Advice for personal statement?

[SLP2Bhopefully]

Hi guys!

I have not yet been accepted for this application cycle, and only applied to 5 schools. I have 3 left to hear from but not feeling very confident since one of them already sent some acceptances, one waitlisted me last year, and the other only accepts a few people for their online program.

So I am in the process of looking at schools for the Spring. One of the school's ask for 2 essays; one of which it asks you to explain a challenge or problem you have faced and how you handled it. I am wondering if it is a bad idea to explain the problem/challenge of not being accepted to an SLP program and how I handled it?

I am quite aware that the reason I have not been accepted yet (I have applied previously) is because while my SLP GPA is a 3.8, my overall GPA is a 3.4, and my first year of college before I transferred my grades in my GenEd classes were quite low. Advice I got during my undergrad was to take classes in a related graduate program to show I can be successful in graduate school (which I am doing now with a 4.0), and to get some more related experience, which I have also done. I've done internships, substitute teaching, I am in a Deaf/HH graduate program, over 200 hours observing/volunteering with SLPs, and a bunch of other things.

I was thinking of explaining how I applied and was not accepted, and what I have done to improve myself, while also explaining why it is that my grades were not great when I started college (I attempted to work 30 hours a week while taking 6 classes a semester). However, I don't know if telling them that I have applied before and wasn't accepted is a bad thing, or if it will perhaps draw more negative attention to my transcript from the college I attended first year. Any advice would be helpful! Thanks!

Edited March 25, 2016 by SLP2Bhopefully

[racoomelon]

I think it's a good idea. They're going to see your old transcript anyway, and this will give you a chance to explain the situation.

If you're in contact with a com dis professor, I'd actually drop them an email and see what they think. They might be a better resource to answer this, and if you can find someone accommodating enough to read through your essay that would be even better. 

[SLP2Bhopefully]

Thank you for the advice! I still am in contact with my ComDis professors, so I will probably do as you said and ask them to read it when I am done. Thank you again! And congrats on all your acceptances  Jealous!! 

[racoomelon]

No problem! Someone advised me to have a professor read my SOP and if they're willing to, it actually makes a ton of sense. And thanks! Good luck with your applications.