sleep by 9. No drinking at all ever. Etc. She could be read, correctly, as a lot more than can be handled by their med center and possible issues with teacher allowances, housing issues, etc

My daughter didn’t mentioned and got into the 2 HYPSM schools she applied to.

I want to advise the OR to investigate health insurance if the college is out of state . The plans colleges offer may not be up to it. And get a team in place there that is willing to loop parents in at least sometimes. Things like MyChart won’t be available once the kid is 18. And some MyCharts aren’t read between hospitals, which is crazy is something happens in one state and you bring her back to your state for care.

I’m glad my daughter got to attend her dream school and it’s was 95% fine. But the 5% was worrisome med stuff and even tho the college didn’t have to deal w much of it, I’m glad we didn’t mention it and scare them off.

New poster - thank you for this. My DD is a high school junior with lupus. She too will likely veer away from mentioning it in apps so schools don’t fear her needing time off etc.

I’m curious what accommodations your daughter has asked for? I’ve thought about the single room due to rest and germ issues - since are takes immunosuppressants long term.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think T1D is different from MS or Lupus (which my daughter has). Usually (!) the issues w well known and understood treatment protocols are okay. Every reader will say, oh, like my brother or my bestie from high school. Shows personal health management and reason for career interest.

But I worry OPs daughter is like mine. It’s all a giant question mark. Monthly labs that can be routine or can send her straight to the ER w liver biopsies, total med change, hospital stay followed by more questions. She needed a single room because she really needs to sleep by 9. No drinking at all ever. Etc. She could be read, correctly, as a lot more than can be handled by their med center and possible issues with teacher allowances, housing issues, etc

My daughter didn’t mentioned and got into the 2 HYPSM schools she applied to.

I want to advise the OR to investigate health insurance if the college is out of state . The plans colleges offer may not be up to it. And get a team in place there that is willing to loop parents in at least sometimes. Things like MyChart won’t be available once the kid is 18. And some MyCharts aren’t read between hospitals, which is crazy is something happens in one state and you bring her back to your state for care.

I’m glad my daughter got to attend her dream school and it’s was 95% fine. But the 5% was worrisome med stuff and even tho the college didn’t have to deal w much of it, I’m glad we didn’t mention it and scare them off.

New poster - thank you for this. My DD is a high school junior with lupus. She too will likely veer away from mentioning it in apps so schools don’t fear her needing time off etc.

I’m curious what accommodations your daughter has asked for? I’ve thought about the single room due to rest and germ issues - since are takes immunosuppressants long term.

Anonymous wrote:I think T1D is different from MS or Lupus (which my daughter has). Usually (!) the issues w well known and understood treatment protocols are okay. Every reader will say, oh, like my brother or my bestie from high school. Shows personal health management and reason for career interest.

But I worry OPs daughter is like mine. It’s all a giant question mark. Monthly labs that can be routine or can send her straight to the ER w liver biopsies, total med change, hospital stay followed by more questions. She needed a single room because she really needs to sleep by 9. No drinking at all ever. Etc. She could be read, correctly, as a lot more than can be handled by their med center and possible issues with teacher allowances, housing issues, etc

My daughter didn’t mentioned and got into the 2 HYPSM schools she applied to.

I want to advise the OR to investigate health insurance if the college is out of state . The plans colleges offer may not be up to it. And get a team in place there that is willing to loop parents in at least sometimes. Things like MyChart won’t be available once the kid is 18. And some MyCharts aren’t read between hospitals, which is crazy is something happens in one state and you bring her back to your state for care.

I’m glad my daughter got to attend her dream school and it’s was 95% fine. But the 5% was worrisome med stuff and even tho the college didn’t have to deal w much of it, I’m glad we didn’t mention it and scare them off.

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

Anonymous wrote:

Stay away from the three D's

disease
divorce
death

also told not to do, the very-overdone, "trauma of being cut from the varsity team"

Stay away from the three D's

disease
divorce
death

Anonymous wrote:I think the message to avoid this topic is overblown.

I'm an English teacher, and I help many kids every year. I've seen this type of essay done extremely well. A couple of possible takes:

1.) One kid had a passion for an extracurricular that was VERY challenging to engage in due to her physical illness. However, she loved this extracurricular so much that she kept pushing through. She rose to pretty high heights despite the fact that it was harder for her than for most kids.

2.) One wrote with such exquisite detail about an episode connected to his illness that you couldn't help but be moved. It showcased his writing chops, and he reflected upon how his anger over having this condition propelled him to achieve things in academics and sports.

Anonymous wrote:The case for mentioning:

A chronic illness forces a level of maturity and independence that cannot be faked. Depending on the illness, the kid has likely successfully juggled not only the standard high school challenges (learning, studying, taking tests and writing papers, volunteering, performing, being a friend/teammate/etc.), but also a whole series of other complex tasks: managing medications and prescriptions, calculating doses, actively planning ahead for things like sports, extracurriculars, field trips, etc. They've likely had to navigate a labyrinthine medical system, actively communicate their needs to doctors, coaches, teachers, friends, and school administrators.

If they've managed to do all that while remaining a strong student and a positive, personable human being, then they've proved something really, really important about themselves: that they can multitask, plan/ prioritize, deal with setbacks, self-advocate, self-regulate, and navigate complexity.

The challenge is how an applicant can communicate this without seeming like they're complaining, or as if they're struggling in a way that makes them less likely to succeed (or are more likely to be a drain on resources). Additional Information is a great place for this. Keep it brief and positive. Focus on the growth that's already occurred, rather than on the struggle.