<p>Hi everyone!
So, I'm a little conflicted on whether to write a paragraph in the additional comments box about a bad semester I had sophomore year. This is for my UC app by the way.</p>
<p>I took my first AP class as a sophomore and it was AP Physics. The class ended up being extremely difficult especially because the teacher was just horrible. I ended up getting a 79% in the class first semester and a B in my french level 3 class because I focused too much of my time on this physics class. The next semester i ended up getting a B in ap physics and an A in all the rest of my classes( including english honors).</p>
<p>I was wondering if I should write a paragraph about why I did so poorly my first semester sophomore year. I would explain how it was hard for me to adapt to a teacher who did not help me despite my efforts and who also was just a bad teacher in general who had an unfair grading system. He ended up "quitting" (fired..for sure) at the end of that year. My emotional distress from this class (it was pretty bad...) caused me to do poorly in my other class as well. but i wanted to say that the experience taught me that we must adapt ourselves to these types of situations and not everything is always fair and show that this realization helped me improve because I ended up self studying the entire second semester.</p>
<p>So my question is, should I even write an additional comment about this? I'm aiming for the high UC's because my grades and scores are mostly very good. This C is the only taint on my transcript. Also, if I do, I'm worried i will come off as one of those bratty students who complains about a teacher. I def don't want to come off like that but I don't know how not to. So does anybody have any advice on what or what not to say. Thanks guy, I know this was a lot to read!</p>
<p>Also should I explain why my second time taking the SAT dropped 200 points from my first time which was in the 2000s. I didn’t think I needed to since they look at your highest score but Idk. I was very sick/stressed on the testing day.</p>
<p>I’m not so sure it’s a smart move. Every school has a few teachers like this. Many of the kids with straight A’s have had really tough teachers and worked through them. I doubt the UCs will be too interested in excuses. IMO the additional comments page is for additional comments, not a third essay.</p>
<p>Yeah that’s what I was thinking. I’m not going to make it an essay, just a paragraph though. What about writing about my sat drop, any thoughts on that? hahah I think it just burns so much to get a 79%. If it helps , the superintendent basically told me that I was unfairly graded but that they couldn’t do anything about it because of teacher union laws. Hmph</p>
<p>Sorry that I’m being that annoying person who keeps bumping the thread but I want to submit my application tomorrow. Should I explain my bad grade or explain my SAT drop. I’m really freaking out about how my SAT drop and C in Ap physics will impact me.</p>
<p>Personally, I wouldn’t. But, if you really think it needs an explanation you should go ahead. </p>
<p>I don’t know of anyone who’s really submitting anything in the additional information section except for one girl who’s an athlete and is using it to explain an injury that resulted in a abrupt end to the season for her.</p>