College Essay

[hope]

I am senior working on my college essay. I'm not sure whether I should mention my anxiety and depression in my college essay. My anxiety and depression have shaped who I am. Oppossingly, a reader could find it too personal too see psychiatric diagnoses and negatives within a college essay.

Second, as I filled out Common App I realized that there is a question regarding disciplinary history, which I do have. How much of an effect will having a disciplinary history (I've been suspended from school) have on my admission?

?

 

[EyeSeeCold]

Sometimes it's good to be open with yourself. I'm not sure if this is one of those times. If you're going to include personal information, try to craft it into an appeal to pathos, positively.

 

[snafupants]

If the suspension was a long time ago, stress that; if the suspension was over something menial, stress that. Explain the issue calmly and logically.

Only mention the depression and anxiety if you can craft it into a larger narrative. Otherwise, it sounds like you are complaining or artificially boosting your accomplishments.

Tell the forum what you have thus far: perhaps we can help.

 

[Melllvar]

I agree with snafu. They won't want to hear about your problems, in general. Unless it's very clever it'll probably be perceived as whiny.

One other tip: absurdly creative essays often do really well, from what I understand. One of the valedictorians at my high school actually got into Harvard with an essay about why his hero was the creator of ballet (which was bullshit obviously, it just showed he was really unique and could make a good essay on nearly anything).

 

[snafupants]

This is somewhat off topic, but MIT did this study where they showed that length mattered more than content correctness on ACT essays.

For your college essay though, have someone you respect go over it, preferably with you, and truly incorporate their advice without ego.

 

[hope]

I did not go to school for six months (still received credit for half my classes) because of anxiety and depression, so I think its necessary to mention them.

Essay Format

a. Issues
b.Working Over Issues
c. My future

Is this a viable essay format?

 

[Methuselah]

I wouldn't. It's a great way to mark yourself as a problem person, whether that's true or not.

I have used that kind of full truthfulness/"take me as I am" approach in the past, and later it just seemed like oversharing. I ended up regretting it.

 

[preilemus]

I did not go to school for six months (still received credit for half my classes) because of anxiety and depression, so I think its necessary to mention them.

Essay Format

a. Issues
b.Working Over Issues
c. My future

Is this a viable essay format?

In essence. My suggestion is to think about a particularly significant decision you made in relation to the over-all theme of how your issues have shaped you. Having something concrete to describe can be a good counterweight to talking about intangibles like your feelings.

Of course my other suggestion would be to disregard all advice. How do you think it is best to represent yourself? (Though maybe the fact that you've already gone and made a thread like this means that cause is already lost...)