Do I sound like I'm making excuses? Additional comments in UC App?

I submitted my application already and was just recently thinking about if I wrote the right thing in there.

I wrote about my grades were mostly As and Bs is because two loved ones on my mother’s side passed away within the two year time frame in my hs years and the whole family is trying to hold up my mother’s and our emotional stability. And i also wrote about how I was very close to one of the diseased loved ones and became depressed, yet still have to take care of my sister, mom and EC activities so getting straight As was quite of a problem.

(sorry for dumping personal stuff on here)

I know there I can’t change it any more but I do know I can send an update via email to clarify stuff.

So I want to know if I wrote it right? If I didn’t, will it affect my admission decision? Or does it just make me look like a whiny and weak person bc (maybe) the situation is not as severe as they believe? Do i sound like I’m making stupid excuses?

This is just me, but there is nothing wrong with A’s and B’s and although I can understand that a family members death impacts all, to me it sounds like you are making excuses for seems to be still decent grades.

I would have addressed this issue in one of the personal insight essays instead of the additional comments section.

What’s done is done so hopefully it will have no impact on your chances.

@Gumbymom my gpa is a 3.4 for UC, i don’t really know, but to me they’re pretty low…

And i didn’t write it as one of the essays because from researching around the web, all the sources states that the additional comment section is for clarifying grades and such. So if I were to write a personal essay about it, I wouldn’t know what to write and expand on about.

Anyways, would you say I’m screwed if they think i’m just being whiny and weak, and that I’m making dumb excuses (and maybe asking for pity?!)

UC’s tend to be GPA focused and are academic institutions after all so targeting some of these schools may not be a good fit based on your other posts with your interest in Art and Music.

That said, addressing your family’s difficult situation in one your personal insight essays, would have been a less direct approach. You could have written about the difficulty of the situation but how your passion for Art and Music help you get through that difficult period. This way you are indirectly giving a reason for lower grades without directly giving an excuse.

Again, what’s done is done and there is no reason to dwell on it. I am not very knowledgeable about colleges that would help nurture your artistic talent but I think you still have time to look at some other private schools that would appreciate your passion.

Best of luck.

not trying to be mean here but, your GPA is what’s likely to keep you out of and of the UCs. Your essay topic is fine.

Please be sure to apply to a couple of CSUs as well. Don’t know your full stats but, Fullerton, Chico, Sonoma, and SF would be glad to have you. The ap window was extended a bit due to the fires but, will be closing soon.

Good luck.