ADHD and applying to vet schools?

[aellos]

Hello!!

I`m a brand new member and I`m so exited to join this network and make friends with people that share not only my passion, but share theirs as well!

I have a quick thought; currently I`m a junior so I`m planning on applying to vet school soon. (which is whole other problem due to my credits being wonky and this will means having to take the GRE basically blind at 19, with not that much experience ahhhh) and was wondering if I should disclose to the schools that I have ADHD? It`s documented and I receive accommodations, so I would have to tell them eventually, but the vet I`m working with said that telling them about it up would be a mark against my application.

Thoughts? Should I bring it, but just like mention it quickly and not dwell on it? Explain how it`s impacted my life? not bring it up at all?

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[that redhead]

I probably wouldn’t mention it in your application unless it has impacted your grades notably or something.

 

[finnickthedog]

I'm not convinced it would hurt you but I also don't see any reason to bring it up unless, like TRH said, it impacted your grades significantly or something of that nature. So I wouldn't mention it.

 

[battie]

One of my vet med besties did disclose it, but due to her diagnosis completely turning her grades around. She had poor grades prior during her early years of college. Then following her diagnosis and subsequent treatment/compensating techniques, her grades skyrocketed.

 

[EB73674]

Agreed with all of the above advice - you 100% don’t NEED to disclose it during the application process (that’s illegal to require during an application), and I would only mention it if you can spin it into a positive or if it’s a significant explanation for bad grades. My close friend went off her meds when she got pregnant 2 years ago, and it SEVERELY affected her grades, so she talked about that to medical schools. She was essentially able to show that 1) she needs the meds, and 2) she is extremely capable when she’s on them.

 

[12FutureVet12]

Hello!

I just submitted my applications for this term, and I did disclose that I had ADHD, but only to explain poor grades in my freshman year before diagnosis. I explained my struggles through education, and how it affected my grades in courses, and how with the proper diagnosis I was capable of success. If this wouldn't have been the case, I likely would not have disclosed it. I also only added this in the explanation statement.

I am unsure if it will be beneficial or not to my application, but we will see!

 

[Eclectic Teal]

Hello!

I just submitted my applications for this term, and I did disclose that I had ADHD, but only to explain poor grades in my freshman year before diagnosis. I explained my struggles through education, and how it affected my grades in courses, and how with the proper diagnosis I was capable of success. If this wouldn't have been the case, I likely would not have disclosed it. I also only added this in the explanation statement.

I am unsure if it will be beneficial or not to my application, but we will see!

Using it as an explanation is good. It can be such a relief to understand why you were struggling before, when you may not have had an idea that you had ADHD. I know it was for me. I doubt it will negatively impact you. If anything, it shows resilience to have achieved what you have despite that hinderance. Some schools may ask you about it in the interview, but again it's an opportunity to put a positive spin on it.

 

[12FutureVet12]

Using it as an explanation is good. It can be such a relief to understand why you were struggling before, when you may not have had an idea that you had ADHD. I know it was for me. I doubt it will negatively impact you. If anything, it shows resilience to have achieved what you have despite that hinderance. Some schools may ask you about it in the interview, but again it's an opportunity to put a positive spin on it.

Good to know! I have only heard of three of the schools I am applying that are still doing interviews, sadly. Hopefully if they need more information, they will reach out.

 

[Eclectic Teal]

Good to know! I have only heard of three of the schools I am applying that are still doing interviews, sadly. Hopefully if they need more information, they will reach out.

They aren't doing video call interviews? Just deciding based on the application?

 

[12FutureVet12]

They aren't doing video call interviews? Just deciding based on the application?

Yes, some of the schools I applied to (e.g. UGA and NC state) don't usually hold interviews from what I have seen. However a few schools have cancelled them due to covid... I know Virginia-Maryland sent out an email saying they were cancelled completely, and would be sending out admissions decisions by December. I believe that Iowa discontinued theirs as well. Missouri, LMU and I believe Florida are doing virtual interviews, though.

 

[SCML]

I did this as well^^^!! My grades improved A TON after my ADHD diagnosis in undergrad and I wrote about it in at least one of my essays and talked about it in my interviews how it helped me learn and how i had to change my learning/organization style. I got into 3 schools so I don’t think it hurt!

 

[that redhead]

Using it as an explanation is good. It can be such a relief to understand why you were struggling before, when you may not have had an idea that you had ADHD. I know it was for me. I doubt it will negatively impact you. If anything, it shows resilience to have achieved what you have despite that hinderance. Some schools may ask you about it in the interview, but again it's an opportunity to put a positive spin on it.

I very much doubt they can ask you directly about it legally. They may ask something open-ended where you can bring it up, though.

 

[Eclectic Teal]

I very much doubt they can ask you directly about it legally. They may ask something open-ended where you can bring it up, though.

I was asked whether I wanted to elaborate, and told I was under no obligation to do so if it would make me uncomfortable.

 

[that redhead]

I was asked whether I wanted to elaborate, and told I was under no obligation to do so if it would make me uncomfortable.

I think that’s a bit sketchy personally, just like hinting at other illegal questions (family planning, etc.) But that’s on them

 

[Eclectic Teal]

I think that’s a bit sketchy personally, just like hinting at other illegal questions (family planning, etc.) But that’s on them

Eh, I imagine it would depend on phrasing and tone. The rest of the interview had not conveyed any sense of harsh scrutiny or ill-will, so the question didn't seem like a way of eliminating my chances or prying. The school itself has a strong focus on student support and mental well-being. Knowing that, the question felt more like an extension of that focus.

 

[LetItSnow]

I very much doubt they can ask you directly about it legally. They may ask something open-ended where you can bring it up, though.

It's going to depend a little bit on who brings it up. If the applicant brings it up in an interview, we could ask clarifying questions in response to whatever they brought up. It would be a major no-no to inquire about something like that out of the blue. We do closed-app interviews, so the interviewer (unless you happen to get interviewed by the admissions director or whatever) wouldn't know about it even if it was in essays or whatever.

I'm not sure how places that do open-app interviews would handle it.

And in any event, those kind of issues aren't the point of our (behavioral) interviews to begin with, so they wouldn't likely inform evaluation of the answers. For us, each question is a chance to get at a specific behavior - whether the applicant models it well or not. So either the applicant has a good answer demonstrating that they do model the characteristics we want or they don't. Issues like medical background, future family plans ... all those kind of things ... aren't relevant. It still nevertheless can come up if a candidate is using a story from their past that involves something like that, but our questions would only be aimed at better understanding the situation they were describing, not trying to investigate whether their medical issue had bearing on the future abilities/performance.

Caveat: This only applies where I do interviews.

 

[Cjmjc6]

Hey hey.

In an interview with a vet school, they asked me what my greatest accomplishment in my life was. I thought about it for a few moments and knew that what I was about to tell them could potentially lead them to denying me, but regardless, it would be the truth. My greatest accomplishment was reaching a point of control over my ADHD and 'graduating' from special education and occupational therapy (which I was in throughout my elementary-intermediate school years) although I am still reliant on medication.

One of the interviewers (a clinician at the school) told me that her brother had a very similar experience growing up. I got in and actually go to that school now as a fourth year.

So, yes. Tell them if they ask. ADHD does not have to be a burden to those who truly have it. Be brave, it is a part of you, and you do not have to let it control you.