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

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.

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

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?

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.