Personal Statement re ADHD
Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 11:39 am
After receiving information I rewrote my PS. I have it revolving around my experience in how I overcame ADHD. Additional feedback would be appreciated.
Question: is 2.5 pages too long?
Like clockwork, every day just a few minutes before lunchtime I would stop by the nurse’s office to take my daily medication. With one swift gulp, I would swallow my pill and quickly make my way to the cafeteria to sit with friends. Beginning in the third grade, I continued this daily routine until my freshman year in high school. Although the dosages and prescriptions varied throughout the years, my peers’ perceptions of me did not because, unlike them, I had to take medication to get through the day. In elementary school, I was dealt naïve comments and laughter from classmates when I would return from the nurse’s office. When I got to middle school, my need for medication became a joke among my friends—even those closest to me. Today, as a senior in college with my commencement date approaching, I will proudly graduate with honors knowing I have used this subjection from my past to drive me to achieve great things.
In the third grade I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. In the past my disorder was a constant and reoccurring struggle both socially and academically, but it is now a quality I embrace and utilize to do well in college as well as prepare for law school. The toughest part of my journey with ADHD began in elementary school and continued through my middle school years. Rather than wielding acceptance of my disorder as I do now, I felt embarrassed because I was different from everyone else. The internal struggle I faced with my disorder affected me inside and outside the classroom. I was viewed by peers and school personnel as a hyperactive child who regularly got in trouble for talking and in turn had the grades to prove my lack of focus. By the end of middle school, however, I had begun redirecting my abundance of energy in more positive ways and learned to ignore ridicule from classmates. My grades improved and I found myself enjoying school much more, though once I began high school I soon learned that conquering ADHD was not that easy. Even though I was exceling in all of my classes, teachers and peers continued to discount my success. One day during teacher evaluations, my classmates and I were informed that the principal would be sitting in during class and following up the lesson by asking students questions. My teacher stated that the principal would not direct questions to the brighter students of the class, but rather to me, insinuating that I would be targeted as not fully grasping the material. Although my fellow classmates stood up for me, this moment served as a turning point in my academic career because I realized that although my grades were comparable to those at the top of my class, I would continue to be dismissed as a student with ADHD whose success in the classroom was simply a fluke.
The snide comment made by that teacher was painful because, at that point, I thought I had finally overcome the stigma associated with my disorder. I have used the experience that day, on top of previous years of belittlement, to drive me to perform to my maximum potential. Although I will always be a person with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, I no longer rely on daily-use of medication. Unlike the past, the disorder no longer has adverse effects on my academic performance and social life. The characteristics of my disorder have actually enabled me to become an accomplished student and an overall better person. I contribute the turnaround of my academic fortunes to my vigorous work ethic. I learned that if I wanted to achieve academic success, the only way I could surpass my fellow classmates was by discovering my individual learning style and creating tactical strategies. In a classroom setting my attention span is typically not as strong as my peers; rather than viewing my attention deficit as a setback, I am much more observant and diligently focus my attention at all times. I now direct my abundance of energy in a more proactive way. My hyperactivity has instead been a source of creativity whether musically as a bass player in a band or when I am creating a legal argument for moot court—both hobbies of which I exhibit enthusiastic passion for. Perhaps the most important lesson I have learned from being a person with ADHD is how to persevere when faced with a challenge. Rather than letting the negativity of an unfavorable event take control of my attitude, I continue to maintain a positive attitude under any pressure.
Because I have a disorder, I know that I will always face hardships; but thanks to my disorder, I know that I can successfully trudge through any struggle, although it may take me a few more steps than most people. I believe my positive attitude will not only enable me with success in law school, but also throughout my lifetime. My experience with ADHD has revealed to me that even in the face of adversity, I will always have the strength to put my head down, focus, and keep pushing forward.
Question: is 2.5 pages too long?
Like clockwork, every day just a few minutes before lunchtime I would stop by the nurse’s office to take my daily medication. With one swift gulp, I would swallow my pill and quickly make my way to the cafeteria to sit with friends. Beginning in the third grade, I continued this daily routine until my freshman year in high school. Although the dosages and prescriptions varied throughout the years, my peers’ perceptions of me did not because, unlike them, I had to take medication to get through the day. In elementary school, I was dealt naïve comments and laughter from classmates when I would return from the nurse’s office. When I got to middle school, my need for medication became a joke among my friends—even those closest to me. Today, as a senior in college with my commencement date approaching, I will proudly graduate with honors knowing I have used this subjection from my past to drive me to achieve great things.
In the third grade I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. In the past my disorder was a constant and reoccurring struggle both socially and academically, but it is now a quality I embrace and utilize to do well in college as well as prepare for law school. The toughest part of my journey with ADHD began in elementary school and continued through my middle school years. Rather than wielding acceptance of my disorder as I do now, I felt embarrassed because I was different from everyone else. The internal struggle I faced with my disorder affected me inside and outside the classroom. I was viewed by peers and school personnel as a hyperactive child who regularly got in trouble for talking and in turn had the grades to prove my lack of focus. By the end of middle school, however, I had begun redirecting my abundance of energy in more positive ways and learned to ignore ridicule from classmates. My grades improved and I found myself enjoying school much more, though once I began high school I soon learned that conquering ADHD was not that easy. Even though I was exceling in all of my classes, teachers and peers continued to discount my success. One day during teacher evaluations, my classmates and I were informed that the principal would be sitting in during class and following up the lesson by asking students questions. My teacher stated that the principal would not direct questions to the brighter students of the class, but rather to me, insinuating that I would be targeted as not fully grasping the material. Although my fellow classmates stood up for me, this moment served as a turning point in my academic career because I realized that although my grades were comparable to those at the top of my class, I would continue to be dismissed as a student with ADHD whose success in the classroom was simply a fluke.
The snide comment made by that teacher was painful because, at that point, I thought I had finally overcome the stigma associated with my disorder. I have used the experience that day, on top of previous years of belittlement, to drive me to perform to my maximum potential. Although I will always be a person with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, I no longer rely on daily-use of medication. Unlike the past, the disorder no longer has adverse effects on my academic performance and social life. The characteristics of my disorder have actually enabled me to become an accomplished student and an overall better person. I contribute the turnaround of my academic fortunes to my vigorous work ethic. I learned that if I wanted to achieve academic success, the only way I could surpass my fellow classmates was by discovering my individual learning style and creating tactical strategies. In a classroom setting my attention span is typically not as strong as my peers; rather than viewing my attention deficit as a setback, I am much more observant and diligently focus my attention at all times. I now direct my abundance of energy in a more proactive way. My hyperactivity has instead been a source of creativity whether musically as a bass player in a band or when I am creating a legal argument for moot court—both hobbies of which I exhibit enthusiastic passion for. Perhaps the most important lesson I have learned from being a person with ADHD is how to persevere when faced with a challenge. Rather than letting the negativity of an unfavorable event take control of my attitude, I continue to maintain a positive attitude under any pressure.
Because I have a disorder, I know that I will always face hardships; but thanks to my disorder, I know that I can successfully trudge through any struggle, although it may take me a few more steps than most people. I believe my positive attitude will not only enable me with success in law school, but also throughout my lifetime. My experience with ADHD has revealed to me that even in the face of adversity, I will always have the strength to put my head down, focus, and keep pushing forward.