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How to explain really bad grades during an interview?
Started by Diocletian
Judging from LizzyM 's comments on the topic,
1) Don't bring it up unless they do
2) Bad grades and the bottom of upward trends are like zits. If you focus on the negatives they're going to really stick out. If you focus on the upswing and how much it made you better/how it made you a better person/what made you turn it around it'll be a good talking point. Only talk about it positively and what you overcame to deserve that interview. Be upbeat and positive.
1) Don't bring it up unless they do
2) Bad grades and the bottom of upward trends are like zits. If you focus on the negatives they're going to really stick out. If you focus on the upswing and how much it made you better/how it made you a better person/what made you turn it around it'll be a good talking point. Only talk about it positively and what you overcame to deserve that interview. Be upbeat and positive.
Seconded on that advice with an emphasis on the positives. Everyone hits rough patches in life but it is what you learn from those experiences that make you unique from everyone else.
Good luck.
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My UCONN student interviewer asked me about my semester grades for my fall grades which were relatively subpar (3.3 GPA) for med schools. I focused on explaining how much I got out of the classes and how much I enjoyed them rather than the grades I received. At the end of the interview he agreed with me on the philosophy of caring more about the class and knowledge itself rather than the grade.
I got a C that came up in about half my interviews. I had some sh** going on in life, but I didn't even mention that stuff. Focus on what you learned about yourself and how you used it to improve in other classes.
My C in orgo has not come up in any of my interviews. Nobody asks about it nor do I bring it up.
They already know your grades.
Unless they bring it up it then they don't care about it.
They want to know other things about you that your GPA and your application don't tell. Give it to them and make them find a place in next year's class for you. 👍
Unless they bring it up it then they don't care about it.
They want to know other things about you that your GPA and your application don't tell. Give it to them and make them find a place in next year's class for you. 👍
Be briefly honest about difficulties you were experiencing, but focus on the upswing. You were able to maintain good grades even though you had the added pressure of knowing that your grades junior year and onward mattered a lot more than they usually would. The fact that you were granted an interview indicates that the school is interested in you despite your GPA, so give this interview all you've got! 😀
Good advice above, always focus on the positives but be ready to explain any negative that might come up. Unfortunately you have to be a bit of a politician and put a positive "spin" on it. Remember, if you are real good you can make the selection committee believe that the experience led to significant growth and was really a positive in the long run.
Survivor DO
Survivor DO
