I take the GMAT next week. I am planning to apply to a top 20 business school. I have a 3.93 GPA currently, and am in my last semester of undergrad at a well respected state school. I expect my GPA to go up to maybe 3.95 or 3.96 by graduation. I have a book about getting into top business schools. One thing it says that concerns me is that you should not mention any mental illness you suffer from. The book phrases this advice in such a way as to basically say that you will be discriminated against.
I am not into sob stories, and I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me. However, I have suffered from Bipolar Disorder for many years. This has required me to be hospitalized once and I have been on medication for 11 years. My medication pretty much disabled me for several years. I caused me to sleep 12 or more hours a day.
This has hampered me from advancing far in my career. I have 14 years of work experience, with over 10 full time (I am 30 years old). Most of my jobs were rather unskilled, but I do have about a year and a half cumulative experience selling real estate. I worked as a broker during 2006. Then I went back to school in 2007. I was mainly only able to practice during the summer in 2007 and 2008, and the poor market prevented me from setting any sales records. This experience is quite relevant, because I want to get an M.B.A in real estate.
So my bottom line is this- I am worried that my professional credentials will be less impressive than others with whom I am competing. In particular, the period where I was hampered by medications will look rather odd. I held somewhat menial jobs during that time that are not typical of someone with a lot of ability. If I could tell them about my illness, it would explain the situation perfectly. I don't know what I should do.
I am not into sob stories, and I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me. However, I have suffered from Bipolar Disorder for many years. This has required me to be hospitalized once and I have been on medication for 11 years. My medication pretty much disabled me for several years. I caused me to sleep 12 or more hours a day.
This has hampered me from advancing far in my career. I have 14 years of work experience, with over 10 full time (I am 30 years old). Most of my jobs were rather unskilled, but I do have about a year and a half cumulative experience selling real estate. I worked as a broker during 2006. Then I went back to school in 2007. I was mainly only able to practice during the summer in 2007 and 2008, and the poor market prevented me from setting any sales records. This experience is quite relevant, because I want to get an M.B.A in real estate.
So my bottom line is this- I am worried that my professional credentials will be less impressive than others with whom I am competing. In particular, the period where I was hampered by medications will look rather odd. I held somewhat menial jobs during that time that are not typical of someone with a lot of ability. If I could tell them about my illness, it would explain the situation perfectly. I don't know what I should do.
