Explaining low GPA

[dangit]

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[TexasTriathlete]

i explained why my gpa was low (ie immature, not ready for the rigors of science at the university level)

Do not say this. In fact, I wouldn't try an explain anything, other than maybe emphasizing where you are now.

 

[slim78]

I am finishing up my PS, but there is one section that I need to take care of. I am trying to explain my low GPA, which I have rehabilitated after two years of post-bacc work, thank you anyway, how should i explain myself? do i try to be positive and say i learned to prioritize my time better, or go into specific details of how i actually did study better to raise my grades? i explained why my gpa was low (ie immature, not ready for the rigors of science at the university level)... please help! thank you

How low? Do you have a high MCAT to balance it out?

Someone else can chime in here, but I'm not even sure that the personal statement would be the best place to address this. I would save it for the interview. Unless, of course, you feel you will be completely overlooked for interviews otherwise.

 

[p30doc]

I've read and agree that the PS should be positive things about you and to leave the negatives out, such as low GPA.

 

[Amy B]

You need to write something very short in there about the GPA. The admissions directors will see the low GPA and will go straight to the PS to see if it was addressed. If it's not, they will wonder why and might not care at that point and reject the application. I used to work with a number of admissons directors and they all told me this is how they go through applications. You dont have to go into elaborate detals, nor should you sound like you are whinning or complaining about it..... Honestly, if it is low, then do yourself a favor and write something short and sweet and to the point as to why. All you need is a 2 or 3 sentances about it and then move on. Good luck.

 

[engineeredout]

What do you consider low? Low for Med school standards might not be low enough to have to explain. A semester of Ds and Fs might have to be explained, but not a semester of B-s.

 

[dangit]

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[FLDoc]

I briefly mentioned my GPA in the context of maturation during undergrad and an upward trend in grades. Only two sentences total.

Stats:

3.05sci/3.13 UGPA 33MCAT

I'll let you know how it works in a couple months 🙂

 

[JaggerPlate]

yes, if my grades were B's, i would have no right to complain that I had bad grades, but indeed, the low points of my grades do go to the D, F range. yea, i had a rough time in some parts of my college years, but i'm past it and i've made up for it through my post-bacc. so my undergrad gpa was 2.51 (science), but i spent the last two years doing a post-bacc, which my gpa was 3.81 (sci). so my overall gpa now is 3.11 (sci). my pre-health counselor told i should explain why it was low and what i did to improve my gpa. so are you guys and girls saying i should just mention in the shortest amount possible, but focus on the positive turn around now? thank you!

ps i just took the MCAT on june 13th, so i'm eagerly waiting the results... 😳

The good news is that you rocked your post bacc, proving you can handle complex science courses, and this is what you should emphasize. Say a little bit about it being low (like others were saying) but try to keep bringing attention to the fact that your post bacc is nearly perfect. Good luck, this will definitely look good on your app!!

 

[DadOf2Boys]

I would save it for the interview.

Ditto.

The opening question at one of my interviews was "Tell me about Organic Chemistry." (C and a C+.) We spent time discussing it and then moved on to the rest of the interview.

In your PS, focus on your strengths and why they want you for their school.

 

[GreenShirt]

I'd leave it out of the personal statement because you don't want to draw negative attention to something if the admissions committee might not notice it on first glance and it'll take away space from taking about your interest in medicine. What my UG recommended in such circumstances was to send an enclosure with your secondary application. This is just a short letter you would include with the materials explaining the circumstances of your low grades. Keep it positive of course and emphasize upward growth an maturity.

 

[dangit]

I'd leave it out of the personal statement because you don't want to draw negative attention to something if the admissions committee might not notice it on first glance and it'll take away space from taking about your interest in medicine. What my UG recommended in such circumstances was to send an enclosure with your secondary application. This is just a short letter you would include with the materials explaining the circumstances of your low grades. Keep it positive of course and emphasize upward growth an maturity.

hey green shirt,

were you in a similar position as well (low GPA)? i'm getting confused, i'm getting the message to do both: talk about it, don't talk about. my pre-health counselor told me that i should mention it and explain what i did to fix it....so i'm just looking for suggestions to do that....

 

[Amy B]

I'd leave it out of the personal statement because you don't want to draw negative attention to something if the admissions committee might not notice it on first glance .

There is no chance that they "might not notice it". Trust your premed advisor and listen to those of us that have worked with admission's departments and include a short few sentances about it. Trust me on this one. As I said earlier, I have worked with numerous numbers of directors and they have ALL said if there is something negative in the numbers whether it be GPA or MCAT, they wil FIRST go and see if it is mentioned in the PS, and they said if it is not they have rejected applications on the spot. It doesnt hurt BRIEFLY mention it and write about how you've matured since that and how your have improved yourself. Do yourself a favor and include it. Good luck.

 

[HrvatskiDoktor]

You could always try calling a few of your top choice schools and asking whether or not they would want a couple of sentences in a PS or an extra letter explaining the low grades and what you did to improve, etc.

I learned this year that even though as pre-meds we feel like we are approaching Mt. Sinai when even emailing, let alone calling or going into the admin office, most of them are the nicest people who want to see us succeed. So if you earnestly call and explain the situation, they will probably tell you what that office/committee looks for in your situation.

 

[FuturamaFan]

There is no chance that they "might not notice it". Trust your premed advisor and listen to those of us that have worked with admission's departments and include a short few sentances about it. Trust me on this one. As I said earlier, I have worked with numerous numbers of directors and they have ALL said if there is something negative in the numbers whether it be GPA or MCAT, they wil FIRST go and see if it is mentioned in the PS, and they said if it is not they have rejected applications on the spot. It doesnt hurt BRIEFLY mention it and write about how you've matured since that and how your have improved yourself. Do yourself a favor and include it. Good luck.

Hello, I am in a position where I've explained my low grades (~2.2) both in my personal statement and on a section of my AMCAS application that requests an explanation of institutional action. Each time, I included about three sentences for a short, to the point, no beating-around-the-bush explanation. I have three solid years of work (~3.6) after this that make it clear that I can hack the science coursework.

My question is, should I use the optional sections on the secondaries to give further explanation? or will this just muddle my application? (I have long descriptions of my extracurriculars and 6-8 LORs included in a committee packet coming in).

thanks

 

[tourniquet1963]

i explained it my PS too.. stating it was due to my new job which required a lot of my time.

 

[MossPoh]

You draw attention to it, but you draw attention to it by emphasizing the positive. To have a "strong upward swing" one usually has a down point. They know that, but it makes it sound much nicer when you show how you got your act together and succeeded. I indirectly mentioned how I struggled with my goals at first and then made a huge point of showing all the changes I made and the growing that occurred. You don't have to say "I tanked this course because I was out drinking every night". Talk about the growth/evolution of your study habits that lead to you succeeding in the future.

 

[MossPoh]

i explained it my PS too.. stating it was due to my new job which required a lot of my time.

I don't think the 3.5-3.6 range isn't considered bad grades yet. 😉

 

[JaggerPlate]

I don't think the 3.5-3.6 range isn't considered bad grades yet. 😉

Moss is completely right in drawing attention to the strength of an upward trend as opposed to how low the grades where. I also think this poster said he had a year at 2.2 then 3 at 3.5-3.6, probably making his/her gpa far lower than a 3.5/3.6.

 

[tourniquet1963]

well i messed up junior year (mostly b/c of Organic chem and working like crazy) Junior year 1st semester had a 2.8, junior year 2nd semester had a 3.1

But i finished strong ending my last semster at my college with a 3.94!

Making my grand total GPA of 3.6

 

[GreenShirt]

hey green shirt,

were you in a similar position as well (low GPA)? i'm getting confused, i'm getting the message to do both: talk about it, don't talk about. my pre-health counselor told me that i should mention it and explain what i did to fix it....so i'm just looking for suggestions to do that....

The advice to address my grades in an enclosure came from a pre-med adviser who used to sit on a top 5 adcom. But if other schools adcoms, as other SDNers have pointed out, like to see it in the personal statement then it doesn't hurt to include it there instead. Personally, I think it depends on the reason for the low grades. You or your family being ill during is good material for a PS but things like "I lacked maturity" ie read as "I wasn't motivated or I partied too much" is not something I would go on an on about....but I'm not an insider to adcom dealings. SOMA is one DO school that includes a "file review" in your interview where you have the opportunity to explain bad grades or MCAT, but I'm not aware of any other schools that do this.

 

[Flushot]

Hmm, to add to the OP's question, I addressed it by mentioning my reapplicant status and how I've improved since last year. However, I didn't mention GPA specifically.

I think we can agree on the negatives and the excuses, but I hope that stating what I have done to improve and what I plan to do (SMP at AZCOM in my situation) will prove my worth, so to speak. Should I go back and just outright point to my GPA's improvement?