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How Do I Cover My Years of OCD on Applications


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Hello

 

I have suffered from OCD and like most people, especially males, never told anyone my condition; hence I was never officially diagnosed until late in life. The OCD was so crippling that it caused me to have a really deficient work history.

 

Now that I have my OCD under control I am trying to make up what I missed all of my life—it was this hope that kept me from doing myself in despite not having a soul to confide to and not having met anyone with the condition. I had not the slightest idea anyone else had what I had.

 

I am now applying to a prestigious MBA program at UNC. I have taken many upper level business courses including one upper level MBA in which I made an H (the highest grade). There is no doubt, as my professors will testify, that I am more than capable of doing the classwork.

 

But the school looks at other qualities, notably employment history, and other leadership qualities perhaps that were acquired by being part of a non-profit organization, as you will see in the school’s required essays for admission listed below.

 

Here is my dilemma: I have to show that I have the abilities to be an MBA (and I am much older than the typical MBA, though it is certainly not rare for people even in their 40s or 50s person to be in B-school but I do have to cover for those unproductive years of my life dominated by OCD.

 

To begin with the term OCD, as used colloquially, has quite a different meaning to the condition associated with the medical use of the term. People think “clean freak,” egomaniacal control freak,” but have no idea whatsoever about intrusive thoughts, scrupulosity, harming fears, HOCD and the like.

 

An admissions interview is no time to enlighten your interviewers about OCD. I usually say I have had depression (which is related, even biologically to OCD) and perhaps I add I have an anxiety disorder.

 

I kept myself going and from doing away with myself during those dark ages of my OCD with the hope, even though I never knew that was a disease, OCD but I do not just want to endure OCD but do something productive with my talents for God and humanity. I do not want my epitaph to read “He survived OCD.”

 

Now here is what I am asking everyone. Below are some short essays (1-2 pages at most) I have to submit (the 18th is the deadline) to the UNC B-school and I need help on writing them.

 

What exasperates the difficulty in writing them, is my deficiencies come to light, i.e. all the dreams and aspirations I lost through the years due to my OCD.

 

So what I am asking is not that anyone write them for me—I have enough writing skills to compose them—but (1) give me some ideas or angles that I could use in them (e.g. my illness has given me a drive that I would not of had otherwise)—anything and (2) some catchy phrase I could insert.

 

I need to get this done soon as I learned in my one MBA class, where we talked about created processes and brainstorming sessions, odd ideas coming from many people can work toward a very productive solution to any pressing problem. So be creative and bold and look at every angel. I know many of you will have different life experiences and can offer something unique.

 

Once again, I am looking for an angle that makes me unique, that shows I, despite my lack of work history, have other worthy qualities that make up for what I missed in employment, etc. And again, you do not have to have all the answers but if you can a twist or phrase here and there—any kind of idea—I would appreciate it.

 

You can email me back if you need more information.

 

Below are the required essays:

 

Essay One (Required)

What are the 2 or 3 strengths or characteristics that have driven your career success thus far? Do you have other strengths that you would like to leverage in the future? (500 words maximum)

 

Essay Two (Required)

Briefly describe the career path you intend to pursue immediately after B-school. Explain why this career option appeals to you and why an MBA is appropriate at this time. (500 words maximum)

 

Essay Three (Required)

What personal qualities or life experiences distinguish you from other applicants? How do these qualities or experiences equip you to contribute to Kenan-Flagler? (500 words maximum)

 

Essay Four (Required)

Kenan-Flagler has five core values: excellence, leadership, integrity, community and teamwork. If you could add a sixth value what would it be and why? Be sure to explain how you have lived this value. (300 words maximum)

 

Essay Five (Optional) [Not so important]

If your GMAT quantitative score is low, or if you have not had coursework in calculus, microeconomics, statistics and financial accounting, please tell us how you plan to prepare yourself for the quantitative MBA curriculum. (300 words maximum)

 

Essay Six (Optional)

Is there anything else you think the Admissions Committee should know about you in order to evaluate your candidacy? (300 words maximum)

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Hi Stage Door--

 

I'm glad you have the OCD properly diagnosed and under control, as you say. That must be such a relief for you. Great that you can now move on with your life, even though it is later than you would have wished.

 

Are you on a standard medication that is helping? Can you give me your email address? I will send a few topic suggestions.

 

We need to know a little more about yourself. Here are some questions:

 

What do you mean about being part of a nonprofit?

 

Were you at home (not able to work) but exploring things on the computer etc? Or studying anything on your own during your down time?

 

Did the OCD make you study certain topics in detail--was there any positive from it, from an academic point of view?

 

What area of business do you intend to go into?

 

What were your best subjects in college?

 

Thanks! Sheila

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello

 

I have suffered from OCD and like most people, especially males, never told anyone my condition; hence I was never officially diagnosed until late in life. The OCD was so crippling that it caused me to have a really deficient work history.

 

Now that I have my OCD under control I am trying to make up what I missed all of my life—it was this hope that kept me from doing myself in despite not having a soul to confide to and not having met anyone with the condition. I had not the slightest idea anyone else had what I had.

 

I am now applying to a prestigious MBA program at UNC. I have taken many upper level business courses including one upper level MBA in which I made an H (the highest grade). There is no doubt, as my professors will testify, that I am more than capable of doing the classwork.

 

But the school looks at other qualities, notably employment history, and other leadership qualities perhaps that were acquired by being part of a non-profit organization, as you will see in the school’s required essays for admission listed below.

 

Here is my dilemma: I have to show that I have the abilities to be an MBA (and I am much older than the typical MBA, though it is certainly not rare for people even in their 40s or 50s person to be in B-school but I do have to cover for those unproductive years of my life dominated by OCD.

 

To begin with the term OCD, as used colloquially, has quite a different meaning to the condition associated with the medical use of the term. People think “clean freak,” egomaniacal control freak,” but have no idea whatsoever about intrusive thoughts, scrupulosity, harming fears, HOCD and the like.

 

An admissions interview is no time to enlighten your interviewers about OCD. I usually say I have had depression (which is related, even biologically to OCD) and perhaps I add I have an anxiety disorder.

 

I kept myself going and from doing away with myself during those dark ages of my OCD with the hope, even though I never knew that was a disease, OCD but I do not just want to endure OCD but do something productive with my talents for God and humanity. I do not want my epitaph to read “He survived OCD.”

 

Now here is what I am asking everyone. Below are some short essays (1-2 pages at most) I have to submit (the 18th is the deadline) to the UNC B-school and I need help on writing them.

 

What exasperates the difficulty in writing them, is my deficiencies come to light, i.e. all the dreams and aspirations I lost through the years due to my OCD.

 

So what I am asking is not that anyone write them for me—I have enough writing skills to compose them—but (1) give me some ideas or angles that I could use in them (e.g. my illness has given me a drive that I would not of had otherwise)—anything and (2) some catchy phrase I could insert.

 

I need to get this done soon as I learned in my one MBA class, where we talked about created processes and brainstorming sessions, odd ideas coming from many people can work toward a very productive solution to any pressing problem. So be creative and bold and look at every angel. I know many of you will have different life experiences and can offer something unique.

 

Once again, I am looking for an angle that makes me unique, that shows I, despite my lack of work history, have other worthy qualities that make up for what I missed in employment, etc. And again, you do not have to have all the answers but if you can a twist or phrase here and there—any kind of idea—I would appreciate it.

 

You can email me back if you need more information.

 

Below are the required essays:

 

Essay One (Required)

What are the 2 or 3 strengths or characteristics that have driven your career success thus far? Do you have other strengths that you would like to leverage in the future? (500 words maximum)

 

Essay Two (Required)

Briefly describe the career path you intend to pursue immediately after B-school. Explain why this career option appeals to you and why an MBA is appropriate at this time. (500 words maximum)

 

Essay Three (Required)

What personal qualities or life experiences distinguish you from other applicants? How do these qualities or experiences equip you to contribute to Kenan-Flagler? (500 words maximum)

 

Essay Four (Required)

Kenan-Flagler has five core values: excellence, leadership, integrity, community and teamwork. If you could add a sixth value what would it be and why? Be sure to explain how you have lived this value. (300 words maximum)

 

Essay Five (Optional) [Not so important]

If your GMAT quantitative score is low, or if you have not had coursework in calculus, microeconomics, statistics and financial accounting, please tell us how you plan to prepare yourself for the quantitative MBA curriculum. (300 words maximum)

 

Essay Six (Optional)

Is there anything else you think the Admissions Committee should know about you in order to evaluate your candidacy? (300 words maximum)

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Hi Stage Door --

 

I don't personally suffer from clinical OCD, but my son does, and I have watched and admired him as he has struggled to have his intelligence, kindness, commitment, creativity and capability shine through, despite the sometimes extreme and always unique challenges of OCD behaviors. Therefore, I have a few ideas for you:

 

Essay One (Required)

What are the 2 or 3 strengths or characteristics that have driven your career success thus far? Do you have other strengths that you would like to leverage in the future? (500 words maximum)

The two that come to mind are tenacity and self-reliance. No matter how much your friends, family, therapist, doctor try to help you get past a compulsion or obsession, in the end, it has to be you that slays the beast for that moment and moves forward. And sometimes, you have to slay that same beast again and again, for several days in a row, before it cowers in a corner long enough for you to catch your breath and move on to the next challenge. So, you're not easily thwarted from a goal, and you have confidence that you can pull it off.

 

Essay Two (Required)

Briefly describe the career path you intend to pursue immediately after B-school. Explain why this career option appeals to you and why an MBA is appropriate at this time. (500 words maximum)

 

You're ready. You have a hard-won level of maturity, circumspection and awareness that you would not have were it not for what you've been through.

 

Essay Three (Required)

What personal qualities or life experiences distinguish you from other applicants? How do these qualities or experiences equip you to contribute to Kenan-Flagler? (500 words maximum)

I guess I'd refer you largely back to Essays One and Two for this answer. To live with OCD and still learn to be a productive, contributory creature on the planet takes an extraordinary amount of conviction and perseverence; you also have to learn to be creative and "think outside the box" because what might be a simple undertaking for a non-OCD person presents a considerable obstacle for you. So you're likely creative to the point of "MacGyver-ish" in terms of being able to cobble together solutions that work for you. You're probably also more sensitive to others and operate mindfully in a team environment because of your own personal struggles and the awareness that comes along with that.

 

Essay Four (Required)

Kenan-Flagler has five core values: excellence, leadership, integrity, community and teamwork. If you could add a sixth value what would it be and why? Be sure to explain how you have lived this value. (300 words maximum)

 

What a GREAT question!! What about "perseverence" or "mindfulness"?

 

Essay Five (Optional) [Not so important]If your GMAT quantitative score is low, or if you have not had coursework in calculus, microeconomics, statistics and financial accounting, please tell us how you plan to prepare yourself for the quantitative MBA curriculum. (300 words maximum)

 

Not to be flippant, but since you've said this is optional and not so important . . . how 'bout the fact that because of your disorder, you are prone to being a "nit-picker" or a perfectionist, so along with that famously required tenancity for controlling the OCD so that you can function in the world, you can allow a portion of that same OCD -- the perfectionistic piece of it -- to help drive you toward any goal you seek. When it comes to quantitative analysis, OCD can actually be of benefit! <_< (I don't know about you, but many people I know with OCD, including my son, are EXCELLENT at quantitative analysis, I think partially because it is inherent in the same "wiring," but also because he just won't give up until he has the problem worked out!)

 

Essay Six (Optional)

Is there anything else you think the Admissions Committee should know about you in order to evaluate your candidacy? (300 words maximum)

 

You've lived through some exceptional life experiences that have informed every choice you make, every position you take, and every perception you have, not only about yourself, but about the world and how it works. You don't make decisions lightly, in fact, you may perseverate especially long over your choices, and therefore your commitment, once made, is unasailable.

 

Good luck to you!

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