Addressing Gaffes in Application

[campti01]

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I'm concerned about a C+ I got on my senior comps and a B- I got in one of two science courses I took in college (I got an A in the other one).

I've got a 3.613 cumulative GPA, 94th Percentile SAT, 99th percentile ACT, solid LORs, good personal experience, limited but valuable experience volunteering in medicine and good reasons for applying to a post-bac. I'm applying to 9 programs including Goucher, Mills, Scripps, Bryn Mawr and JHU.

I own my mistakes and can truly say that I have learned from them.

1) Am I out of my league applying to these schools?
2) Is the personal statement the place to talk about my application weaknesses(I wasn't planning on discussing them there) or should I wait until they come up in an interview?

Thanks!

 

[DrMidlife]

Call these episodes "academic anomalies". Old people pay more attention to politics, and we're oh so tired of hearing about political gaffes.

Beyond that I have no response.

 

[campti01]

I now realize that incorrectly using the word "gaffe" in the thread title was a gaffe.

 

[Goucher2013]

I now realize that incorrectly using the word "gaffe" in the thread title was a gaffe.

😀

Sense of humor will definitely help.

I wouldn't worry too much. It's going to come up during the interview. Explain what happened and why it won't happen again. Compared to all the Goucher students I know, you're definitely not out of their league -- although I of course don't know your story.

You could mention the weaknesses during your essay, but I wouldn't spend too much time on them. Just enough where you feel your bases are covered, and then expect more to come up during the interview. Your essay should really be about your pathway to medicine and about the future, not some minor mistakes from the past (unless they're directly relevant to your path).

 

[campti01]

😀

Sense of humor will definitely help.

I wouldn't worry too much. It's going to come up during the interview. Explain what happened and why it won't happen again. Compared to all the Goucher students I know, you're definitely not out of their league -- although I of course don't know your story.

You could mention the weaknesses during your essay, but I wouldn't spend too much time on them. Just enough where you feel your bases are covered, and then expect more to come up during the interview. Your essay should really be about your pathway to medicine and about the future, not some minor mistakes from the past (unless they're directly relevant to your path).

Helpful stuff. Thank you. I'll avoid the temptation to spend my PS desperately defending myself.