Talking about your grade trend

[BiochemGirlYay]

I was wondering how people with grade trends are addressing them in their interviews. I have a 3.5 cGPA (3.7 sGPA) that began with 3.0s earned during freshman and sophomore years and ended on 3.9s junior and senior year. In all honesty, the reasons that I think this happened were:
a) I had poor study skills,
b) I didn't really have a goal
c) I was distracted by my social life, and
d) by the time I hit junior year I knew it was my last chance to bring up my GPA (FYI not mentioning this one to the interviewer)
Not very exciting reasons, but I feel like any other sort of explanation I could give would sound like a self-victimization complex/BS. I'm sure there are plenty of people like me who managed to get good grades all four years.

I guess, in summary, I'm trying to come up with the best way of showing that I am mature and over that stage (which I think I am!) without sounding full of it

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[phltz]

I was wondering how people with grade trends are addressing them in their interviews. I have a 3.5 cGPA (3.7 sGPA) that began with 3.0s earned during freshman and sophomore years and ended on 3.9s junior and senior year. In all honesty, the reasons that I think this happened were:
a) I had poor study skills,
b) I didn't really have a goal
c) I was distracted by my social life, and
d) by the time I hit junior year I knew it was my last chance to bring up my GPA (FYI not mentioning this one to the interviewer)
Not very exciting reasons, but I feel like any other sort of explanation I could give would sound like a self-victimization complex/BS. I'm sure there are plenty of people like me who managed to get good grades all four years.

I guess, in summary, I'm trying to come up with the best way of showing that I am mature and over that stage (which I think I am!) without sounding full of it

I don't think there's any real problem with just flat-out saying that when you got to college you were unfocused and immature, but that you've grown up and pulled yourself together since then. For bonus points, you can say that working towards a career in medicine gave you a lot of extra motivation to work hard and succeed.

 

[muhali3]

I have the same trend and reasons as you do.

My grades suddenly became ~4.0 when I decided that I wanted to go into medicine. That is consistent with my application because all my medical related activities (shadowing, volunteering) started the semester before my huge upward trend. So that is going to be my explanation.

 

[luke587]

uh i think alot of freshman get 3.0's their freshman year, mine wasn't steller, 3.3~ or so. So i think your fine thats a really strong upward trend, and a 3.5GPA is pretty solid dont let anyone else tell you otherwise.

 

[WorldChanger36]

You are fine. Easy to explain your situation. Just explain how you grew up if they ask.
My trend started with me bombing my freshman year and dropping out of school to go to work. I hated what I did so I went back to school and retook all the classes I screwed up and did very well in them. Later when I transferred to the four year university, I had some trouble getting the hang of not being on my own. ( At my CC everything was on your own, professors offered little help and sometimes you just did not want it.) Professors gave advice and instead of trusting it I trusted my past and had a few issues. Also had a few deaths in the family that force me to withdraw a few times. Eventually I got the hang of things and decided to add a 5th year and a second major ( psych) to bring my grades up. I also take a few classes at UF and my old CC out of interest for the subject. ( Just can't say no to existentialism and microbiology ) So my grades kind of look like a polyprotic titration curve ( strong acid weak base so upwards). Hoping to land a good score for the MCAT to prove myself. ( practice test AAMC 3 coming up this weekend) By the time I apply this upcoming cycle I will have a 3.4 cum and a 3.4 BCMP. I would love to be sitting on a 3.5 but that most likely will not happen until I graduate. So don't worry you are doing fine, although your past is not as "interesting" as mine we still will most likly explain it the same way. Sorry if I stole your thunder OP.

 

[surftheiop]

I didnt read your thread so this might not apply

but,

One of the deans at a medical said before the interviews

"Don't even think about talking about your grades unless we ask you, nothing is more boring to interviewers than grades"