<p>Tomorrow I'm meeting with my counselor to write up a letter to send with my Mid Year Report.</p>
<p>The letter will explain this (below is the nut-shelled version):</p>
<p>These last couple of months have been a rough going for me and my family. My mom had a stroke and they additionally found a tumor on her uterus.</p>
<p>Moreover, a good friend of mine died in a car accident 4 months ago (19 years old) and three days ago I was diagnosed with a clinical bleeding disorder.</p>
<p>Conequentially, my grades have slipped. With a fairly strong report card from freshman-junior year, my senior grades thus far have entirely been B's (high and low ones) and even one C. I am applying to prestigious liberal arts colleges and would like to know 2 things:</p>
<p>1) Should I even do this? Or do you think I should just suck it up and send in my Report unaccompanied?</p>
<p>2) How much leeway/slack (for lack of a better term) will I receive as a result of this letter? I understand by no means is this a "mid year report immunity" but just for some reason I feel like I should send SOME form of explanation.</p>
<p>I understand that this may appear whiny or even desperate to some people, but I'm just in a whirlwind right now...</p>
<p>Again, who knows, maybe for some reason I will come to my senses and get A+'s on all my finals and pull all my grades up.</p>
<p>In any case, all comments will be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Good luck to those who hear in April,</p>
<p>Scott</p>
<p>Wow... first of all, I want to wish you best of luck with all the troubles you're going through, it sounds like things have been very difficult.</p>
<p>To answer your question, I think that you should definitely send such a letter. If events have been going on that caused a drop in grades, colleges should know. Also, you say you've had good freshman-junior grades, which shows you are fully capable of doing well and that you've been committed throughout high school... and the senior grades can be legitimately explained.</p>
<p>Again, best of luck with all of the issues you mentioned.</p>
<p>^ Yes, I concur with GoldShadow, I will keep you in my prayers, and I think that it is perfectly acceptable for you to provide a letter, especially in your circumstance.</p>
<p>i agree with both of the previous posters. and also, im sorry about all those horrible things happening to you and yours.</p>
<p>Colleges won't look at this with scorn? (i.e. 'excuses, excuses, excuses'?)</p>
<p>Just how low are adcom's willing to accept with such reasons? I mean, what if I do terribly on my finals and my grades are substandard?</p>
<p>I dunno I just feel the need to vent and get your opinions...</p>
<p>Just make sure you try as hard as you can, they'll understand that it's hard to focus with something like that going on.</p>
<p>I hope things get better very soon. Sending a letter is definitely a good idea. You are lucky to have a GC who is getting involved in it with you. In addition to your letter, anything that the GC can send would be good. You seem to be somewhat hard on yourself in your post. It is not whiny or desperate. Things happen to people and allowances are made.</p>
<p>I too hope that things are getting better soon. while your GC should write a letter to state what has happened to you and how it affected your grades, it is also important that she emphasizes that while you had this "set back", that you are making a comeback. The school will want to see some resiliency on your part by you demonstrating that you are getting back on track.</p>
<p>Should I send this with my mid year report or a little before, as though to "warn" them beforehand?</p>