Basing your PS on overcoming an eating disorder? Forum

[dcs24]

My first couple years of UG were basically ruined by my eating disorder, then I got treatment, and my GPA went up. I fear that basing my PS around my eating disorder, and how I overcame it, is going to come off as a cop out for a low GPA (when this really should be addressed in an addendum). Is this a bad idea?

[jayn3]

if you steer clear of any mention of grades/academics in the PS, and write an addendum that explains the gpa, i think you could probably build a strong personal growth story from an ED. how that ties in with wanting to be a lawyer, however, i'm not sure about.

[thecilent]

My first couple years of UG were basically ruined by my eating disorder, then I got treatment, and my GPA went up. I fear that basing my PS around my eating disorder, and how I overcame it, is going to come off as a cop out for a low GPA (when this really should be addressed in an addendum). Is this a bad idea?

I wouldn't write on this topic. Want to like highlight good stuff and whatnot

[kmarks]

My first couple years of UG were basically ruined by my eating disorder, then I got treatment, and my GPA went up. I fear that basing my PS around my eating disorder, and how I overcame it, is going to come off as a cop out for a low GPA (when this really should be addressed in an addendum). Is this a bad idea?

I probably wouldn't write a PS about this, but it would make a solid addendum.

[3ThrowAway99]

I personally think this could be a good PS topic for you- if anything I regret doing a somewhat tame PS when I could have been a bit more daring. On the other hand, topics like this do need to be handled with care and confidence. I think the eating disorder and how you have addressed it would need to be placed in the overarching context of expressing the positive aspects of your personality and character, but that's probably obvious.

I wouldn't use this to try and explain your grades though if you are going to use it as your PS topic. Since it WAS a major factor involved with your grades, you may want to include this in a grade addendum and do your PS on another topic. I question how much grade (or LSAT) explanation addendums really help though- a lot of people probably had challenges in college preventing the max possible performance, but I guess if there is a VERY clear trend in grades that was affected by a very specific factor it may be worth trying to explain it. In terms of the data the school reports (to ABA I believe, which is then used in US News rankings of the schools) all that matters is the final GPA. I'm sure others may other ideas/experience on this.

EDIT: Since the PS generally is an attempt to express a great deal about ourselves in a short amount of space while also expressing an interest in law (and specifically the law school being applied to), I probably wouldn't use this topic unless it is something you struggled with for a long time at a gut-wrenching (no pun intended) level. I think if you go for this topic you would want to be able to really bring the reader in emotionally (possibly even shocking the reader with candor), and I suspect this would be hard to do if the problem was more of a short-term issue for you that you were able to take care of without too much difficulty. Since the typical advice is to avoid risky topics please take this with a grain of salt- I do think taboo topics handled with tact can pay off though regardless of what anyone else says.

[IAFG]

This is a pretty big weakness to cop to. I see a lot more drawback than benefit here.

[094320]

..

[hellokitty]

I don't think it's a good idea. I think it shows the potential for problems, law schools might wonder if you'll fall back into the same pattern or if you've really and truly recovered.

It would have to be so compelling that you somehow came back from the brink of death and now you're a healthy body image activist or something.

But that's just my two cents.

[CanadianWolf]

Depends how you craft the essay. Write a first draft & ask for critiques.

[ShuckingNotJiving]

What he ^^ said and:

It's so, so crucial that you approach it the right way. I wouldn't give any unnecessarily explicit details, or use any language that implies your current mindset isn't far removed from the one that provoked the eating disorder in the first place. And, obviously, I would emphasize not the eating disorder, but your ability to conquer it. That's what counts. And that's what you would be connecting (implicitly or directly) to your ability to succeed in law school.

PS's can (and do) center on overcoming adversity, if overcoming an eating disorder is doing just that, then I see no reason why you can't write a PS centered on that topic. Some minorities use dealing with the societal pressures that come with being a minority in this country to write PS's-- eating disorders, one could say, are the result of societal pressure that come with being a woman--so what is the real difference there? Perhaps I'm taking it too far, but I'm inclined to disagree with those who maintain it's an automatic negative.

Ultimately, though, I think it depends on your comfort with the topic, so first I would suggest gauging that first. Are you comfortable using the experience as means to be admitted to law school? Are you comfortable sharing it with people who you don't know, but who you'll meet in the future? If, your answer to those questions is "yes," then I say go for it.

[billyez]

I concur in full with the last two posters. We need to see a rough draft of the Personal Statement regarding this topic and see if you're approaching it the right way. A Personal Statement doesn't have to be about a good thing or a bad thing - it just has to be a proper medium to demonstrate insight into your character, or perhaps even a transformative episode. If you are unable to do either of those, then it's not a good topic. But don't be dissuaded by what others might think about it. Just write it and be honest with yourself when you do so.

I want to make it clear that there should be no stressed allusion to the effect this had on your grades in your Personal Statement. It can be in passing, in order to demonstrate the effect it had on your life, sure, but if I've ever heard of a reasonable topic to craft an addendum on this is it. You had a disease that prevented you from working to your full potential - it's not a cop-out to inform the adcomms about that.

[Total Litigator]

I really don't think a law school PS would be any place to talk about eating disorders/family member passing away/ etc. unless it relates to your law school/career goals or adds diversity to the incoming class.

In short. Don't put it in the PS. Write an addendum.

The PS is for highlighting your strengths, experiences, and accomplishments.

Also I'm writing this assuming that you have some other redeeming factors you could put it a PS. If an eating disorder is all you have in your arsenal, I guess you have to go with what you got, but it won't make you stand out from other applcants in a good way. Maybe if you attained good grades in spite of an eating disorder, or this was an undergrad PS, I might have different advice.

[MartianManhunter]

And how does this topic reflect your ability to do well in law school?

I get that it explains away a bad year and all, but why would it make an adcomm excited to admit you over someone else? Not really seeing it.

[dcs24]

I agree that if it's done it needs to be focused on winning the battle.

I'm just confused on when this board started to think a PS needs to talk explicitly talk about being a lawyer and law school? For the few years I've been coming here (on and off) it's always been noted a PS is used to show how you conquered a personal struggle, and how that relates to your ability to do well in unfamiliar circumstances.

I'll definitely write up a draft soon and post to get some comments.

[Total Litigator]

I'm just confused on when this board started to think a PS needs to talk explicitly talk about being a lawyer and law school? For the few years I've been coming here (on and off) it's always been noted a PS is used to show how you conquered a personal struggle, and how that relates to your ability to do well in unfamiliar circumstances.

erm... You have to remember that you're applying to a professional school, not an undergraduate liberal arts institution... Overcoming obstacles is great, but if the admissions committee finishes reading your PS and still has no idea why you want to go to law school then you're in trouble. A lot of people simply go to law school because they don't know what else to do / think its a path a comfortable life. These apps are going to fall to the bottom of the pile when other PS's actually relate to the law and the legal profession.

I think you need sit down, get a piece of paper and a pen out, and ask yourself why you want to go law school.

[ShuckingNotJiving]

erm... You have to remember that you're applying to a professional school, not an undergraduate liberal arts institution... Overcoming obstacles is great, but if the admissions committee finishes reading your PS and still has no idea why you want to go to law school then you're in trouble. A lot of people simply go to law school because they don't know what else to do / think its a path a comfortable life. These apps are going to fall to the bottom of the pile when other PS's actually relate to the law and the legal profession.

I think you need sit down, get a piece of paper and a pen out, and ask yourself why you want to go law school.

Why would addressing an eating disorder in an PS make it more suited for an undergraduate liberal arts institution? I've read Personal Statements that have been written wonderfully and only mention a sentence or two directly related to law. Also, a lot of prompts for PS's seem to focus on "tell us about you," not "give us the list of reasons you want to go to law school."

I think the problem a lot of us are having is regarding eating disorders as a real, serious disease, and not merely an affliction of the young and narcissistic. I wonder if the OP had asked about writing on overcoming any other disease, we would be so quick to discourage it.

Again, to the OP, if it's an significant part of understanding who you are (and not just why your grades were poor) go ahead and write it. Post it here; if you've missed the mark, someone will surely let you know.

[legalease9]

I think this statement topic is high risk high reward. What I mean by that is that while it could backfire spectacularly in your face, writing it properly (with some of the advice above) could benefit you greatly. Try the best you can to connect it to why you want to be a lawyer.

The major pitfall you have to watch out for is that you are admitting to having had what is essentially an anxiety-based psychological disorder with serious consequences. Law schools are going to worry that the pressure of Law school could lead to a relapse. This is why you must explain how you have completely recovered from said disorder! If you haven't, it may not be the best topic.

My suggestion, write multiple PS's and use the eating disorder one for reach schools, where being unique trumps being safe (because you won't get in otherwise). Meanwhile, pick a safer topic for the safety's and target schools, where your LSAT and GPA should do the talking, and your PS should keep its mouth shut and avoid offence.

[dcs24]

I think it's a touchy subject with a lot of people, as they don't know if they should regard it as a mental illness/disease or an insignificant lapse in judgement. For me, it took over my life, was all I could think about, and was crippling.

I constantly compared my struggle to others struggles with those I knew who also had an ED. I didn't want to give up on my ED because I wanted to prove to myself I was more committed to it than the other people who were doing it in my life. Eventually, I was alone, in my bedroom with buckets of vomit stuffed in my closet. And this was my life. Then, one day, I realized I had nothing but my ED, and it was going to kill me. I barely spoke to my family, my friends were all gone, I never went to my classes and was about to get kicked out of school. Then I got help.


I also like the idea of writing multiple PS's for reach/safety schools. Thanks.

[12AngryMen]

I think you could make interesting. Has to sow intrest in Law tho.

[Total Litigator]

After reading your short account of ED, I am now 99% that it should NOT be in your personal statement. When I think of a girl sitting alone in her room with buckets of vomit in her closet I don't think future lawyer.

Do you have an LSAT score already? What schools are you thinking of?

[dcs24]

I've been recovered for 3 years, if it makes a difference. 167.

[ShuckingNotJiving]

I think it's a touchy subject with a lot of people, as they don't know if they should regard it as a mental illness/disease or an insignificant lapse in judgement. For me, it took over my life, was all I could think about, and was crippling.

I constantly compared my struggle to others struggles with those I knew who also had an ED. I didn't want to give up on my ED because I wanted to prove to myself I was more committed to it than the other people who were doing it in my life. Eventually, I was alone, in my bedroom with buckets of vomit stuffed in my closet. And this was my life. Then, one day, I realized I had nothing but my ED, and it was going to kill me. I barely spoke to my family, my friends were all gone, I never went to my classes and was about to get kicked out of school. Then I got help.


I also like the idea of writing multiple PS's for reach/safety schools. Thanks.

Remember how a few posts ago, I mentioned that you should stay away from unnecessarily explicit details? The bolded sentence is EXACTLY what I was talking about.

If you can't write this without focusing on the trivialities of the disease, instead of centering more on the mental strength it takes to defeat it, then do not make it the subject of your PS. Period.

[Total Litigator]

Sorry if I was a little harsh. 167 is a good score, if your GPA is just a low 3.0 you might be looking at T30... I guess the lower your GPA is, the more important the ED experience becomes.... Still think its a really bad idea for the PS... sounds like you've been out of school for a year+? There must be something else that you could put in your PS that make you come across as a strong candidate.

I am now 100% that the ED should not be in your PS, especially since it seems that there might have been some group think/peer pressure involved... Again I'm not trying to judge, I know that ED is considered a disease.

I guess that's all for me though, I feel I've exausted any usefullness I may have provided

[esq]

Eventually, I was alone, in my bedroom with buckets of vomit stuffed in my closet. And this was my life.

Remember how a few posts ago, I mentioned that you should stay away from unnecessarily explicit details? The bolded sentence is EXACTLY what I was talking about.

If you can't write this without focusing on the trivialities of the disease, instead of centering more on the mental strength it takes to defeat it, then do not make it the subject of your PS. Period.

I honestly think that the OP's graphic description can be used as a very effective opening, if done correctly, to capture the reader and draw them into exactly the kind of mental strength statement you are talking about Shucking. I agree that the details should not make up the main body of the statement, but certainly it might be an attention grabber as an opener. I know I would be curious to read if a statement opened up similar to this:

I was alone in my college dorm room with buckets of vomit stuffed in my closet. I immediately loathed myself for being in this situation rather than sitting in room 121 of University Hall taking notes for a College Algebra class, and my parched throat made the unpleasant feeling that I had hit a low point in my life that much more depressing. I was a young girl who had developed a serious eating disorder in my effort to gain acceptance and be seen as desirable by the world around me. It had taken over my life. I needed to change. By eventually overcoming my eating disorder, I developed characteristics that have not only helped me to become a much stronger person, but also help me to identify with those who struggle with similar self destructive issues.

Through my struggle to overcome my ED I initially struggled with 1) such and such issues. I began to develop and overcome my issues by 2) doing such and such positive activities. This began to translate into leadership capabilities, which I used to contribute in 3) such and such ways.

Through my experience, I have gained an understanding of what it is like to struggle with issues that become self destructive. I also understand the difficulty of overcoming such issues. It is for these reasons that I want to become a lawyer who works as an advocate in 'this area' to help 'such and such' people who face 'such and such issues' overcome their circumstances. I think that my experience with ED would make me an effective advocate for such people. Certainly I would find it satisfying.

While this is just off of the top of my head, and what you do will probably be a bit different, I think that your issue might actually make for a good PS if framed like this.

[billyez]

Count me as someone who thinks think an explicit deal like the one that was noted earlier isn't such a bad thing. If you're going to talk about your ED, you need to convey what was going on - I wouldn't sugarcoat it. Also count me as someone who thinks that your PS doesn't have to go into why you want to be a lawyer.

But there's no real reason to go back and forth about this. Sit down. Write it. Send it to a few people by PM or post it online. There's plenty of time for you write a rough draft and scrap it if it doesn't work out. esq was able to craft an appropriate way for you to approach this issue; as long as the ED doesn't dominate the personal statement, you're on the right track. It needs to be a contextual piece for who you are right now. If you can weave why you want to be a lawyer, fine. If you can't, that's okay too. You're applying to law school. These schools know that you want to be there - someone posted Washington and Lee's suggestions for what a PS should be about in other thread. That's a good summation.