coping with depression before law school starts Forum

[Megan170]

Hi folks,

I'm sorry to post in the middle of another post, but am having difficulty getting a good answer with regard to my questions. I'm writing to find out whether anyone on here has requested accommodation from LSAC in taking the LSAT for a documented disability under ADA? I am specifically interested in hearing from those who have requested accommodation for additional time, and specifically related to a mental disability.

If so, I'd really appreciate hearing as much as you feel comfortable sharing in terms of what the disability entails, what accommodation you received, and what you had to do to receive it (what documentation you had to provide, how early, what the process to obtain the accommodation was, etc.).

Also, any information regarding whether the accommodation was reported to law schools and, if so, what sort of influence, if any, you feel that it had, would also be greatly appreciated.

Best,
Megan

(P.S. As a sidebar, before you be that person that posts ugly, discriminatory, and bigoted comments in response to people's legitimate questions regarding mental disabilities (and I'm pleased to see that folks on this particular thread seem to be human beings), please consider that only your own insecurity shows through on this. Also, please consider the extent to which some very bright people with a mental disability suffer and ask yourself whether you would want to be one of them. Probably not; I would imagine that's why you go to such lengths to deny their reality.

You might instead consider that someone can be perfectly intelligent and capable and nevertheless have a disability that impairs them in some way and therefore needs to be accommodated to allow them to compete on an equal level with those that do not bear such a horrendous burden. Be glad that's not you, but please don't be arrogant or mean-spirited enough to deny the reality of someone else just because it scares you to believe it's real.)

[20121109]

Hi folks,

I'm sorry to post in the middle of another post, but am having difficulty getting a good answer with regard to my questions. I'm writing to find out whether anyone on here has requested accommodation from LSAC in taking the LSAT for a documented disability under ADA? I am specifically interested in hearing from those who have requested accommodation for additional time, and specifically related to a mental disability.

If so, I'd really appreciate hearing as much as you feel comfortable sharing in terms of what the disability entails, what accommodation you received, and what you had to do to receive it (what documentation you had to provide, how early, what the process to obtain the accommodation was, etc.).

Also, any information regarding whether the accommodation was reported to law schools and, if so, what sort of influence, if any, you feel that it had, would also be greatly appreciated.

Best,
Megan

(P.S. As a sidebar, before you be that person that posts ugly, discriminatory, and bigoted comments in response to people's legitimate questions regarding mental disabilities (and I'm pleased to see that folks on this particular thread seem to be human beings), please consider that only your own insecurity shows through on this. Also, please consider the extent to which some very bright people with a mental disability suffer and ask yourself whether you would want to be one of them. Probably not; I would imagine that's why you go to such lengths to deny their reality.

You might instead consider that someone can be perfectly intelligent and capable and nevertheless have a disability that impairs them in some way and therefore needs to be accommodated to allow them to compete on an equal level with those that do not bear such a horrendous burden. Be glad that's not you, but please don't be arrogant or mean-spirited enough to deny the reality of someone else just because it scares you to believe it's real.)

Please stop going from thread to thread and posting this same message.

If someone will not answer in one thread, they probably will not answer in another.

[Megan170]

I'm sorry, but why do you care where I post messages? Not going from thread-to-thread, merely posting it in a few relevant contexts where it is likely to receive a response. If you do not want to read it, you can always unsubscribe.

[20121109]

I'm sorry, but why do you care where I post messages? Not going from thread-to-thread, merely posting it in a few relevant contexts where it is likely to receive a response. If you do not want to read it, you can always unsubscribe.

Honey, you see the pink? That means I'm a moderator. I moderate this site. That means I care what other posters do on this site and the messages that they post in various threads. Unsubscribing just because you recommend it probably is not going to happen.

I understand that you may have received some responses that were not to your liking and it can be frustrating. But welcome to the internet. Still, this does not mean that you can just go to any thread you see fit and post the same message. We routinely lock threads that are replicates of others...the re-posting of messages in various threads is also discouraged.

I respectfully ask that you discontinue doing so.

[Megan170]

I'm sorry, but why do you care where I post messages? Not going from thread-to-thread, merely posting it in a few relevant contexts where it is likely to receive a response. If you do not want to read it, you can always unsubscribe.

Honey, you see the pink? That means I'm a moderator. I moderate this site. That means I care what other posters do on this site and the messages that they post in various threads. Unsubscribing just because you recommend it probably is not going to happen.

I understand that you may have received some responses that were not to your liking and it can be frustrating. But welcome to the internet. Still, this does not mean that you can just go to any thread you see fit and post the same message. We routinely lock threads that are replicates of others...the re-posting of messages in various threads is also discouraged.

I respectfully ask that you discontinue doing so.

You're welcome to unsubscribe to this of course. Perhaps you would be better served by using your power on here to do something good, like prevent harassing commentary that's not allowed per your rules and out of the scope of the topic anyway. Also, in the future, if you want to be respected as a woman, I'd respectfully recommend that your refrain from referring to other women as "honey." You do yourself and women across the country a disservice in speaking this way.

[20121109]

I'm sorry, but why do you care where I post messages? Not going from thread-to-thread, merely posting it in a few relevant contexts where it is likely to receive a response. If you do not want to read it, you can always unsubscribe.

Honey, you see the pink? That means I'm a moderator. I moderate this site. That means I care what other posters do on this site and the messages that they post in various threads. Unsubscribing just because you recommend it probably is not going to happen.

I understand that you may have received some responses that were not to your liking and it can be frustrating. But welcome to the internet. Still, this does not mean that you can just go to any thread you see fit and post the same message. We routinely lock threads that are replicates of others...the re-posting of messages in various threads is also discouraged.

I respectfully ask that you discontinue doing so.

You're welcome to unsubscribe to this of course. Perhaps you would be better served by using your power on here to do something good, like prevent harassing commentary that's not allowed per your rules and out of the scope of the topic anyway. Also, in the future, if you want to be respected as a woman, I'd respectfully recommend that your refrain from referring to other women as "honey." You do yourself and women across the country a disservice in speaking this way.

To be very clear, moderators take our job quite seriously. We routinely prevent harassing commentary on this site. In fact we have set rules that we intend all of our posters to follow. Please find them, here: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 0&t=146657. If you feel that a post is offensive, then feel free to report it by using the exclamation mark to the bottom, right of said post. This will alert mods to the offensive message and will be dealt with accordingly.

Oh, and all that noise about being respected as a woman...yeah, not gonna get into that with you. I simply asked for you to refrain from doing a certain thing. I hope you understand the reasonableness of such a request.

[Megan170]

I'm sorry, but why do you care where I post messages? Not going from thread-to-thread, merely posting it in a few relevant contexts where it is likely to receive a response. If you do not want to read it, you can always unsubscribe.

Honey, you see the pink? That means I'm a moderator. I moderate this site. That means I care what other posters do on this site and the messages that they post in various threads. Unsubscribing just because you recommend it probably is not going to happen.

I understand that you may have received some responses that were not to your liking and it can be frustrating. But welcome to the internet. Still, this does not mean that you can just go to any thread you see fit and post the same message. We routinely lock threads that are replicates of others...the re-posting of messages in various threads is also discouraged.

I respectfully ask that you discontinue doing so.

You're welcome to unsubscribe to this of course. Perhaps you would be better served by using your power on here to do something good, like prevent harassing commentary that's not allowed per your rules and out of the scope of the topic anyway. Also, in the future, if you want to be respected as a woman, I'd respectfully recommend that your refrain from referring to other women as "honey." You do yourself and women across the country a disservice in speaking this way.

To be very clear, moderators take our job quite seriously. We routinely prevent harassing commentary on this site. In fact we have set rules that we intend all of our posters to follow. Please find them, here: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 0&t=146657. If you feel that a post is offensive, then feel free to report it by using the exclamation mark to the bottom, right of said post. This will alert mods to the offensive message and will be dealt with accordingly.

Oh, and all that noise about being respected as a woman...yeah, not gonna get into that with you. I simply asked for you to refrain from doing a certain thing. I hope you understand the reasonableness of such a request.

I am glad to hear you take your job seriously. However, I am not sure that my reporting the offensive commentary to you had any effect. It was not removed, there was no punishment of which I am aware. The noise about being respected as a women is more than just noise, unfortunately. Perhaps you're too young to remember the days when women went to college and were told they should become secretaries, or graduated with law degrees and were offered jobs as secretaries, not for lack of work/a bad economy, but because they were women. We have the ability to go to law school because these women refused to tolerate the very sort of treatment you are now perpetuating with your reference to me as "honey." I would respectfully argue (in the old-fashioned sense of the word) that a post which begins by referring to a woman as "honey" is not respectful, nor would most women have the patience to take it seriously.

[20121109]

I am glad to hear you take your job seriously. However, I am not sure that my reporting the offensive commentary to you had any effect. It was not removed, there was no punishment of which I am aware. The noise about being respected as a women is more than just noise, unfortunately. Perhaps you're too young to remember the days when women went to college and were told they should become secretaries, or graduated with law degrees and were offered jobs as secretaries, not for lack of work/a bad economy, but because they were women. We have the ability to go to law school because these women refused to tolerate the very sort of treatment you are now perpetuating with your reference to me as "honey." I would respectfully argue (in the old-fashioned sense of the word) that a post which begins by referring to a woman as "honey" is not respectful, nor would most women have the patience to take it seriously.

I'm sorry you feel that way.

If you feel like you want to lodge any formal complaints about my use of the word "honey," then please file a complaint using the link I provided earlier. I really don't care to engage you any further in this absurd conversation.

[Megan170]

I am glad to hear you take your job seriously. However, I am not sure that my reporting the offensive commentary to you had any effect. It was not removed, there was no punishment of which I am aware. The noise about being respected as a women is more than just noise, unfortunately. Perhaps you're too young to remember the days when women went to college and were told they should become secretaries, or graduated with law degrees and were offered jobs as secretaries, not for lack of work/a bad economy, but because they were women. We have the ability to go to law school because these women refused to tolerate the very sort of treatment you are now perpetuating with your reference to me as "honey." I would respectfully argue (in the old-fashioned sense of the word) that a post which begins by referring to a woman as "honey" is not respectful, nor would most women have the patience to take it seriously.

I'm sorry you feel that way.

If you feel like you want to lodge any formal complaints about my use of the word "honey," then please file a complaint using the link I provided earlier. I really don't care to engage you any further in this absurd conversation.

I am also sorry you feel that this conversation is absurd. Perhaps you would not have felt it so absurd were you once in my mother's shoes. You have the rights you have today because her generation fought for them. I would ask that you respect that, and refrain from characterizing this conversation as absurd.

[Mickey Quicknumbers]

The noise about being respected as a women is more than just noise, unfortunately. Perhaps you're too young to remember the days when women went to college and were told they should become secretaries, or graduated with law degrees and were offered jobs as secretaries, not for lack of work/a bad economy, but because they were women. We have the ability to go to law school because these women refused to tolerate the very sort of treatment you are now perpetuating with your reference to me as "honey." I would respectfully argue (in the old-fashioned sense of the word) that a post which begins by referring to a woman as "honey" is not respectful, nor would most women have the patience to take it seriously.

You could, you know, stop referring to it in the old-fashioned sense and maybe take in its modern context (since this is after all a relatively modern period of time we're living in) which isn't offensive or degrading.

[Megan170]

The noise about being respected as a women is more than just noise, unfortunately. Perhaps you're too young to remember the days when women went to college and were told they should become secretaries, or graduated with law degrees and were offered jobs as secretaries, not for lack of work/a bad economy, but because they were women. We have the ability to go to law school because these women refused to tolerate the very sort of treatment you are now perpetuating with your reference to me as "honey." I would respectfully argue (in the old-fashioned sense of the word) that a post which begins by referring to a woman as "honey" is not respectful, nor would most women have the patience to take it seriously.

You could, you know, stop referring to it in the old-fashioned sense and maybe take in its modern context (since this is after all a relatively modern period of time we're living in) which isn't offensive or degrading.

Oh, no, I meant "argue" in its old-fashioned sense. The idea of argument as not a vicious slashing one another to bits but rather a debate. I don't think "honey" is respectful even in a modern context, however. It's certainly not professional.

[Dany]

It's certainly not professional.

Luckily we're not really in a professional setting. It's the internet.

[Megan170]

It's certainly not professional.

Luckily we're not really in a professional setting. It's the internet.

Well, yes, although I guess I see a law school forum as professional. And I'm not sure the Internet gives us an excuse to be unprofessional or disrespectful. And I see the role of a moderator in that vein as well.

[tyro]

It's kind of late to be posting serious stuff dude.

[Megan170]

I agree. I keep getting the notices from this on my phone! By the way, I have not been referred to as dude for awhile; most of my hippyish friends use the term, but haven't seen them for a bit. I love it! But *seriously* if anyone wants to email me with some real answers on here, please feel free to do so through the message box they provide.

[descartesb4thehorse]

Somebody called you "honey" on the internet? Someone alert Gloria Steinem!

I am in the minority on TLS in that I welcome and encourage feminist debate, even in the legal sector, which is notoriously a boy's club which typically accepts only women willing to play by those rules. You're going to have a lot of conservative senior partners and judges saying things a lot worse than "honey" and you're not going to have the anonymity of the internet in order to call them out on it.

But this isn't one of those debates. This is trite. I highly doubt Gaia was using it just because you're a female. It seemed to me a pitying endearment that she would use on any noob - male, female, or androgynous - acting in the manner that you were. Generally, people on TLS are helpful when the situation asks for it and ridiculous in situations where the person just didn't do proper research or is acting in a highly irritating manner, e.g. posting the same post in multiple threads and attacking the herd before you even understand the atmosphere.

Speaking of which, have you ever considered Wake Forest? I think you'd find a nice fit down there.

[Ford Prefect]

I agree. I keep getting the notices from this on my phone! By the way, I have not been referred to as dude for awhile; most of my hippyish friends use the term, but haven't seen them for a bit. I love it! But *seriously* if anyone wants to email me with some real answers on here, please feel free to do so through the message box they provide.

edit: never mind.

edit2: Better yet, here. I found it using the search function at the bottom of the page, looking for "accommodations". Hopefully this will be helpful and you can stop posting the same question all over.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 2&t=129952

[Megan170]

Somebody called you "honey" on the internet? Someone alert Gloria Steinem!

I am in the minority on TLS in that I welcome and encourage feminist debate, even in the legal sector, which is notoriously a boy's club which typically accepts only women willing to play by those rules. You're going to have a lot of conservative senior partners and judges saying things a lot worse than "honey" and you're not going to have the anonymity of the internet in order to call them out on it.

But this isn't one of those debates. This is trite. I highly doubt Gaia was using it just because you're a female. It seemed to me a pitying endearment that she would use on any noob - male, female, or androgynous - acting in the manner that you were. Generally, people on TLS are helpful when the situation asks for it and ridiculous in situations where the person just didn't do proper research or is acting in a highly irritating manner, e.g. posting the same post in multiple threads and attacking the herd before you even understand the atmosphere.

Speaking of which, have you ever considered Wake Forest? I think you'd find a nice fit down there.

Your idea of welcoming and encouraging feminist debate seems to be stifle it in a sarcastic manner. Gloria would be offended that you use her name and fight in jest here in attempt to mock a feminist. Are you suggesting I put up with that from senior partners and judges, that I play by their rules? That won't happen. I'm not sure why Gaia would feel the need to use a pitying term of endearment; the post was not intended to attack the herd, but instead to be transparent about how I would handle the sort of commentary I had seen on here prior to posting. I feel that's only fair to folks. It's not trite to object to the use of a term that is demeaning toward women. What's trite is to not acknowledge the significance of this. No, I have not considered Wake Forest. Any particular reason I should?

[Megan170]

I agree. I keep getting the notices from this on my phone! By the way, I have not been referred to as dude for awhile; most of my hippyish friends use the term, but haven't seen them for a bit. I love it! But *seriously* if anyone wants to email me with some real answers on here, please feel free to do so through the message box they provide.

edit: never mind.

edit2: Better yet, here. I found it using the search function at the bottom of the page, looking for "accommodations". Hopefully this will be helpful and you can stop posting the same question all over.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 2&t=129952

Thanks, Ford Prefect. Fortunately, I did not post the same message all over. I posted it in exactly two forums that seemed best related. But I appreciate your help.

[dr123]

I am glad to hear you take your job seriously. However, I am not sure that my reporting the offensive commentary to you had any effect. It was not removed, there was no punishment of which I am aware. The noise about being respected as a women is more than just noise, unfortunately. Perhaps you're too young to remember the days when women went to college and were told they should become secretaries, or graduated with law degrees and were offered jobs as secretaries, not for lack of work/a bad economy, but because they were women. We have the ability to go to law school because these women refused to tolerate the very sort of treatment you are now perpetuating with your reference to me as "honey." I would respectfully argue (in the old-fashioned sense of the word) that a post which begins by referring to a woman as "honey" is not respectful, nor would most women have the patience to take it seriously.

Dude there is no way in shit you're old enough to have experienced that.

[GATORTIM]

do you find it difficult to maintain relationships with other human beings?

[20121109]

Somebody called you "honey" on the internet? Someone alert Gloria Steinem!

I am in the minority on TLS in that I welcome and encourage feminist debate, even in the legal sector, which is notoriously a boy's club which typically accepts only women willing to play by those rules. You're going to have a lot of conservative senior partners and judges saying things a lot worse than "honey" and you're not going to have the anonymity of the internet in order to call them out on it.

But this isn't one of those debates. This is trite. I highly doubt Gaia was using it just because you're a female. It seemed to me a pitying endearment that she would use on any noob - male, female, or androgynous - acting in the manner that you were. Generally, people on TLS are helpful when the situation asks for it and ridiculous in situations where the person just didn't do proper research or is acting in a highly irritating manner, e.g. posting the same post in multiple threads and attacking the herd before you even understand the atmosphere.

Speaking of which, have you ever considered Wake Forest? I think you'd find a nice fit down there.

This is spot on.

Megan, you're new around here, so it may take some time to get acclimated to TLS. There are very different personalities running around these forums, and some are certainly far more offensive than mine. But let me assure you, my use of the word "honey" was not meant to degrade you in anyway. In fact, I've used it quite often around here and you're THE ONLY ONE to ever find it offensive. So your reaction was well...kind of an overreaction, to me, at least. And clearly, quite a few others felt the same way. Still, you are entitled to your own opinion.

But you know what? Nightrunner is correct. We must keep this topic, actually on topic. This absurd conversation (dare I say it again???!!!) is over. Let's get back to talking about depression...or this thread will be locked.

[Megan170]

Somebody called you "honey" on the internet? Someone alert Gloria Steinem!

I am in the minority on TLS in that I welcome and encourage feminist debate, even in the legal sector, which is notoriously a boy's club which typically accepts only women willing to play by those rules. You're going to have a lot of conservative senior partners and judges saying things a lot worse than "honey" and you're not going to have the anonymity of the internet in order to call them out on it.

But this isn't one of those debates. This is trite. I highly doubt Gaia was using it just because you're a female. It seemed to me a pitying endearment that she would use on any noob - male, female, or androgynous - acting in the manner that you were. Generally, people on TLS are helpful when the situation asks for it and ridiculous in situations where the person just didn't do proper research or is acting in a highly irritating manner, e.g. posting the same post in multiple threads and attacking the herd before you even understand the atmosphere.

Speaking of which, have you ever considered Wake Forest? I think you'd find a nice fit down there.

This is spot on.

Megan, you're new around here, so it may take some time to get acclimated to TLS. There are very different personalities running around these forums, and some are certainly far more offensive than mine. But let me assure you, my use of the word "honey" was not meant to degrade you in anyway. In fact, I've used it quite often around here and you're THE ONLY ONE to ever find it offensive. So your reaction was well...kind of an overreaction, to me, at least. And clearly, quite a few others felt the same way. Still, you are entitled to your own opinion.

But you know what? Nightrunner is correct. We must keep this topic, actually on topic. This absurd conversation (dare I say it again???!!!) is over. Let's get back to talking about depression...or this thread will be locked.

Gaia,

I appreciate your acknowledgment of the fact that I am new around here and the time it may take to get acclimated. I'm not sure I've heard anyone say one decent word to each other on here yet. I always have to wonder where the focus is when lawyers and those going to law school or in it allow themselves to stoop to these petty interpersonally baiting levels as opposed to providing each other with honest and useful advice. It's beyond me to understand.

That said, I am very glad for your assurance regarding the word "honey." I am glad the intent was not there, at least, however I still do find the word use indicative of trying to put someone on a different level than oneself. I'd never feel I had a right to speak to anyone that way.

As for being the only one to find it offensive, well, there have been lots of only ones throughout history that now are in the majority. Not saying that's the case here or not. Just saying that pointing someone out as the only one to feel one way does not in and of itself make their claims not legitimate. Separate from that reality, in stating that I'm the "ONLY ONE" as you put it you're implying that a specific goes to a generalization when it does not necessarily.

Megan

[soj]

I read somewhere (Anna Ivey, maybe?) that if you've gotten treatment and depression no longer affects your ability to be a lawyer, it won't be a problem. In fact, being clinically depressed yet not having sought help might raise eyebrows.

Gaia,

I appreciate your acknowledgment of the fact that I am new around here and the time it may take to get acclimated. I'm not sure I've heard anyone say one decent word to each other on here yet. I always have to wonder where the focus is when lawyers and those going to law school or in it allow themselves to stoop to these petty interpersonally baiting levels as opposed to providing each other with honest and useful advice. It's beyond me to understand.

That said, I am very glad for your assurance regarding the word "honey." I am glad the intent was not there, at least, however I still do find the word use indicative of trying to put someone on a different level than oneself. I'd never feel I had a right to speak to anyone that way.

As for being the only one to find it offensive, well, there have been lots of only ones throughout history that now are in the majority. Not saying that's the case here or not. Just saying that pointing someone out as the only one to feel one way does not in and of itself make their claims not legitimate. Separate from that reality, in stating that I'm the "ONLY ONE" as you put it you're implying that a specific goes to a generalization when it does not necessarily.

Megan

This absurd conversation (dare I say it again???!!!) is over. Let's get back to talking about depression...or this thread will be locked.

IBTL
Way to get someone else's legitimate thread locked by derailing the shit out of it.

[03121202698008]

At least at my school, they encourage you to seek help. Having an untreated mental condition is way worse than having sought treatment. Doing the things people do while depressed are way worse than seeing someone. Not to mention the effect on your grades seeing as law school tends to make people depressed on its own and otherwise exacerbates any problem.

On topic just for NR. (Slightly off topic, but posting a new question in another's thread is douchey regardless of whether someone calls you on it or its in the right forum.)