Planning for college, both financially and emotionally, as well as academically, can be a daunting task. And, if you have a visible appearance difference, like ichthyosis or a related skin type, it can present even more challenges. We asked our UFIRST scholarship recipients just how they felt about planning for college, and whether or not having ichthyosis factored into their planning and/or decision making process. The responses varied greatly, and we’re excited to share them with you in upcoming weeks, beginning with today’s interview with 2015 UFIRST Scholarship recipient Ryan Balog, affected with Congenital Ichthyosiform Erythroderma (CIE). Discover how Ryan planned for college, what he may have done differently, and how he strongly believes in educating new friends about ichthyosis.

How did (or didn’t) ichthyosis affect your decision to attend college?

Having ichthyosis personally did not affect me in my selection of a college or deciding to go to college. I personally always wanted to become a math teacher and share my gift in math by instilling confidence in these skills to the next generation of students.  I knew  attending college would be required to reach this goal. Luckily, the college I decided on, LaRoche College in Pittsburgh, was very close to home and I will be able to commute and live at home.

What can you share with other teens, or parents of teens, regarding preparation for college?
If I were to share a few things about my preparation for college, I would mainly focus on scholarships. College tuition is so expensive to begin with, not to mention the added-on costs of books, housing, and dining. One way I personally was able to help reduce the cost was applying for a lot of scholarships, like FIRST’s UFIRST scholarship. A scholarship, here and there, can really reduce the cost of books and tuition per semester. My mom always says “If you don’t try, you will never get,” and I strongly agree with that, particularly with scholarships. So my college preparation taught me to apply for as many scholarships and aid as you can.

What do you wish you had known about the process that you would like to share with teens?
One thing that I wish I had known more about prior to applying was the importance of being well-rounded. Luckily, I was fairly well-rounded, but could have done more. If I were to do it all again, I would definitely join as many school sports, clubs, and events as were available to me. I strongly suggest volunteering, if you do not already.  I volunteered as a junior camp counselor for Camp Horizon, Millville PA. They have a lot of these camps for kids with skin conditions throughout the summer.  I also volunteered at an assisted living facility, where I was in charge of running the bingo games. I personally learned that if you are on the borderline of getting into a school or getting a scholarship, they base a lot of their decision on your extracurricular activities.

How do you plan on telling others about your ichthyosis while at college?

I plan on educating fellow classmates and teachers about icthyosis. When I was younger, I would always be shy about telling everyone, but now I am more comfortable explaining the condition of ichthyosis. Nothing bad will happen if you ever share the story of your ichthyosis, and inform others about the condition. It will only raise more awareness and benefit you and others in the long run.