IRguy

So I asked this elsewhere, where it didn't get noticed as part of another topic, but... ...if I had a serious extenuating circumstances with illness in undergrad that pulled down my grades and is the really only blip in a decently strong application, I presume this should be mentioned. But where? As a small part of my statement of purpose, where I would word it as incidental and not an excuse? Or is it appropriate to send an addendum note so that the SOP is not sullied with an excuse?

Actually, let me ask a specific question about how to deal with this. I've heard several professors talk about a cover letter or addendum document that can be uploaded and used to briefly explain circumstances for something. As a result, it doesn't take up space or focus in the statement. Is this a done thing, or would this be looked at as an even worse attempt to rationalize being sick vs. performing poorly during a period?

Another follow up to this... I have been writing my SOP, and I feel that it shows a good fit with most of the programs I'm applying to. Like I said, I was distinctly ill for a time in undergrad, skewing my gpa. Should I mention this in my SOP? Obviously it would be a mention, nothing to overshadow the whole point of the statement, but is it good to mention it?

Yea, I definitely hear you about the DC schools' funding. I've been hearing about that. So you believe that the undergraduate GPA is a serious enough component of the application (with respect to my graduate GPA, publications, presumably well-written SOP, etc.) to make me uncompetitive at these schools? Do you have any other schools you'd suggest? Anyone else?

Hey all, So I'm just finalizing my apps and I'm really feeling like I won't make the splash I hope to here. I am applying from an MA in political science to a PhD in the same, IR subfield. I study perception in security studies and political economy. I've done lots of methods work as well as solid coursework on a variety of theory and regional specialties. The trick for me is that my undergrad GPA was atrocious, 2.75 at a top school, because I was seriously ill for a huge part of my time there. I got better and it shows in my grades, but still. I got into a decently good MA program, where I have a 3.8 and my GREs (the same from my MA apps) is about 1360. Have three great references from professors in grad school and the VP of a major think tank that I've researched with. I also have one undergrad prof who loves me write one reference with some perspective on my illness. I've got one peer reviewed journal article, a number of book reviews in good journals, an editorial position on a grad student journal and quite a few short articles on security policy topics, including regular contributions at a major foreign policy magazine. And a solid writing sample and sop i think. My list of schools are: Duke, UNC, UVA, GW, G'town, Penn and Brown. I'm really honestly a bit worried that I won't have a shot anywhere. Do I have any chances? Do admissions committees actually see past things like that undergrad GPA in the light of other facts?