Hi! To preface, if anyone can answer this, please don’t respond with sympathy, skepticism, etc. I’m stating my experience as a matter of fact, and I’m genuinely asking how to handle this part of my application.
I am a non-trad pre-med. Up until my junior year, my undergrad GPA was 3.6. At the end of my junior year, I was raped. I had a really hard time dealing with it, and my academic performance suffered. I finished my senior year with a 1.1, which brought my overall down to 2.9.
The drop in my senior year GPA is significant, and I feel like I need to offer an explanation. The topic of sexual assault is not always received well, and I’m not exactly comfortable talking about it. I also don’t want it to seem like I’m just trying to use that as an excuse. I’m fully aware that my actions after the fact were the reason my grades tanked. I’m inclined to just say that I was struggling with things in my personal life and unfortunately didn’t prioritize school. I can then explain why I’m now a better student. Is that too vague? In an interview, would schools ask what personal issue I was dealing with? Should I briefly explain what happened, how it affected me, and how I’ve moved on? As a non-trad, should I not even mention my senior year grades? (I have a unique work experience, 518 MCAT, and 4.0 post-bac. I’m hoping I have enough to make up for the 2.9.)
I know I’m not the only one who has dealt with extraneous challenges during college. Any perspective would be much appreciated.