To mention withdrawals or not?

[Rupert Pupkin]

I have a dilemma regarding my transcript. I graduated in 4 years with honors. However, on my transcript, 2 semesters are filled with withdrawals. In my sophomore year, I developed an auto-immune disorder that caused recurring bouts of debilitating arthritis, which forced me to completely withdrawal from 2 semesters (not consecutive). I was debilitated by the illness for one semester, recovered enough to return to school the next semester (in which I completed 19 hours), only to be plagued by a second "flare up" of the illness. During this second lost semester, I finally received the proper diagnosis and treatment for the ailment. After this, I had no further complications. I completed the rest of my studies (including 5 summer courses), to graduate with honors in May '11 (the normal 4 year path for a student entering in Fall '07). This experience occurred near the beginning of my undergraduate studies.

I am agonizing over whether or not to include this experience in my personal statement. On the one hand, it could highlight my perseverance in going above and beyond to graduate on time with good grades. On the other hand, it could draw attention to something that would otherwise not be focused on. I am currently planning on not including any information regarding this matter, but would hate to be pegged as potentially flaky when I have a valid excuse.

What do you guys think? Could adcoms see 2 semesters plagued by withdrawals and use that as a reason to reject an otherwise worthy applicant? Or does the fact that I graduated, with high marks, within the standard 4 year window, mitigate this issue?

[Timshel]

I've been told to briefly mention blemished, but not to dwell on them. I would just remark, when discussing your past grades/accomplishments, something like "even though I lost due semesters due to an illness, I still managed to blah blah blah," and then I would move on to the rest of the topic of that paragraph. Does that make sense?

[Rupert Pupkin]

Thanks for the reply.

I see no logical place to add this information into my SOP. Would it put a damper on an otherwise persuasive SOP to include a brief "note about my transcript" at the end?

Edited September 20, 2011 by zwat

[Timshel]

Hmmmm...I'm not sure. Usually, in your statement of purpose, you should talk briefly about your academic record, which is where I would think this would fit.....but if you don't have that, I'm not sure. You certainly don't want to randomly throw it in.

[Timshel]

I had a semester of one withdrawal (you get one free late withdrawal after the normal date), 2 F's and 2 A's. I had the F's and the W because I had finally realized science was not my passion and I just couldn't bother completing the classes. stupid decision looking back, but I chose not to address it on my SOP. the classes I got A's in that semester were gen Ed lit courses I had to take, and all classes after that were English, so to me, there was a clear shift from science to English in my transcript and that no one would care I didn't pass calc and biochem. no one at any program I was accepted to or waitlisted ever brought it up. I'm of the opinion that your app should highlight your strengths, not necessarily draw extra attention to flaws.

I would say that if you want to address it, the best place may be in an LOR. I assume the professors, or at least one, is aware of you issue and couple briefly explain that medical withdrawals were needed.

I am in a similar situation, as I did not do very well my first two years as an undergrad as a science major, but once I transitioned to an English major, I did not receive less than an A in ANY class, both undergrad and in my master's program. The way I was thinking was just to briefly mention in my SOP something like "while grades during my first two years of college as a Zoology major were not as good as I would have liked them to be, once I realized that English a better fit for me, my transcript clearly shows a shift in my GPA, and I have not received a grade lower than an A since then, following all the way into graduate school where I graduated with a 4.0" or something like that, which will then lead into the section where I talk about my previous work. Now granted, that was off the top of my head, but that is what I have been thinking, at least.

[lolopixie]

Zwat - Do your transcripts indicate medical withdrawal? Or is there documentation you can get from the registrar's office of proof of medical withdrawal? Maybe you can send in the additional documentation so that you won't have to worry about talking about it in your SOP. Just a suggestion.

[Rupert Pupkin]

The larger question I'm pondering: do admissions committees actually closely examine transcripts? Or do they just make sure your GPA has been reported accurately? I have the unwarranted sense that if your Writing Sample, SOP, LORs, GPA, and GRE Scores indicate you are ready for graduate-level work, they aren't going to be giving your transcript (other than confirming the GPA) much attention. As I plan on not mentioning my withdrawals, I pray I am right.

[lolopixie]

I think that may be a good plan