Learning disability and SoP/PH?

[pommedeterre]

I'm applying to Chemistry/Medicinal Chemistry and have ADHD. A major motivator for going into this field are the troubles I have faced with medication side effects (esp. during one semester of undergrad, when I was experiencing heart palpitations due to an ill-advised change in medication and didn't get a great GPA), costs, and the like, NOT the ADHD itself. My ADHD at this point in my life is well-managed and shouldn't cause any problems. Additionally, for PH and diversity statements, I'm having a hard time not writing about my ADHD, since it's probably been the biggest obstacle I've had to overcome.

 

I've seen a lot of people caution that it could hurt your chances, and there's a lot of reference on this site to that one "Kiss of Death" paper that says you shouldn't disclose mental health problems at all. However, it all seems to be specific to 1) unresolved problems, when mine are resolved/properly managed, 2) emotional problems, which I never had to begin with, and 3) mental illness, as opposed to disorders like ADHD which are generally considered more as disabilities. On the flipside, however, ADHD has a stigma of not being a "real disorder," so that might cancel out. Basically, I'm not sure how much this applies to my situation.

 

As the final icing on the cake, ADHD's classification as a learning disability means I can qualify for diversity fellowships, and UCI at the very least asks that I should mention my eligibility in my "personal statement" (not sure if that means the SoP or the PH).

 

So, how do I approach this? Anyone know?

[biisis]

I think you've already begun to articulate how your disability and disciplinary interests interact in a highly beneficial way. I think that you have the makings for a powerful statement there, and the diversity bump is a distinct possibility. It makes for a great narrative, and it's sincere. As you suspect, however, I also think that it would be imperative to emphasize how your condition is well managed through medication and experience to try and preclude any preemptive judgement about your capacities. (Your GRE and recent grades should also reinforce this, right?).

 

Sometimes you just have to trust that folks won't be abelist douchebags. If it turns out that they are, well, then perhaps studying with those folks would only invites future complications and stress (and what are they doing in medical chemistry with an attitude like that anyways?).