2nd chances

[smg]

I dropped out of an MA program almost a decade ago and mos def worlds away from who I am and where I am today.  My grades from that era aren't an issue and I quit cause I was sick (both physically and of school).  I've also worked as a researcher on an academic project since then and have good LORs from that research.   What is the best way to deal with this in my application?

[fuzzylogician]

I'd keep it short and straightforward: "in 20XX I attended a MA program at the university of X, from which I had to withdraw for personal/medical/health reasons. Since then, I have worked as [blah]/done [blah], and I am now ready to attend the graduate program at X." If possible, work into the sentence that whatever problem you had before is resolved now and should not affect your studies. This is now long enough ago that most adcoms won't be too worried, but I think it'd look odd if you completely ignored this part of your past. All they want to know is that whatever happened before won't stop you from completing the program now. 

[smg]

I'd keep it short and straightforward: "in 20XX I attended a MA program at the university of X, from which I had to withdraw for personal/medical/health reasons. Since then, I have worked as [blah]/done [blah], and I am now ready to attend the graduate program at X." If possible, work into the sentence that whatever problem you had before is resolved now and should not affect your studies. This is now long enough ago that most adcoms won't be too worried, but I think it'd look odd if you completely ignored this part of your past. All they want to know is that whatever happened before won't stop you from completing the program now. 

 

Cool.