I would like to apply to phd programs this Fall, but I am unsure how much I need to speak to the single semester of academic probation I had at the tail end of my masters in Mechanical Engineering when I got a C in the one class I was taking through distance learning (back in 2005, when distance learning formats where wretched). Besides that semester, my overall GPA for that degree was 3.3.
In 2017 I completed a second Masters degree in Analytics from the same university (a well-respected engineering school) with no C's and an overall GPA of 3.92.
When applying for Marketing or Economics phds, do I need to talk about that one semester with a C or is it too long, with another graduate degree that went pretty well? I don't want to draw attention to it if it's not necessary, but I don't want a black eye on my transcripts that could be a huge disqualifier. Would appreciate advice.
