Whether you are explaining this grade to a parent or to a graduate school admissions committee, remember that blaming others will only make it look like you are making excuses. The key to explaining a bad grade is not only to take responsibility for it, but to show how it is anomalous and not part of a larger pattern. Start by describing the course, whether you are explaining a bad grade orally to a parent or in writing to a committee. If you are a straight a student, mention the fact that you've never received a grade like this before. Mention any past instances when you got a lower grade than you thought you deserved, and how you improved your overall grade by the end of the term. Try to minimize the effect of your low grade by demonstrating a consistent pattern of excellence or high achievement, and a willingness to improve when asked.

Avoid blaming your professor for marking too hard or not explaining the assignment properly. Don't make up excuses such as illness or fatigue unless they are genuine, they will make you seem petty. Maybe you took on a topic that was too ambitious, and while you challenged yourself and learned a lot, a low grade is the price you had to pay. Or, perhaps you focused too much on one aspect of the subject that really interested you. Explain what you learned from the experience, and how you will work to improve your course grade to make it consistent with your academic history. You might mention that you've set up a meeting with your instructor to discuss what you can do to succeed on your next assignment.

Students with poor grades on their transcript should wait until regular admission to apply to college. As a high school student in tennessee, austin herrera knew that he wanted to go to college. Herrera says he was too distracted in school and his reputation as a class clown, extracurriculars and lack of interest and effort affected his grades. I doubted myself and sort of gave up on myself when i saw the grades that i had, because i would work hard and study but i still came out with a low grade, he wrote in an email.

Herrera switched schools his senior year and used the new atmosphere to change direction and focus on the future. Realizing that his past academic problems would affect his admission chances, herrera used his personal statement to acknowledge his grades, discuss his learning disability and show his interest in studying business and film. Herrera was accepted into two of the five schools he applied to and now studies film as a freshman at columbia college chicago.

Good Words to Put In a College Essay

For students who struggle academically in high school, the college application process can be especially stressful. The competitive admissions process can make these students feel like college is out of reach, but there are still options. Admissions experts say students can explain an academic dip in college applications and use the rest of their senior year to make their application more appealing. Students should talk to a counselor to examine all their options, but the following four strategies can help students with poor grades strengthen their college applications. Take responsibility and offer an explanation: there are many reasons a student's grades can drop, including family issues, illness, a switch in teachers during the year or a lack of maturity. Admissions officials recognize that grades aren't always an indicator of capability, so experts say students need to take the time to write an honest explanation about their grades. But how do you learn from those mistakes – if you can explain it thoughtfully and in a mature way, often times a college is going to understand that, says kat cohen, ceo and founder of ivywise, an educational consulting company.

Students can discuss poor grades in a personal statement or in the additional information field on the common application. You can point out on it, 'i take full responsibility for the grades that i earned early on. I've learned and i've improved,' says nancy mcduff, associate vice president for admissions and enrollment management at the university of georgia. Get recommendation letters from teachers and counselors: a good word from a high school counselor or teacher who knows a student well can go a long way in college admissions, experts say. Sometimes a great letter of recommendation can come from a teacher who has seen a student greatly improve their grade and go from very low to very high, even if the student has higher grades in other classes, says ivywise's cohen.

Students should develop close relationships with counselors and teachers and have an explicit discussion about what they'd like addressed before a letter is written, experts say. Wait to apply and improve your grades: early admission is extremely competitive, so experts recommend students with poor grades on their transcripts apply during regular admission and use the extra time to take challenging courses and improve their gpa. Students should use their teachers as tutors, visiting them frequently to discuss what to focus on and what weaknesses to work on, she says. College admissions expert allen grove is the former director of a program for new college students, a professor of english, and a freelance writer who focuses on college admissions, student success, and the transition from high school to college. Read more question: should you explain a bad grade when applying to college? it 39 s tempting to explain a bad grade on your high school transcript when you are applying to college. This article explains when you should and shouldn 39 t explain a bad grade, and it addresses how you should explain any sub par grades. Since your academic record is the most important part of your college application, you have good reason to be concerned if you have the occasional 39 c 39 or worse on your transcript, or if you had a semester that was notably below your norm.

That said, in most cases college admissions officers don 39 t want to hear the sob stories behind a bad grade or bad semester. The excuses don 39 t change the fact that your gpa is lower than they 39 d like to see, and you might come off sounding like a whiner. You 39 ll sound like a grade grubber if you try to explain the 39 b 43 39 on your otherwise straight 39 a 39 transcript.