Explaining Adverse Family Situation?

Hey guys,

I'd appreciate some advice on my situation. I was getting a 4.0 until this past spring, when my grades flopped due to a family crisis. Basically, my sister confessed to me that she had recently attempted suicide multiple times, one of which landed her in the hospital. I was her sole confidant (we don't really have the best relationship with our parents), and after I got professional help for her, she was diagnosed with clinical depression and ordered to be on 24-hour watch.

I missed classes to go home and take care of her (about an hour away from school). I had trouble studying, being emotionally disturbed. I finished the semester with 2 A's, 4 B's, and one Incomplete (I took 24 credit hours). On top of that, I was representing my school in D1 athletic competition. Being a student-athlete on a full tuition athletic scholarship, there was simply no way out for me. I had other commitments too, which I'll list below.

So that wasn't too bad, but the summer really messed me up. My sister apparently recovered, and I registered for 18 credit hours, including chem 2 and physics 2. However, she suffered a relapse. This time, missing classes was much more detrimental since courses were condensed. I should have withdrawn, but I didn't, because given my current financial situation/award package I can only afford three years of undergrad, so I needed to finish those summer classes to get out in time. I got one A and four C's.

This semester, everything's back on track. I'm taking 26 credit hours, including orgo 1 and 2 bio classes, and should get straight A's. How do I handle what happened over the summer? I can't imagine one smudge like that ruining my future aspirations. Is there a way I could get my summer grades removed from my transcript or voided for GPA calculation purposes? I expect to be getting straight A's or close to it from here on out.


Other credentials:
-employed part-time (non-medical)
-self-financing education (EFC of 21k. parents are high income but have tons of debt due to bad financial decisions and don't contribute a penny...i pay my own rent)
-undergraduate student government committee chair (7 hr/week commitment)
-alumni ambassador
-mentor in a freshman mentor program
-honors college pre-med student org member
-I expect at least a 35 MCAT..my goal is higher but 35 is a fair estimate.
-bilingual
-double-major biochem and finance
-started and ran a non-profit over the summer, raised $700
-trying to get research and physician shadowing set up next semester
-graduating spring 2013, entered fall 2010
-attending a university barely in us news report's top 150 (pm me for specific one) but supposedly strong in science

You'll be just fine. Get a decent MCAT score and all is well.

Four Cs can really depress your GPA...so I'd suggest you explain your situation and if it's just one summer like you said..adcoms will definitely take that into consideration.

believer630 said:

1) Is there a way I could get my summer grades removed from my transcript or voided for GPA calculation purposes?

2) I expect to be getting straight A's or close to it from here on out.

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1) You could have a conversation with a dean about retroactive withdrawal (if you have documentation) however, since you didn't fail the classes, I doubt you will be successful, Still, it never hurts to ask as you have a good reason.

AMCAS (MD) schools will include every grade earned that is on your transcript.

AACOMAS (DO) schools, however, only include the most recent grade if you retake for the same credits or greater.

2) What is your plan for another relapse? If this happens again, I suggest you withdraw from any classes which aren't going well, even though it means taking out loans or putting off completing your education. It will take 4 equal-credit As to get you back into the competitive range, for MD med school application purposes, for each C earned. A W does less damage.

dude..26 credit hours??

Thanks for the replies so far. I do have documentation for the condition, including the very diagnosis which explicitly included a statement regarding 24 hour watch.

To clarify, I am asking more if there is a way to make it so that my grades from the summer aren't calculated into my GPA. If that can be done, I don't mind the grades still being on my transcript because I know I will be able to explain them, especially if it is seen that the university administration felt it right to void them.

believer630 said:

Thanks for the replies so far. I do have documentation for the condition, including the very diagnosis which explicitly included a statement regarding 24 hour watch.

To clarify, I am asking more if there is a way to make it so that my grades from the summer aren't calculated into my GPA. If that can be done, I don't mind the grades still being on my transcript because I know I will be able to explain them, especially if it is seen that the university administration felt it right to void them.

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See Catalystik's post above, point number 1. That's your answer.

believer630 said:

To clarify, I am asking more if there is a way to make it so that my grades from the summer aren't calculated into my GPA. If that can be done, I don't mind the grades still being on my transcript because I know I will be able to explain them, especially if it is seen that the university administration felt it right to void them.

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If you get a retroactive withdrawal, your current grades would be replaced with a "W" which would not be included in the calculation of your application GPA. So long as the current grade appears on your official transcript, it will be included in AMCAS calculations.

believer630 said:

Thanks for the replies so far. I do have documentation for the condition, including the very diagnosis which explicitly included a statement regarding 24 hour watch.

To clarify, I am asking more if there is a way to make it so that my grades from the summer aren't calculated into my GPA. If that can be done, I don't mind the grades still being on my transcript because I know I will be able to explain them, especially if it is seen that the university administration felt it right to void them.

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Even if your grades can't be stricken from your transcript (which I know AMCAS won't do for pretty certain; it would be up to your school), I don't think you're sunk. It sounds to me like you have a legitimate reason, and I actually get more of a sense of who you are from your story about your sister than I do from your extracurriculars. I'm not an adcom, though (of course). You have an uphill battle trying to get your GPA back up, but I think you have a strong explanation for your grades for that period.

I think the suggestion above about having a back-up plan in case your sister needs you is a good one. Even if the date to withdraw is past for a class and you need to support her, you should talk to your professors about your situation to see if you could withdraw. I don't know if you tried that the semester that you got the C's (I'm sure you were feeling overwhelmed), but I think it's something that you could consider in the future. You should talk to dean's and your former professors about whether you can get a withdrawal from those classes you got the C's like was mentioned above. But even if you don't, I think that you're still doing well. Keep it up!

gmcguitar4 said:

dude..26 credit hours??

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I agree, that is insane!