<p>When my daughter had a horrible illness, she had to stay at home and in the process missed a TON of school, which resulted in poor grades and a lower rank. After she recovered, it definitely showed in her grades, she got a 3.98 in her junior year (uw) and re-did several classes that she did poorly in the previous year online (and got A's).
She got a 32 on her ACTs, and a 2160 on the SATs, as well as several leadership activities/passion-filled ECs.</p>
<p>Our guidance counselor will explain this in the application, and D will mention it somewhere in her essay. </p>
<p>Now, as we are all looking at various schools for her to apply to for her senior year, will her poor grades shut her out from a majority of schools? We are aware of the larger, more "number based" selective schools that she will have a problem with, but is there still a chance that she can go to a top-ranked LAC, or a top 50 school? </p>
<p>Our guidance counselor does not seem to know much or help in any way.</p>
<p>My understanding is that circumstances like the one you've described are definitely taken into consideration, especially if it's coming from someone with authority (e.g. your guidance counselor)</p>
<p>I wouldn't necessarily mention it in an essay per se, unless your D can somehow tie it in to one of the prompts, although I think your D should address it in the "Additional Information" section.</p>
<p>There is only one thing that you need to do: Your daughter MUST speak to her college counselor. ONLY her counselor can legitimately communicate your daughter's particular situation to college admissions councils. Doctor's note is unnecessary, unless her counselor would like to see one.</p>
<p>Your daughter could also write up a letter where she talks about her situation to the admissions staff, but in either case an explanation from her counselor is absolutely, positively mandatory.</p>
<p>A doctor's note won't hurt--and it might help, so I'd say add it.
I'm in a /somewhat/ similar situation, and I'm having my guidance counselor write about my health issues and having a doctor's note as well (however, your GC probably knows best).</p>
<p>I think it is fine for the applicant to talk about something that affected her grades in the "other information you want us to know" section of the applications or in the essay. Although you certainly want the counselor to be familiar with your situation, and verify if asked, I do not think ONLY her counselor can communicate that info to colleges. Applicants are expected to convey all sorts of verifiable information on the application and this is just one more thing. I definitely think they take it into consideration, especially with an upward trend. But then again, I think they take everything disclosed on the application into consideration. It can only help to disclose a temporary hardship if it negatively affected your gpa, especially with a strong upward trend. Good luck.</p>
<p>Bessie, please do not give information that you have not confirmed. Applicants can talk about extenuating circumstances all they want but a college counselor MUST verify it.</p>