<p>Basically high school has been a rough time for me. I’m a junior with good grades (over a 4.0 weighted) and decent ECs (lots of volunteer hours, etc), but socially… I dunno, it’s just been really hard. I’ve been battling with depression for a while, and I have scars from when I used to self harm. I’m getting help now, and I don’t cut anymore, but I’m curious-- will these scars affect the admissions process? ie, if I go to an interview and they see the scars, how badly will it hurt my chances of admission?</p>
<p>wear a long sleeved shirt</p>
<p>I apologize for my bluntness, but how recent are the marks and how visible are they? Are sleeves an option? I could see them being unsettling for an interviewer.</p>
<p>MissGen-- Somewhat recent. But I’m a junior, so by the time of interviews, they’ll probably be faded to the point where you don’t really notice them unless you’re staring directly. I’m a bit worried about them being unsettling, too, to be honest.</p>
<p>kradzzzzz-- yea, nevermind that it might be 100+ degrees and humid. I’m not ashamed of my scars, and I plan on going in to interviews dressed to the weather. My question was whether or not the possible sight of these scars will hurt my chances of admission, not advice on how to hide them. I asked a serious question, and I’d appreciate a serious answer.</p>
<p>Not sure what your scars look like, but my D did ok in admissions, HS class of 08. Not what you asked, but suggest you also check out psych services; when they provide services on campus, and when they refer you out. </p>
<p>Some will need the services, and some get referred off campus, but in the end, do ok, and graduate on time. Yeah…</p>
<p>kradz’s answer was serious and I agree. it’s great that you’re not ashamed of your scars. but you’re asking if they could put off your interviewer. and the answer to that is yes. if you don’t want that to happen, wear a long-sleeved shirt. if you don’t care, that’s fine. but I just want to let you know that kradz was offering a serious suggestion.</p>
<p>Shrinkrap-- thank you! </p>
<p>saman42-- kradz’s answer was also modified long before your post. The original answer was more of a snide remark than a serious suggestion. It was both rude and insulting. Thank you, though, for your opinion on the effect of the scars.</p>
<p>I know this thread is kinda old, but I’d just like to clarify for anyone else who searches this subject.</p>
<p>There are several colleges that do not have an interview selection process for admissions applications. It is entirely possible to be accepted to a university regardless of your appearance, race, age, gender, or medical status. In fact many Universities employ a biased free systems where acceptance is awarded bases on a point system. These universities only look at your grades, volunteer hours, and other attributes that can be quantified, so here are no essays and interviews.</p>
<p>However if you do go to an interview, which it sounds like you did, in the case of both school admissions interviews and job or internship interviews they can not discriminate against you for your mental or physical health or condition. As long as you approach the interview with confidence you are just as likely to be accepted as anyone else. If the subject of your scars does comes up you have several options.</p>
<p>Tell the truth… “I recently suffered through a difficult point in my life, but I am fine now and the experience has only made me stronger.” Take the negative you suffered and make it positive. Focus on how it changed your outlook and what you plan to do next. If you feel comfortable, you may mention that you are getting counseling but don’t go into to much detail, which will only put off the interviewer. Just focus on the future and the positive.</p>
<p>Change the subject… “Oh it’s nothing. So I heard your school offers a free meal plan to students who volunteer to help in the cafeteria. Can you tell me more about that.” If the interviewer presses the subjects, you can assert your rights by saying something to the affect of “I’m sorry, but I would rather not discuss the details at this moment. It is a personal matter and is not relevant to the job/to my ability to attend your school.” Don’t be shy. You have rights to and you don’t have to discuss anything you don’t want to. Focus on why you should be admitted and what you can add to their University, but don’t be afraid to stand up for your rights. It shows that you are assertive and may even help you get accepted.</p>
<p>Or make something up… “Yeah I tried to rescue a homeless cat last week, and got scratched. Do you like cats?” It can be obvious or not, but this usually sends a message that you’d rather not talk about it. If you can laugh it off, it shows that you have good social graces, which can be a very useful tool in a university setting.</p>
<p>Honestly, all they are concerned with is whether you are an asset to their campus. If you show them that you are okay and act with confidence and composure, usually these things are not an issue. Remember that they will have probably have counseling services on campus as well and, you can always ask for more information about it. If you show that you are aware of the problem, emotionally stable and mature, and confident in your own abilities and limitations you should be just fine.</p>