Are these mistakes worth emailing Yale for?

Colleges & Universities Yale University
1

Hey all! First off, these aren’t really mistakes, so much as omissions: I had a couple of questions about what to include in my application so stupidly I asked my GC instead of CC who told me not to include any of it. I’m applying SCEA.

*I have visited the school but did not include this because I thought it was just for surveying purposes.

*I wanted to take AP world history last year but because a lot of my classes only had 1 period, it couldn’t work out. I asked my GC if he could mention this in my rec; he said no because it doesn’t matter.

*I take a class at the local community college during periods 2, 3, and 4. I only really needed periods 3 and 4 off and asked my GC to just give me 3 and 4 so I could take AP Physics 2nd period. He told me that I need period 2 off and didn’t fulfill my request. I’m a little bitter now because now I have an extra hour before class where I do nothing! (well, I study, but it’s free time)

*I have been fighting pretty severe depression and anxiety throughout high school - its a fight that I am winning with medication, lots of exercise, and professional help. However my EC’s are a little lacking because most of freshman, sophomore and junior year it was a struggle just to get out of bed. My GC said not to mention this because they don’t like accepting mentally ill students because it costs more for the campus health center and they think I’m more likely to suddenly fail all my classes or something (I wouldn’t actually).

Now, I’ve been reading on CC and apparently I should have mentioned some of this… Is this worth emailing them over? As it stands right now regarding my schedule it looks like I have a half day which I know is bad but I don’t!

Thanks for the advice. I’d be straight up lost without this website! I love you all

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Oh, also I wanted to take AP Stat or AP Econ my senior year too instead of art but my GC made me take an art class. The only AP art is photography which has a prereq so I just did regular photography which looks really bad. All in all I only have 2 AP’s my senior year (lit and chem which is double period), as well as multivariable calculus at the community college (this semester) and differential equations (next semester). I have 8 AP’s total, though.

3

@yousefk, I’m usually the first to question GC’s advice, but I think yours is giving you pretty good advice. Relax. Deep breaths. Good luck.

4

I completely agree with your guidance counselor; NONE of the things you think should have been mentioned will move your application forward.

In fact, mentioning depression and anxiety might torpedo your application, as it’s a hot-button issue on college campuses. Yale hasn’t been as outspoken about the issue as Harvard, but here’s a quote you might find interesting: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/03/18/mental-health-breakdown-when-harvard-fails-its-students.html

With attitudes like that, some Admissions Officers are more than willing to find another reason – any reason – to reject a student who mentions their depression and anxiety in their application. You were wise to follow your GC’s advice.

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@IxnayBob @gibby Thanks for the advice. I think I just need to stop thinking about my Yale app until December 15th. I also now realize I should respect my GC and his judgment a lot more.

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i would add that Yale does not take “interest” into consideration, so mentioning that won’t make a difference.