<p>During the second semester of my Sophomore year, I was raped, which for obvious reasons, caused me to go through a severe depression. Though I managed to get so-so grades that semester, Mainly B's and C's though one A in math, the first semester of my Junior year I got mainly C's and D's, even failing a class. As of now, I have healed emotionally and am doing a lot better, usually I have been an A student, in the IB program. However, my GPA as of now is a 2.9. How does this affect my college application/search process? Should I limit my college search to lower GPA schools? How do I explain the bad grades during college admissions?</p>
<p>I’m sorry, that is terrible to hear. You are a junior now? First have you had a meeting with your guidance counselor about your situation and questions? Do you have good access to a GC? a trusted teacher? What is your SAT/ACT?.What state are you in?</p>
<p>Yes, I am a Junior. I have a 33 on my ACT, first try, and I’m in Washington State. I have a psychiatrist so I guess that’s my guidance counselor. </p>
<p>In this context, “guidance counselor” means “college counselor”…have you met with yours yet?</p>
<p>I’m so sorry about what happened! Make your essay focused on that and get your teacher who knows what you went through. Tell your guidance counselor so they can say something on your report! They’ll notice and respect the improvement! </p>
<p>I am very sorry to hear about what happened to you. I agree that you should write an essay about what happened to you and how it affected you both emotionally and academically. The only word of caution is that essays like this can sometimes read like an excuse so to avoid that I would recommend writing about the positive ways that this has changed you. For instance getting help from a counselor shows that you’re willing to ask for help when you need it and that your recovery shows tenacity and emotional and mental strength as well as great character.<br>
Also, definitely still apply to schools that normally require a higher GPA but also look at schools that are more modest. I was like you and had extenuating circumstances that affected my academics and I graduated with a 2.9 GPA but I still got in to Boston University, which was my first choice. So, it is always possible that you will get in to a reach school but its always wise to have safety schools. I wish you the best of luck and never sell yourself short because of your GPA! </p>
<p>I am doing the IB diploma program and the IB program is from 11th grade onwards. A 2.9 isn’t bad at all especially if you are an IB diploma candidate. See if you can bring it up to above a 3. Your 33 ACT really helps you out. Don’t worry too much, you will do fine! </p>
<p>I’m so sorry to hear what happened to you, and congratulations on your improvement :)</p>
<p>My daughter was in a similar situation, although the cause of her depression was not so awful and violent. She, too was an IB student. Her depression started sophomore year but really hit worst the fall of junior year. She had previously been an A student but those 3 semesters did bring her GPA down. I believe that halfway through junior year she had about a 3.0 UW and she had several “Withdrawns” on her transcript from having to drop classes she was struggling in. She had to drop out of the full-IB-diploma program and just be “partial IB”. So her transcript was shaky for the colleges she applied to (I think her GPA by January of senior year was about 3.46 unweighted, with 2100 SAT and 720, 790 SATII scores.)</p>
<p>Luckily, the types of colleges she was most interested in (small liberal arts colleges) are also the ones with the most holistic approach to applications, that is, they’re more likely to really read and consider all aspects rather than going simply “by the numbers.” Your extenuating circumstances and course rigor (IB) might be OK, especially if you can get your GPA up this semester and first semester senior year. Perhaps you can consider colleges like that. My D was especially enamored of the women’s colleges.</p>
<p>It’s also going to be really important that your high school guidance counselor is well aware of what you’ve been through and will be able to write a very good, articulate and accurate description in his/her statement for the Common App. If he/she can describe how your low GPA was affected mainly by the aftermath of this horrible event, and how you managed to heal and overcome it and become a good student again, that will be great. I would recommend speaking with that person now just to make sure that they understand what you went through, how it affected your academic performance, and that they see how you’re doing well now. Make sure you feel comfortable that they will take the time to write well about this on the Common App. (My D’s guidance counselor just met her a few months before having to write the statement, which was too bad because she didn’t know her all that well…)</p>
<p>On the Common App there is also a short section for YOU to add “additional info”. If you decide not to make your main essay deal with this issue, that will the be the place to explain what happened and what the academic consequences were.</p>
<p>The best thing you can do is to continue to get the best grades you can, get great SAT / ACT/ SATII scores, and above all, don’t let the stress of college applications set you back emotionally :)</p>
<p>I wish you all the best.</p>
<p>You should really maximize the essay with this info.</p>
<p>I think you should write the essay on whatever topic you want. I don’t agree that you need to write about this, or even that you should–especially is you are not ready. As StacyNell says, this is something that you guidance counselor can explain in her recommendation or in an additional comments section…</p>
<p>You shouldn’t write about this. Your essay should be about what makes you unique, something that makes them want to have you as a student. It can allude or bring up the rape, since obviously it’s something central that happened to you, that could have destroyed you, so you can’t pretend it never happened, but the essay’s focus should be on who you are now. However you can add a detailed essay in “additional information”, mentioning only “emotional and physical repercusions of the rape” (do not use words like “depression”) to explain the “grade fluctuations” + very important your GC should bring it up in his/her recommendation.</p>