<p>I wrote a personal statement about tragic things that have happened to me in order to explain my grades.</p>
<p>for example, I explain my grades fell because of a friends death</p>
<p>Would you have an opportunity to submit an "additional information" statement? Imo, that would be a better fit for what you describe. </p>
<p>Your personal essay is an opportunity for you to be personal, detailed, honest and revealing about yourself. If you use that essay to explain low grades, you will be missing an important opportunity to show yourself to colleges.</p>
<p>I would agree with ADad, in that the personal essay probably isn't the best way to explain your bad grades. I missed almost half a year of school for major surgery, but my guidance counselor was able to send in an explanation to all my schools, and it was fine (I got into 6 schools). Now, surgery is a bit different than the situation it seems you are referencing, but it still works the same way in that you can explain that via other avenues.</p>
<p>On the other hand, if (for example) your friend died because he had some rare disease, and that inspired you to work hard to go to med school to help cure others with that disease, you could definitely write about that, and include a sentence about how your grades dropped briefly, but once you found you passion, your determination brought them back up again, etc.</p>
<p>write about what you are, not about what you are not.</p>
<p>so your saying I should write that under additional information</p>
<p>Yes. ..</p>
<p>k, and thx for the quick reply</p>
<p>Colleges could see sympathy. Make sure the essay is about how you grew from the experiences(personal statement).</p>