<p>For the college I am applying for, there isn't really an essay per se, but there are questions asking why you want to go to that college, etc..and as I am drafting my response, I feel the need to explain bad grades (one F, D, and a couple C's) and I end up begging and sounding rather desperate. I really really really want to go to this certain school and I want the admissions officers to know how important it is to me that I get in, but I always end up sounding desperate and pathetic. How do I address my bad grades and show the college how important it is to me that I go to this college without begging and sounding desperate?</p>
<p>Don’t talk about the reasons to reject you but rather emphasize the reasons you should be accepted. In the “Why here?” essays talk about how you specifically plan to utilize the resources unique to said college. Talk about your passions and how this school will help them flourish.</p>
<p>Rather than just explaining, tell the admission officers how you came about your obstacles and challenges. I was in the same dilemmna as you last year, but after honestly brainstorming what I had accomplished after the challenges I had been through, everything worked out with me (without sounding desperate).</p>
<p>Consider writing two essays. The first essay explains why you want to go to this college. The second, supplementary essay explicitly addresses your low grades, how they happened, what you have already done to address them, your plans to further address them (especially this summer!), etc.</p>
<p>To avoid sounding desperate, stick to what specifically makes this college a good fit for you (major, location, program, professor, whatever specific details make this college attractive to you). </p>
<p>Rather than tell about how important the college is to you: show that it is important: visit as often as you can, learn everything you can about the college, see if you can have an interview, etc.</p>
<p>Finally: to sound less desperate, be less desperate. No matter how great this particular college is, you have other colleges, other options. Find out what they are.</p>
<p>College is mainly what you make of it. You can get a good education at any number of colleges.</p>