How in depth should I go in when explaining extenuating circumstances on the CommonApp?

Applying to College
1

Basically, I have a low gpa (UW 3.52, W 4.4), but I have a decent ACT score, 34 (W 30, M 34, R 35, S 35, can’t immediately recall my essay score). I took it a second time, but I am still waiting for scores to come out.

There are several different reasons for my low GPA that were mostly out of my control at the time. However, I don’t want to appear to colleges that I am just making up excuses.

As I am a new member, I’m not sure if this is too much information:

Sophomore year: I was involved in a severe car accident (not just a bump). I did have to drop out of competitive dancing (something that I was extremely serious about) and varsity cheer.

Junior Year: I transferred to a private school after sophomore year due to bullying and the administration’s lack of addressing it. December of that year I was ran over by a car (broken bones, severe concussion, and such. I really do have the worst luck with cars). Due to financial burdens of the accident and personal family matters, I had no other choice but to transfer mid-year from a private school (year-long courses) to a public one (semester-long course). My credits transferred over weird because I only received half-credits (a majority of which were 'B’s that I had originally plan to pull up the next semester). My transcript for the 11th grade was quite messy.

Senior Year: I was hospitalized the beginning of my senior year, and it proved to be difficult for me to apply to college then.
After consulting with several people, it was in my best interest to take a gap year. During the second semester of senior year, I fully recovered and ended strongly with straight As. (I actually went in depth in my main CommonApp essay about this situation).

Gap Year: Did a complete 180. Interning internationally as a research assistant at a biotechnology lab. So far no car accidents…

To say the least, my high school career was rough. How in depth should I go in when explaining extenuating circumstances on the CommonApp? Should I state it similarly as I did on here on t? When is it too much? I really do not want colleges to think that I am making up excuses. Because I’m not. I’m just a culmination of unfortunate events. Any advise would be helpful as I am currently freaking out (please excuse any grammatical errors and such. My hands are shaking because I’m so nervous).

2

A little more succinctness wouldn’t hurt, but this isn’t overly detailed. Perhaps something like

“Hospitalized for much of year due to car accident, resulting in severe medical complications.”

and later

“Transferred to a new school due to severe bullying and school inaction. Following another car accident, was hospitalized for an extended period of time. Forced to transfer to a new school due to medical expenses.”

The person who should go into more detail on these events is your last school’s guidance counselor, who can mention them in his/her recommendation. It seems like you’ve had really rotten luck in a number of ways, and I hope that changes going forward.