Should You Explain Bad Grades on College Applications

Its tempting to explain a bad grade on your high school transcript when you are applying to college. After all, theres usually a story behind every bad grade. This article explains when you should and shouldnt explain a bad grade, and it addresses how you should explain any sub-par grades. The Importance of Grades in College Admissions Bad grades matter when applying to college. Nearly every college will tell you that a  strong academic record is the most important part of your college application. SAT scores and ACT scores also matter, but they represent a few hours of effort on a Saturday morning. Your academic record represents hundreds of hours of effort over the course of four years. Success in challenging AP, IB, dual enrollment, and Honors classes tend to be a far greater predictor of college success than any high-pressure standardized test. If a college has holistic admissions, non numerical factors such as admission essays, college interviews, letters of recommendation, and extracurricular activities can play an important part in the admissions process. If these parts of your application are impressive, they can help compensate for an academic record that is slightly less than ideal. The reality, however, is that nothing will make up for grades that arent on target for admission to a highly selective school. If youre applying to an Ivy League school, those B and C grades on your transcript can quickly land your application in the rejection pile.   Situations in Which You Should Not Explain a Bad Grade In most cases, college admissions officers dont want to hear the sob stories behind a low grade or bad semester. The excuses dont change the fact that your GPA is lower than theyd like to see, and in many situations you run the risk of sounding like a whiner. Here are some cases in which you should not attempt to explain your grades: The grade actually isnt that bad. Youll sound like a grade grubber if you try to explain the B on your otherwise straight A transcript.You did poorly because of relationship problems. Sure it happens. It will probably happen again in college. The admissions officers dont need to know about your love life.You did poorly because you didnt like the teacher. If you go down this road, youll sound like someone who blames the teacher for your own shortcomings. Sure, there are bad teachers in high school. There will be bad professors in college as well.Your teacher was unfair. Even if its true, youll sound like you like to point the finger at anyone but yourself. Situations in Which It Makes Sense to Explain a Bad Grade There are cases, of course, for which an explanation of a bad grade is a good idea. Some circumstances are entirely outside of your control, and revealing these circumstances can help give the admissions officers important information. A brief explanation is worthwhile in cases such as these: You had a serious injury or illness. Were talking a hospital stay here, not the flu or a broken arm.You had a death in your immediate family. Immediate family here doesnt mean your great aunt or second cousin, but the death of a parent, sibling or guardian.You were caught in the middle of an ugly divorce. A volatile domestic situation can clearly and understandably disrupt your studies.You moved in the middle of the academic year. This, too, is understandably disruptive of your studies. If you do have a situation for which explaining a bad grade is a good idea, make sure you go about explaining the grade in the right way. Do not use your essay to explain academic shortcomings (see the article on bad essay topics  for more information). In fact, the best way to tell the admissions folks about your extenuating circumstances is to have your guidance counselor do it for you. The explanation will have more credibility coming from an outside source who knows your personal and academic situation. If your guidance counselor isnt an option, a simple and brief note in the supplemental section of your application will suffice. Dont dwell on the issue—you want your application to be highlighting your strengths and passions, not your problems.