College applications ask for evidence of star quality, of leadership ability. I have never played a varsity sport. Nor have I attained high honor roll every semester of my high school career. I didn't start any political movements, and I didn't invent a new and better computer in my garage. But what I am is something, which I believe your university needs, and society needs: I am a person who has demonstrated the ability to overcome challenges.
Some of the challenges, such as Attention Deficit Disorder, expressive processing impairments, and Social Anxiety Disorder, came from within me. And some of the challenges arose as a result of living through chaotic financial circumstances, and the impact this had on my family. .
Although I was born with some impairments, I was blessed with some good native intelligence (My ACT score was 34.)and an ability to interpret, retain, and utilize what I learn. And, I have a great sense of humor. These assets have helped me to endure, and to prevail. .
One of my impairments is Attention Deficit Disorder. The ADD makes it easy to lose focus, hard to organize and prioritize, and, a double edged sword, customary to think outside the box.
I also have some other, hard to pinpoint , learningglitches?, generally considered to be in the area ofprocessing? which makes me very slow to marshall, and output my ideas, or information. It takes me more than twice as long as most people to complete exams, for example. Writing is slow and arduous.
I was in the second half of my high school sophomore year before an educational plan was developed which afforded me the accomodations that would enable me to demonstrate my mastery of a subject, and to complete homework assignments without spending 6 hours every night working on them. The accomodations included provision of class notes, extra time for in class assignments and tests, fewer written assignments, and occasionally oral testing or discussions.
