When does your circumstance section become too personal?

[unsureprevet]

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So... I am currently drafting up my circumstance piece and am unsure of how much I should include. I went through a traumatic personal experience that led me to take a semester off from college. I am unsure if this information is necessary for the veterinary medical admisssions council. I am also concerned because my stats aren't that great (from tier one school- gpa:3.37, 45hours gpa: 3.65, GRE: 1280) and I am unsure if this circumstance piece will add anything to my application. When does the circumstance piece become too personal? Is it a bad thing to make admissions uncomfortable?

Please help me out! Thanks.

 

[Willowhand]

Is it a bad thing to make admissions uncomfortable?

Probably, yes. Why would you want to make the people evaluating your application uncomfortable with you?

If you truly feel that your circumstances had a negative impact on your work and would like to explain to the schools why it will not negatively impact your work as a vet student, simply give a general statement (eg "I had a serious illness" or "there was a death in the family and I struggled emotionally"). If you think about it, there should be some general way of explaining your problem without giving details that the folks at admissions do not need to know. Be honest, but don't say more than you need to if you have doubts about the appropriateness of expounding to far.

 

[that redhead]

Your stats are not that bad, honestly. I can see writing an explanation if you had a 2.8 or grades that fluctuated wildly, and I think an explanation for taking a semester off is appropriate too, but all you need to say is what you told us: a traumatic personal experience that lead to your decision to take a semester off.

 

[unsureprevet]

Thanks! I was definitely going to keep it general. I really appreciate you both helping me out!

 

[HopefulAg]

I am also concerned because my stats aren't that great (from tier one school- gpa:3.37, 45hours gpa: 3.65, GRE: 1280)

That's pretty much the stats I got in (at five schools) with, except my GRE was a 1200. Your stats aren't that great compared to other applications, but they'll get you where you wanna go.

 

[thearsonist]

Your stats aren't that great compared to other applications, but they'll get you where you wanna go.

HopefulAg's comment is one to keep in mind.

Regarding the circumstances section, give the right amount of info. it may sound obvious, but it's easy to give out too much information, feeling the need to explain, and end up giving them every detail. Easily becomes an uncomfortable situation for both parties.
but avoid being too vague.

Best of luck!

 

[Maschka1]

Is there a way to write it without making others feel uncomfortable? For me I really laid it all out there. what I went through had a major impact on my life and who I have become. I feel it was necessary to paint a picture of just how rough it was but that I still came out on top. that may not be the same for you, but I would say find a way to disclose just what you need to, to get your point across.

PS- I am a VERY open person, if you ask me a question about my personal life you had be ready to get an answer, so I see absolutely no problem telling people about what I went through. that said, not everyone feels this way, so you have to decide what is comfortable for you.

 

[ATX00]

Is there a way to write it without making others feel uncomfortable? For me I really laid it all out there. what I went through had a major impact on my life and who I have become. I feel it was necessary to paint a picture of just how rough it was but that I still came out on top. that may not be the same for you, but I would say find a way to disclose just what you need to, to get your point across.

👍

How personal is too personal? I think it 100% depends on the results of the experience. If something terrible happened to you that led you to take a semester off from school or hurt your GPA, I do not think you need to give any details, i.e. be very vague. You don't want the adcoms to remember you as the person who was a victim of something.

If something terrible happened that significantly shaped who you are as a person and who you will be as a veterinarian, I think you should say (briefly, and without being unnecessarily gruesome) what happened and how it shaped you. I am including some pretty personal stuff in an essay on uniqueness/adversity because I'm confident that I can explain how it will make me a better veterinarian -- not just that I'm "tough" or something, but that it shaped how I view and interact with people in a positive way. I am only going to mention these experiences in one supplemental essay and not in my PS because these experiences have impacted who I am, but they certainly don't define me.

 

[sumstorm]

Another consideration on what to share: will it happen in a similar way again? did you figure out a solution? If the first is yes and the second is no....mentioning it can be damaging. Also, if you do share details, realize that the act of sharing opens the door to inquire and consider those details in the decision to offer admission. There is also a balance between sharing and dramatizing.

 

[LunaCaelum]

Another consideration on what to share: will it happen in a similar way again? did you figure out a solution? If the first is yes and the second is no....mentioning it can be damaging. Also, if you do share details, realize that the act of sharing opens the door to inquire and consider those details in the decision to offer admission. There is also a balance between sharing and dramatizing.

This is my concern too. I had a semester (or two) where I was working 3 jobs and taking ~18 hours. I was the only one working, my mom didn't have a job. I was working 3 jobs at the time, 2 of them were only ~6 hours a week (on campus) and 1 was ~25 hours a week off campus.

I'm worried about mentioning it because then it just leads to the question of "how are you going to pay for vet school?"

 

[sumstorm]

This is my concern too. I had a semester (or two) where I was working 3 jobs and taking ~18 hours. I was the only one working, my mom didn't have a job. I was working 3 jobs at the time, 2 of them were only ~6 hours a week (on campus) and 1 was ~25 hours a week off campus.

I'm worried about mentioning it because then it just leads to the question of "how are you going to pay for vet school?"

I had a similar situation (worked a FT job evenings ad a PT job weekends) while in undergrad.

I was bold enough to include it in both my PS & explanation statement, but I did it throughout undergrad....it dropped my GPA, but not disasterously.

In the PS it was a one liner about how the work, which was necessary due to lack of family contribution, impacted my GPA and how I am confident that I will not be working a regular job while in vet school (made it sound prettier.)

In the explanation statement, I shared a bit more detail; my parents believe that 18 = adult and that adults support themselves, so were unwilling to contribute to the expected family contribution, but the federal government considered me a dependent for financial aid and would not provide additional students loans and I was unwilling to take out high interest private loans. I continued to address the issue by stating that as an independent I will recieve the entire cost of attendance in federal loans and I am willing and comfortable taking out and living off the full amount, and have already prepared a theoretical budget.

I don't know if that helps you any.