This wasn’t a mental health issue though.
I agree with you in that in general, students should not write about their mental health issues. Schools being risk averse could be part of it, but they also have a vested interest in admitting students who can handle the academic rigor at their college.
The student got kicked out of their house. This is an extreme circumstance which I would not characterize as a “mental health issue”. It’s traumatic enough when this happens to adults much less a dependent minor.
Sorry - my verbiage was wrong because it was not a mental health issue but a student needing to leave because of who they chose to be. My apologies for my poor word choice - but is there still a potential effect (that we don’t know about) that might a school eschew?
I don’t know - just asking.
Lots of potential consequences if the details are shared with AOs, and I expect there would be variability in how OP’s circumstance are viewed in terms of admissions decisions. Once that detail is shared, OP does not have control of said potential consequences.
My fear - it’s a risk - but perhaps with the one tough semester, a risk worth noting as OP did - although I still always say, one can’t 100% pinpoint why grades went down (even if they know the reason) and others might see it as coming up with an excuse to justify it.
We don’t know what’s in people’s minds, how they think, etc. as each admissions team will be different as you note.
I’d leave it off personally - or maybe only include at Wellesley, Williams, and Smith.
One thing that I’m still confused about is - we don’t know overall stats. OP put 3.98 and then we find out that it isn’t true because they removed one semester from it - and not sure how that will impact things. They maybe need to update the chance me and do it again - it certainly will impact at UCs since they track just four semesters and this was one.
Perhaps OP can give us a true accounting, including those grades.
But me personally and I’m not saying I’m right, I might include it to the 3 ACs and then nowhere else.
Good luck to OP.
@Mwfan1921 and @tsbna44 I had indicated above that I was going to try PM with the OP due to the delicacy of the issues and privacy cocners. So beyond this I won’t post!
I had assumed the school had already reported the situation due to mandated reporting. When working with kids on essays, I warn them about the potential for reporting to Child Protective Services if they discuss abuse or neglect and are under 18.
Clearly being trans and/or being kicked out for that reason is of course not a mental health disorder though it might cause situational trauma issues. I hope the parents got help. When I used the term “accommodations” I should clarify that in some situations I have seen extensions, leaves of absence and so on without formal 504 qualification but instead due to unusual stress. I am sure all schools are different.
I would be appalled if colleges stigmatized/penalized a kid suffering from trauma after being kicked out by parents for being trans. I really cannot imagine that.
I understand this - but of course, one will never know why they are rejected and an AO will make a decision, whether including this or not, and have forgotten about it 15 minutes later. Unfortunately, appalling actions happen a zillion times a day in this world with no one giving a second thought.
OK - will lay off this chat now.
Thanks for giving your guidance and directly to OP.
OP intimated their counselor did report this. But it doesn’t matter…if the student reports this in an app, a mandated reporter has to, by law, report it thru their defined channels. If the counselor writes specifically that they reported it, then I doubt things would go far. But, if the counselor seems to not know all the details, then at least a preliminary investigation will happen.
It’s unfortunate that OP didn’t know to remediate the D. Many schools require (whether by policy or in practice) 4 years of English. I don’t think it’s fair to call an admissions practice ‘appalling’ if a school’s requirements aren’t met, or if a school has an aversion to students with C’s and D’s. Sadly, OP’s situation is not uncommon.
One more: the “appalling to penalize” did not refer to grade drop. It referred to posts about colleges being averse to mental health issues.
Please try to educate yourself on gender identity. It is not a choice. This is probably exactly the type of thinking that led to the student being kicked out in the first place, and it is not helpful to OP.
Why - I’m saying they had to leave because of who they chose to be. I’m not making a statement or providing an opinion. The student said the parents were not accepting of it - so that is precisely why they had to leave.
Do you really think it’s a choice? Yes, you are making a statement and providing an opinion when you say the student “chose to be” trans.
This isn’t related to the topic - so I’m not going to go there. let’s stay on topic please. You can open up another thread and I’d be glad to converse.
Responses should focus on the student and their questions. Back-and-forth between 2 users isn’t helpful to the OP
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