How bad of a semester warrants mentioning/explaining it in your SOP?

[eblipenlil]

^

Second to last semester before graduation I had a semester GPA of 2.7. C+, B-, B-, and B. My cumulative GPA is about 3.5 and on typical semesters I get mostly B+'s and A-'s.

I am just wondering how bad a semester should be before you mention it in your SOP. On the one hand I don't want to mention it and draw attention to it if it would have possibly gone unnoticed. But if it is noticed I would like to explain it. I know the grades are not too horrible but it is unfortunate that it is a semester so close to graduation so I don't want them to think I am tiring of school. I have at least a somewhat satisfactory explanation for it (deaths of two people close to me).

What do you think?

Thanks

[ANDS!]

Are they courses with ANY relevance to what you plan to study?

[fuzzylogician]

Could you ask one of your LOR writers address this issue? Your grades aren't so bad as to merit an explanation in your SOP, in my opinion, but if you have a recommender mention the reason for the bad semester in their letter then you've covered all your bases.