Don’t let low grades keep you from trying to get into your dream school. Your personal statement can save you.
On one hand, grades are important. On the other hand, the college application is made up of many different sections – you’ve got your transcript (grades), standardized testing scores, personal statements, resume, and additional personal information like extracurricular activities. College admissions committees look at all the different variables – there isn’t one section that is more important than the other. Imagine the college application as a portfolio: the strength of an application is determined by the sum of its parts.
Sure, it helps if you have good grades and a strong course record. But that doesn’t mean that you can then go ahead and write a bad admissions essay. By the same token, if you have bad grades, you can still write an awesome essay that will blow the admissions committee out of the water. The best personal statements have nothing to do with grades or school work – they are, as the name implies, “personal statements.” Personal anecdotes or stories that tell the reader who you are, what is important to you, and the things that shaped your identity.
If you are applying with a low GPA, try to slyly address the college admissions committee’s doubts. Think about it: high grades are important because they show that you’re a hard worker. That you’re motivated. That you’re ambitious. That you can stay dedicated to a task for a long time (in this case, all of high school). So if your grades don’t reflect this, try to find things in your life that do, and then write about them in your personal statement. Who knows, maybe your essay will be about how you spent all your time dedicated to the rowing team, learning about teamwork and pushing yourself to the limit. This would, in passing, explain why you didn’t devote more time to your schoolwork.
If you don’t have a specific reason, that’s okay – there are plenty of other life experiences you’ve had over the past eighteen years that can demonstrate who you are – think of an interest, talent, or a hobby that you’ve been involved with over the years. You’ve filled your time up somehow! Essentially, your personal statement format will center around these qualities. Make it personal, and make it meaningful to you.
One thing to keep in mind is that college applications can be a little expensive. Most people can’t apply to a bunch of schools on a gamble. So make sure that if you are going to give it a try, pick one or two reach schools, but also make sure to apply to schools that show stats in your grade range.