I always hear of people on CC saying that they explained the reason for their lower GPA to schools during the admissions cycle which helped to boost their application; how exactly would one go about explaining personal situations that account for lower grades?? Due to financial constraints, I work two jobs to help support my family which takes up a lot of my time and has taken a huge emotional/psychological toll on me over the past few years. It has affected my grades pretty vastly, although my GPA isn’t horrible (3.7 UW), it would be much higher if I didn’t have the weight of my family’s finances on my back. I don’t want to sound whiny to admissions officers or come across as pretentious, so how could I genuinely portray this explanation to colleges? Thank you so much in advance!
Low grades can be addressed by your guidance counselor, in the additional comments section of the application or incorporate your job situation into one of your essays.
People say a lot of things here; believe them at your own risk. A HS kid seldom has the perspective or skill to address shortcomings without coming across with a tone of “woe is me” or blaming others.
It sounds like you have a pretty legitimate reason for why you can’t focus as much on your studies as you’d like. I suggest you have this addressed by your counselor in their letter. Share recent paystubs with your GC to support your claim that you have been spending a lot of time working.
I would also try to bring it up in an interview, or perhaps an essay. You don’t want to appear “whiny”, but own up to what makes your grades lower- you’re working far more than the average high schooler does. That kind of commitment and family responsibility can look impressive to adcoms (you’re handling responsibility, already in the workforce) if presented the right way.