Hey folks, I am curious about your thoughts when it comes to explaining a less than stellar undergrad GPA during an interview. Do I explain it or will it come off as trying to make excuses? My freshman year GPA is a 2.45 (gadzooks, I know!), but after that, it was always over a 3.0. I went to a crazy hard undergraduate college (the average GPA is a 2.9, I believe) and I played a D-1 sport, my mom had cancer, yadda, yadda. Do you think I go into these things or do I just say, "I had a tough time during my freshman year, and then it improved."? I did a pre med post bacc and had a 3.7 (one stupid B) and a 37 MCAT, but my undergrad GPA is like a 3.1 thanks to that 2.45...
Should I try to explain a low GPA or just take responsibility for it?
- Thread starter CarrieBad
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I think you can mention the part about your mom having cancer, as that is a legit reason why your grades would dip. However, other than that, I'd simply say you also struggled as many do with the adjustment from HS to college, and leave it at that. You personally made the choice to play D-1 athletics and you personally made the choice to attend a difficult undergrad institution, and others have done the same things without having a low GPA; I wouldn't be impressed as an adcom by either of those excuses.
The only problem with saying I struggled with the adjustment to college is I went to one of the top boarding school in the country and took 8 APs. I fear saying the transition to college was difficult will sound kind of silly... But I also don't want to say it was burnout as maybe they will think I can't handle stress.
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If you can't honestly say either, then simply say that you struggled as your mother battled with cancer and highlight your steep upward trend as proof that ordinarily you are an excellent student. Or don't address it at all.
