How to explain a low GPA in SOP?

[eesj]

Hello,

I am writing up my SOPs for various applications, but am wondering if it is worth explaining a low GPA?

During my MSEE I had one bad semester where I received 6-units of B, due to the amount of work/travel I did not anticipate (one con of pursuing an MS while working =[ ).

This one semester unfortunately killed my overall GPA. My last year of my MSEE I averaged a GPA of 3.67, but when combined with my first year GPA it drops to 3.43.

Should I even bother explaining this in my SOP? I do not want to sound like I am making excuses to the committee, but I also want the committee to know that I improved/learned from that one bad semester.

Thanks!

[HassE]

Hello,

I am writing up my SOPs for various applications, but am wondering if it is worth explaining a low GPA?

During my MSEE I had one bad semester where I received 6-units of B, due to the amount of work/travel I did not anticipate (one con of pursuing an MS while working =[ ).

This one semester unfortunately killed my overall GPA. My last year of my MSEE I averaged a GPA of 3.67, but when combined with my first year GPA it drops to 3.43.

Should I even bother explaining this in my SOP? I do not want to sound like I am making excuses to the committee, but I also want the committee to know that I improved/learned from that one bad semester.

Thanks!

you have every right to explain to them. I would explain it to them, but make sure its only a few sentences at most explaining you were working and on travel....try to make it seem like you learned a lot from doing so.

[lyonessrampant]

Exactly, frame things positively and be concise. If you frame the experience as here's what I learned about X, then it spins the first year GPA much differently than sounding like "I'm sorry I had a bad year but I won't do it again!" Also, no more than a couple sentences, like the previous poster said. Good luck!

[eesj]

Thanks you two for the great responses. I will definitely take them into consideration when writing my SOPs.

[eesj]

Exactly, frame things positively and be concise. If you frame the experience as here's what I learned about X, then it spins the first year GPA much differently than sounding like "I'm sorry I had a bad year but I won't do it again!" Also, no more than a couple sentences, like the previous poster said. Good luck!

Any suggestions on this statement?

"I continued onto the M.S.E.E. while working full-time with XYZ, where I focused my course work on XYZ and my research on XYZ. My overall GPA was a 3.43/4.00 and was a result of my excessive workload and business travel during my Spring-’09 semester, where I received 6-units of B. Although these marks do not reflect my abilities or work ethic as a student, I was able to learn from my mistakes. I learned to balance unexpected surges of work with my academic commitments, and in practice was able to complete my final year of the M.S.E.E. with an average GPA of 3.67/4.00."

Thanks!