Is and Ws in personal statements?

[riseagainst]

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Hey all. I'm finalizing my PS, but there is a trend of incompletes and withrdrawals during the last 3 years of college that I'm not sure how to address. I had sleep apnea which kicked in at the end of my first semester sophomore year (had a pretty grueling semester with 2 upper-level biology labs and Orgo II and I think lack of exercise was the trigger). I had pretty much daily headaches, fatigue, and other symptoms that made it hard to get to class and complete work. My GPA by semester are below.

Freshman Year (1st / 2nd): 4.00 / 4.00
Sophomore Year : 3.92 / 3.44 (LoA: 3I and 1W)
Junior Year: 3.86 (1W) / 3.25 (1I)
Senior Year: 3.56 (3Is and 1W: sick with Mono) / 3.44 (1W)

The concerns I have with discussing this in my PS are that it was complicated situation and would eat up my character limit, I already talk about a severely broken leg from high school (4 surgeries, lengthy rehab, and mad props the people who helped me out), and this experience really doesn't factor into the "why I want to be a doctor". My MCAT is really high, my overall GPA is above average at 3.70, and my ECs are not great but I do have research and a lot of clinical experience.

Should I bring up this topic in the PS? If yes, how should I try to present this? If no, will I be given a chance to explain in the secondaries (most of the schools I'm applying to give secondaries to all applicants)?

Thanks for your input!

 

[armybound]

I hope you have better things to talk about in such a limited character limit than Is and Ws. Save it for your interview if they bring it up.

 

[kpcrew]

i don't think you should waste space in your ps to talk about those grades. some schools have a section specifically devoted to them and you can bring them up at interviews. i think you should gear your ps more towards why you want to be a doctor.

 

[0919mmk]

Hey all. I'm finalizing my PS, but there is a trend of incompletes and withrdrawals during the last 3 years of college that I'm not sure how to address. I had sleep apnea which kicked in at the end of my first semester sophomore year (had a pretty grueling semester with 2 upper-level biology labs and Orgo II and I think lack of exercise was the trigger). I had pretty much daily headaches, fatigue, and other symptoms that made it hard to get to class and complete work. My GPA by semester are below.

Freshman Year (1st / 2nd): 4.00 / 4.00
Sophomore Year : 3.92 / 3.44 (LoA: 3I and 1W)
Junior Year: 3.86 (1W) / 3.25 (1I)
Senior Year: 3.56 (3Is and 1W: sick with Mono) / 3.44 (1W)

The concerns I have with discussing this in my PS are that it was complicated situation and would eat up my character limit, I already talk about a severely broken leg from high school (4 surgeries, lengthy rehab, and mad props the people who helped me out), and this experience really doesn't factor into the "why I want to be a doctor". My MCAT is really high, my overall GPA is above average at 3.70, and my ECs are not great but I do have research and a lot of clinical experience.

Should I bring up this topic in the PS? If yes, how should I try to present this? If no, will I be given a chance to explain in the secondaries (most of the schools I'm applying to give secondaries to all applicants)?

Thanks for your input!

No, definitely don't bring it up in your PS - there will be opportunities in secondary applications. Most secondaries have a "anything else you want to tell us" section, so that would be a good place to explain academic issues. Keep you PS positive, succinct, and revealing. Also, I would be very, very careful about writing about your broken leg and how that made you want to go in to medicine, just because writing about your experience as a patient is a very common, almost stereotypical PS topic. So if youre going to do that, you have to make sure to put an original spin on it to avoid getting lost in a sea of "I saw the doctor looking down at me in my bed and I felt reassured, safe, and that's when I knew that I want to give to others what that doctor gave to me" haha.

PM me if you want me to read it for you.

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

Like others have said, I would focus on positives in your PS. Only discuss the I's and W's if they come up during an interview or another part of the application. And even if you do wind up discussing them, try not to mention the sleep apnea or any other explanation that would involve a problem liable to occur again (ie don't mention any mental disorders, emotional problems, untreated chronic illnesses, etc). Adcoms will assume the issue is still there and will only become much worse in med school.

 

[riseagainst]

Thanks for the insight.

And even if you do wind up discussing them, try not to mention the sleep apnea or any other explanation that would involve a problem liable to occur again (ie don't mention any mental disorders, emotional problems, untreated chronic illnesses, etc). Adcoms will assume the issue is still there and will only become much worse in med school.

My sleep apnea was caused by enlarged tonsils and adenoids. It's pretty rare in 20+ year olds, so it went misdiagnosed until senior year. I had a tonsillectomy a week after graduation and have been doing much better.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

no, definitely don't bring it up in your ps - there will be opportunities in secondary applications. Most secondaries have a "anything else you want to tell us" section, so that would be a good place to explain academic issues. Keep you ps positive, succinct, and revealing. Also, i would be very, very careful about writing about your broken leg and how that made you want to go in to medicine, just because writing about your experience as a patient is a very common, almost stereotypical ps topic. So if youre going to do that, you have to make sure to put an original spin on it to avoid getting lost in a sea of "i saw the doctor looking down at me in my bed and i felt reassured, safe, and that's when i knew that i want to give to others what that doctor gave to me" haha.

Pm me if you want me to read it for you.

+1

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

Thanks for the insight.



My sleep apnea was caused by enlarged tonsils and adenoids. It's pretty rare in 20+ year olds, so it went misdiagnosed until senior year. I had a tonsillectomy a week after graduation and have been doing much better.

Ah, okay, if it's been treated effectively then it's probably okay to mention if the issue comes up since it's now something only in the past. However, I'd still only address it if it comes up.