Include info about low GPA or not????

[Jessica.allen]

So, i have what some would consider a "sub par" GPA, should i mention this in my personal statement?

 

i know the personal statement should be positive and i dont want to bog it down with low gpa info...

 

any advice is greatly appreciated!

[TexasGuy]

I wouldnt put it in the SOP.. Put that info in an additional document

[Loric]

So, i have what some would consider a "sub par" GPA, should i mention this in my personal statement?

 

i know the personal statement should be positive and i dont want to bog it down with low gpa info...

 

any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

Nope, don't. SOP and PS are for touting how amazing you are unless the prompt specifically asks you to address any academic issues.

 

Browse the application in full - click through all the bits but don't submit. Often there's a "Do you feel your grades reflect your academic ability? If not, why not?" sort of prompt.

[Loric]

Also - this is one of those topics to push with your letter writers. They can say you have the potential beyond your grades and be taken quite seriously.

[Jessica.allen]

Ok thanks everyone!

[Guest Gnome Chomsky]

I disagree. There are many threads that talk about this subject and, from what I've gathered, the SOP is a place to talk about the weaknesses of your application. Usually people who have addressed it had a good "excuse" such as poor health, family problems, etc. So if you have a legitimate excuse, you should briefly address it. Also, it should actually be a low GPA. You said some may consider it low, but would a lot of people consider it low? If it's borderline-low but not low enough and you do mention it in your SOP, it might make whoever is reviewing your SOP take notice of your GPA. 

[fuzzylogician]

I'm going to say it depends. If there is an obvious red flag in your application, you should address it somehow. It could be in your SOP, in an addendum, in another field in the application if an appropriate one exists, or by having your recommenders write about it for you. Whatever you choose, you should answer any obvious questions and concerns the adcom may have, because clear red flags that are simply ignored by the applicant are not a good sign. 

 

Now, there are several questions. First, is your GPA really a red flag? Some people's low GPA is what others aspire to. Next, is it just one class or one off semester in an otherwise fine-looking transcript, or a sustained problem that is reflected in continuous sub-par performance? Everybody has the occasional difficulty with something, and one blimp in an otherwise strong record is not anything particularly worrisome to an adcom. Then there is the question of how you might explain the problem - ideally you only want to discuss problems that have clearly been dealt with and are now behind you. You want to be able to point to an upward trend following the solution of the problem. And you want to keep the explanation short and positive - e.g. focus on how now you're better, on the successes you've had more recently, and how you're confident you'll do great in the future. If there is a red flag in your application that is caused by something that is still a problem, you will need to think carefully about how you might address it (and in that case it may be advisable to talk to a professor to devise a plan). Assuming that you have a good explanation that you think is worth giving, then you can ask yourself where it makes the most sense to discuss it, and who should be doing it (you or your letter writer(s)). In some cases it should be done in the SOP, but in many others there are better solutions and the SOP can be kept for what it's meant for - a document about your future research and your fit with the school. 

[Jessica.allen]

I mean it's actually really low. 2.6

[Jessica.allen]

Mainly because of one semester

[Loric]

What's your SOP prompt..?

 

If it's asking for a recap of your academic career, then you need a line or two - but don't dwell, don't try to blame anyone or anything else for it, and DO show how you've moved beyond that.

[Jessica.allen]

yea i don't have an elaborate sob story for it. it happened bc of immaturity basically. but none of my prompts are asking for a recap, so i will add maybe 2 sentences and be done with that topic

[Loric]

Your best bet - be upfront and mature. If you accept that you weren't the most mature but have moved beyond that, they'll put a lot more stock in your value than if you tried to sob-story it.

[123hardasABC]

Speaking as another person with a low GPA (who's also seeking an MPH, and who totally didn't go through your history after your low GPA post in the public health section), I did not address it in the additional information pages because I have no excuses for my undergraduate grades. I was a slacker, and that was that. My personal statement briefly mentioned my low GPA but it was mostly about how I came to be passionate about my field (I took a year off after graduating and worked in an epidemiology lab). It's still early in the application season but I think it's been working for me.

 

Good luck!

[Jessica.allen]

Thanks!