<p>People that have been telling me that, since I went from a 2.8 freshman year to a 4.0 junior year, I have to explain my trend. I guess they mean to explain why my grades experience a sudden change. Is the fact that I didn't care a good explanation?</p>
<p>Explain truthfully and don’t make anything up. If you really didn’t care in freshman year, then you can say so. Just perhaps not so bluntly as you did above. Talk about WHY you didn’t care in freshman year, what caused you to change (why did you suddenly started caring), and focus on your how your grades have improved as a result. Explaining fully what happened is better than leaving the admissions officers puzzled over the changes in your grades.</p>
<p>My grades were similar, if not quite so dramatic. A lot of people told me to write an essay about it and/or explain it somewhere. In the end, I had no good excuse, so I didn’t mention it anywhere. I did wildly better than anyone (including myself) expected in the admissions game.</p>
<p>Don’t feel that you “need” to explain, unless you feel that you can do it in a way that somehow enhances your application. Your upward trend should really speak for itself anyway.</p>
<p>Your grades speak for themselves. Keep up the trend for first semester senior year. You don’t need to explain.</p>
<p>And frankly I think an essay that focuses on grades is not wise. It’s a wasted opportunity. Use the essay to elaborate on your unique and compelling intellectual, artistic, sports, etc. passions.</p>