What counts as a grade I need to explain in my PS?

[itsraininbunnie]

I've read a lot of Personal Statement advice that recommends that you explain any bad grades and lapses in your academic record. Freshman and sophomore year, I got Bs in General Chemistry I, Cell Biology, and Organic Chem II, and then a B- in Organic Chem I. I also got a B and a B+ in two humanities classes.

I then got a 4.0 the second semester of sophomore year, and all of junior year, and now have a 3.8 GPA, 3.76 sGPA.

Are those 6 Bs bad enough that I should explain them in my PS? The only explanation is really that I was unprepared for how hard college would be, and didn't work hard enough, but eventually recommitted myself to becoming a doctor and working hard to improve my grades.

So do you guys think I should explain those Bs? Or is it not significant enough to bring up?

Thanks guys!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

I wouldn't bring it up; no need to explain through a PS in my opinion.

 

[IncognitoGuy]

I wouldn't bring it up. Frame it in terms of the prompt (Explain your reasons for applying to medical school, IIRC). Do those grades fall in any way into your reasons?

 

[deleted407021]

You are pretty new around here. Chill out. They're just Bs.

 

[sector9]

No I would not talk about B's on a PS. Focus on why you want to be a doctor

 

[ChemEngMD]

Anything below B+ you definitely need to address in your PS...I would write at least 3 to 4 sentences on how it affected you as a person and how your life changed from those Bs




...really tho, I'm applying with multiple Cs on my undergrad transcript (over a half decade old grades) and I didn't even mention 'em. Chill

 

[dirty630]

I would only talk about grades if you got below a C multiple times in one semester. B's are nothing.

 

[chillaxbro]

You are pretty new around here. Chill out. They're just Bs.

I agree with this

I don't know why anyone would write about their grades in their PS. Even if you got an F

A PS is supposed to be about why you chose medicine, how you came to the decision, and why you would be a good fit.

 

[Goro]

Do NOT discuss your grades in your PS! It always comes across to htis reader as making excuses.

There's nothing wrong with a B. So chill.

I've read a lot of Personal Statement advice that recommends that you explain any bad grades and lapses in your academic record. Freshman and sophomore year, I got Bs in General Chemistry I, Cell Biology, and Organic Chem II, and then a B- in Organic Chem I. I also got a B and a B+ in two humanities classes.

I then got a 4.0 the second semester of sophomore year, and all of junior year, and now have a 3.8 GPA, 3.76 sGPA.

Are those 6 Bs bad enough that I should explain them in my PS? The only explanation is really that I was unprepared for how hard college would be, and didn't work hard enough, but eventually recommitted myself to becoming a doctor and working hard to improve my grades.

So do you guys think I should explain those Bs? Or is it not significant enough to bring up?

Thanks guys!

 

[ur2l8]

I wouldn't even talk about an F. Well, I might say "academic obstacles" or something.

Mention in secondaries.

 

[NCKSD]

Most PS are about 5-6 paragraphs. I suggest having 6 paragraphs, each dedicated to explaining one of those B's and what you will do to make sure it never happens again.

 

[CoxMD]

B's are fine to most med schools. With the length constraint of a PS I wouldn't waste space explaining a poor grade unless it severely weakened my application (a C or less).