By Victoria Tillson Evans, Ph.D.
As someone whose job is to help young people convey their innermost thoughts, strongest feelings, and most meaningful experiences to perfect strangers (namely admissions representatives), one question that has frequently arisen over the years is, “Should I talk about my mental health struggles?” As conversations about these topics become even more normalized thanks to athletes like Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles, I think it’s important that we address how to talk about these issues in the context of college admissions.
To decide to disclose a mental health issue in a college application requires judgment and a great deal of strength. Not everyone wants to do it, and I fully respect that choice. In fact, if you google advice on whether or not to share this information, opinions range from, “Do not do it,” to “Definitely do it.” The right answer, however, is more nuanced than that, and should always depend on your individual situation.
Let’s start off with a couple examples regarding mental health to show you what I mean.
This fall, a senior confided in me that the pandemic really got to her last spring, leading her to skip many days of class while she rested in bed. I smiled and told her that she would be fine. Her grades didn’t go down – in fact, they were better than ever – and the school had already offered to adjust the number of absences on her transcript, because they were all pandemic-related. When she asked if she needed to tell colleges about it, I replied that it wasn’t necessary, but if she felt it was important, she could.
The reason I advised her this way is that she did not have any negative outcomes related to, what I presume was, her depression. She also had already discussed her absences with her school, and they had very generously agreed to knock several of them off of her transcript, so there was nothing for colleges to question. I also saw no harm in disclosing this information, because her grades were better than before, and it could show her commitment to her studies in the face of adversity, if she wished to frame the situation in that way. Ultimately, my student decided not to address the issue and we were both happy with her choice.
In another instance several years ago, a student came to me after a really rough four years in high school. He was taking a gap year after taking a reduced schedule his senior year following a series of traumatic online bullying events, which left him with tremendous anxiety issues. When he applied to colleges the year before, none of that information was disclosed in his applications and his results were less than he hoped for. He wanted to give the college admissions process another chance, since the gap year was giving him the time and space he needed to recover.
After putting together an explanation about his situation for his Additional Information section, which included the steps he took to overcome his mental health issues, such as creating a learning situation that would allow him to both heal and advance intellectually, his results came back better than expected. He got in everywhere he applied except one school, which somehow lost his application (but that’s another story), and is now studying at UC Berkeley.
As you can see, disclosing mental health issues can really depend on the situation. If there are traces of it in your academic, extracurricular, or personal record, then I strongly urge you to include this information. It is much better to control what admissions officers think about you than to leave them the opportunity to presume the worst. This advice is, of course, with the caveat that you discuss the positive actions you’ve taken to address the situation. If you haven’t done anything to remedy the causes or symptoms of your mental health issues, then it may be advisable not to disclose this information until you are ready to help yourself. College reps love to see personal growth and authenticity, even if it’s regarding a personal problem. Remember, they are people, too, who have likely gone through something similar. They may find your efforts to come out of your mental health struggles as highly relatable, which is important. It’s also important to remember that you have to be ready to do it. If you’re not, that’s fine, but keep in mind that there is nothing more authentic or courageous than opening yourself to being vulnerable.
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