What is considered "Extenuating circumstances"?

[thentl]

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I worry that discussing death of a grandparent for one difficult semester will sound like a cop-out or not "significant " enough. For me, of course, we were very close and it was significant. Although, my worst grade was a C+ that semester, my overall gpa drop wasn't that much but my semester by semester one was big.
I still struggled and feel it would be appropriate to discuss it but at the same time I don't want to sound like I'm just making excuses

 

[HomeSkool]

You don't need to discuss it at all. First, adcoms don't see semester-by-semester GPAs, they see year-by-year ones. Second, one C+ doth not a career ruin. Third, if you dropped a little in one year and then got back up on the horse, no one's going to bat an eye. Life happens, grades fluctuate, and you don't need to justify that.

I'm very sorry to hear of your grandparent's passing. Seek out counseling if that would help you, and let the memory of your relationship lift your heart. In the midst of your grief, try to also find joy in the happy memories.

 

[thentl]

Okay I understand; I wasn't really sure how it works. My premed committee really confuses me sometimes, they emphasized how any grade below a B we have to have an explanation for so it's "forgiven" whenever we are asked to discuss any extenuating circumstances

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

Okay I understand; I wasn't really sure how it works. My premed committee really confuses me sometimes, they emphasized how any grade below a B we have to have an explanation for so it's "forgiven" whenever we are asked to discuss any extenuating circumstances

This might happen in an interview perhaps but I’d imagine it’s uncommon. Don’t worry, you’re a human! We all have some blemishes in our applications but as long as you have other things going for you (strong essays, decent GPA/MCAT, meaningful EC’s, etc) you’ll be fine 🙂

 

[Goro]

Okay I understand; I wasn't really sure how it works. My premed committee really confuses me sometimes, they emphasized how any grade below a B we have to have an explanation for so it's "forgiven" whenever we are asked to discuss any extenuating circumstances

I'm seriously beginning to think that the 60% rate for people to not getting into med school is due to piss poor advisers, rather than academic inadequacy.

OP, some med schools ask that you explain any grades < B-, bit this is in a separate prompt.

Please ask your advisers to get accounts on SDN so they will stop sabotaging their students.

 

[thentl]

@Goro
My premed advisors also send out mass emails for different events/opportunities, including a lot of Caribbean school info (in a positive light). Makes me think of you every time lol, and it's a pretty well ranked private school.

Unfortunately, the committee letter is in their hands, so I have to be nice haha

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

@Goro
My premed advisors also send out mass emails for different events/opportunities, including a lot of Caribbean school info (in a positive light). Makes me think of you every time lol, and it's a pretty well ranked private school.

Unfortunately, the committee letter is in their hands, so I have to be nice haha

The rank of a school is not correlated to the IQ of its premed advisors

 

[thentl]

The rank of a school is not correlated to the IQ of its premed advisors

Very true, but I'd hope with the massive tuition fees that go in, the least they could output is sound advise haha