<p>Ok, so my mom had cancer the summer before Senior year and I failed a class. This destroyed my gpa and rank, so I put this in my additional information. But will they need medical records and stuff of that nature in order to prove that she had cancer? We can get those, but I just want to know whether or not its worth the hassle of getting all these records and papers if colleges won't require them.</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback (If anyone responds lol)</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>No, colleges will not want personal medical records to show evidence of your mother’s cancer. That’s personal and far more detail than they care to know. </p>
<p>What they want to understand is how you were affected by, handled, and overcame the personal challenges you faced in connection with your mother’s illness. In this regard, it will help your application if an adult who is providing a recommendation or school report for you would address these matters in their evaluation.</p>
<p>LuxAstri - I agree with niceday. I would also encourage you to address the “failed summer class” and not use words like “destroyed my rank and GPA.” Instead, focus on the positive curriculum pattern that you set previously … if you took 5 academic classes a year for freshman, sophomore and junior years with mostly As and some scattered Bs and B+s. Then add in one failed summer class. Although your GPA does drop, it isn’t destroyed – and most importantly, it was a single summer class, during an incredibly stressful time.</p>
<p>I would also recommend that you ask your guidance counselor to reference this timeframe in his or her letter as well. Having the situation be mentioned there as well as your Common App will ensure that the info is seen, at least by the LACs. The larger state universities I am unfamiliar with in terms of whether they actually read apps versus rule out by numbers.</p>
<p>Thanks so much, guys!</p>