What to say about my situation? in PS, to interviewers?

[howtodeal]

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I am a junior in college planning to apply next year. However, I am very troubled as I have somewhat of an unusual situation. This is difficult for me to talk about, but I am extremely nervous about how I'm going to address this if asked about it.

I do not remember everything and the situation is more complicated than I want to explain here, but basically my freshman year, spring semester, I was attacked at a gas station and kidnapped for 3 days. I decided to continue with school, but the effects on my gpa were disastrous. My fall semester freshman year I received a 3.9 Spring semester, the semester that changed my life, I got a 3.0. Fall semester of sophomore year I was still dealing with repercussions and received a 3.4. Every semester after that, I received 3.9+.
Obviously I feel like that 3.0 and 3.4 are going to stand out and I worry that interviewers will ask. I would strongly prefer not to tell the whole truth. What would be good enough to say? Personal problems? Does that sound bad? It brings me to a bad place and honestly if they bring it up and I tell them the truth and they react like most people do, I do not think I would be able to finish the interview.

Also, should I address it in the personal statement or is it not necessary. I was planning to basically just say that those 2 semesters were stressful times for me.

 

[futureNCmed]

If you want your interviewers/reviewers to know about the situation without having to talk about it, expand on it in your PS. You may even say it's still a hard topic for you to talk about. That way, in open interviews, hopefuly your interviewer will take that as a hint to not talk about it. Also those reviewing your file pre-interview and for blind interview situations, it will be your chance to explain it without having to be there to do so.

On another note... a 3.0 is still a B average! As long as you keep your cummulative GPA up (which it sounds like you're doing) it really souldn't effect your chances that much at all. Especially if you rock the MCATs and are keeping up with your ECs!! It's not like you got a 2.0 average or were put on academic probation. DOn't fret!

 

[LizzyM]

First of all, the AMCAS application will show gpa by year so the 3.9 and 3.0 will be averaged and come out at about 3.45 (if you had the same number of credits in each semester). The 3.4 and 3.9 will be combined and show a 3.65 for sophomore year. (Nice improvement). The junior year will be a 3.9, give or take, again a nice improvement. So, unless an adcom member goes through the transcript line by line, the disasterous semsters are likely to go unnoticed.

You were the victim of a violent crime. That is more than a personal problem and it is one for which you are not to blame. If it comes up at interview you can say you were the victim of a serious crime or a violent crime or a kidnapping and that it took some time to get over the emotional stress that it caused. Frankly, I'd have a lot of respect for an applicant who made a come back from a terrible thing like that. I went to school with someone who was in a similar situation although for only a few hours and it destroyed her junior year of HS.

 

[randombetch]

If you want your interviewers/reviewers to know about the situation without having to talk about it, expand on it in your PS. You may even say it's still a hard topic for you to talk about. That way, in open interviews, hopefuly your interviewer will take that as a hint to not talk about it. Also those reviewing your file pre-interview and for blind interview situations, it will be your chance to explain it without having to be there to do so.

On another note... a 3.0 is still a B average! As long as you keep your cummulative GPA up (which it sounds like you're doing) it really souldn't effect your chances that much at all. Especially if you rock the MCATs and are keeping up with your ECs!! It's not like you got a 2.0 average or were put on academic probation. DOn't fret!

I don't think it'll be necessary to include it on a PS (unless maybe briefly mention that you were a victim of a violent crime in response to "did you have any hardships we should know of," or "include any additional information here") especially if it's a subject you don't want to have to go into details about.

Follow LizzyM's advice and all will be fine.

 

[Evergrey]

You may have already done this, but, if you're worried about possibly breaking down in the process of mentioning it in the interview, it could be of benefit to consult a mental health professional for ways to work on this. I don't know what happened nor do I know your background, so that may have been redundant advice, but I thought I would put it out there anyway. Good luck next year (I'm applying in 2010 too!)

 

[howtodeal]

Thanks everyone, I really do feel a lot better. I was so anxious about this that I had considered not applying - but I can't let it hold me back anymore. I wasn't sure if it would seem like I was trying to make excuses if I included it in my PS, but the way LizzyM phrased it is perfect. I'm hoping, if I address it briefly, that maybe interviewers won't bring it up.