Hi,
So I made a really dumb mistake in submitting my applications as soon as possible without going over them with my counselor/parent. I didn’t realize that the additional info section could be used to explain bad grades and other things. I got not great grades in 2 classes in junior year because I was in the process of finding a new medication for the entirety of 1st semester, which really affected my mental health. Even though I’ve already submitted, should I email the counselors at my top colleges explaining the situation, because I’d rather not have them think poorly of me because of something that wasn’t really my fault. Or is there a way to edit/start over with my application? I was debating whether or not to withdraw applications and just start over on the Coalition app, but I’d lose all of my recs. Any help is appreciated.
I wouldn’t worry about it too much. It’s just 2 classes, and it may look like you’re just trying to avoid responsibility for the grades (i.e., “it wasn’t really my fault”), especially if it didn’t impact your grades in all your classes. The only reason I might e-mail the admissions counselors is if the classes are related to your major – like if you got a “D” in a math class and you’re planning to major in Engineering. Otherwise, I’d think that admissions officers would rather just hear a student say “I really struggled with the material, but I worked hard to recover in 2nd semester.”
Excuses for anything come off better when reported by your guidance counselor as opposed to the applicant. So I would not try to add anything now, but you could ask your GC to notify the colleges if you feel it is necessary.
It’s also not wise to mention mental health issues in applications. Colleges are wary of accepting students who have mental health problems. This could backfire on you.
I believe there’s a spot on the application portal to post updates like this so if you feel it significantly impacted your grades, you should probably report it. Talking about how you overcame it and your counselor mentioning it will probably help colleges see past it too.