Underweight - uni rejection?

Hi all, well today I was sent my medical form for university (starting in Septemeber btw).  I'm currently underweight with a bmi of 15.6 but have been gaining (it was about 14.5). 

I have been accepted on a course to be a primary school teacher which is my absolutely dream job but am worried that when i have to write down my weight, they will be concerned and call me in for questioning (on the form, it says they might do this.)

Do you think there is any way that they can reject me from the course because I'm not in the healthy range?  I'm desperate to get up to a bmi of 18.5 but have always been very small built (whole family is technically underweight although we eat quite a lot) but did have a slight eating disorder in the summer as I would only eat low calorie foods, but still in bulk.  Should I tell them I'm gaining?  Will this increase my chances of still being allowed to be on the course?  There's no way I have the eating disorder anymore so I'm not going to mention it.

If you have any knowledge about this or have been in the same position please help me!  Or just any opinions would be good. Thank you!!

Original Post by xjennie:

Hi all, well today I was sent my medical form for university (starting in Septemeber btw).  I'm currently underweight with a bmi of 15.6 but have been gaining (it was about 14.5). 

I have been accepted on a course to be a primary school teacher which is my absolutely dream job but am worried that when i have to write down my weight, they will be concerned and call me in for questioning (on the form, it says they might do this.)

Do you think there is any way that they can reject me from the course because I'm not in the healthy range?  I'm desperate to get up to a bmi of 18.5 but have always been very small built (whole family is technically underweight although we eat quite a lot) but did have a slight eating disorder in the summer as I would only eat low calorie foods, but still in bulk.  Should I tell them I'm gaining?  Will this increase my chances of still being allowed to be on the course?  There's no way I have the eating disorder anymore so I'm not going to mention it.

If you have any knowledge about this or have been in the same position please help me!  Or just any opinions would be good. Thank you!!

Hi xjennie :)

I'm sorry to say this, but yes it can happen. It happened to me.

Right now I am at my healthy weight, but last year when I was making my uni applications I was quite underweight (due to illness and medical complications). I got rejected from one of my universities because of my weight. They sent a letter explaining it all. 

I couldn't believe it. I still can't.

Sorry I can't offer any advice though :(

yup i agree. i know a girl who i was on day patient care with and she was already a teacher but they wouldnt let her teach mainstream because they were too concerned about the effect her weight would have on the children

Well, what weight do you think you can get up to by September, if you maintain your current rate of gain? I'd just put that number down, and then you'll be beholden to achieve it by the Fall :)

This must be a UK thing only, I have never heard of such a thing in the States. It is against the law here to discriminate based on weight/race/religion/age/sexual orientation/etc.

Original Post by mel_e_mel:

Well, what weight do you think you can get up to by September, if you maintain your current rate of gain? I'd just put that number down, and then you'll be beholden to achieve it by the Fall :)

This must be a UK thing only, I have never heard of such a thing in the States. It is against the law here to discriminate based on weight/race/religion/age/sexual orientation/etc.

What about on grounds of poor health?

Sure, in that case obese people would also have to be excluded! They also set a bad example and are in poor health.  This is stupid really.

I am sorry that you have to worry about such thing. Why the hell do you have to write down your weight? Why does you uni require a medical record? Is it because of the teachers training program?

Thanks everyone

Well by September, I hope to be up by nearly another stone (or more) which would make me 7st5lbs - not so underweight but still outside the healthy bmi range.  I'm scared that if I write this, they might still call me in, weigh me and discover I'm really a whole stone lighter!

I really think it's to do with the health risks associated with being underweight - teacher needs to be physically fit (although I'm active and eat lots) so it's soo unfair they judge by a number.  I know!  A number of my teachers at college are overweight and I don't see any of them being penalised.  I have to send the form off today ahhhhh!!  If I'm called in, do you think I should just stress the fact that I know I'm underweight and need to gain?  Or just play oblivious, like saying about the whole skinny family stuff? 

I'd simply lie on the form, if I were you. No need to be righteous when they're asking an inappropriate question.

Original Post by xjennie:

Thanks everyone

Well by September, I hope to be up by nearly another stone (or more) which would make me 7st5lbs - not so underweight but still outside the healthy bmi range.  I'm scared that if I write this, they might still call me in, weigh me and discover I'm really a whole stone lighter!

I really think it's to do with the health risks associated with being underweight - teacher needs to be physically fit (although I'm active and eat lots) so it's soo unfair they judge by a number.  I know!  A number of my teachers at college are overweight and I don't see any of them being penalised.  I have to send the form off today ahhhhh!!  If I'm called in, do you think I should just stress the fact that I know I'm underweight and need to gain?  Or just play oblivious, like saying about the whole skinny family stuff? 

I would just lie if you don't want it to be an issue.

From the university's point of view, I think it's fair enough that if someone is extremely underweight they are rejected from a course. Yes, obese people have plenty of health problems too, but very underweight people have so little energy that it's quite possible they wouldn't be up to handling the demands of the course. Not to mention the lowered cognitive and memory function that comes from being underweight. Why not give the place to someone with a better chance of completing the course? Sounds fair enough to me.

xjennie - you say it's "so unfair" that they judge by a number and play down your disorder as having a "slight disorder". Yet it's not like you were just a little underweight. You were so underweight, and still are, that you are at risk from dying of cardiac arrest. It doesn't matter WHAT they judge your weight by, in anyone's books you are extremely underweight. You also are recovering from anorexia. As it says in your profile, you were eating 700cals per day. That's not a slight disorder, that's a serious one. And you claim to be active - that's not a plus when you're in recovery. It's recommended that you reach a BMI of 20 before restarting exercise. Even if you restart earlier, you're jeopardising your health by exercising now, and slowing your possible weight gain. I think you may be fooling yourself over how committed to your recovery you really are, and how sick you have become. A BMI of 15.6 is not a healthy place to be - perhaps your priorities should be elsewhere than university right now.

I think you should put your goal weight for September on the form. It will serve as great motivation to get there! I also think its ridiculously unfair that underweight people are discriminated against whereas overweight people aren't. Good luck Jennie!

BTW I disagree entirely with merylwhite1 - from your posts on the "What Have You Eaten Today" thread I can see that you are 100% commited to recovery and regaining your health (moreso than many others that post). So I hope nothing stands in your way of your dream :)

It happens. I went up to interview at a v. prestigious uni here in England, did well, only to be rejected. My BMI was 13.5 at the time of interview, and my tutor was told 'off the record' that I was 'within criteria and standards for admission, but appeared so fragile they were worried I wouldn't last longer than six months before having to drop out.'

Needless to say, I was absolutely devastated.

Yea, I was rejected from two unis this year for being underweight. It is soo disappointing and heartbreaking. Hope this doesn't happen to you!

No, you cannot be rejected from school in the States on grounds of poor health; not unless you have something contagious / pandemic, like hep B (or whatever letter the super crazy bad hep is) or something super catchy that could affect the whole of the student body. You have to prove you've had all of your immunizations, but that's it.

Jennie, I still think you should write down what you will weigh (hopefully) in September. I highly doubt anyone will question you about it. And IF they do, tell them you are in an active process of gaining weight and working on your fitness because you are very dedicated to your career as a teacher. Bring meal plans / calorie intake logs if you think it will help your claim. They won't be able to fault you for your efforts, and it will prove how committed you are to being well enough to participate in their program.

merylwhite I appreciate your concern but the info on my profile was like back in January and I have since gained about a stone.  Besides, I don't see how all my gaining effort should be rewarded by not going to university - it just doesn't make sense.

grapefruit and mel, cheers girlys I have now written my goal weight i wish to achieve by September, hopefully it's enough not to be any cause for concern.  Even if they do decide to question me on anything, I'm gonna fight for this place like crazy!

teck and mashed, thanks for the info, that really sucks, hope you got in somewhere! 

If you lie on the form they have a valid reason to reject you.

yeah i'm sorry but it happened to me twice. they said i couldnt come back unless i went to inpatient care and then got a written letter from my doctor. i still need outpatient letters and i can only return in the fall when my doctor permits.

Good for you! Fight the good fight, sister. I don't think you'll have anything to worry about, and your future uni will have gained an excellent student.

Original Post by trhawley:

If you lie on the form they have a valid reason to reject you.

 They have no way of knowing/proving that it wasn't true at the time of application, though...

I think that if the only reason that they want that information is so they might exclude you I think it's fine to fib. Your health is on the right track & I really don't think it's any of their business.

Original Post by thinspo777:

Original Post by trhawley:

If you lie on the form they have a valid reason to reject you.

 They have no way of knowing/proving that it wasn't true at the time of application, though...

I think that if the only reason that they want that information is so they might exclude you I think it's fine to fib. Your health is on the right track & I really don't think it's any of their business.

 It's not a fib, if you are lying on an application in order to get admission to a university program it is fraud.

maybe you should take a year to get well and reapply.

personally, if i were a parent, i wouldn't want my impressionable child looking up to a teacher with an eating disorder.  don't know if you have one, but let's be honest.  teachers have a tremendous amount of influence with children, especially at the elementary level.  for most little kids, their teacher is beautiful, brilliant, and can do no wrong.

i hope more education programs screen for this.

edit: apparently you do have an eating disorder - or at least disordered eating.  yeah, i'm sorry, but you have no business working with children before you're 100% well.  okay?

pgeorgian yeah I completely get what you're saying, there's no way I'd want any child of mine to be looking up to any authority figure with disordered habits of any sort which can be an influence.

However I am totally mentally recovered!  If I wasn't, I would take the year out to get well.  And it's not just one of those things that people with past EDs may say in order to try and convince themselves of this - I'm a dedicated gainer atm and am just trying to get to a healthier weight in time for my uni place and teaching placements - need all the energy I have to be in control of a classroom eventually - eek!