Applying to college with seasonal depression

College Search & Lists
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I’m currently a senior about to submit my final applications and wanted some input from people with experience with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD/seasonal depression). I’m living near the 39th parallel N and already experience seasonal depression (though this year it’s gotten slightly better due to light therapy and vitamin D in a pill). I have my eye on some universities further north but am slightly nervous about going somewhere darker and colder. I’ve struggled (especially in winter) with su*cidal ideation and loss of executive function, which I’m sure will not be helped by being away from home and having a new workload.

Is there anyone who can give input? I know it’s a bit late lol. Happy almost-end-of-year!
-rosentsprungen

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Why do you need to go away from home or not focus on sunnier climates? Lots of great options there. You need to set yourself up for success and play to your strengths, not go in the face of your known weaknesses.

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Go south. Florida? Arizona?
Btw, it is not just lights. You need to sit in front of a very bright full spectrum light by 6 am or earlier. The idea is to fool your pineal gland into thinking it is June, and reset your circadian rhythm. Something like this could work. https://www.amazon.com/AC110-277V-Replacement-Commercial-Industrial-Warehouse/dp/B08T6W32Q9/ref=asc_df_B08T6W32Q9/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=475857959892&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16085103193986867746&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003234&hvtargid=pla-1186279389306&psc=1&mcid=6aa855a0f1243eb286c6ad2dd342de7f&gclid=Cj0KCQiA7aSsBhCiARIsALFvovyJGcb57qVzGBBJFJbacd0dVTNc6u3cqJT4Hv6KbvvXm_-1gMM6mCoaAoDYEALw_wcB

Do yourself a favor, go far south for school.

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Have you considered medication? You might even be able to go off or lower the dose part of the year.

One of my kids has bipolar disorder and is depressed Nov.-April. She takes Lexapro for it.

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Where have you applied? There are still many places that still haven’t had their deadline.

Also, what is your budget, and what major do you want?

Plenty of colleges to the south of you.

Also, what @parentologist and @compmom wrote

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Please consider the light/weather when you choose a school. My child also dealt with SAD and went to college at a place that was the same latitude but had much foggier and colder weather. It really increased their depression and was quite scary for all of us.

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Wow - sorry to hear. I’ve never heard of this and reading all the responses is very interesting. As others chimed in, please ensure you make the best choices for your health.

Very interesting thread - subject and responses.

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I’ve applied to several universities near me and further south than me but my parents are also urging me to apply to places like CWRU or UMich. Weather aside, CWRU seems like a great place for me which is a bit of a shame.

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What is great about it (CWRU). Perhaps there’s a school with the like strengths in a better place for you.

Florida Tech as a safety. Rice…not to mention, CWRU and Michigan are both difficult schools to get into. And lots of big flagships in sunnier places.

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So far I’ve applied to WashU, UW-Madison, University of Maryland, IU-Bloomington, and Emory/Oxford, and am going to apply to Wellesley, Purdue, ASU, Boston College, Scripps, possibly Colorado and William and Mary. Any suggestions for others?

I thought I was going to do political science with economics or statistics but after getting deferred from my ED school I’m not so sure, now I’m thinking just statistics.

Budget isn’t a huge issue for me as I got a pretty sweet grant thing that’ll cover a good chunk of tuition but I’d still like it to be less than 40k (willing to be flexible).

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Weather where I live is pretty bad anyway, but that’s part of the reason my parents won’t let me apply to certain unis. I’m really trying to go sunnier for sure. Thank you!

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So if I understand correctly, you do better in southern, warmer - but you have a list that is mostly not - with few exceptions - really ASU. Even Scripps - bad air quality.

You want to keep under $40K - but how much is the grant. In other words, if a school is $90K, you need a $50K grant or other need aid.

What is your GPA, test score, rank, rigor level, etc.

I’m not familiar so perhaps I’m speaking out of turn but based on what I read in the previous messages, it doesn’t seem like your school list aligns with your needs.

Also - there’s a huge difference between a Wellesley, Scripps - and an ASU, Purdue, UMD type.

What do you actually want in a school? If we knew more about you academically, suggestions could be made.

Stats can be done anywhere.

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Really anywhere further south than the 39th parallel is fair game. Trying to apply to a variety of different schools as I’m sort of “undecided” for everything. I’m aware that BC and Wellesley are quite far north but I do like them a lot.

The grant is roughly 30k and I will probably be eligible for other aid as well, again willing to be flexible with budget

GPA ~3.9/4.0, ACT 35, 10 APs and other classes all Honors.

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You’d have schools where you could beat $40K - without the grant.

It’s a stats degree - the where won’t matter much.

You have big schools - so why not look at, in addition to ASU, Arizona which (as of now) will make budget b4 grant, Alabama - well under. UAH for smaller. UTK…and many more.

For midsize, UAH - and I can’t tell where it crosses, but Va Tech, U of South Carolina, College of Charleston…some of the Florida publics although it might be late.

For reach type you have Emory…how about Rice or some LACs like Rhodes, Occidental - would be in warmth.

If BC, how about Loyola Marymount or U of San Diego. In Florida, you have Rollins, Furman, etc. Not sure if U Denver is south of the line but could be another.

You said CWRU would be good for you so I was assuming you were techy - and said Florida Tech.

Why would CWRU be good for you?

With your stats, budget is no issue - even without the grant - and not sure what your end goal is after school, but I’m not sure the where is that critical (my opinion)…i.e. I’m not sure you get more going to Emory than say UGA or Alabama or name your school…given the major.

But you should find an environment you like…and can afford. If you don’t get need aid, Emory won’t make $40K, even with grant, etc.

Miami gives merit - so it’d be a like school and it could get you to price point.

Good luck.

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UW Madison is to your north, so I don’t think that it’s a good choice. Same with Wellesley, Purdue, and Boston College. In fact, no college in the NE is good, so don’t go for any of the NESCACs, or anything in New York.

Cleveland is probably one of the worst place for somebody who is susceptible to SADD. November and December have 90 and 68 hours of sunlight per month, respectively, and in January it rising to a whopping 101 hours a month. So I wouldn’t really recommend CWRU. UMich isn’t really any better.

If you’re looking at Scripps, it’s definitely worth your while to look at Occidental college - I’m surprised that it’s not on there. I think that Santa Clara in California is also worth a look. For a more likely choice, see of UNC Charlottesville looks like something that interests you and is affordable. University of Richmond may also be worth a look.

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In considering schools, it might be helpful for you to look at WeatherSpark. The site will allow you to compare the location of any school with the area where you currently live and shows days with sun, hours of daylight, etc. It’s very detailed.

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If this is the case, you need to think carefully about where you go to college. I hope you are receiving some counseling to deal with these issues. That needs to be your top priority, not college.

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If you have seasonal depression in colder, darker months that involves suicidal ideation, I think you need to focus on this mental health issue, maybe more than geography. I hope you have a psychiatrist and therapist. How do you feel about medications ?

You might also get hormones checked. Do you exercise less in colder months? Exercise can help depression. You already know about light therapy.

Do you know for sure that depression won’t happen in a sunny warm climate? Is it possible you have a form of bipolar disorder or are you sure it is SAD?

I know lots of people with seasonal affective disorder but those I know don’t think about where to live, because they are settled. You are in a position to have a choice. I would just support that choice with some professional help.

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There is not a single college on the planet which is worth sacrificing your mental health- and potentially your life- if you’ve struggled with ideation. Not a single one.

Are you seeing a mental health professional, and when was your last physical? Not to minimize your struggles- but I know someone who suffered from similar, self diagnosed that it was SAD, and finally had a full physical workup where they diagnosed a thyroid condition. Within a few weeks of appropriate medication- gone. Completely gone. Light therapy and all that is fine and good but you need to make sure there isn’t something else going on. I’m not a doctor, but your own physician can likely list a dozen conditions which could explain what you are experiencing.

If you were my child- I’d tell you bluntly that your list is completely wrong if, in fact, you need sunshine and warmth in the winter months. Wellesley, BC, seriously? Yeah, you like them, but worth sacrificing your mental health? No way.

I don’t know what your ED school was- but is Rice, Agnes Scott, College of Charleston, University of Tulsa on your list? Cannot imagine encouraging Boston if-in fact- your condition is exacerbated by dark and cold. I grew up near BC/Wellesley… sunset is around 4:15 pm in early December, just when you will be studying for finals. Do you think you can handle walking home from a class at 5:30 pm in the dark?

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Exercise restraint & caution regarding BC, Wellesley, & Wisconsin due to your SAD.

Consider Rice University in Houston, Texas, the University of Texas at Austin (if you want a large university setting) & Pomona College.

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