I had a bad GPA year. How should I explain this?

[AOT11]

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Freshman GPA - 3.75
Sophomore GPA - 3.08 (my only C was this year)
Junior GPA - 3.75
Senior GPA - 3.88

I'm guessing this huge dip is something I should write about in my personal statement (many advisers have told me to do so). I'm just not sure what to say 🙁

The real reason is quite sad. I had broken up with my girlfriend of 6 years. Didn't want to be sad, so I introduced myself to partying. That year consisted of me going out, partying, drinking, hooking up with girls, etc. Pretty much the worst thing someone can do.

But what's done is done (that year actually helped me build a lot of character so I have no regrets). What should I say in my personal statement though? I obviously can't tell them the real reason...but I also can't lie...

 

[TheVillain]

Freshman GPA - 3.75
Sophomore GPA - 3.08 (my only C was this year)
Junior GPA - 3.75
Senior GPA - 3.88

I'm guessing this huge dip is something I should write about in my personal statement (many advisers have told me to do so). I'm just not sure what to say 🙁

The real reason is quite sad. I had broken up with my girlfriend of 6 years. Didn't want to be sad, so I introduced myself to partying. That year consisted of me going out, partying, drinking, hooking up with girls, etc. Pretty much the worst thing someone can do.

But what's done is done (that year actually helped me build a lot of character so I have no regrets). What should I say in my personal statement though? I obviously can't tell them the real reason...but I also can't lie...

Quite an oxymoron you got there. Your GPA isn't that bad so I wouldn't be worrying, but in order to explain the dip in your grade you can explain that you experienced depression, but after getting over it, you got back on track. You can get more creative if you want.
Or, if you want to be honest, tell them what actually happened, (which you won't) so than why ask the question?

 

[AOT11]

Tell the truth, but don't mention your ex-girlfriend, partying or drinking. Instead, explain that you were faced with a loss of emotional support which caused you to lose focus on your studies. With a carefully worded truthful explanation of how you matured through the experience (by becoming more self-reliant, etc.) you will be able to overcome the biases generated by your prior lack of focus.

Hm, interesting. "Carefully worded."

I like that! Thanks for your help mate

 

[deleted458807]

Agreed ^^^.
Like Shakespeare for excuses.

 

[fas376]

In the same situation, exactly. weird..

 

[Sergeant D]

First off, don't listen to your advisers. I don't know why, but undergrad advisers always seem to give HORRIBLE advice with respect to med school apps :/ Do not discuss this in your personal statement. The length of the personal statement is so limited that you would just be wasting space and doing yourself a disservice. Use that space to sell yourself and highlight your attributes. The appropriate time to address your sophomore year is during secondaries and/or interviews. Believe me, you'll have plenty of opportunities to discuss it then. You won't be denied secondaries, or, in my opinion, interviews because of this.

Also, your "bad" year wasn't even bad! Bad would be flunking it, lol. You did better than a B average. Don't worry about it 🙂 And why do you think you can't tell them the truth? You can! And should. Don't forget that adcoms are human beings who would love nothing more than to meet someone who isn't full of sh**. Say it comes up in an interview. They ask what happened. I'd say, "You know how you're not supposed to mix beer and liquor? Well that's what happens." And then I'd go on to explain what happened. Be humorous about it! Lighten up. They'll appreciate your candor. And you can win people over by making them smile. Never forget that.

 

[oCrystal]

I disagree completely with the previous post. A carefully crafted version of the series of events and how you have grown from the experience as I Will be an MD said, is the route to choose.

Accepted class of 2016 MD

 

[Perrotfish]

Nvm

 

[Aerus]

I disagree completely with the previous post. A carefully crafted version of the series of events and how you have grown from the experience as I Will be an MD said, is the route to choose.

Accepted class of 2016 MD

You're not completely wrong but you're not completely right.

I believe that, if OP has better stuff to write, he should use the personal statements to talk about other things. A story about how he's grown from the experience is nice and all, but it isn't necessary. There will be plenty of opportunities to explain the dip in GPA.

I think that what I Will be an MD wanted to say was "If you want to mention it, tell the truth and mention it like this, but it's not a total necessity to mention it in the first place, if you have better stuff to talk about."

 

[FattySlug]

The PS is where you highlight your strength. You can explain the dip at the interview or in secondaries.

 

[911 Turbo]

I believe that, if OP has better stuff to write, he should use the personal statements to talk about other things.

The PS is where you highlight your strength. You can explain the dip at the interview or in secondaries.

What are you guys basing this off of?

 

[oCrystal]

I'm sorry I guess I should clarify. I simply disagreed with the whole " see what happens when you mix beer and liquor" painfully candid explanation for the OP's poor sophomore performance. Whether or not the ADD story is strong enough as a PS is a decision best answered by the OP. IMO I would pursue a more captivating PS, something that is truly unique.

 

[FattySlug]

What are you guys basing this off of?

Common sense, personal experience of 2 yrs lurking and others' advices. Many schools have a version of "anything else you want to add"? Use that to explain the dip in GPA. If they don't ask that question? You GPA is good enough with steady trend not to mention it. You should have an explanation ready for the interview however.

Absolutely no reason to waste the precious space on your PS unless you feel it makes a big impact to shape who you are which I don't think is the case here.

 

[AOT11]

Haha thanks for your help, guys.

Unfortunately it looks like half of you are telling me to put it in my personal statement, while the other half are telling me to put it elsewhere 🙁

 

[AestheticGod]

I think i need to reinstall chrome, i can't see the bad GPA. :/

Your GPA is fine IMO. What's your overall GPA and science gpa? I honestly don't like using GPA by semester/year cause you can have a totally different/hard course load..

 

[Aerus]

Haha thanks for your help, guys.

Unfortunately it looks like half of you are telling me to put it in my personal statement, while the other half are telling me to put it elsewhere 🙁

Why are you relying 100% on our advice on this?

You have two options:

1) Talk about it in your personal statement IF you actually have something meaningful to say about yourself. If it's just about your girlfriend/slacking off, you probably don't want to go down this path. If it's about a difficult life challenge and your path in overcoming this, you might want to mention it if you can make it sound good.

2) Use this space for something else if you have much better stuff to say. Again, there are other places to explain your bad GPA, if the explanation is simple. If the explanation is complex and life changing, yet inspirational, see option 1.

Only you can determine what the answer is.

 

[OhioG]

Dont list it in your PS. Its not even a good excuse to be quite honest. "Uh i got dumped and I didnt know how to handle it" You might have a point if it was a divorce but gf.. not so much.

Just apply and they will bring it up in your interview. The best thing is to say, you didnt have the best study habits coming out of high school and you were able to coast your first year but it caught up to you 2nd year. Then talk about how you took steps to better your self. It shows you faced adversity and you rebounded. Pretty dang well might I add.

 

[FattySlug]

Dont list it in your PS. Its not even a good excuse to be quite honest. "Uh i got dumped and I didnt know how to handle it" You might have a point if it was a divorce but gf.. not so much.

Just apply and they will bring it up in your interview. The best thing is to say, you didnt have the best study habits coming out of high school and you were able to coast your first year but it caught up to you 2nd year. Then talk about how you took steps to better your self. It shows you faced adversity and you rebounded. Pretty dang well might I add.

except his freshman GPA is 3.75. If I were an adcom I would wonder about that.

 

[AOT11]

Thanks for your help guys.

I do think it was a pretty life-changing year though, so I think I'll write about that. Appreciate it guys!

 

[LizzyM]

The most common gpa curve is the J curve with the lowest gpa in the sophomore year. It is almost always the result of below average (average for that student) performance in o-chem. It hardly requires an explanation.

Poor grades are a "zit". They are obvious when we look at your application but they are not the best use of the limited space you have for your personal statement. If you were on a blind date would you spend time talking about the zit on your chin and how long it has been there and the stress you experienced just before it appeared and what you've been doing to get rid of it and how you have a better grip on your life so you won't have more breakouts or are you going to spend time with your date highlighting the positive things in your life and distracting attention away from your zit?

 

[AOT11]

The most common gpa curve is the J curve with the lowest gpa in the sophomore year. It is almost always the result of below average (average for that student) performance in o-chem. It hardly requires an explanation.

Poor grades are a "zit". They are obvious when we look at your application but they are not the best use of the limited space you have for your personal statement. If you were on a blind date would you spend time talking about the zit on your chin and how long it has been there and the stress you experienced just before it appeared and what you've been doing to get rid of it and how you have a better grip on your life so you won't have more breakouts or are you going to spend time with your date highlighting the positive things in your life and distracting attention away from your zit?

Thank you for your response!

Fortunately for me, I made As in both Ochems. The biggest thing that hurt me that year was getting a C in freshman bio (I bounced back by getting As in both genetics and biochemistry my junior/senior year). Most of my grades sophomore year were just Bs.

Question - what do you mean by "when we look at..." Are you on some sort of admissions committee?

 

[LizzyM]

Thank you for your response!

Fortunately for me, I made As in both Ochems. The biggest thing that hurt me that year was getting a C in freshman bio (I bounced back by getting As in both genetics and biochemistry my junior/senior year). Most of my grades sophomore year were just Bs.

Question - what do you mean by "when we look at..." Are you on some sort of admissions committee?

A's in O-chem! Good for you!

Yes, I'm on an admissions committee. You must be new here. Welcome to the party.

 

[MedPR]

The most common gpa curve is the J curve with the lowest gpa in the sophomore year. It is almost always the result of below average (average for that student) performance in o-chem. It hardly requires an explanation.

Poor grades are a "zit". They are obvious when we look at your application but they are not the best use of the limited space you have for your personal statement. If you were on a blind date would you spend time talking about the zit on your chin and how long it has been there and the stress you experienced just before it appeared and what you've been doing to get rid of it and how you have a better grip on your life so you won't have more breakouts or are you going to spend time with your date highlighting the positive things in your life and distracting attention away from your zit?

Ha great analogy!

 

[Knocked Up]

The more important question here is what is your MCAT score. Your GPA is fine, the make or break factor is the MCAT. MCAT and GPA are the most important factors, but adcoms at most top schools weigh MCAT to GPA on a 7:3 ratio. So if you can blow the MCAT out of the water, that C will become meaningless.

 

[fas376]

The more important question here is what is your MCAT score. Your GPA is fine, the make or break factor is the MCAT. MCAT and GPA are the most important factors, but adcoms at most top schools weigh MCAT to GPA on a 7:3 ratio. So if you can blow the MCAT out of the water, that C will become meaningless.

You have the most melodramatic quote I have ever seen.

 

[MDschoolorbust]

The more important question here is what is your MCAT score. Your GPA is fine, the make or break factor is the MCAT. MCAT and GPA are the most important factors, but adcoms at most top schools weigh MCAT to GPA on a 7:3 ratio. So if you can blow the MCAT out of the water, that C will become meaningless.

I have to ask. After hundreds of negative posts against the MCAT, hundreds of posts about the nature of its frivolousness, hours spent berating anyone who actually cares about their EC's and GPAs, was it worth it Knocked Up?

 

[fas376]

I have to ask. After hundreds of negative posts against the MCAT, hundreds of posts about the nature of its frivolousness, hours spent berating anyone who actually cares about their EC's and GPAs, was it worth it Knocked Up?

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