.

Started by Katy16
Med School Insiders
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

Browse articles Compare schools My application plan Read Interview Feedback
Practice for interviews Ask an Advisor
Katy16 said:
I have 1 C+ on my transcript from o chem my sophomore year, and I'm wondering whether this is worth addressing when secondaries ask me to explain academic challenges/setbacks, or whether mentioning it would just draw more attention onto something that overall is only a blip on my transcript.
(Both my BCMP and cumulative GPA's are above average and I have done well in upper div science courses since).
Click to expand...
Not worth addressing. Your academic record will speak for itself. If asked about this during interviews, you can give an explanation then. Just my thoughts.
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
I'm in a similar predicament. Should I be more inclined to offer an explanation for a one-time poor grade to schools with 3.9+ medians, or is it still not worth mentioning? I similarly got a C+ in Orgo I, which was my only science class below an A-.
 
KatsuCurry said:
I'm in a similar predicament. Should I be more inclined to offer an explanation for a one-time poor grade to schools with 3.9+ medians, or is it still not worth mentioning? I similarly got a C+ in Orgo I, which was my only science class below an A-.
Click to expand...

Still not worth it. If they care they'll ask in the interview. Those "explain any academic discrepancies" questions are about W's, leaves of absence, etc.
 
Katy16 said:
I have 1 C+ on my transcript from o chem my sophomore year, and I'm wondering whether this is worth addressing when secondaries ask me to explain academic challenges/setbacks, or whether mentioning it would just draw more attention onto something that overall is only a blip on my transcript.
(Both my BCMP and cumulative GPA's are above average and I have done well in upper div science courses since).
My explanation would be that I struggled with balancing an intense athletic in-season that limited my time to study, as well as a professor whose teaching style was a poor fit for me. The semester taught me how to better manage my time, as well as how to tell a professor "no" when they ask you whether you understand something they have explained (rather than just nodding along).
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Only if a prompt asks specifically.
 
Goro said:
Only if a prompt asks specifically.
Click to expand...
What about schools that ask for you to explain “significant fluctuations in your academic record.” If my upper level science courses were all As but with one C+ and I never had any other grade below a B with a GPA of 3.80, does that need to be addressed in this prompt?
 
Justapremedguy said:
What about schools that ask for you to explain “significant fluctuations in your academic record.” If my upper level science courses were all As but with one C+ and I never had any other grade below a B with a GPA of 3.80, does that need to be addressed in this prompt?
Click to expand...
One C= is not a significant fluctuation. Having a FR year of 3.9 -> SO 3.0 -JR 3.6 is a fluctuation.

Perfectionism is weeded out at admissions
 
You must log in or register to reply here.