Should I Address this in my PS

[SmallTownUSA]

I am not sure if I should address a low gpa year in my Personal Statement. My overall gpa is 3.61 and my science gpa is 3.52 but until I just calculated my yearly gpa I didn't realize that my sophomore year looked so bad I have a 3.19 gpa for the year. This is mainly because of Trig and Calculus in which I got my only two C's which 8 credit hours of C in one year will kill the gpa for that "year" for the year I got 4 B's 4A's 2C's. I am not sure if I should address this year's gpa or not since I still have a decent overall and science gpa. I honestly do not know how I would really address it to be quite honest because I just really sucked at trig and calc there really isn't much else to it. I mean did have 41 credits that year (average of 20.5 a semester but really it was 23 and 18) and they were all science and math with the exclusion of 3 credits as well as being a student ambassador, student tutor, and VP of a club but again the low gpa boils down to those two classes that even with a lighter schedule I don't think would have turned out any better so I am reluctant to use that as an explanation. So I am just looking for opinions, try to explain or not?

Sorry for 2 posts in one night but as I get closer to applying I have more questions! Thanks in advance!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[deleted346323]

I don't think you need to address that in your PS. Your cumulative and science GPAs are solid overall. On some secondaries they may ask you to explain any semesters where your GPA was low, so you can do it there if you need to. You should focus your PS on why you want to be a physician and try to stay away from talking about any negative-ish stuff unless you really have to.

 

[SmallTownUSA]

Thank you. That's what I was thinking.. I honestly never noticed it since my gpa is so much higher then that until I separated it out into years.

 

[Goro]

Do NOT ever apologize for any poor performance in your transcipts. It always comes across as if you're making excuses. Year by year isn't as important as the whole package, unless there's a continuous downward trend.

Save explanations for interviews, if asked.

I am not sure if I should address a low gpa year in my Personal Statement. My overall gpa is 3.61 and my science gpa is 3.52 but until I just calculated my yearly gpa I didn't realize that my sophomore year looked so bad I have a 3.19 gpa for the year. This is mainly because of Trig and Calculus in which I got my only two C's which 8 credit hours of C in one year will kill the gpa for that "year" for the year I got 4 B's 4A's 2C's. I am not sure if I should address this year's gpa or not since I still have a decent overall and science gpa. I honestly do not know how I would really address it to be quite honest because I just really sucked at trig and calc there really isn't much else to it. I mean did have 41 credits that year (average of 20.5 a semester but really it was 23 and 18) and they were all science and math with the exclusion of 3 credits as well as being a student ambassador, student tutor, and VP of a club but again the low gpa boils down to those two classes that even with a lighter schedule I don't think would have turned out any better so I am reluctant to use that as an explanation. So I am just looking for opinions, try to explain or not?

Sorry for 2 posts in one night but as I get closer to applying I have more questions! Thanks in advance!

 

[torshi]

Do NOT ever apologize for any poor performance in your transcipts. It always comes across as if you're making excuses. Year by year isn't as important as the whole package, unless there's a continuous downward trend.

Save explanations for interviews, if asked.

Agreed. Focus on your endeavors as to what led you to pursue medicine. Enough of this mumbo jumbo about grades etc in the P.S that has nothing to do with wanting to enter the field of medicine. I know some may seem well it acted as a catalyst to push me harder blah blah........Be unique

 

[abolt18]

no. At least not directly.

 

[coolingglasses]

Your space is limited, don't waste it highlighting mistakes they can already see.

 

[SmallTownUSA]

alright thank you all!