Explaining Everything Below a B

[Birdnals]

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I've posted before about my undergrad experience. I first attended 7 years ago, partied a bit, and dropped/failed out. Grades have been stellar (4.0) since I got back in to school. My question is about explaining the bad grades. I've come to understand that the PS is NOT the place to do this unless it somehow relates to why I want to be a physician. It seems like the place to do this is secondaries, specifically when they ask you to explain any grade below a B. To be honest, I'm not sure if I got a single grade above a B- my freshman year. I don't really have an excuse like a medical or psych problem. I was just a knucklehead who had no idea what I wanted to do. A lot has changed since then and my grades prove this but this doesn't really seem like an explanation that would fly on secondaries though, ie I was a dumb knucklehead. So how do you dress this up to make it application appropriate? Can I literally just write the same excuse for every class?

 

[startingover84]

I've thought about this a bit. It might be better to use the same reason for each class, instead of nit-picking (this professor was not available for office hours, I took this class at the wrong time, and so on). Using one blanket reason seems less like whining and more like owning your grades.

 

[NightGod]

I was just a knucklehead who had no idea what I wanted to do. A lot has changed since then and my grades prove this but this doesn't really seem like an explanation that would fly on secondaries though, ie I was a dumb knucklehead. So how do you dress this up to make it application appropriate? Can I literally just write the same excuse for every class?

You answered your own question. Obviously write it a bit more eloquently, but "I was a dumb knucklehead and have changed a lot since then" (and you have the 4.0 since you returned to prove that) sounds about right.

 

[TriagePreMed]

I've posted before about my undergrad experience. I first attended 7 years ago, partied a bit, and dropped/failed out. Grades have been stellar (4.0) since I got back in to school. My question is about explaining the bad grades. I've come to understand that the PS is NOT the place to do this unless it somehow relates to why I want to be a physician. It seems like the place to do this is secondaries, specifically when they ask you to explain any grade below a B. To be honest, I'm not sure if I got a single grade above a B- my freshman year. I don't really have an excuse like a medical or psych problem. I was just a knucklehead who had no idea what I wanted to do. A lot has changed since then and my grades prove this but this doesn't really seem like an explanation that would fly on secondaries though, ie I was a dumb knucklehead. So how do you dress this up to make it application appropriate? Can I literally just write the same excuse for every class?

That's all you need to say. Really, don't over think it. They know they are dealing with humans that make mistakes and grow, and like you said, you've proven that change with the new coursework.

 

[ChE04]

Unless you are specifically asked about it, I wouldn't bring it up. Your stellar recent grades and hopefully MCAT should speak for themselves and demonstrate how you have matured as a student. If you must explain lower grades, I agree with TriagePreMed. And remember to keep everything positive.

 

[armybound]

Unless you are specifically asked about it, I wouldn't bring it up. Your stellar recent grades and hopefully MCAT should speak for themselves and demonstrate how you have matured as a student. If you must explain lower grades, I agree with TriagePreMed. And remember to keep everything positive.

Agree with this 110%