<p>ok i need some feedback from you guys on what you would consider an extenuating circumstance.</p>
<p>this occured during my first semester senior yr.
-mother had two eye surgeries, and then was scheduled to have two more finalized laser surgery. my mother also has type 2 diabetes and is now after many ilnesses starting to suffer from peripheral neuropathy in her leg, causing her walk to be painful.
-father had been hospitalized for a week due to a mild stroke.</p>
<p>personally i did not send any of this info to colleges for the midyear grade report as my grades have declined. but now some colleges are asking me to explain my grade slippage by given me a chance to discuss any extenuating circumstances. should some of this be mentioned, i mean there not excuses and i've dealt with it, but dont want it to be an excuse. i think i'm toast.</p>
<p>Yes, you should explain what happened and also should have your GC explain what happened. It's not unusual for students' grades to decline due to family emergencies. Colleges tend to be sympathetic to such circumstances as long as colleges know what happened and hear that info through a reputable source like a GC.</p>
<p>The high school grade problems that colleges typically don't show mercy for are things like senioritis, getting jailed, being lazy or having a grade decline due to a substance abuse problem.</p>
<p>Also check the responses to this thread about a similar situation.</p>
<p>I totally agree with Northstarmom. </p>
<p>They are mainly checking to see if you had senoritis. Write them. Don't make it sound like an excuse but rather just an explanation. Have your GC contact them.</p>
<p>I doubt if you will have a problem, but you can negotiate if worse comes to worse. One offer is to start freshman year on academic probation. Another offer is to start Spring instead of Fall. Some colleges will agree because they know that some slots will open up after Fall semester.</p>
<p>how do you explain but not make it seem like an excuse? seems like a very fine distinction. I am in a somewhat similar situation</p>
<p>Excuse: I received your letter about my possible rescinsion because of my senior grades. My grades fell because my mother and father were both sick. Because of this I had a lot of trouble studying and I wasn't prepared for the tests. I hope that you can understand and I really want to attend your college. Thank you.</p>
<p>Not excuse: I have received your request for information about the my senior year grades. During the early part of the year, my mother and father were both sick. My mother was ... My father was... As you can imagine, this put a strain on the entire family. I know, however, that I have learned to deal with the situation and I am very much looking forward to college. If I can provide any further information, please let me know.</p>
<p>Start with the assumption that you have nothing to apologize for. Just say what happened and let them figure out how it must have affected your grades. Be sure to have your GC call.</p>
<p>well it is going to be hard considering the circumstanes occured during senior year... if it was freshman- junior years, it would be A LOT more easier because lets face it, colleges are aware of senioritis. Your circumstance is definitely acceptable.</p>
<p>This is what i wrote feel free to make corrections or suggestions as i have not sent it yet but will soon within the span of today or def tomorrow. thank you guys.</p>
<p>Dear University of Richmond,</p>
<p>Freshmen applicant
March 5th, 2006</p>
<p>Extenuating Circumstances.</p>
<p>First and foremost I take full accountability for my 7th semester grades. I'm here today to honestly say that it does not in an way reflect my motivation and ability to handle college level material. I feel that I can excel in my college studies, when presented in the right environment and that is in University of Richmond. During my first semester, several family illnesses have occurred that I feel have adversely affected my grades.
My mother is disabled and receives social security income as well as my father. My mother had undergone several laser eye surgeries to correct her vision due to the effects and long term disease of diabetes. She is now scheduled to have two more finalizing cataract surgery. My father had been seriously ill for week before he went to the hospital to be diagnosed with a blood clot in the lungs, he ended up being hospitalized for upto a week. As you could imagine things at home were very emotional. It put a strain on the entire family, as the health of my parents was in fact bigger of a focus then my academic studies.
I look forward to attending the University of Richmond and I hope that you will understand the effects of my circumstance. While I haven't been at the top of my academic studies, I can guarantee you that college is my single focus now. Thank you for your consideration, any other information will be provided under request.</p>
<p>ok, any1else, trust me it is greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>The only thing that I suggest adding is when your mom's surgiers were and when your dad's illness was. Otherwise, the letter looks fine. You take responsibility for your actions while also explaining the extenuating circumstances. If there are younger kids at home that you had any responsibilities for, also mention that.</p>
<p>As long as your grades for the rest of the year go up, I think that colleges won't hold your midyear dip against you.</p>
<p>I wish you and your family well.</p>
<p>One last thing: Considering your family's strained financial circumstances, make sure that you have applied to a college that you know that you definitely can afford and definitely will get in. For most people, such financial safeties are 4-year or 2-year public institutions within commuting distance. It would be dreadful to get college acceptances,but not to be able to afford to go to the places that accepted you.</p>
<p>Just because one has lots of financial need doesn't mean that the colleges will meet that need. Many colleges either gap the aid (giving as much as $20,000 less than you need) or provide aid by giving enormous loans.</p>
<p>I would move the first three sentences to the end, and provide more detail about your mother and father's health problems.</p>
<p>I think they will be understanding. They want to identify the people who don't have reasons. Good luck.</p>
<p>I think your letter looks good. I agree with the suggestion that you add the dates that everything happened, and maybe just a phrase or sentence about what your parents' health is like now (since you mention that now your focus is on college). If they were seriously ill at the same time, then that certainly adds to the severity of the situation. If you'd like, you could also mention whether you had to help take care of your parents or any younger siblings. If no extended family members or good friends were staying and helping during this time, then it also shows your ability to handle those types of adult situations in a mature way, and it would show that your grades dropped not only due to stress but due to the responsibilities you have to your parents. </p>
<p>I would also suggest that you have your GC contact the school to add credibility to your statement. Inform your GC of the situation, and assure him/her that these family health problems were indeed the cause of your grade decline.</p>
<p>If you would like me to go through and fix some of the grammatical and punctuation errors, just PM me. I would be happy to help. A couple of weeks ago I developed what is most likely neuropathy (mostly hands and feet, though my arms are affected, as well), but I'm hoping it will go away...</p>
<p>thank you guys soo muchhh!! corranged i'll pm you later tonite with the updates, thanks again! and i really do feel for you and hope you get better soon!</p>
<p>Thanks, guys. It actually doesn't affect me all that much; it's just annoying. I acquired it in a pretty unusual fashion, so I'm thinking maybe it will just fade away. haha We shall see.</p>