Appropriate for Personal Statement?

[Cinnabans]

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Im just wondering if talking about my less than stellar GPA/lack of performance early on 👎(3.16 now, hope to pull it to a 3.3/3.4) are appropriate points to include in my personal statement. I just finished writing my first draft and I touched on that issue. This may be a stupid question but I was just wondering what other people have to say about it, especially those who have a similar GPA... Thanks!

 

[DrSmiles12]

I don't know, good questions. It probably depends on how the whole paper is written, the reasons for the GPA, and other factors that I probably don't know about. The PS is such a silly thing too...

 

[TrogdeLorean]

Maybe you can mention the reasons why you think your GPA is lower than you'd like without actually specifically mentioning GPA, and hope that the admissions people can put and 2 and 2 together.

Although I would still only do that if you have a VERY good reason (like if you were in the hospital for a month or something). If you're doing better now, they'll be able to see that regardless of whether or not you point it out.

 

[jdoc04]

Im just wondering if talking about my less than stellar GPA/lack of performance early on 👎(3.16 now, hope to pull it to a 3.3/3.4) are appropriate points to include in my personal statement. I just finished writing my first draft and I touched on that issue. This may be a stupid question but I was just wondering what other people have to say about it, especially those who have a similar GPA... Thanks!

Yes you should touch on the fact that early on you were not focused and how things have changed. At this point in the PS is the only chance you have to explain your situation. Also it will give the interviewer an idea about who you are today.

Although unless you have seriously turned your grades around and are showing an upward trend over several semesters it won't help much.

 

[nemo11]

when i wrote my ps, i had the same dilemma of whether i should mention it. i thought that mentioning it will only bring more attention to the issue. and not mentioning it might be the difference between getting an interview or not getting one. i ultimately didn't put it in my ps but included it in the "is there anything else you'd like us to know about you?" section of their secondaries.

i wouldn't include in your ps. save precious ps space for more important things that'll make you stand out.

 

[Cinnabans]

Thanks for all of your replies! The way i have it worded now doesn't say "GPA". I basically said that going into college my heart and my mind weren't on the same track. Although i knew what i wanted to do (dentistry), i just didn't have the mental maturity to realize what it took to actually get there. And towards the end i wrote something along the lines of, i believe my success in dentistry doesnt lie in my numbers on paper, rather in my passion/drive/etc. for the profession....

 

[nemo11]

Thanks for all of your replies! The way i have it worded now doesn't say "GPA". I basically said that going into college my heart and my mind weren't on the same track. Although i knew what i wanted to do (dentistry), i just didn't have the mental maturity to realize what it took to actually get there. And towards the end i wrote something along the lines of, i believe my success in dentistry doesnt lie in my numbers on paper, rather in my passion/drive/etc. for the profession....

lovely

 

[Crentist]

Personally I think it isn't a good idea to write about GPA in your Personal Statement. You want to be careful that you aren't just writing your resume/CV in paragraph form. A lot of schools have the option to explain academic difficulties in a short essay to include in your application. Look into that if you're worried about it.

 

[D3NTropy]

ya, if you're serious about dentistry and serious about applying all over the place/multiple acceptance, etc. then talk about the non-tangible qualities that make you a stronger candidate than other. my gpa wasn't very competitive, prob little less than average, and i didn't feel like i needed to explain why my grades are the way they are. As a well-balanced individual and student, i focused and became involved in activities outside of school work. They can get the picture from your AADSAS what your grades are. They might ask you about your GPA at the interview like they did me. But don't feel like you have to explain why you got the grades you got in your PS unless there was an extreme circumstance of time off, sickness, death, health/family reasons, etc.

I'd say it's not a good idea to mention it like Crentist and nemo said before. I think it takes away from what they are REALLY looking for in a personal statement... And i did get accepted on Dec. 1

 

[KinKs]

In my oppinion - one should never talk about GPA or Grades in a PS. You are not your GPA. There will always be people who have a higher GPA or lower and the two groups will always get accepted.

Use your GPA to show your mastery of the english language, your creativity, your experiences and such that go combine to make you a unique candidate for dental school

One of the main reasons I would not mention GPA is that it sounds like an exuse and an empty promise. If you did bad and you intend to do better, just do and they will see - after all - there is such a thing as a cumulative GPA

Secondly, I am just thinking of all the other suckers who are going to make half assed excuses about their half assed GPAs and can just imagine the review committee tossing all of them into a pile called half assed dental rejects

 

[NewMexDent]

In my oppinion - one should never talk about GPA or Grades in a PS. You are not your GPA. There will always be people who have a higher GPA or lower and the two groups will always get accepted.

Use your GPA to show your mastery of the english language, your creativity, your experiences and such that go combine to make you a unique candidate for dental school

One of the main reasons I would not mention GPA is that it sounds like an exuse and an empty promise. If you did bad and you intend to do better, just do and they will see - after all - there is such a thing as a cumulative GPA

Secondly, I am just thinking of all the other suckers who are going to make half assed excuses about their half assed GPAs and can just imagine the review committee tossing all of them into a pile called half assed dental rejects

I agree. Unless your excuse for the low GPA is also some sort of life-changing, dental-motivation event that is more than an excuse for a poor GPA, than I say steer clear of the GPA/low DAT discussion in the PS.

If you write a good personal statement it will stand out to admissions officers. The last thing you want is for you to be associated with your low GPA. When you walk into an interview you don't want the interviewer recalling your application and thinking "this is the girl/guy that had to make excuses for her/his poor performance".

In my interviews I was referred to as the "sausage-boy" because of a story I related in my PS. It was much better than being referred to as the "low science GPA boy."

It may help to draft a few different versions of a PS. Compose one including your GPA explanationn and another without. Take it to a writing center, friends, pre-dental advisor etc. and have them read both and have them tell you which one sounds better.

 

[airsimon]

I agree. Unless your excuse for the low GPA is also some sort of life-changing, dental-motivation event that is more than an excuse for a poor GPA, than I say steer clear of the GPA/low DAT discussion in the PS.

If you write a good personal statement it will stand out to admissions officers. The last thing you want is for you to be associated with your low GPA. When you walk into an interview you don't want the interviewer recalling your application and thinking "this is the girl/guy that had to make excuses for her/his poor performance".

In my interviews I was referred to as the "sausage-boy" because of a story I related in my PS. It was much better than being referred to as the "low science GPA boy."

It may help to draft a few different versions of a PS. Compose one including your GPA explanationn and another without. Take it to a writing center, friends, pre-dental advisor etc. and have them read both and have them tell you which one sounds better.

I dunno.. "sausage-boy" sounds pretty bad to me.

 

[NewMexDent]

I dunno.. "sausage-boy" sounds pretty bad to me.

Yeah, but like I said, it's gotta be better than "low science GPA boy" or "poop-face".

 

[Cinnabans]

haha..yeah i get the picture...and that's what i was worried about. I definitely don't want to make the spotlight on my GPA any brighter, and i guess it could be worse than it is ....."poop-face" would be awesome though.....

 

[Syrah]

I agree with everyone, keep it out of your PS (and even thou it's "silly," it's very important you have a great one). Instead, if you really feel like you should explain yourself, I would write it in the box where they ask if there's anything additional they should know. But imo I wouldn't even mention it at all; the only thing you want admissions to be thinking about is positive stuff about you.

 

[airsimon]

Yeah, but like I said, it's gotta be better than "low science GPA boy" or "poop-face".

.... or "fart face diarreah breath boy"

 

[gnarkill]

Cinnabans, I was in the same boat as you....3.14 to start but than pulled my head out and got all A's lifting my overall to 3.45. I didn't come close to discussing my GPA in my PS. Focus on shining as an individual in your PS and than you'll have the opportunity to discuss GPA issues in your interviews....if it even comes up.

 

[blankguy]

If you are going to talk about poor grades mention it only in a couple of sentences. You don't want to turn your PS into a major feel sorry for poor grades piece. You may want to talk about it as to how it made you mature though.

 

[Cinnabans]

If you are going to talk about poor grades mention it only in a couple of sentences. You want want to turn your PS into a major feel sorry for poor grades piece. You may want to talk about it as to how it made you mature though.

The "how it made me mature" is what i was going for...but the more i think about what most of you are saying, it's definitely not a good idea. POSITIVE POSITIVE POSITIVE is what im thinking now...

 

[blankguy]

The "how it made me mature" is what i was going for...but the more i think about what most of you are saying, it's definitely not a good idea. POSITIVE POSITIVE POSITIVE is what im thinking now...

You don't want to make that into a major part of the statement. Just mention it and talk about other aspects of yourself just like any other applicant.

 

[airsimon]

The "how it made me mature" is what i was going for...but the more i think about what most of you are saying, it's definitely not a good idea. POSITIVE POSITIVE POSITIVE is what im thinking now...

Just talk about sausages in your personal statement, be known as "sausage boy" at your interviews, walk around town in a dog costume in your spare time, and watch the acceptances come rolling in.

 

[DentalGal2005]

This is my second year applying to dental school. When I talked to the dean of admissions at VCU he told me that I needed to apply again and that next time I should write about my low GPA in my PS. I did not get any interviews the first time around.

This year I have had two interviews, one of which was at VCU. I did not want to draw attention to my poor grades so I mentioned them in a positive way, drawing more attention to the fact I now have a 3.8 post bacc etc. I say put it in there if it makes sense too. Dr. Healy told me I should and I listened and I got an interview this year. Good Luck!

 

[blankguy]

I am going to repeat myself a little. You should mention it but you don't want to turn it into feel sorry for it PS. Talk about it in the context of how it had affected you positively like more motivated, more serious about life, etc....

When deans say that you should mention it, they want to know how you grew up from such a set back. You obviously must have gotten something positive out of it. They want to see what your life story has been due to this set back.

I alluded to my bad grades in a couple of sentences in my PS. You simply don't have the space in the PS to write a long winding story about it.

 

[Doogie Howser]

if there is one thing that i've learned from all of my interviews it is to act like a man and don't make excuses. they don't want to hear a sob story, they want to hear that you've grown up and realize the mistakes of your past.

Don't include it in your personal statement, there are far more interesting things that you can write about. Don't waste the very limited space that you have to sell yourself and your motives to the admissions committee being whiny. Strengthen the rest of your application so much so by the time they get to your GPA if its still a problem, they'll have the chance to ask you about it during the interview that they will have granted you.