<p>I haven't seen my fair share of grad school applications and my mum doesn't remember what hers looked like so here is my question...</p>
<p>I have a moderate/meh GPA (3.31ish) but I have a 4.0 in both semesters junior year. Freshman and sophomore year I had a bit of a struggle, with proper circumstances. </p>
<p>I spent an abundant amount of time in the hospital both years, but never took a leave of absence because they tended to be far enough in/I had pretty great relations with my teachers who were more then accommodating. Freshman year I suffered a killer cycle of mono and during the time in the hospital with mono I was diagnosed with SLE AND informed I hate late stage Lyme disease (kick a girl when she's down, haha). Come sophomore year I broke my foot (not a terrible life ending thing)... But it never stopped swelling for close to a month, where I ended up looking like I had elephantiasis. Go back to the hospital, get admitted, spend 3 weeks there. My foot at the break was severely infected internally - long story short I ended up having to get my foot reconstructed because the bones were all ****ed up and spongy or something.</p>
<p>Anyways! Back in hs the counselor would write about this circumstance in their letter - is there anywhere to explain ~circumstance~ on grad school apps.</p>
<p>I feel otherwise I'm a pretty strong candidate for my program of choice, I'm just worried long hospital stays out of my control will hurt me</p>
<p>(I’m applying for MPH or MHA programs)</p>
<p>I don’t quite remember, but there might have been somewhere in some of my applications that had a space to explain any issues with grades or something like (but perhaps I could have imagined that…and if it was there, it was only present in a few). Try to look through the application to see if there’s a space to explain the situation or if there’s perhaps an additional information section.</p>
<p>If there’s no where else to put it in the application, then I believe you could mention it in the SOP or personal statement. The general advice I’ve encountered for situations like this is to mention it briefly, don’t dwell on it, and make sure that it’s clear that it was in the past and will not be an issue in graduate school. I wouldn’t go into significant detail about it–definitely don’t tell the whole story–but you could mention it.</p>
<p>Others may be able to give better advice on the subject, but graduate schools will be able to see your upward trend in grades and it may be a non-issue. Have you done well in classes that are particularly relevant to MPH or MHA programs? Is your major GPA significantly higher than your cumulative GPA? Those are all things that they may consider as well. I also believe that some schools ask for your GPA in the last 60 units or something similar–they will be able to see that in your later years, you did significantly better.</p>
<p>Don’t try to explain it yourself. It’ll always come off as an excuse. Just have your counselor write something explaining.</p>
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<p>The problem with this is that–for me at least, my counselor never wrote anything when I applied to graduate school. If the OP’s counselor is writing something in their package, then they could certainly mention it. Another alternative is that if one of your letters of rec know about it, they could mention it.</p>
<p>^ I’ve only spoken to my counselor maybe 3 times in my college career, and don’t believe he will be writing anything unless required.</p>
<p>Yeah, definitely wasn’t going to tell the full story, and I presumed the upward trend would look good.</p>
<p>I’ve just done college ping pong, and didn’t want that to hinder my chances…</p>
<p>My gpa in pub health courses is like a 3.8 ish</p>
<p>Neither my counselor/or LOR writers know about it. Because I transferred to my current school, and both occurrence happened prior.</p>
<p>I was just curious if there was a place similar to the common app that asked about these things in brief. It’s definitely something that has helped foster my interest in pub health, so touching on it very briefly in my SOP may be okay.</p>
<p>There is no such thing as a “counselor” in college who writes a report for you.</p>
<p>You have two options: either address it yourself, or have a letter writer address it.</p>
<p>Even if your letter writer is not 100% familiar with your struggles, you can describe them for him/her and have him or her write about them. Professors are usually much better at excusing these because they have experience.</p>
<p>Some applications do have a space for that (I actually think SOPHAS has a place for additional information). But if they don’t you can address it in 2-3 sentences in your statement. Make them BRIEF and POSITIVE - focus on the fact that while your illness hindered you, you have recovered and are performing at your full potential now.</p>
<p>I actually doubt it will be much of an issue–you’ve gotten a 4.0 in the most recent semesters, and a 3.8 in the courses in your field. If it helped foster your interest in the field, that would be an appropriate place to mention it. It was something that happened, it’s over, but it really many you want to pursue this field.</p>
<p>You could also ask your letter writers or other people in the field. They may know how best to approach something like this.</p>
<p>You certainly can mention it in your SOP but don’t dwell on it. If health issues were formative in your decision to study MPH or MHA, that could make a good way to mention them without sounding whiny.</p>
<p>I would make sure that at least one of your letter writers knows about it - they can mention it if they think it relevant, and they will generally have a better perspective on the necessity. In your statement of purpose, mention it briefly in the context of an advantage - “I am no stranger to adversity, even when I spent months in the hospital during my first two years I still fought to progress and stay involved, and am confident that the discipline I had to acquire will help me in my doctoral studies, etc.” Short, informative without TMI, makes you look like a fighter.</p>
<p>^ that’s definitely how my train of thought was going 
touch it in a sentence without detail as it really did solidify my choice in public health!</p>
<p>Thanks again everyone! Definitely not something ill dwell on</p>