Explaining GPA rise? Yay or Nay? Need YOUR input.

<p>Ok, so back when I was working on the common app I thought that if I told colleges why my GPA was low, they would see it as an excuse. We all hate excuses.</p>

<p>Now, after being rejected from Rice ED, I am starting to consider sending letters out to colleges about why my GPA is low and what inspired me to make it curve up and how I learned a lesson etc. I went to a super-competitive public school my freshman year and ended up with a 2.8 GPA(UW) there. IT was a 3.5ish(w)...BUT, i transferred to a private school during my sophomore year and they didnt even bother to put Honors or Pre-AP and calculated my GPA to a 1.7 at my new school's GPA system. </p>

<p>According to a 4.0 Unweighted scale, my gpa rose like so: (9-2.8)(10-3.5)(11-3.8)-which averages to a 3.4 UW
By the end of my senior year I will have taken 6 AP classes, and the rest all honors classes. I am anticipating my senior first semester GPA 3.85 UW and a 4.3 W.
However, colleges will see an unappealing 3.0W gpa on my high school transcript according to my school's OUTRAGEOUS grade point system...along with my counselor explaining how the GPA system works (93+=A, 83-92=B...etc)</p>

<p>My grandmother passed away around my freshman year. I was depressed for a long time and found basketball to be the only way to take my mind off any depressing/pessimistic thoughts. So, I played at lunch every single day, got home, played from 3:00pm until about 8:00pm, did a little homework, and slept. After my freshman year, I found my GPA to be depressing. Someone even told me that freshman GPA's don't count on college apps but not I find that to be untrue. I hated my school and convinced my parents to switch me to a private school. I found comfort through religion (I go to an episcopalian school now) and thrived in this new environment. I made friends easily and excelled in my studies. I knew that I had to work hard for what I wanted.</p>

<p>Should I write them a letter to explain my circumstances or not?
Yay or nay?</p>

<p>and if i choose to do so, how would I go about writing it?</p>

<p>Anyone?....</p>