<p>In the first semester senior year, I experienced the loss of my grandmother (she passed away), which I believe impacted my first semester senior year grades (my mid year report). I don't think my mid year report accurately reflects my normal performance in school.</p>
<p>Should I send a brief note to college adcoms regarding this matter (via e-mail)?</p>
<p>Any advice would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Simply said … No.</p>
<p>Why is that? </p>
<p>If so, how should I let the adcoms know without sounding whiny?</p>
<p>And, the death of grandma counts as death in immediate family? (it usually does under legal definitions)</p>
<p>Why? Because appealing to pity does not work well. Neither does having to explain poor grades.</p>
<p>I agree with xiggi. Trying to excuse low senior grades with the death of a grandparent would do more harm than good. A lot of people do worse their senior year and try to find any excuse to mitigate the effects of lower grades. It’s not that I think you’re exaggerating, but adcoms prob won’t appreciate it. </p>
<p>And not to sound harsh, but I’ve very rarely believed that the death of a grandparent should be considered an extenuating circumstance. Very seldom does that dramatically affect a person enough to significantly lower their grades. Not to mention that everyone has four grandparents and it wouldn’t be uncommon for them to pass away during high school (Several of my friends have had this happen in the past few years).</p>
<p>If you were talking about the death of a parent or sibling, then that’d be different. Or if it was something that directly impeded your ability to do well e.g. serious illness, injury, etc. In this case I’d just sit tight for another month and hope for the best. Good luck</p>
<p>Cold blooded replies. I think you should only say something if it is an issue with the school. If they say nothing, you have nothing to say back.</p>
<p>It needs to come from your guidance counselor. Why should they take a student’s word for it?</p>
<p>I am sorry for your loss, but I agree with the “cold-blooded” replies.</p>
<p>im sorry for you loss. but as a college admissions person, i would only see this as an excuse. the bottom line is, you shoulda known better than let someone’s death come in the way of your future.</p>
<p>The thing here is you said “which I believe”. It sounds to me more like an excuse. I’m not trying to be a dick, so please don’t take it that way. From my college app experience, adcoms only want to know how you overcame a serious obstacle (death, illness, etc.). Thousands of people try to pull the pity card in their apps. They aren’t looking for that. They want to see how a person overcame it and became stronger. If you go to the Stanford section on this forum, one applicant lost both his parents but talked about how it made him stronger.</p>
<p>Sorry, I’m just not sure if the death of a grandparent is something worth mentioning.</p>
<p>I did read that “death in immediate family” is worth mentioning, but “having the flu” or “robotics tournament” type stuff would get adcoms jaded. Is this true?</p>
<p>And should I mention that “death of a grandparent” has occurred? What would be considered “death in the immediate family”?</p>
<p>Also, if I was to explain the stuff to adcoms (without making excuses) how should I phrase it? Or should I not even mention it at all?</p>
<p>First, let me say that I am sorry for your loss. </p>
<p>Then, let me say: do not contact the schools.
I think it could backfire on you. The schools might wonder how a grandparent’s death could bring down your GPA for the entire first half of your senior year. What were your grades like before she died? How badly did it drop? </p>
<p>If I were an adcom person I’d wonder whether or not you would be able to handle rigorous college classes (since you want pre-med classes) if another difficult situation arises. It is painful to lose a loved one, but part of growing up is learning to “buck up”. Once you become a doctor, you can’t excuse yourself for misdiagnosing patients because of a family death or other concern that is weighing you down.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Well in school (I’m coming from a very competitive, prestigious public high school), I’ve always been A/B student, receiving A’s and B’s on the transcripts.</p>
<p>But somehow, in senior year, the resulting grades deviated greatly from what I normally got (in a negative way), so I was just wondering how I could state my family circumstances without making excuses (I should see my spring semester grade rebound). </p>
<p>Could you please give me a suggestion on how to phrase it? (My mid year report is so abnormal compared to what I’m normally used to, as I am normally an A/B student in school, receiving mostly A’s, some B’s in general, coming from a top high school in the US).</p>
<p>Grandparents die. They are old. It happens. Alot. And is expected. </p>
<p>What “i got so sad my grandma died I couldn’t do my work the whole semester”?</p>
<p>Think about it. And is it really true? Or just an excuse. If we see thru it here, adcoms will for sure.</p>
<p>I understand, I don’t really think it’s an excuse. I mean, she’s been a part of my life since I was really young, and the fact I had to go through this loss is really saddening.</p>
<p>I don’t think I’m using as excuse (I’m not someone who makes excuses anyway…).</p>
<p>I mean, this situation is unique, as my grandmother has been an integral part of my life, and I have very STRONG bonds toward my grandmother. I’m not going to make an excuse, but the fact my grandmother passed away strongly saddens me (because how close the relationship IS).</p>
<p>How would I portray this without coming off as excusy?</p>
<p>I don’t think it would be considered an excuse in my situations.</p>
<p>of course, if it’s a great aunt or great grandpa, not a quality excuse.</p>
<p>Or if it’s second cousin, not a quality excuse as well.</p>
<p>You do not want to hear the answer that everyone in this thread has been giving you: you should not phrase it in any way at all, because any way you put it will sound like making an excuse.</p>
<p>Sent from my DROIDX using CC</p>
<p>well, maybe i should sit tight?</p>
<p>Is that the only solution available for now?</p>
<p>Thanks (sorry to ask this)</p>
<p>Did your grandmother raise you? Or did she live with you and your parents and siblings? If so, then maybe there is some justification for informing the colleges you’ve applied to about her passing.</p>
<p>Was her passing so troubling to you that your teachers and your guidance counselors already had to be informed about it? If so, then you should talk to your counselor about whether he or she thinks it makes sense for him or her to pass the information along to the colleges you’ve applied to.</p>
<p>But if this grandmother didn’t raise you, and didn’t live with your family, and you take it upon yourself to tell college admissions committees, “My grades slipped because my grandmother died this fall,” it’s not going to get them to cut you any slack for the drop in your grades, and there is a very real chance that they’ll think you’re just trying to make excuses.</p>
<p>When did she die? Was it a drawn out illness? Were you involved in her care, or was one of your parents absent to care for her?</p>
<p>How did this impact your grades for the entire semester? If it happened early in the semester, you guidance counselor could have mentioned it in your school report, if it had a significant impact. If it had such an impact, and you didn’t talk to your guidance counselor that’s your own fault. This is precisely the type of information that should come from the school, not directly from you, unless it is part of the formal application (as the subject of one of your essays, for instance).</p>
<p>Coming from you, it will come across as an excuse, no matter how close you were to your grandmother. If the guidance counselor writes about it, it is coming from someone outside looking in, who sees how it impacts your studies, and has the experience to gauge whether you are using it as an excuse, or working your way through your grief. Coming from you, the expectation of better grades the following semester sounds like wishful thinking, or regret. Coming from the guidance counselor, it is someone else making the assessment that it has not had permanent impact.</p>