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- May 2, 2014
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I'll get right to it. My freshman year grades weren't up to my academic capabilities. In short, I was sexually assaulted during my first semester at school and I lost pretty much all ability to focus on anything, especially school. Coping with the aftermath meant school was the last thing on my mind.
I made it out with a 2.8 my first semester and a 3.09 my second semester. In comparison, the semesters since have been: 3.83, 3.91, 4.0, & this semester is TBD as I have yet to finish my finals. I'm a second semester junior. My cumulative GPA is currently a 3.53 after 5 semesters, before re-taking any courses.
I know the grades aren't awful, but in comparison to what I've done since, they aren't great. That first year I took Chem I (C) and Bio I (B-) & II (B+). I'm retaking Chem 1 this fall and then taking Chem 2 next spring.
Another concern of mine is my grade in physics this semester. I got an A in Phys I last semester, but might end up with a B or B+ in Phys 2 this semester. The reason behind that is that I am finally able to press charges against the person who sexually assaulted me, and the whole conduct + hearing process is currently underway. I was all set to land an A in Phys 2 until this legal stuff happened right in the middle of the semester and has continued through finals, and now it looks like I'll be getting a B in the course. B+ if I'm lucky.
I'm wondering if I should go ahead and prepare to write a statement explaining why my grades were impacted and why they don't reflect my capabilities. I'm afraid to have to explain the sexual assault though, I don't want schools looking at me differently because of it. Also, do these statements have to be written by the student? I know when applying to undergrad college counselors/guidance counselors were able to write them, but I'm guessing that's not true for graduate school. I was hoping to get my dean of students to write the statement explaining it.
Any info/guidance/advice would be helpful. Again, I know these grades aren't awful but they're less than what I'd consider myself capable of. Just not sure if they're "bad enough" to warrant explanation.