I’m scared to send this in to colleges because I don’t want them to reject me because of health issues and that they don’t want sick people on campus. Please let me know if I should change it. This is what I’m planning to send in. I’m a junior with these stats:
Good ec’s
3.0 uw gpa (85)
3.5 w gpa (90)
30 ACT Score
BUT had 4 c’s and 1 D freshman and sophomore year. The rest were A’s. In junior year they were A’s and B’s.
Bunch of honors and 4 of 5 AP’s including senior year courses.
Upward trend as well.
Extenuating Circumstances: Diagnosed Anemia and polycystic ovarian syndrome causing fatigue during the start of freshman year. Anemia treated and cured uptil junior year and pcos is being medicated until necessary. Concussion from junior varsity volleyball during sophomore year causing termination of sports for the rest of high school. Club sports will have the ability to be played by applicant in college. Chronic stomach issues that did not receive proper treatment until summer of Sophomore year. Health issues throughout high school hence explaining why there is such a difference when it comes to grades. Health has significantly improved and will continue to. No health conditions will be impacted during college - all will be treated and hopefully cured by the spring of senior year.
Yes. I’m going to be showing this to my guidance counselor as well so she knows. But, some apps that aren’t part of CA ask supplemental questions like what obstacles or health issues that came in the way. So this would be my response.
@strength1108 Have you had a conversation with your college counselor as to what the best way to present your medical situation is? It may be good to have the college counselor address this in the counselor recommendation.
You said “no health conditions will be impacted during college- most likely all will be treated by spring of senior year.” I would not include that . You can’t predict that you will not have issues arise during college. Only factual information should be provided. Colleges aren’t looking for a guarantee, nor can you provide one, that these medical issues will be resolved by the start of college and colleges aren’t expecting you to provide them with any reassurance. They are looking to understand how you will overcome these issues and be able to succeed in college despite these issues.
I probably would also exclude the part about the concussion unless it was so severe that it caused significant problems other than just not being able to play sports any longer in high school. This is just my opinion but I think you should stick with the major diagnosis.
Shorten it and be more linear in your description- you bounce from freshman to junior to sophomore year. 'Significant health issues in 9th and 10th grades significantly affected school performance. Health issues improved substantially in grade 11 and are now essentially resolved" is more than adequate. Your GC should cover this for the CA, and ideally point out that the correlation between improving health & improving grades.
But whatever you write:
Don’t refer to yourself in the third person.
Don’t overpromise: you can’t state absolutely that there will be no health issues in college (nobody can, and you have left at least 2 things hanging (anemia cured until junior year- what happened/is happening there? and pcos being medicated until necessary- what does that mean?)
Watch your syntax: “No health conditions will be impacted during college”? I think you mean that health conditions will not impact your performance in college, but as you said, that is a hope not a given.
Don’t introduce issues unnecessarily: no college cares if you are going to do club sports, and if there is no other reason to introduce your concussion, don’t: it adds to the impression that it’s just one health issue after another.
There is an additional information section on the common app that you can include your health challenges in and explain how they impacted your academics. The key is to explain the connection by providing colleges with information that is relevant and then talk about any steps you are taking or potential upward trend. If you want to see an example you can DM me (I have a chronic condition I addressed in my app).