Applying for college...tell of Diabetes?

[emm142]

My university knew about D because I had to sit an entrance test (at the university) and I had a couple of interviews. The interviews were 30 mins each and the test was an hour, so I informed them about D in case I had any D issues during the process. My other universities were aware of D because I filled it in in the medical section of the application form. I was offered a place at all 5 universities, so D obviously didn't cause an issue for me.

[Ronin1966]

Hello jilmarie:

That's EASY. Believe it or not there WAS a time before meters and pumps. Some of us are from and lived (quite happily) in those "dark ages" with no problems.

Insulin does NOT need to be kept in the fridge, unless you live in a hot climate. And until very recently it was pretty stable stuff. Today not nearly as much given the recumbent DNA... Injections can be done with absolutely nobody ever noticing... do them all the time!

You have my curiosity, what "signs" exist?

[Ronin1966]

Hello emm142:

By definition diabetes CANNOT cause us issues... that is discrimination 101 and completely illegal.

[jilmarie]

Originally Posted by Ronin1966

Hello jilmarie:

That's EASY. Believe it or not there WAS a time before meters and pumps. Some of us are from and lived (quite happily) in those "dark ages" with no problems.

Insulin does NOT need to be kept in the fridge, unless you live in a hot climate. And until very recently it was pretty stable stuff. Today not nearly as much given the recumbent DNA... Injections can be done with absolutely nobody ever noticing... do them all the time!

You have my curiosity, what "signs" exist?

Stuart,
Clearly I understand that there was a time before meters and pumps. When I was on NPH, my diabetes was far less noticible because I wasn't injecting at the table or punching buttons on my pump during a meal.

Nevertheless, there were still scraps of diabetes - a jar of glucose tabs, a sharps container in my closet. My symptoms of low or high blood sugar. Perhaps I'm just more open about my diabetes, but it would be challenging for a college roommate not to notice the testing, injections, and supplies. I also have a several-month supply of insulin in my fridge. The vials not in use DO require refrigeration (so did NPH and regular).

Quite frankly, I want my roommates and close friends to know so that they give me sugar if I'm acting strangely or call 911 if I lose consciousness.

[Ronin1966]

Hello jilmarie:

<<a jar of glucose tabs, a sharps container in my closet. My symptoms of low or high blood sugar.

I've never had a sharps container... interesting. Those conversations true are simple, but not really effective. Requires someone be trusted, and sober and pretty aware on top of it. Dorm life, college... not too easy for most that way.

Had and known lots of roommates, not many had all those qualities. Understand and certainly appreciate your perspective, think we're simply debating "degree" to some extent...

[deafmack]

Originally Posted by runnersmom

Does anyone have any experience with athletic scholarships and diabetes? My daughter is being considered for athletic scholarships at several colleges. She was only diagnosed in July. We are struggling with whether to tell the coaches before she accepts any offers. Anyone have any opinions?

Under the American with Disabilities Act you don't have to tell people you have a 'disability' until you are hired and ask for accommodations. I think the same can be said for athletic scholarships. I would not say anything until she has the scholarship then if she goes to that college or university I would just go to the Special Services Office (Disabilities Office) and mention it there and let them know what kind of accommodations she will or might need.

[GreenyZach]

I know this is an older thread, but I would like to weigh in on this conversation. I actually went to my large, state university for two years before I decided to transfer due to the deduction of classes available for people majoring in linguistics. My freshman year was really, really bad! I did very well in high school (top 5% of class, great ACT score, and many awards/honors), so doing bad in college was a nightmare. I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes about halfway through my first semester. I kept getting extremely sick and missing classes because I was so, so sick. I considered dropping out, but my parents were paying a couple thousand dollars for me to be there per semester and I just couldn't leave, so I attempted to bare with it. One night, my roommate found me passed out in the hallway of our dorm and I was rushed the hospital where I almost died. They started doing tests and everything on me and discovered I did, in fact, have Type II. The semester ended and I finished with a D and C. I'm pre-med, so the chemistry class I received a D in had to be retaken for sure.

The beginning of my second semester was no better than the end of the first. The medicine was making me super sick and I couldn't get my diet together right. I was taking a few difficult classes because I thought I could do it, but I just couldn't. I made three C's that semester and one of the C's was the chemistry class I re-took. I felt so, so, so bad! My GPA at the end of the year was a 2.92 and my med school GPA was a 2.0. I had never done this bad in my entire life. But I went back my sophomore year, after spending my summer getting better. Long story short, I finished the school year with straight A's, including in two classes I re-took, and I finished the school year with a 3.75. I applied to transfer to a few schools and I was accepted to Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences. I told this same story and how it negatively impacted my academic success, and I guess it did it.

The moral of the story is - if you're diabetic and it ruins your academic career, tell the admissions committee. They want to hear it. It matters.