If I had a low first year GPA (3.25), but an upward trend and high total GPA (3.7), do I need to mention low grades on secondaries?

[account4premed]

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For example, these kinds of prompts:

1: Please comment on significant fluctuations in your academic record

2: Please comment on any academic difficulties ... We believe that such difficulties offer an opportunity for growth and would appreciate learning how your experiences have affected your approach to academics

3: If you experienced academic difficulties, explain the situation and how it was resolved.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

For example, these kinds of prompts:

1: Please comment on significant fluctuations in your academic record

2: Please comment on any academic difficulties ... We believe that such difficulties offer an opportunity for growth and would appreciate learning how your experiences have affected your approach to academics

3: If you experienced academic difficulties, explain the situation and how it was resolved.

The prompts suggest that you can or should. How would you approach the prompts without mentioning your grades?

 

[account4premed]

The prompts suggest that you can or should. How would you approach the prompts without mentioning your grades?

Ah ok, will do. I was planning on leaving them blank since I have a good total GPA, and wasn't sure if a 3.25 was considered low enough to mention

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Ah ok, will do. I was planning on leaving them blank since I have a good total GPA, and wasn't sure if a 3.25 was considered low enough to mention

If you had academic difficulties in your first year, you should just us know. Unless "significant" is defined as academic probation, you are welcome to let us know. Now if you are only talking about one C among many A's or B's, you may want to think about how it appears, but the prompts are subjective.

 

[LindaAccepted]

For example, these kinds of prompts:

1: Please comment on significant fluctuations in your academic record

2: Please comment on any academic difficulties ... We believe that such difficulties offer an opportunity for growth and would appreciate learning how your experiences have affected your approach to academics

3: If you experienced academic difficulties, explain the situation and how it was resolved.

The details count, but if you had what sounds like a significant improvement in your GPA, I'd discuss it in response to these questions. What did you do differently. What realizations proved critical to the improvement. It really could be an opportunity to show maturity, self-reflection, and growth. And if there were extenuating circumstances (I don't mean a tough adjustment to college, which is very common) that contributed to the middling initial GPA, say so.

 

[Med Ed]

Ah ok, will do. I was planning on leaving them blank since I have a good total GPA, and wasn't sure if a 3.25 was considered low enough to mention

In my opinion these prompts aren't targeting applicants who went from a 3.X to a 3.Y.

When I think of academic difficulties I think of someone whose GPA was 1.9 after the first semester. Or someone with a whole string of Ws. Those situations deserve some explanation. Yours not so much.